Frugal Tip for 2013: Restaurants in Canada Where Kids Eat Free

Here’s the thing about being frugal – frugal doesn’t mean being cheap.  It means being savvy about the purchases you make and where you make them.  I know meal planning is the way to go when trying to save money on groceries and it’s something I aspire to do more of in 2013.  But the truth remains that some days you just want someone else to do the cooking, and not at a price that competes with your monthly clothing budget!

You can still go out to eat as a family, even once a week like we do, without spending more than $30 for the entire family (in our case, two adults, two kids, and a toddler).

Many restaurants offer Kids Eat Free promotions, where an item selection from the Kid’s Menu is free, with the purchase of an adult entree usually specified as being above a certain amount.  Typically, and to be fair, restaurants offer 1 free kid’s meal with the purchase of 1 free adult’s meal.  As for our toddler, she either eats off our plates OR if the restaurant has it, I order a Toddler Plate consisting of mashed potatoes and veggies (usually free-of-charge!)

After a few quick phone calls and emails, here is a short list of restaurants that offer Kids Eat Free promotions currently:

East Side Mario’s – Kids Eat Free Mondays
I called the local location and the person that I spoke with stated it’s an all-day promotion, though remember there will be a minimum value on your adult entree and lunch items are sometimes below that.

Fuddrucker’s Saskatoon – Kids Eat Free Monday to Thursday
January 1 to February 28, Kids Eat Free Monday to Thursday at the Saskatoon Fuddrucker’s location, after 4pm.

Montana’s – Kids Eat Free Tuesdays
The local (Saskatoon) location said this is an all-day promotion as well, but if going for lunch double-check as well. They also have a Kids Club that kids 12 and under can join (they’ll get a free meal on their birthday!)

Applebee’s- Kids Eat for $1.99 Tuesdays
Not quite free, but this promotion is worth mentioning if you’re an Applebee’s fan! After 4pm, you can get a Kids Entree for $1.99 with the purchase of an Adult Entree.

Denny’s – Kids Eat Free Tuesdays and Saturdays
Valid every Tuesday and Saturday 4pm – 10pm and the great news here is that for every 1 Adult Entree purchased, up to 2 Kids Entrees are free, wow!  That’s really great for bigger families or single families.  Yay Denny’s!

Humpty’s – Fridays
Valid every Friday from 5pm – 9pm.

Boston Pizza – Kids Card Promo
Every Fall, Boston Pizza locations in Canada offer a Kids Card Promotion where you buy a card for a $5 donation and then get 5 Free Kids Meals to use throughout the year whatever day you wish. We stock up on these cards, they also make great gifts in holiday and birthday cards.

There are many other restaurants in Canada that, in the past, have offered Kids Eat Free promotions but as with all marketing strategies, things change.  As of January 2013 these are current but I’d suggest calling in advance to be sure.