Parents hoping to keep October half-term costs down can get free or £1 meals for children at a host of restaurants, pubs and supermarket cafés – with some offers available across the UK.
Burger King is giving families a free King Jr. Meal with a qualifying adult meal, while Bella Italia, Frankie & Benny's, Banana Tree and Las Iguanas are among the chains running Kids Eat Free promotions.
There are also deals at ASDA cafés, Morrisons cafés, Premier Inn and Toby Carvery, meaning families can save on everything from quick lunches to breakfast and family dinners.
But the offers come with different rules. Some require an adult to buy a full-priced main meal, others need an app or loyalty membership, and participating branches may vary.
Ben Smye, deals expert at HotUKDeals.com, said: “Families across the UK are preparing for another expensive school break.
“Luckily, restaurants and supermarkets are stepping up again with free meals and £1 deals that can slash the cost of spending family time together.”
Burger King gives away free kids' meals
Burger King is running its Kids Eat Free offer from now until November 1.
Families can claim a free King Jr. Meal through the Burger King UK app when an adult buys a qualifying burger meal at a participating restaurant.
Children can choose from a Whopper Jr., Hamburger, Cheeseburger or Chicken Nuggets, with a kids' drink and a choice of sides included.
The offer excludes certain adult meals, including King Savers, Cheeseburgers, Hamburgers, bundles and Melts burgers. It is not valid at motorway service locations, airports, train stations or holiday parks, and cannot be combined with other promotions.
Bella Italia, Frankie & Benny's and Las Iguanas
Several popular restaurant chains are running free-meal promotions during the school break, although the dates differ by location.
- Bella Italia: One child aged two to 11 can get three courses and a drink free with an adult main. The half-term offer runs from October 10 to 25 in Scotland and October 17 to November 1 in England.
- Frankie & Benny's: Children aged 12 and under can eat free with every adult main meal purchased during the school holidays. The October promotion runs from October 10 to 25 in Scotland and October 17 to November 1 across the rest of the UK, subject to participating restaurants.
- Banana Tree: Children can get a free main, drink and dessert with an adult main every Sunday. Its half-term promotion runs from October 17 to November 1.
- Las Iguanas: Children aged up to 12 can get a free main, two sides and dessert from the Niños menu when an adult buys an à la carte main. The offer must be claimed through the app and is subject to restrictions.
- Zizzi: Children can get a free Bambini meal with each adult main when families download the app and join the Zillionaires' Club. The half-term offer runs on selected days from October 18 to November 1 in England and Wales.
- ASK Italian: Up to two children's meals can be claimed through the ASK Perks app with at least one full-price adult main, between 3pm and 6pm Monday to Friday during school holidays. Check the app for confirmed dates.
- Chiquito: Children can eat free with each adult main purchased during school holidays, subject to participating restaurants.
- Café Rouge: Children can get a free meal with an adult main, daily between noon and 4pm.
- YO! Sushi: Children aged 12 and under can get a free kids' meal with a full-paying adult and a minimum £10 spend, Monday to Friday during local school holidays.
More restaurants offering free kids' meals
Other chains have offers that can help families keep costs down beyond the main half-term promotion dates.
- Gordon Ramsay Restaurants: One child aged 10 or under can get a free main from the Ramsay Kids Menu when an adult orders two à la carte courses, including a main, at participating restaurants.
- Purezza: Children under 10 can get a free mini pizza with one topping with every full-paying adult.
- Preto: One child aged 10 or under can eat free per full-paying adult. A voucher must be obtained online. The offer is available at weekends and on weekdays from 4pm.
- The Real Greek: Children under 12 can get a free kids' meal with every £15 adult spend on Sundays.
- Turtle Bay: One child aged 10 or under can get a free kids' meal when an adult spends at least £15.
- Franco Manca: Selected pizzerias offer a free individual children's pizza for a child aged 12 or under with every full-price adult main, Monday to Thursday. Check with the local restaurant first.
- Marco Pierre White Restaurants: Children under 12 can get a free main with each full-paying adult main from the à la carte menu during school holidays, excluding Saturdays after 6pm. Dates and availability vary.
