Kids Eat Free

I have a tendency to forget about dinner until about 6:00 when everyone around me is crying out for food then we head out to a restaurant (not very frugal). However, I have been making an effort to have dinner at home and ready by 6:30pm. I started out making menus for the week, progresssed to menus for the month and recently Sue and I have been making freezer meals. (more on this later.) Yesterday, I needed a break. My husband suggested that we go out to dinner.
In the past when we have gone out to dinner, we have dropped over $60.00. Sometimes, our children will eat everything on their plates and other times they will eat nothing. A few weeks a go I drove pass a Coco's and saw Kids Eat for Free on Tuesday and Wednesday. We decided to head there. We all had a meal, drinks and to top it off the kids had a dessert. My husband and I shared the one that came with his meal. The bill came to $29.00. I spend at least $20.00 at McDonald's! We received a child's meal free (10 and under) with each paid adult meal. We splurged on desserts (not included in kids meal) for the kids and we still walked out paying half of what we normally do. I say that is a true frugal moment.

I researched some other restaurants that offer this deal and came up with a list and some websites. (Please call ahead to see if the restaurant in your area offers this deal)

Monday-Applebees, Island's, Joselito's (Tujunga, Ca), Fuddrukers (.99 cent meals)
Tuesday-Islands, Norms, Coco's, Denny's, IHop, Pat and Oscars (Los Feliz, Ca), Ruby's, Bulldog's(Santa Clarita, Ca)
Wednesday-Fainforest Cafe (1.99 meals) Carrows, Cocos, Islands
Thursdays- Carrows
Saturday-El Torito (until 3pm)


Here are some websites I found that offer other suggestions: kidsmealdeals.com , mykidseatfree.com , frugalliving.tv

I realize that most of these are chains but most restaurants do not advertise these specials, so if there are any in your neck of the woods please let us know.