The new academic year is just around the corner and it will soon be time to get back into the usual school run routine.
But there's still chance for families to grab a great deal from Manchester restaurants and supermarkets. Many eateries have been offering kids meals for free or for just £1 during the summer holidays.
From unlimited breakfasts to three course meals, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at a reduced cost. Most of the offers require a paying adult or a minimum spend but some, like supermarket café Asda, have no adult spend requirements to access the £1 meal.
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In some places two children can eat for free with just one adult. As the cost of living crisis continues, these offers should help you save a bit of cash while you try and find things to do over the summer holidays.
Bella Italia
Children can eat for £1 with any adult main meal, and offer valid from 4pm to 6pm from Monday to Thursday. The children’s meal includes up to three courses and a pressed fruit water.
The Piccolo menu is aimed at children aged two to six years, with the Grande for seven to 11-year-olds. Dishes include meatballs, Bolognese, carbonara and pizza and the deal includes three courses and a fruit water.
The Italian restaurant chain also have activity packs to keep little ones entertained during their visit.
Bella Italia confirmed: “Kids eat for £1 from the kid’s menu at Bella Italia during selected periods during this summer holiday break - please check restaurant social media for confirmation.”
To find your nearest Bella Italia, including restaurants at Salford Quays, Horwich and Manchester Arndale, visit the website here.
MOTLEY
Running until Wednesday 31 August, kids can eat free at MOTLEY, located on the ground floor of YOTEL Manchester Deansgate. To celebrate the launch of the restaurant’s brand new kid’s menu, adults can treat their children to a variety of options, including a mini version of MOTLEY’s classic Beef Burger.
Guests can receive one free kid’s main meal for every one adult ‘large plate’ main meal purchased between 12 and 3pm Monday to Friday. Maximum groups of four adults, four kids and subject to availability.
You must book in advice and can do so here.
Farmhouse Inns
Whether it's Applewood Farm in Worsley, Ash Tree Farm in Ashton, or Barley Farm in Eccles, kids eat for £1 deal is back at Farmhouse Inns. Children can choose a small breakfast, a kids meal or a junior carvery for a quid and up to two children can eat with every adult purchasing a main meal or carvery.
The deal is only available as an email-exclusive voucher, which means parents will need to sign up to the mailing list to access the offer. The deal runs from Monday to Saturday throughout the school holidays.
The final day to use the code will be Friday September 3.
Hungry Horse
Kids can fuel up on a free breakfast at Hungry Horse venues over the holidays. The offer, running daily from 8am to noon, is available at all open Hungry Horse pubs nationwide, including the Flying Horse in Heald Green, the Hornet in Rochdale, and the Matchstick Man in Salford.
Little ones can choose a kids breakfast worth up to £2.49 for free when you buy an adult breakfast for at least £3.49, however, there is a minimum spend of £5.98 for the discount to apply, with a maximum of two kids breakfasts free per one paying adult.
The last day to claim the offer is Sunday September 4. Visit the website here for more details.
Beefeater / Table Table / Brewers Fayre
Other places kids can enjoy breakfast on the house is at Beefeater, Table Table and Brewers Fayre restaurants. For every adult buying a breakfast, two children under 16 get to eat for free.
The unlimited breakfast includes eggs cooked just the way you like them, and from premium sausages to back bacon rashers, hash browns and black pudding, you can build your breakfast to your taste. AND there’s unlimited tea, coffee and juice.
Breakfast is served daily until 10.30am midweek and 11am at weekends, costing £9.50 for full English and £7.50 for continental.
For more details visit www.beefeater.co.uk.
Sizzling Pub & Grill
Taking the whole family out for a weekday meal can prove costly, but for every adult Sizzling meal, you’ll also get a kid’s main meal for £1 at Sizzling Pub & Grill venues. There are loads of venues to choose from, including The Haddon Hall in Droylsden, Henry Boddington in Salford, Wilton Arms in Middleton and The White Hart in Heywood.
You can put your postcode in here to find a pub nearest to you. There’s a huge range of children’s dishes, from fish fingers, to pasta, chicken wraps, pizza and Birdseye Green Cuisine nuggets, promising ‘something for all the family’.
The offer usually runs from Monday to Friday between 3pm and 7pm, with one £1 kids meal available with the purchase of every one adult main bought in the same transaction. From July 25 to September 2, the times are being extended to all day, but it can’t be used in conjunction with the breakfast or set menu.
Morrisons
Kids can eat for free in Morrisons cafes nationwide all day, every day with every adult meal. The offer applies with each adult meal ordered over £4.99 and can be used for children under 16.
Youngsters can order from the kids menu or the chilled kids snack pack. As well as the meal, children will receive a piece of fruit and Tropicana Kids Orange or Apple drink or bottle of water.
