If you want to dine out as a family, stretch your money by choosing places where KIDS EAT FREE or cheap in Columbus. We have options for every day of the week, so there’s always somewhere you can go.
We know…taking kids out to a restaurant is often less than relaxing, but its a good learning tool for them about public behavior, and can help picky eaters expand their palate.
And if you go on a “kids eat free” night, you’re likely to be surrounded by other families – so they will totally understand if there’s extra noise or a meltdown.
Please check the links or call the location first, as offers change. Again, I repeat, offers may change or be discontinued by the restaurant at any time. We are not affiliated with any of the below restaurants and they are not obligated to fulfill the deals listed below if they have been changed.
If you want to be sure they are still offering the promotion, please CALL or check the links below to verify. These deals have all been vetted, but may have since changed.
Here are some standard guidelines:
- Promos are valid at participating locations on respective day of the week. Dine-in only.
- Many have time restrictions, so be sure to check your watch before sitting down.
- Most (if not all) free kids’ meals must be ordered from a children’s or select menu.
- Most offers are limited to kids 12 and under. However, a few have younger age restrictions.
- In most cases, free kid’s meal requires the purchase of an adult entrée at regular price.
- Limit of one free kid’s meal per paid adult entrée — some, but not many, allow more than one.
- Discount cannot be combined with other offers, coupons or promos.
- Children must be present.
Scroll down, or click on each link to jump to the day of the week!
Kids eat free on Mondays
Kids eat free on Tuesdays
Kids eat free on Wednesdays
Kids eat free on Thursdays
Kids eat free on Fridays
Kids eat free on Saturdays
Kids eat free on Sundays
Kids Eat Free Everyday
IHOP: Kids eat free everyday from 4 pm – 10 pm. Dine in only.
Golden Corral: Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffet with the purchase of an adult meal, every day
O’Charley’s: One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Beverage not included. Dine in only. Not valid with any other discount or promotion. Limited time only.
Old Bag of Nails: Get one FREE Kid’s meal with each purchase of an adult entrée $10 or higher with this printed coupon.
Rusty Bucket: Kids can earn a free kid’s meal when they fill in the Bucketed Bookwork Bookmark Tracker with 5 books they have read.
Submarine House Bar & Grill (Hilliard): One kids eats free from 4-8 pm daily with $20 order. Children 12 & under – dine-in only. 2459 Hilliard Rome Road
Kids eat free on Monday
BD’s Mongolian Grill
BD’s Kid’s Night deal with $1.99 Kid’s Meals every Monday after 4PM for dine-in only. The Kids Menu at bd’s consists of Kid’s Stir-Fry for kids 10 and under, with plenty of personalized options.
Columbus, Easton – 3977 Worth AvenueColumbus, OH 43219
Columbus, Dublin – 6242 Sawmill RoadColumbus, OH 43017
Carsonies (Upper Arlington, Westerville, New Albany): 2 free kids’ meals per adult meal purchased.
Carfagna’s Kitchen on Polaris Pkwy: Mon-Thurs nights Kids 12 and under eat free (one kids dish with each adult entrée)
Frisch’s Big Boy: Kids eat free all day on Mondays. Enjoy one free Kids Mini Meal (for children 12 and under) per adult purchase of $6.98 or more. This is a dine-in, drive-thru and carryout special only for a limited time. Available at participating locations. PLEASE call your local restaurant or check the link before you go.
IHOP: Kids eat free everyday from 4 pm – 10 pm. Dine in only.
Las Margaritas (Canal and Westerville locations): Receive a free kids meal with each adult entrée purchase. Kids 12 and under. Drink not included.
MCL Restaurant & Bakery (UA, Whitehall): Free kids’ meal every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, when you purchase an adult entrée at regular menu price *Valid for kids 12 and under.
Nasty’s Sports Bar & Grill: Kids dine for 1/2 off on Sundays and Mondays (4561 Scioto Darby Rd, Hilliard, OH 43026)
Texas Roadhouse: (E Main St., Polaris, Grove City, Hilliard Rome Rd.)Free kids’ meal per adult entrée purchase. Check with individual locations for times.
Villa Nova Ristorante: All kids meals $1.99/$3.99. Drink not included. 5545 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43214
Golden Corral: Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffet with the purchase of an adult meal, every day
O’Charley’s: One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Beverage not included. Dine in only. Not valid with any other discount or promotion
Old Bag of Nails: Get one FREE Kid’s meal with each purchase of an adult entrée $6.99 or higher with this printed coupon.
