The school holidays are a time for fun, but for many parents, they are also a time of financial strain. With children at home, the weekly food bill can increase dramatically. However, dining out doesn't have to be off the menu.
MeetVoucher has scoured the high street to find the best value deals for October 2025. From supermarket cafes to popular chains, here is everywhere your children can eat for free (or for just £1) this break.
Supermarket & In-Store Cafe Steals
These are perfect for a pit-stop while running errands.
- ASDA Cafes: The gold standard of value. Kids eat for £1 (hot meal or cold pick-and-mix) with no adult minimum spend required. Available all day, every day.
- Morrisons Cafes: One free kids' meal (under 16s) with any adult meal costing £5 or more. Includes their famous breakfasts.
- Dunelm Pausa Cafes: Kids eat free with every £4 spent in the cafe. Includes a main, drink, and two snacks.
- Dobbies Garden Centres: Kids eat for £1 (breakfast or lunch) with an adult main. Note: A £1 supplement applies to the Sunday Roast.
Restaurant Chains: Pizza, Burgers & More
Treat the family to a "proper" meal out without the scary bill.
- Bill's: Up to two kids (aged 10 and under) eat free per adult main. Valid: Oct 27th - 31st, 2025.
- Burger King: One free King Jr. Meal per adult meal when ordered via the App. Valid: Oct 13th - Nov 2nd.
- Bella Italia: Kids (2-11 years) eat for free on Thursdays, or for £1 Sunday-Wednesday (until 6pm). Three courses and a drink included.
- Franco Manca: Free individual kids' pizza for under-12s with every full-priced adult main. Mon-Thu only.
- Las Iguanas: Free main, dessert, and drink from the Niños menu when you download the "My Iguanas" app.
- Gordon Ramsay Restaurants: Selected locations (e.g., Bread Street Kitchen) offer free meals for under-10s with adult orders.
- The Real Greek: Free kids' meal for every £15 adult spend on Sundays.
- TGI Fridays: Free meal for Stripes Rewards members (under 12s) per adult main.
Pub Grub: Roasts and Classics
- Farmhouse Inns: Two kids eat free per adult main. Valid: Oct 17-31 (England/Wales), Oct 6-17 (Scotland).
- Hungry Horse: Kids' meals for £1 (small) or £1.50 (large) with an adult main. Valid: Oct 13-31.
- Harvester & Toby Carvery: Offers kids' meals for £1 via their respective apps. Valid: Oct 13-31 (excluding weekends).
- Sizzling Pubs: £1 kids' main meal Mon-Fri (3pm-7pm, or from 12pm during holidays).
- Brewdog: Pre-book to get a free child's meal. Valid: Oct 27-31 (England/Wales).
Breakfast Bonus
Start the day right. Unlimited breakfast chains are famously generous.
- Premier Inn, Whitbread Inns, Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table: Generally, two kids under 16 eat breakfast for FREE with every adult purchasing a full unlimited breakfast (approx £10.99 - £20.99 depending on brand).
- Travelodge: Kids under 15 eat breakfast for £1.
DIY Budget: The Homemade Afternoon Tea
If you prefer to stay home, MeetVoucher suggests creating a magical "Afternoon Tea" experience for a fraction of the cost of a hotel visit.
1. The Sandwich Hack
Cut standard sandwiches into "fingers" (crusts off). Use the crusts to let kids create edible art on a plate to avoid waste. Fillings like Marmite and Cheese or Cucumber keep costs low.
2. The 100-Year-Old Scone Recipe
You only need four ingredients for delicious scones: 225g self-raising flour, 85g cubed butter, 55g sugar, and 2 eggs. Rub butter into flour/sugar, mix in egg to form dough, roll, cut, and bake at 180°C for 15 mins.
Cost Tip: Use a glass as a cutter. Buy jam at Aldi (39p) to top them off.
3. Four-Ingredient Fairy Cakes
Equal weights of Self-raising flour, Sugar, and Butter (match the weight of 2 eggs, approx 125g). Mix and bake.
Cost Tip: Make your own icing using icing sugar (85p at Aldi) and water rather than buying pre-made tubs.