- OK Diners: One child under 10 can eat free from the children's menu when an adult buys an à la carte main, at participating diners excluding those on the A1.
- Sizzling Pubs: One children's main costs £1 with each adult main, Monday to Friday. Breakfasts and other offers or set menus are excluded.
- Farmhouse Inns: Up to two children can eat free with an adult main, with a free scoop of ice cream included for each child's meal. The offer runs Monday to Friday during October half-term.
Kids can eat for £1 at ASDA and IKEA
Families looking for a cheaper lunch can also turn to supermarket cafés and other retailers.
- ASDA cafés: Children under 16 can get a hot or cold meal for £1, with no minimum adult spend.
- IKEA: Children's pasta with tomato sauce, a soft drink and a piece of fruit costs 95p from 11am daily, with no adult meal purchase required.
- Dunelm Pausa cafés: Children can eat free with every £5 spent in the café. The offer includes a children's main, drink and two snacks.
- Morrisons cafés: One free children's meal is available with an adult meal costing £5 or more. The child must be under 16.
- Dobbies Garden Centres: Children can eat for £1 with a qualifying adult breakfast or main meal. The offer covers selected children's breakfasts and lunches, with a £1 supplement for Sunday roasts at some restaurants.
Prezzo Italian
Prezzo has three offers for families this October half-term, including a deal aimed specifically at teenagers.
- Teens Eat for a Tenner: 13–17-year-olds can get any pizza or pasta plus a drink for £10. There is one unusual catch: parents cannot sit at their table. The offer also runs beyond half-term.
- Kids Eat Free voucher: Download a voucher to get one free two-course children’s meal with every paying adult main.
- Prezzo Kids Club: The £1.99-a-month subscription gives up to three children a free three-course meal per visit when an adult buys a full-price main. There is no limit on how many times a week families can use it.
Prezzo is also donating £1 to BBC Children in Need for every new Kids Club subscription redeemed during the campaign. Children can enjoy activities, 3D menus and Pudsey-themed fun at the table.
The campaign starts on October 12 in Scotland and October 19 in the rest of the UK. Check the offer terms and participating restaurants before visiting.
Free breakfast for children at Premier Inn and other venues
Families heading out early can also find savings on breakfast.
- Premier Inn: Up to two children under 16 eat breakfast free with an adult full Premier Inn Breakfast or Meal Deal.
- Beefeater: Two children under 16 can eat breakfast free with each adult unlimited breakfast costing £11.99.
- Brewers Fayre: Two children under 16 eat breakfast free with every adult breakfast purchased. A three-course children's menu is also available for £6.49.
- Table Table: Two children under 16 can eat breakfast free with each adult breakfast. A two-course children's meal is also available for £4.99.
- Travelodge: Children under 15 can get breakfast for £1 with every full-paying adult at hotels with an on-site Bar Café.
- Whitbread Inns: Two children under 16 can eat breakfast free with every adult full breakfast.
- The Lounges: Selected venues offer free breakfast for children taking part in the Little Loungers scheme during school holidays. Families should check with their local café.
Toby Carvery is also running a £1 children's meal offer from October 10 to November 1, including weekends. Children can get a main meal, carvery or breakfast for £1 with an adult main meal or all-you-can-eat breakfast, subject to the offer's terms and app or sign-up requirements.
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How to make kids-eat-free deals go further
Clair Hughes, Savings Expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk, said families should look beyond the headline offer to work out how much they will really save.
She advised checking the price of the adult meal and any extras, as some promotions require a full-price main while others include drinks, sides or dessert.
Families should also check how many children's meals can be claimed per paying adult, and plan to use the offers on days when they were already intending to eat out.
Hughes said discounted gift cards could offer another saving where the terms allow them to be used alongside a kids-eat-free promotion. For example, she said a £40 Bella Italia gift card could be bought for £36 through VoucherCodes, saving £4 before the free children's meal is taken into account.
She also recommended checking loyalty apps, which may unlock further offers.
Families are advised to check the offer's full terms and confirm that their local restaurant or café is participating before setting off. Offers can be subject to availability, age limits, minimum spends, exclusions and restrictions on combining discounts.
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