Road Trips: Kids Eat Free

Want to save money on your next road trip? Who doesn't? Many restaurants -- from big-name chains to local eateries-- offer Kids Eat Free deals. Click to find out where to locate such restaurants, and what to watch out for before your whole gang piles into a place expecting free eats.

Kids Eat Free

That little phrase is music to a parent's ears; and it's true that many restaurants are willing and able to serve free kiddie meals. But there are a number of things to keep in mind:

• typically, such meals are served only to kids age 12, or even 10, and under
• typically, the child must order from a special kids' menu
• typically, the child must be with an adult who's dining at the same time and ordering a regular-priced meal

A few other issues to watch out for:

• sometimes the maximum age for kids is younger than 10-- check this out before you sit down to order!
• check to see how many kids can eat free, per paying adult. Can two kids eat with one paying adult? Can three kids eat with two adults?
• does the Kids Eat Free deal apply all day, or is it limited to off-peak hours?

Where to find Kids Eat Free restaurants

About's Guide for Single Parents has collected a great list of chain restaurants offering Kids Eat Free deals. She also has a hint: Tuesdays are the best day of the week for free kids meals.

• Top 30 Major Restaurant Chains where Kids Eat Free

Meanwhile, two other sites have collected local restaurants with Kids Eat Free deals: click on the state you're traveling too, and then select a city/town.

• Kids Eat Free
• KidzrFree.com

Tips for when kids don't eat free:

A good money-saving tip at the Kids Eat Free site is to choose Mexican restaurants. Often, you'll get a complimentary big basket of tortilla chips, with salsa. Also, if you side-order a stack of warm tortillas, you can roll 'em up, stuffed with refried beans or rice or whatever else comes with your meals, expanding your food deliciously.

And don't be shy about asking, nicely, for an extra dish so that two kids can share a meal.

Finally, my own fave tactic for when you're on the road: pull into a place with a ball room; parents eat their meals while the kids play; share out the kids' food once you're back in the car. That way, you can share out (cheaper) giant-sized portions. Handy to have: tupperware containers, for saving food for later; plastic cups for sharing out drinks.