Kids eat free October half-term 2026: where children eat free or for £1

October half-term is the week when children are permanently hungry and parents are permanently out of ideas. By Wednesday you have done the park, the soft play and the shop for a Halloween costume that will be worn once, and someone is asking what’s for lunch again.

The good news is that plenty of chains will feed your child for free, or for £1, when an adult buys a main. Many schools in England are off from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, and most of these deals run until Sunday 1 November, so there is still time to plan. Scotland’s break is earlier in the month, so check your local dates.

We’ve gone through the 2026 offers and pulled out what each one includes, what the adult has to buy and the small print that decides whether you actually save money. Offers are as reported on 19 October 2026, and we’ve flagged the ones we couldn’t confirm. Chains change terms quickly, so check the restaurant’s own site or app before you set off.

If you want the lowest-spend options, two deals don’t need a proper adult meal: Asda Café (£1) and IKEA (from 95p). Everything else needs an adult to buy something, and some deals set a minimum spend.

Restaurants where kids eat free

Bella Italia

One child aged 2 to 11 gets a free three-course meal and a drink with every adult main, running until 1 November. Tell your server when you order and again before you pay. It won’t work with set menus, vouchers or other discounts. Most listings say daily, a few say Sunday to Thursday, so check your branch.

On the menu: garlic bread or vegetable sticks to start. Tomato pasta, creamy chicken pasta, bolognese, margherita or ham and cheese pizza, or chicken bites and fries for main. Gelato for dessert.

ASK Italian

One adult main unlocks up to two free kids’ meals, until 31 October. Download the ASK Perks app, collect your code and show it when you order. It can be used once a day and doesn’t stack with other Perks or partner discounts.

On the menu: dough bites or garlic bread, margherita or pepperoni pizza, tomato pasta, bolognese or mac and cheese.

Zizzi

A free three-course Bambini meal with an adult main, from 18 October to 1 November, Sunday to Friday only. Join the free Zillionaires’ Club and show your offer code when you pay. You get up to six free kids’ meals per table, and the code works once every 24 hours.

On the menu: pasta crisps or Dippy Bits with carrot and cucumber sticks. A margherita pizza with up to two toppings, or pomodoro, bolognese, cheese sauce or lentil ragu pasta. Gelato, a Chilly Billy lolly or a fruit pot to finish.

Banana Tree

A free kids’ main, drink and dessert with every full-price adult main, every day until 1 November, for tables of up to six. Tell your server when you order and again before the bill arrives. Kids also eat free every Sunday under the restaurant’s regular offer.

On the menu: chicken katsu, mild chicken noodles, sweet and sour chicken, chicken or vegetable fried rice, or vegetable noodles. Ice cream for pudding, with a soft drink or juice.

Las Iguanas

Under 12s get a free main, two sides and a dessert with every adult à la carte main, seven days a week, all year. Claim the perk in the Las Iguanas app and show it when you order. Only one app perk can be used per visit, and the lunch menu is excluded.

On the menu: kids’ menus have included mac and cheese, burgers, fish fingers, mild coconut chicken curry, cheesy quesadillas and veggie nuggets. Two sides from fries, baked beans, sweetcorn, salad or veggie sticks with guacamole. Ice cream, a fruity lolly, a warm chocolate brownie or cinnamon churros to finish.

Frankie & Benny’s

Children aged 11 and under get a free kids’ main with sides and a dessert when an adult buys a main, all day until 1 November. Tell the server when you order and again at the bill. It doesn’t apply at airport restaurants, and upgrades cost extra.

On the menu: kids’ menus have included pasta and meatballs, pizza, burgers, chicken strips or bites, fish fingers and a hot dog. Dessert has been an ice cream sundae or fruit salad.

Café Rouge

A free kids’ meal every day between midday and 4pm with any adult main, with no end date published. Kids’ dishes include macaroni cheese, chicken crispies and fish goujons.

YO! Sushi

One child aged 12 and under eats free for every £10 an adult spends on food, all day Monday to Friday during school holidays, dining in only. Two children means £20 of adult spend.

In the box: edamame, maki rolls, mixed vegetable rice, a choice of protein and a kids’ drink. Upgrade to the Mini Rollers Bento Box and you pay the difference. Not available at airports.

The Real Greek

Sundays only: a free kids’ meal with a drink and ice cream or sorbet for every £15 an adult spends, for under 12s. That puts Sunday 25 October and Sunday 1 November in play. It’s dine-in only, one free meal per qualifying adult, and it excludes the lunch menu. An optional 10% service charge goes on the bill.

On the menu: the kids’ menu has included pitta wraps, grilled chicken and halloumi.

Gordon Ramsay restaurants

Children aged 10 and under get a free main from the Ramsay Kids’ menu when an adult orders two courses from the à la carte menu, one of them a main. It’s one free main per adult. It runs all day, every day at Heddon Street Kitchen, Pizza East and several Bread Street Kitchens. At others, including Bread Street Kitchen City, Battersea and Edinburgh and Bar & Grill Mayfair, it’s weekdays only. Dessert is an optional extra at around £4, and the offer can’t be combined with other offers or the seasonal set menu. Call ahead to confirm your venue.

