17 Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free or for Cheap

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Living on the Cheap.

When you take a whole crew out to eat, it can burn through your food budget.

Thankfully, many national and local restaurants let kids eat free or at a discount on select days of the week. Taking advantage of these free meals will cut down your restaurant bills and allow you to eat out as a family more often.

Note that many restaurants offering free kids meals put restrictions on the deals. Many of them have age limits, often the free meal must be from the kids menu and accompanied by an adult entree purchase, and sometimes not all restaurants participate in the deal.

You should always call ahead and ask your local restaurant if they offer these family deals before you head out.

And come closer so we can whisper this into your ear: Many local and chain restaurants have free or discounted kids meals and don’t advertise them. You must ask your server if they are offering a promotion. So don’t be shy — if you don’t ask, your kids don’t eat free. (Check out our Living on the Cheap network sites for more restaurant deals near you.)

Here’s the list of restaurants where kids eat for free or cheap nearly every day of the week.

Kids eat free Mondays

• Fuddruckers: On Mondays from 4 p.m. to close, kids can eat for $1.99. The offer is good with an adult purchase, and only at participating locations.
• Village Inn: For a limited time at participating locations, kids eat free every Monday with the purchase of an adult entree. Dine-in only, for kids 10 and under.

Kids eat free Tuesdays

• Back Yard Burgers: Kids eat free on Tuesdays with the purchase of an adult combo meal. The offer is good only for specific items on the kids menu. Good only at participating locations.
• Bob Evans: Kids eat free on Tuesdays after 4 p.m. with the purchase of an adult meal.
• Carrows: Receive two free kids meals with the purchase of one regular adult entree. The offer is good only on Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to close. Kids must be 10 years of age or younger.
• Chick-fil-A: Many restaurants offer a “kids eat free on Tuesdays” deal between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. with the purchase of an adult combo meal. However, some locations may charge a small fee for the meal. Not every Chick-fil-A restaurant offers this deal, so call ahead.
• Denny’s: The Denny’s website states that Kids Eat Free Days may vary by location. Many restaurants offer the deal on Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The offer is valid for two free kids entrees from the kids menu with the purchase of an adult entrée for $6 or more. Offer is for dine-in only.
• Village Inn: Kids eat free every Tuesday for a limited time and only at select locations. The offer is valid for dine-in only, with the purchase of an adult entree, for kids 10 and under.

Kids eat free or cheap Wednesdays

• Cotton Patch Café: Kids eat free every Wednesday with a minimum $10 purchase. One kids meal per entree, available for dine-in only.
• Firehouse Subs: Purchase one large or medium combo after 4 p.m. on Wednesday and receive up to two free kids combos. This deal is only offered at select locations and details may vary, so check before you go.
• Red Robin: Red Robin offers 50% OFF Kids Meals every Wednesday for kids entrees, sides and drinks. And when you dine in, that includes unlimited free refills of bottomless sides and drinks. This offer is also available when ordering to-go by using the online promo code KIDSMEAL50. This offer is available at participating locations and with minimum purchase. See here for more details.

Kids eat free Saturdays

Denny’s: Some restaurants offers free kids meals on Saturdays from 4 pm to 10 pm. The offer is valid for two free kids menu entrees with the purchase of an adult entree for $6 or more. Offer is for dine-in only and may vary by location.

Kids eat free Sundays

• Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Get a free kids meal per check with a minimum $10 purchase every Sunday. Valid for kids 12 and under. The deal is available for delivery and carryout orders for a limited time, Use code KEFOLO at online checkout.
• Firehouse Subs: Most locations offer up to two kids combos for free with the purchase of one large or medium combo all day Sunday. Deals may vary from restaurant to restaurant, so check before you go.

Kids eat free on select days

• Applebee’s: Every Applebee’s restaurant sets its own rules when it comes to this deal, so call your local Applebee’s to ask about kids meal discounts. Some stores let kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree or offer special menus for kids.
• Bennigan’s: Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree on a select day of the week. Valid at participating locations only, and the day of week could vary by location. Call your local Bennigan’s first and ask about their policy.
• Chili’s: Become a My Chili’s Rewards member and you’ll get free kids meal rewards offers that can be redeemed in-restaurant and online. The loyalty club is free to join, but there isn’t a set schedule for when the deals will show up in your account.
• Holiday Inn: Holiday Inn guests can eat at the on-site restaurant, and up to four kids ages 12 and under can eat free any time of the day.
• Ikea: There are some “kids eat free” specials throughout the year, and some locations may offer a kids eat free deal on a certain day of the week.