See the website for more details.
Yard & Coop
The home of buttermilk fried chicken, otherwise known as Yard & Coop, is also offering a kids eat free deal. At their Northern Quarter restaurant, kids can get a free meal with every adult main ordered from Monday to Friday during the school holidays.
The deal is applicable between 12pm and 7pm, with Lego and crayons on hand to keep everyone entertained. The children's menu includes the likes of Nugz - boneless fried chicken - and the veggie option Not Chicken Nugz or vegan chicken.
Reserve a table by calling 0161 710 2570, visit the website at www.yardandcoop.com, or just walk in on the day.
The Real Greek
Fairly new to the Trafford Centre, The Real Greek sees kids eat free on Sundays. Children under 12 get to choose a kids meal, a drink and an ice cream or sorbet from the menu for every £10 adult spend.
The Trafford Centre restaurant opened earlier this year- hot on the heels of the first Manchester opening for the Real Greek at The Corn Exchange in the city centre in December. See the website for more details.
YO!
Japanese street food and sushi favourite YO! is letting children under 10 eat free between 3.00pm and 5.30pm, taking the pressure off weekday dinners. Kids can tuck into the Mini Ninja children's menu and one child eats free for every £10 spent by an adult.
The offer includes a main, a side and a drink from the Kids Meal Deal menu and a dessert from this menu can be added for £1.50. From crispy coated Japanese fried chicken and mayo to crunchy California sushi rolls, YO! promises there's 'a dish to suit all tastes'.
The offer is valid from Monday to Thursday until September 29, and must be placed before 5.30pm to qualify. Visit the website for more details.
Dunelm, Pausa Cafe
If you're having to take the kids cushion shopping, or are hoping to pick up some new bits for the garden, then you could always stop off at Dunelm's Pausa Cafe over the holidays.
Kids can get a free mini main, two snacks and a drink for every £4 spent in the cafe. The offer launched on June 27 and will continue throughout the summer break.
Asda
Kids eat for £1 all day every day during the summer holidays with no adult spend required. The offer will be running from July 25 to September 4. Depending on the store, a hot meal or cold meal, or both, will be on offer.
Baby food is also available as part of the initiative. An Asda spokesperson said: “We know that families can find the summer holidays tough, and our customers are telling us that this year more than ever, they’re concerned about holiday hunger.
"With that in mind, we are so pleased to be able to offer children’s meals for just £1, with no minimum adult spend, to ensure that those who would normally rely on a school meal aren’t left without.” See the website for more details.
Whitbread Inns
Two kids under 16 can eat free when adults purchase one £9.50 breakfast at any Whitbread Inns pub or restaurant. The unlimited breakfast includes eggs, premium sausages and back bacon rashers, hash browns and black pudding, with unlimited tea, coffee and juice.
Breakfast is served daily until 10.30am midweek and 11am at weekend, costing £9.50 for full English and £7.50 for continental.
IKEA
Children can enjoy any meal from the children's menu for 95p in IKEA stores. A combo meal option is also available for £1.50, which includes one hot meal, jelly, a soft drink and a piece of fruit.
Or, from Monday to Friday from 5pm to close, families can enjoy meatballs and tomato sauce and a slice of Daim cake for £3.95 instead of £6.80. The final day to claim the offer is Saturday September 3
Dobbies Garden Centre
At Dobbies Garden Centre cafes, like at Altrincham, kids eat free with an adult main meal. The offer includes the kids lunch menu or pick ‘n’ mix meal, plus a drink, and is available daily from noon.
The pick ‘n’ mix meal, worth £5.20 allows little ones to choose from a ham, cheese or tuna sandwich, three snacks from jelly, crisps, biscuits and banana loaf, followed by a drink like a Capri-Sun or Innocent smoothie.
Cafe Rouge
Children can enjoy one or two courses for £1 at Cafe Rouge with one adult's main meal. Children can choose two or three courses from the kid’s menu for a quid with every adult who purchases a main course.
The deal can be claimed up until and inclusive of Wednesday August 31, but Saturdays are excluded. The deal is on from midday at their Salford branch, featuring starts like garlic bread and baguette slices, followed by comfort dishes like sausage and mash, chicken breast and cauliflower macaroni.
For desert, tinkers can opt for a selection of ice creams, chocolate brownie or a fresh fruit salad.
Marks & Spencer
Kids eat free in the M&S Cafe if you spend over £5 there. The offer runs throughout the school holidays and children will get a Kids' Munch breakfast or lunch for free with every £5 spent in the cafes.
The meal deal means kids can enjoy a main, such as a Taste Buds ham sandwich, a drink, a snack and a piece of fruit. One free children's meal per transaction. See the website here for more details.
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