Eating out doesn't have to be a luxury for families
Almost every night of the week, you can find a range of restaurants that offer free meals for kids.
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Our family dinners have gotten so much easier on Tuesdays — or sometimes Wednesdays or Mondays. It depends on which restaurant we choose that week that is offering free kids meals.
Until recently, I hadn't paid attention to advertisements offering bargains on kids meals. When we had only one child, the cost of a grilled cheese sandwich didn't make that much difference. But here we are, with two growing kids and busy after-school schedules, making the weekday meals more hectic. Going out to eat became a lot more convenient, but the cost added up just for a quick dinner. Eating out was a splurge.
That changed when I discovered how many places offer free kids meals (when an adult buys an entrée). For us, it started with Central Market North. On Tuesday nights, we would meet my husband there after he got off work. My son loves their big bowls of macaroni and cheese, and my daughter likes the grilled cheese sandwich. We had many Tuesday dinners that didn't empty our pockets.
I wondered what other restaurants offered similar deals, so I Googled around and found numerous Web sites that list "kids eat free" restaurants (I think the most comprehensive is www.kidzeatfreeaustin.com). I was amazed to find all kinds of eateries on the extensive list. This has led us to try new places and revisit restaurants I hadn't been to in years.
What a joy when I discovered Kerbey Lane Café offers free kids meals on Tuesdays. We went to the central location, and it was pleasantly uncrowded. The kids devoured their pancakes and eggs, and I had a terrific omelet. I had not stepped inside the doors of Kerbey Lane in probably a decade, and it was quite unlike the weekend mornings I had spent there waiting in long lines. Both kids have been begging to go back — and we will. Our bill was less than $20 for the four of us.
On Wednesday nights at EZs Brick Oven Grille on North Lamar Boulevard, the kids like the individual pizzas or the grilled cheese and curly fries. And because we're saving all that money on food, we often go ahead and let the kids split an Oreo milkshake.
Jim's Restaurant was a jolt from the past, too. The north location (9091 Research Blvd.) still has an old diner feel, which made me want to order a forbidden early evening cup of coffee. Here, the kids loved the silver-dollar pancakes that come with their own tiny pitcher for pouring syrup. Of course, on our first visit, my son, Gus, drowned his cakes, but we were wiser the second time. Jim's offer is Monday through Wednesday evenings, so we've returned a couple of times because it's easier to remember. (I confess to standing at the cash register at EZ's one Tuesday before I realized we were there on the wrong night.)
These meals out have also allowed us to expand our picky children's tastes. We dined at Zen on Anderson Lane one Wednesday night, and the kids actually tried a tiny bite of sushi.
Offers can vary; some places include a child's drink (another expense that adds up with two big milk drinkers in our family) and sometimes a dessert. Some restaurants allow two free kids meals per adult entrée, though most require one adult entrée purchase for each free meal. That's fair, though it means we pay for one child's dinner when my husband is not along. The hours also differ, often only in the evening.
I haven't found any freebies on Fridays, but every other day of the week is covered. A couple of upscale eateries, such as Texas Land and Cattle Steak House and the Iron Cactus on Stonelake Boulevard, offer parents some fancier choices. Though fewer places offer weekend deals, there are some, such as Luby's Cafeteria (where my kids love to ogle the buffet of cakes and pies), that offer free kids meals all day Saturdays (as well as Wednesday nights), and Zen has a Sunday deal as well.
Our exploration has allowed us to try some places we'd sort of written off. I'm not big on chain restaurants, but we tried Denny's on Burnet Road (kids eat free Tuesday and Saturday nights). The menu has improved since I worked there in the 1980s. It now includes grilled fish, and the kids menu even offers grapes as a side dish. Both kids love the big booths, and the place was not crowded — a plus for our loud family.
I'm continually finding new places; just recently, Elsi's Restaurant on Burnet Road was advertising its "kids eat free" on Sunday and Monday after 4 p.m.
Though the Web lists are good sources, I recommend calling first to verify which hours, nights and locations the offers are available.
We still go to places that aren't free, but it's nice to have affordable options that don't involve pizza coupons. Now I'm eager to try several "kids eat free" eateries in other parts of town. I hadn't heard of Berryhill Baja Grill on Capital of Texas Highway until recently, but some Tuesday soon, we'll be headed that way.
