To think the 'kids eat out for less' offers don't actually help

[Ntsure]

It seems like places started doing this when schools were giving out the food vouchers etc as a way to look like they were trying to help kids have adequate food in school holidays.
it only really benefits those who can afford to eat out in the first place.
its just a bunch of restaurants trying to give across the image that they care whilst not actually helping anyone that needs help.
(with the exception of Asda who are doing kids meals for £1 without requiring any other purchases)

Is there a more up to date list? That one is incorrect. It has my local listed with a traditional cafe which it once had. It now has 2 tables and a Costa coffee machine

Especially as a single parent of more than one child - one free child's meal when you're paying a full price adult and any additional dc isn't a help at all. The exception being Asda which would be fantastic but our local Asda has replaced their cafe with a greggs so we can't benefit from that either. Probably something I'd had used frequently this summer otherwise

£2 for 2 hot meals really isn't bad when you take in to account the current cost of providing those meals at home. Including the gas and/or electric needed to cook it at current prices, plus heating the water to wash up (also the head space to do all this when trying to entertain dc for 6 weeks with no money. It's at least a trip out).

I messaged them on fb to check and they assured me no minimum spend required by anyone for this offer.

I understood it as no minimum spend but you had to spend something. So even the cheapest item on their menu like a slice of toast or bottle of water etc

Is there a more up to date list? That one is incorrect. It has my local listed with a traditional cafe which it once had. It now has 2 tables and a Costa coffee machine

@ifoundthebread same, mine is listed as traditional cafe but now only has a greggs

Of course it's marketing!

But if you can get a hot meal for your child for a quid, let's be happy.

Promotion valid for children under 16 years. Each child is entitled to a meal when they spend £1. Maximum of 1 meal from the kids menu per child, per day. Available in England and Wales between 25/07/2022 – 02/09/2022. Available in Scotland & Northern Ireland between 23/06/2022 – 04/09/2022. Subject to availability.

This is the small print on the Asda promotion. And it is a promotion - a tool to get you through the door, spend your weekly groceries budget there, and build loyalty. It’s not some private sector extension of the welfare state. I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t an analysis that shows that overall, this promotion increases profits for them.

note: that’s totally fine. They’re a business. They’re supposed to try to make money.

This

We tried to have nice family meal out using one of these offers and ended up walking out and eating else where. No where on voucher we had did it say parents had to eat off the most expensive set menu, which would cost as a fortune just for kids to eat for £1 . Yes we could have still eaten and just not used the voucher but it was more the principal if we had not checked before ordering we would not have known, plus there was nothing on the set La carte menu we wanted .we ended up having a lovely mid week roast by the river , 4 roast and 4 drinks cost us the price of 2 starters in the previous place