On the menu: meatball pasta, burger and chips, macaroni cheese or bangers and mash.

TGI Fridays

An ongoing every-day offer: kids aged 12 and under eat free with an adult main. The adult needs to be a Stripes Rewards member (free through the app) and show the offer code to the server. It’s one free kids’ meal per adult main, and desserts are excluded.

On the menu: the kids’ menu has included chicken tenders, a hot dog, cheeseburgers, quesadillas and tomato pasta, with two sides.

Preto (London)

Children aged 10 and under eat free with each full-paying adult having the rodizio, from 4pm on weekdays and all weekend. It’s one child per adult, and proof of age may be requested. Book a table and tell a member of staff rather than downloading a voucher.

On the menu: Preto is unlimited Brazilian barbecue, with grilled meats carved at the table and a hot and cold buffet. Ask staff what a child’s place includes.

Purezza

Under 10s get a free kids’ pizza with every full-paying adult at Purezza in Brighton, Camden and Manchester. Drinks, sides and desserts cost extra.

On the menu: the pizzas are plant-based: cheesy, tomato or plant-based pepperoni.

Pubs and carveries where kids eat for £1

Toby Carvery

Children under 12 get a carvery, kids’ main or breakfast for £1 with an adult main or unlimited breakfast, every day until 1 November including weekends. Join the Carvery Club on the website or app and show your voucher. It covers up to six qualifying adult and child meals and can be used once a day. It’s dine-in only, with drinks and desserts extra.

On the menu: the kids’ menu has included a children’s carvery, a meat-free carvery, sausages with a giant Yorkshire pudding, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, spaghetti bolognese, a chicken burger and meatball pasta. Roast dinners for children come with a choice of meat, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and vegetables.

Harvester

Under 12s get a kids’ main or breakfast for £1 with each full-price adult main, with unlimited salad included, every day until 1 November. Log in to the Flavour Fan Club on the website or app and show the Kids Eat for £1 voucher. Tables can have up to six adults and six children, and the voucher works once a day.

On the menu: kids’ mains have included pasta, burgers, chicken strips, rotisserie chicken, mini chicken burgers, grilled salmon, chilli non carne and a roast option.

Sizzling Pubs

A £1 kids’ main with every adult main, Monday to Friday. The offer normally starts at 3pm, but during school holidays it starts at 12pm.

On the menu: the kids’ menu has included cheese and tomato pizza, fish fingers, sausages, chicken dippers, fish bites and pasta.

Fast food and breakfast

Burger King

A free King Jr. Meal through the Burger King app when an adult buys a qualifying burger meal, until 1 November. Children choose a Whopper Jr., hamburger, cheeseburger or chicken nuggets, with a kids’ drink and a choice of sides. The adult meal can’t be a King Saver, Cheeseburger, Hamburger, bundle or Melts burger. It isn’t valid at motorway services, airports, train stations or holiday parks.

Premier Inn

Up to two children under 16 eat breakfast free when an adult orders a full breakfast or a meal deal. It covers breakfast only, and serving times and availability vary by site. You don’t need to be a hotel guest.

On the menu: the breakfast has covered sausages, eggs, bacon, beans and toast, with continental options alongside, and children get the same choice.

Cafés and supermarkets where kids eat free or for £1

Tesco Café

A free kids’ hot meal, breakfast or Pick ’n’ Mix deal with any adult item, when you scan your Clubcard or the app and the child is with you. It’s reported to run until 18 December, weekends included, so it should cover the weeks either side of half-term. The qualifying adult item can be something as small as a piece of fruit. Some cafés only offer the Pick ’n’ Mix.

On the menu: hot meals include chicken nuggets, and the Pick ’n’ Mix includes a sandwich, drink, fruit and two snacks.

Morrisons Café

A free kids’ meal and drink for under 16s when an adult buys a main costing £5 or more from The Breakfasts or The Classics menu. Extras don’t count towards the £5. The Pick ’n’ Mix meal deal counts too.

On the menu: nuggets and chips, fish fingers, sausages, pasta, pizza and vegetarian options.

Asda Café

Kids eat for £1 with no adult spend, all year, at participating cafés. Menus vary by café.

On the menu: hot dishes have included fish fingers, penne with meatballs, a hidden-veg pasta, chicken nuggets and an all-day breakfast, with a free piece of fruit. The cold option is a sandwich, drink and fruit.

Dunelm Pausa

One free kids’ meal for every £5 an adult spends: a children’s main, a drink and two snacks. It’s an ongoing offer rather than a half-term special.

On the menu: past kids’ meals have included sandwiches, pasta and simple hot dishes.

