Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free or Cheap

My friend Beth passed this list on to me - it's great! I love that it's organized by day of the week. I'll add to it as I get more locations; new additions will be bolded. You may want to call to check first to make sure the policies haven't changed.

Update (10/7/09): I've added a few more restaurants that I've heard about through word of mouth. Keep them coming!

Update (6/14/09): This list is concentrated in Cumming, Alpharetta, and Suwanee. To search other zip codes nationwide, click here!

Please let me know in the comments if you have any restaurants to add to this list!

Sunday
Zaxby’s (all locations) gives a 10% discount when you bring in your church bulletin
El Rey Mexican Restaurant (Suwanee) – kids each free one per adult
Mama Fu’s Noodle House (Suwanee) - kids eat free

Monday
Firkin and Crown - 10 and under kids eat free with purchase of adult entree

Tuesday
Beef O' Brady's (all locations) - Kids eat free with purchase of adult entrée 4-8 pm
Chick-Fil-A (exit 13) - Kids eat free with a purchased combo meal from 4-8
Chick-Fil-A (the Avenues) Kids eat free
Roadhouse (Alpharetta) - kids eat free with purchase of adult entrée
US Border (Alpharetta) - kids eat free
Tony’s Sports Bar and Grill (Suwanee) – free kids buffet (other nights kids are just 99 cents)
Texas Roadhouse (Gainesville) - 99 cent kids meals

Wednesday
Zaxbys (All locations) – Kids meals are 99 cents with the purchase of an adult entrée after 5 pm
Moe’s (Exit 13 Bethelview and also exit 17)– 2 free kids meals with the purchase of an adult meal
Fajita's (2595 Freedom Pkwy) – kids eat free with purchase of adult entrée

Thursday
Cedar Creek Grill (Suwanee) – free kids meal
Tony’s Sports Bar and Grill (Suwanee) – free kids buffet (other nights kids are just 99 cents)

Every Day
Atlanta Bread Co (all locations) one child eats free per one adult from 4 - 9 p.m. from the kid's menu
IHOP (All locations) - Kids eat free off the kid’s menu with the purchase of an adult entree over $5 from 4-9 pm
Mad Italian Restaurant (Alpharetta) kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal
Ryans (Dawsonviile) Mon-Sat – Kids meal is $1.99 with the purchase of an adult meal. Also, go here to print a coupon for buy one, get one free buffet: a family of four will eat for about $14!

Weekends
Steak and Shake – Free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée over $8.

Farmhouse in the City

Update: Farmhouse in the City has tons of activities during the summer, too! On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, they have playgroups for preschoolers at 10:30 for $8. Your child can experience dress-up, crafts, storytime, and pottery. On Wednesday afternoons, school-age children can take a creative canvas class. Click here for the calendar.

I don't know how many people remember Holy Cow Farm, a funky little farm/art location in Alpharetta. It wasn't open that long, and the last time we went the owner said they might have to move locations, but it was very sweet and fun for kids. Well, apparently it's been reinvented as "Farmhouse in the City." It's still in Alpharetta, and they still have animals and art events, but they are located in a cottage downtown now instead of a farm.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, they have Mommy and Me classes for preschoolers called "Little Pig-Casso." The children can do an art project, meet an animal, and hear an animal story. If the weather is nice, you can play outside in the garden afterwards. The classes are 10:30-12:00 and cost $10 for the first child and $5 for siblings. No reservations are required.

They also offer after-school classes for school-aged children, birthday parties, art camps, and "Girls' Night Out" painting parties for adults.

Good to know: Their website is a bit confusing to navigate, but you can email specific questions to Robin at robin@holycowfarm.com. She's very good about returning emails. It looks like this week (May 26-29) may be the last Mommy and Me class for the summer, but it would be a good week to go since the weather looks bad!

Georgia Aquarium - Mommy and Me

Do you have preschool children whose school has ended for the year, but your school-aged children are still in class? Then hurry - Georgia Aquarium has brought back Mommy and Me!

For $25, you get admission for you and up to four children, age 5 and under. Parking is also included. This is a huge savings, because tickets are usually $26.00 for adults, $19.50 for children 3 and above, and parking is $10 more.