Submarine House Bar & Grill (Hilliard): One kids eats free from 4-8 pm daily with $20 order. Children 12 & under – dine-in only. 2459 Hilliard Rome Road
Rusty Bucket: Kids can earn a free kid’s meal when they fill in the Bucketed Bookwork Bookmark Tracker with 5 books they have read.
Buffalo Wings & Rings (Lewis Center): Free kid’s meal with adult purchase all day. Drink included. Minimum purchase of $5 required.
These prior options below in italics are unverified; call to check before you go:
Bd’s Mongolian Grill: Kids eat for $3 all day on Mondays & Tuesdays. Kids 10 and under. Kids drinks $.99
- Student Night: Wednesdays. Students (w/ valid ID)* get one bowl for $9.99 or unlimited bowls for only $11.99*
Chocolate Café: Kids eat for $1.99. Drink and dessert included.
Don Tequila: (Powell) Kids under 7 eat free on Mondays with the purchase of an adult meal. Stop after you leave the Zoo!
Liberty Tavern: Kids eat free from kids menu. 12 and under, 2 per family. (50 S. Liberty Street, #104 Powell, Ohio 43065)
Kids eat free on Tuesdays
Carfagna’s Kitchen on Polaris Pkwy: Mon-Thurs nights Kids 12 and under eat free (one kids dish with each adult entrée)
IHOP: Kids eat free everyday from 4 pm – 10 pm. Dine in only.
El Vaquero: Buy one regular dinner and get one free kid`s meal only for kids under 12 years old on Tuesdays. Youth over 12 add $3.00. Mexican Rice, refried beans or pinto beans may be substituted for french fries. Add a small white milk, chocolate milk (no refill) or soft drink for .99
Fazoli’s: Kids Meals for 99 cents each with the purchase of each adult meal from 5-8 pm. Enjoy Spaghetti Smarts activities and crafts. Heath, Grove City, Hilliard, Reynoldsburg, and Westerville.
Golden Corral: Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffet with the purchase of an adult meal, every day
Hofbrauhaus Columbus: The 2nd Tuesday of every month is Family Night! Entertainment includes Face Painting, fun, and more! Kids Eat Free and there’s entertainment from 6-8 pm. *Kids eat free for Family Night only with each adult entrée purchase. Limit 1 kids meal per child.
Max & Erma’s: Kids 12 and under eat free on Tuesdays with an adult entrée purchase. One kids’ meal per adult meal.
MCL Restaurant & Bakery (UA, Whitehall): Free kids’ meal every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, when you purchase an adult entrée at regular menu price *Valid for kids 12 and under.
MELT Bar and Grilled: Kids eat for $3 every Tuesday and Wednesday (Limit of 3 discounted meals per adult with entrée purchase.) Kids Meals are typically $6 everyday.
Miller’s Ale House: Free Kids Meal with the purchase of 1 regularly priced Adult entrée; limit 2 per table. Ages 12 & under. Dine in only.
Moe’s Southwest Grill: Kids eat free on Sundays
O’Charley’s: One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Beverage not included. Dine in only. Not valid with any other discount or promotion
Old Bag of Nails: Get one FREE Kid’s meal with each purchase of an adult entrée $6.99 or higher with this printed coupon.
Rusty Bucket: Kids can earn a free kid’s meal when they fill in the Bucketed Bookwork Bookmark Tracker with 5 books they have read.
Skyline Chili Sawmill: For every paying adult, one child receives a kid’s meal for FREE. On Tuesdays we also feature a FREE kids craft complete with a craft coordinator!
Submarine House Bar & Grill (Hilliard): One kids eats free from 4-8 pm daily with $20 order. Children 12 & under – dine-in only. 2459 Hilliard Rome Road
Texas Roadhouse: (Newark and Bethel locations) Kids’ Night is Tuesday.