IKEA

Kids’ meals from 95p, with no adult purchase needed: pasta with tomato sauce, a soft drink and a piece of fruit. Other children’s dishes cost more, so check your store’s menu and serving times.

On the menu: other kids’ meals have run from £1.95 to £2.95 and have included meatballs, plant balls and fish fingers with mash and peas.

Reported deals we couldn’t confirm yet

These deals appear in roundups and press coverage, but we couldn’t find the brand’s own October 2026 terms at the time of writing. Treat them as worth a look, not a plan. Check the app or website before you travel, and don’t build a day around any of them.

Subway: reported from 24 to 30 October at participating branches, with a free Little Subs Kids Pack (a 4-inch mini sub, a snack and a drink) when you buy a full-price footlong. Subway has run Kids Eat Free in most school holidays since October 2023, but we couldn’t find its 2026 announcement. Check its list of participating restaurants.

Bill’s: reported at up to two free kids’ meals for children aged 14 and under with one adult main, from 26 to 30 October. Bill’s ran the same up-to-two deal this May and last October, which makes it plausible. Check its website or booking page, because set, group and celebration menus have been excluded.
On the menu: Bill’s kids’ menu has included buttermilk pancakes, mac and cheese, fish fingers and chips, buttermilk fried chicken and chips, vegan meatball pasta, and a burger with a beef, chicken or fish filling. There has also been a “Little Bill’s” breakfast of sausage, egg, tomato, beans and toast, plus porridge. Desserts have included ice cream, a brownie and mini pancakes.

Côte: reported at a free two-course Kids Set Menu for children aged 12 and under with an adult main, Monday to Friday, 23 to 30 October. Côte’s May offer had to be redeemed through its app, so expect an app or code step. Drinks are excluded.
On the menu: Côte’s kids’ menu has included calamari, a ham and cheese croque, Andrea’s pasta (created by a young diner) and a Côte burger.

Travelodge: reported at up to two children under 15 for £1 each at breakfast with a full-price adult unlimited breakfast. Some roundups list it as free, so confirm the price at your hotel.

Morrisons Kellogg’s Breakfast Club: reported from 12 October to 1 November, with a free bowl of Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies and an apple or banana for children and adults, no purchase needed. The dates come from one roundup, so ask at your café.

Dobbies: reported at £1 kids’ breakfasts and lunches every day with an adult breakfast or main. A handful of stores are excluded or restricted, so check yours first.
On the menu: past menus have covered children’s breakfasts, hot lunches and a pick-and-mix cold box, with a drink included.

Sainsbury’s Café: reported at £1 kids’ hot meals or lunch bags with a qualifying adult main. We couldn’t confirm the spend threshold or which cafés take part.

Chiquito: reported at one free kids’ meal with each adult main. At Easter 2025 you only had to tell staff when ordering, but earlier offers needed a QR code from the mailing list, so check which applies.
On the menu: a past free kids’ meal included a main, side, dessert, drink and a veggie pot. The kids’ menu has included chicken bites and hot dogs with chips, and vegan nuggets.

In London: BrewDog is reported to have free Hoppy Meals for under 14s, 26 to 30 October, until 3pm, bookable with the Kids Eat Free option. Barbican Kitchen is reported to have a free kids’ meal for under 10s with an adult main over £10. The Mayfair Chippy in Knightsbridge is reported to have a free kids’ main for under 12s from 24 October to 1 November, by advance booking only.

How to make kids-eat-free deals actually save money

Watch what you add. The kids’ meal is free. The adult main, the drinks, the starter to share and the pudding nobody planned are not. A free kids’ meal has an odd effect on adults: the bill suddenly feels discounted, so the extras go through without a second thought. They are still full price.

Do the minimum-spend maths. Some deals work per £ spent rather than per adult. YO! Sushi wants £10 of adult spend per free child, The Real Greek wants £15 and Pausa wants £5. Two children at YO! means £20 of adult food.

Compare it with the £1 options. If you’re only there to feed the children, an Asda or IKEA lunch can cost less than a restaurant where you have to buy a main you didn’t want. A free meal is only the cheapest option if you were going out to eat anyway.

Sign up before you leave the house. ASK, Zizzi, Toby Carvery, Harvester, TGI Fridays, Las Iguanas and Burger King all want an app, a loyalty account or a voucher. Setting one up at the table, on one bar of signal with a child asking about pudding, is how people give up and pay full price. Most sign-ups come with marketing emails, so check those settings as you go.

Tell the server twice. Bella Italia, Frankie & Benny’s and Banana Tree all ask you to mention the offer when you order and again before you pay.

Check age, day and venue. Age limits run from under 10 to 14, some deals are weekdays only, and airports, motorway services and event-day venues such as The O2 and Wembley are often excluded. A quick call to the branch takes a minute and saves an awkward conversation at the till.

If your half-term plans stretch to Bonfire Night, our guide to free fireworks displays covers the evenings, and our May half-term list has the deals that run all year.