The six-week summer break is brilliant for the kids, but it can be a challenge for anyone trying to keep spending under control.
Between meals out, snacks on the go and the constant need to fill the days with something fun, costs can climb faster than you’d expect. The good news is there are loads of ways to keep the kids entertained and fed without emptying your wallet, from restaurants that let children eat for next to nothing to free days out across the country. Here’s where to look this summer.
Supermarket cafes offer some of the best value going.
Some of the most reliable deals around aren’t limited to the school holidays at all, which makes them worth knowing about year round. Asda cafes let children eat for just a pound every single day, with no need for an adult to buy anything alongside it, and each meal comes with a free piece of fruit too.
Morrisons runs a similar deal, letting kids eat free every day as long as an adult buys a meal worth five pounds or more. Tesco cafes also join in for the summer specifically, letting kids eat free with any full price adult purchase, even something as small as a piece of fruit, right through until early September.
Plenty of big restaurant chains join in for the holidays.
Several well-known chains bring in kids eat free offers specifically timed around the school break. Places like Zizzi, ASK Italian and Bella Italia typically run their deals from mid-July through to early September, usually requiring one adult main course to be purchased alongside each free children’s meal.
Others work slightly differently, so it’s always worth checking the small print before you go. Chains like YO! Sushi and Turtle Bay ask for a minimum adult spend rather than a specific menu item, while some, like Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants, only apply to younger children rather than covering the whole family.
Loyalty apps are often the key to unlocking the best offers.
A lot of these deals aren’t automatic, and missing this step is one of the easiest ways to accidentally miss out. Several major chains require you to download their loyalty app and sign up in advance, then show a code at the till to actually claim your free kids’ meal.
It’s worth setting these up at home before you head out, rather than trying to sort it on patchy Wi-Fi once you’re already at the restaurant with hungry children in tow. A few extra minutes of setup beforehand can save an awkward moment later.
Days and times matter impact what kind of deals you’ll get.
Not every deal runs every single day of the week, so make sure you double-check before making plans. Some restaurants only offer their kids eat free deals Monday to Friday, excluding weekends altogether, while others exclude bank holidays specifically, even during the summer break itself.
Ratios can vary quite a bit, too. Most places offer one free child’s meal per full paying adult, but a handful of restaurants are more generous, allowing two or even three children to eat free depending on how many adults are dining and paying full price.
Free family activities can fill entire days without costing anything.
Meals aren’t the only cost that adds up over the holidays, and thankfully there are plenty of completely free things to do as well. National museums and galleries across the UK offer free entry all year round, making them a brilliant rainy day option that won’t cost a penny beyond travel.
Local parks, nature reserves and free splash pads are also worth exploring, especially since many councils run free organised activities and events specifically during the school holidays. It’s always worth checking your local council’s website, since these programmes don’t always get much publicity beyond word of mouth.
Membership passes can pay for themselves quickly.
If you know you’ll be visiting several attractions over the summer, a membership or pass covering multiple sites can work out considerably cheaper than paying for individual entry each time. Family passes to places like the National Trust or English Heritage often cover unlimited visits to hundreds of properties and gardens across the country for one flat annual cost.
For families planning to visit just two or three sites over the summer, working out whether a pass actually saves money is worth doing before committing. Sometimes single entry tickets end up cheaper if you’re only planning a couple of trips, so it pays to do the maths first.
A little planning goes a long way over six weeks.
With so many deals changing by location, date and even the specific restaurant branch, it’s always worth checking directly with wherever you’re planning to visit before you set off. What’s available in one part of the country isn’t always guaranteed to be running somewhere else, even within the same restaurant chain.
Keeping a simple list of your favourite free and low-cost options, whether that’s a supermarket cafe, a loyalty app deal or a free local event, makes the six-week stretch feel a lot more manageable. Spreading these options out across the summer, rather than relying on just one or two ideas, tends to keep both costs and boredom levels firmly under control.