These prior options below in italics are unverified; call to check before you go:
TGI Friday’s Reynoldsburg: Kids eat for $2.99 on Tuesdays after 4 pm at the Reynoldsburg location
Bd’s Mongolian Grill: Kids eat for $3 all day on Mondays & Tuesdays. Kids 10 and under. Kids drinks $.99
- Student Night: Wednesdays. Students (w/ valid ID)* get one bowl for $9.99 or unlimited bowls for only $11.99*
Denny’s: Two free kid’s entrées from the kid’s menu per one adult entrée purchase of $6.00 or more. One free entrée per kid. Offer valid for dine in only. Confirmed locations below:
- Sunbury, Olentangy River Rd, and Marion: Tuesdays and Saturdays 4-10
- Zanesville and Millersport: Tuesdays 4-10
Kids eat free on Wednesdays
Carfagna’s Kitchen on Polaris Pkwy: Mon-Thurs nights Kids 12 and under eat free (one kids dish with each adult entrée)
Lazy Chameleon: Teens eat for $5, Kids eat for $1 on Wednesdays. Also, $4 Craft Drafts and half priced wine bottles.
The Olive Tree Columbus: Get a free kids meal on Wednesday with adult entree purchase. Mention it to your server.
MCL Restaurant & Bakery (UA, Whitehall): Free kids’ meal every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, when you purchase an adult entrée at regular menu price *Valid for kids 12 and under.
O’Charley’s: One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Beverage not included. Dine in only. Not valid with any other discount or promotion
Old Bag of Nails: Get one FREE Kid’s meal with each purchase of an adult entrée $6.99 or higher with this printed coupon.
Submarine House Bar & Grill (Hilliard): One kids eats free from 4-8 pm daily with $20 order. Children 12 & under – dine-in only. 2459 Hilliard Rome Road
Rusty Bucket: Kids can earn a free kid’s meal when they fill in the Bucketed Bookwork Bookmark Tracker with 5 books they have read.
Rise Pies Tanger Outlets Sunbury: Kids 10 and under receive a free cheese pizza with the purchase of any pizza or big salad
Roosters (Polaris, Marysville, and New Albany): Get a kids’ meal for $.99 for kids under 12 with the purchase of an entrée every Wednesday. Polaris, 3-8 pm, New Albany, 3-9 pm, Marysville location offers $1.99 kids meals from 4-9 pm.
MELT Bar and Grilled: Kids eat for $3 every Tuesday and Wednesday (Limit of 3 discounted meals per adult with entrée purchase.) Kids Meals are typically $6 everyday.
Star Lanes Polaris: Get a free kids’ meal with the purchase of an adult entrée on Wednesdays from 5 pm – close
Golden Corral: Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffet with the purchase of an adult meal, every day
IHOP: Kids eat free everyday from 4 pm – 10 pm. Dine in only.
The options below in italics are unverified; call to check before you go:
Applebees: $0.99 Kid’s Meals All Day Wednesdays (Hilliard Rome, Morse) and Free Kids meals on Wednesdays (Georgesville Rd, Grove City, Marysville, Brice Road). Limit one per adult meal for kids 12 and under. Locations confirmed via phone on 10/5/18; subject to change.
Buffalo Wild Wings: Kids Meals $1.99 from 4-8 pm. Drinks included. Kids 12 & under. May only include Dublin, Westerville, Gahanna, Georgesville Square, Heath and Powell locations only. Subject to change; please call or verify location, as these have changed over time.
Kids eat free on Thursdays
Carfagna’s Kitchen on Polaris Pkwy: Mon-Thurs nights Kids 12 and under eat free (one kids dish with each adult entrée)
IHOP: Kids eat free everyday from 4 pm – 10 pm. Dine in only.
Quaker Steak and Lube: Get a free Kids’ Lube Cruiser Meal for ages 10 and under with adult entree purchase! All day on Thursdays
Golden Corral: Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffet with the purchase of an adult meal, every day
O’Charley’s: One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Beverage not included. Dine in only. Not valid with any other discount or promotion
Old Bag of Nails: Get one FREE Kid’s meal with each purchase of an adult entrée $6.99 or higher with this printed coupon.
Submarine House Bar & Grill (Hilliard): One kids eats free from 4-8 pm daily with $20 order. Children 12 & under – dine-in only. 2459 Hilliard Rome Road
Rusty Bucket: Kids can earn a free kid’s meal when they fill in the Bucketed Bookwork Bookmark Tracker with 5 books they have read.
Kids eat free on Fridays
Golden Corral: Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffet with the purchase of an adult meal, every day
IHOP: Kids eat free everyday from 4 pm – 10 pm. Dine in only.
O’Charley’s: One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Beverage not included. Dine in only. Not valid with any other discount or promotion
Old Bag of Nails: Get one FREE Kid’s meal with each purchase of an adult entrée $6.99 or higher with this printed coupon.
