Where children can eat for free or for £1 during the summer holidays 2024, including Beefeater and TGI Fridays

With the school summer holidays being a time of year when household budgets get squeezed, having a free meal while going out helps parents keep their children fed and entertained.

Research shows that almost half of families say their children will miss out on clubs and activities this summer because of the cost, leading to less active and more isolated youngsters - but thankfully there are a number of UK food chains offering special family deals over the school holidays. The Local TV video above explains that last summer, the Trussell Trust's food banks supported 430,000 people with emergency food, including 160,000 children, with the charity expecting similar, if not higher, demand this year.

Where can kids eat free or for £1 over the summer holidays?

Many businesses offer free or one pound meals for kids over the summer. These UK chains include ASDA cafe, Beefeater, Bella Italia, IKEA, Morrison's cafe, TGI Fridays, and many more. Also, Tesco's Stronger Starts programme sees the supermarket offering pre-packed food donation bags in every large store, and kids eating free in their cafes. Customers can also contribute by rounding up their shopping bills at the checkout.

For those looking for an extra special treat, Marco Pierre White’s New York Italian are also running a ‘kids eat free’ offer for under 12s on their new children’s menu, where youngsters can build their own pizzetta or burger, tuck into a creamy mac and cheese and enjoy an irresistible range of desserts.

Katherine Gonzales-Moore, Food & Beverage Operations Manager said: “We’ve put this offer in place so that families can go out and enjoy a meal together while costing a lot less. With people still concerned by the current cost of living, this is a great way to enjoy a meal out without breaking the bank. It will also give parents a much-needed break from preparing and then clearing up the dirty dishes.