Submarine House Bar & Grill (Hilliard): One kids eats free from 4-8 pm daily with $20 order. Children 12 & under – dine-in only. 2459 Hilliard Rome Road
Rusty Bucket: Kids can earn a free kid’s meal when they fill in the Bucketed Bookwork Bookmark Tracker with 5 books they have read.
Kids eat free on Saturdays
IHOP: Kids eat free everyday from 4 pm – 10 pm. Dine in only.
Golden Corral: Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffet with the purchase of an adult meal, every day
O’Charley’s: One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Beverage not included. Dine in only. Not valid with any other discount or promotion
Old Bag of Nails: Get one FREE Kid’s meal with each purchase of an adult entrée $6.99 or higher with this printed coupon.
Submarine House Bar & Grill (Hilliard): One kids eats free from 4-8 pm daily with $20 order. Children 12 & under – dine-in only. 2459 Hilliard Rome Road
Rusty Bucket: Kids can earn a free kid’s meal when they fill in the Bucketed Bookwork Bookmark Tracker with 5 books they have read.
These prior options below in italics are unverified; call to check before you go:
Denny’s: Two free kid’s entrées from the kid’s menu per one adult entrée purchase of $6.00 or more. One free entrée per kid. Offer valid for dine in only. Confirmed locations: Sunbury, Olentangy River Rd, and Marion: Tuesdays and Saturdays 4-10
Steak ‘n Shake: Kids eat free all weekend. Get 1 free kids’ plate with every $9 you spend. Does not include drink or shake; 10 and under only.
Kids eat free on Sundays
Dickey’s Barbeque Pit (Hilliard, Newark, Lewis Center and Delaware): 1 Free Kid’s Meal per $12 purchase. 12 and under. Must order from Kid’s Meals. Now available for delivery and carryout orders for a limited time. Use code KEFOLO at online checkout.
Nasty’s Sports Bar & Grill: Kids dine for 1/2 off on Sundays and Mondays (4561 Scioto Darby Rd, Hilliard, OH 43026)
IHOP: Kids eat free everyday from 4 pm – 10 pm. Dine in only.
Golden Corral: Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffet with the purchase of an adult meal, every day
O’Charley’s: One free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Beverage not included. Dine in only. Not valid with any other discount or promotion
Old Bag of Nails: Get one FREE Kid’s meal with each purchase of an adult entrée $6.99 or higher with this printed coupon.
Submarine House Bar & Grill (Hilliard): One kids eats free from 4-8 pm daily with $20 order. Children 12 & under – dine-in only. 2459 Hilliard Rome Road
Rusty Bucket: Kids can earn a free kid’s meal when they fill in the Bucketed Bookwork Bookmark Tracker with 5 books they have read.
Other kids specials
Cheryl & Co.: Kids bring in your report card to a Cheryl & Co. store & receive one FREE cookie per A; maximum 3 cookies per report card.
Don’t forget to sign your kids up for birthday clubs! They can get free gifts, meals, and more at many restaurants and stores!
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- Kids Eat Free (or cheap) in Columbus
Kira Roldan says
Roots Natural Kitchen on High Street allows children under 12 to eat free every day!
julie says
Bob Evans has free kids’ meals on tuesdays after 4pm if you buy an adult entree
Tine says
The Ram in Dublin closed. No other Ohio locations
Val Cannell says
Thanks for letting me know! I sent them a contact to see if another deal will be available.
Katherine Myers says
Kids no longer eat for cheap at spaghetti warehouse Monday’s
Britt Lakin says
Jerome Village Bar & Grille (7875 Ryan Parkway, Plain City 43064) added Family Night on Sundays! Kids meals are $3 all night (include drink and side) and there is a Strolling Magician- Magic Nate from 5-7pm!
Val Cannell says
Thank you!
Sara Holben says
https://www.frischs.com/our-community/kids-eat-free/
I noticed Frisch’s KEF offer is not listed for Monday! It’s ALL DAY!
Val Cannell says
Thank you – I will delete it.
Allyson Sanders says
Texas Roadhouse(Bethel) is no longer during kids eat free on Monday
Val Cannell says
Thank you for letting me know!
Emily says
I went to the IHOP in Westerville this past week and they no longer have the kids eat free deal. They said it stopped about a month ago.