This program only lasts until Friday, May 22 - so take advantage soon! I'm hoping the Aquarium will run it again this fall, because they had it available various times this year.

Thanks, Debbie!

Free Summer Movies

When it's really hot outside this summer and you don't feel like schlepping to the pool AGAIN, take the kids to a free (or cheap) movie! Many movie theaters nationwide show second run movies for free in the summer on select days.

Regal Cinemas Free Family Film Festival - On Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. beginning in June, Regal Cinemas shows G and PG movies for free. Buy tickets at the theater. Click on the link to search for locations near you and see what's showing. Here's an example of the shows at my local theater (I'm not sure why the dates are a three day range).

06/02/2009-06/04/2009
Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
Shrek The Third (PG)
06/09/2009-06/11/2009
The Tale Of Despereaux (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)
06/16/2009-06/18/2009
Charlotte's Web (G)
Surf's Up (PG)
06/23/2009-06/25/2009
Horton Hears A Who (G)
Journey To The Center Of The Earth (PG)
06/30/2009-07/02/2009
Space Chimps (G)
Star Wars: Clone Wars (PG)
07/07/2009-07/09/2009
Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Veggie Tale Movie (G)
Spiderwick Chronicles (PG)
07/14/2009-07/16/2009
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
Nim's Island (PG)
07/21/2009-07/23/2009
Everyone's Hero (G)
Madagascar 2: Escape To Africa (PG)
07/28/2009-07/30/2009
Mr. Bean's Holiday (G)
Kung Fu Panda (PG)

AMC Theaters Summer Movie Camp - AMC's movies cost $1.00, but the proceeds benefit children's charities. Every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. from mid-June through early August, AMC will show family movies. The "kid pack" is discounted to $3.00 as well and includes kid-sized popcorn, drink, and snack. Here's this summer's schedule:

June 17:
Space Chimps
June 24:
Kung Fu Panda
July 1:
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
July 8:
Tale of Despereaux
July 15:
Horton Hears a Who
July 22:
The Spiderwick Chronicles
July 29:
Nim's Island
August 5:
Star Wars: The Clone Wars

MNM Theaters - This Georgia chain has locations in Cumming (Movies 400), Hiram and Atlanta. On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m., they show G and PG movies for free. They also offer $1.00 popcorn and $1.00 drinks. If you bring a can of food for a food bank, your popcorn is free! Here's the schedule:

5/26 & 28
Space Chimps
6/2 & 4
Nim's Island
6/9 & 11
Chipmunks
6/16 & 18
Igor
6/23 & 25
Kung Fu Panda
6/30 & 7/2
Madagascar 2
7/7 & 9
Hotel for Dogs
7/14 & 16
Bee Movie
7/21 & 23
Despereaux
7/28 & 30
Veggie Tales
8/4 & 6
Horton Hears a Who

Good to know: These showings fill up fast, so get there early to avoid sitting in the front row. Also, don't expect a quiet theater: the theater will be filled with loud, laughing, crying, talking kids. The good news is that you can bring any age of children and they won't disturb anyone!

Monday Reviews - Tellus Northwest Georgia Science Museum

"Explore the Earth - Search the Stars!"

The Tellus Musuem in Cartersville is brand new - it just opened in January 2009. It used to be a small geology museum, but now there is much, much more. They've done a good job of making it interactive and educational.

One of the galleries includes life-size dinosaur and other prehistoric animal skeletons (man-made). The transportation gallery has a steam-powered locomotive, an astronaut spacesuit, helicopter, and jet cockpit. In the mineral gallery, kids can learn about volcanoes, earthquakes, and precious gems. The Big Backyard is a kids' play/hands-on learning area.

Tellus has a fantastic digital planetarium with incredibly vivid presentation. Their space observatory hosts special star-gazing events. Finally, don't miss the gem-panning and the archeaological dig area. My boys and their friends uncovered dinosaur "bones" for at least an hour and were thrilled to take home a real fossil!

The museum is open seven days a week, from 10:00-5:00. Here's the cost breakdown:

Adults - $12

Children (3 - 17) - $8

Student with ID - $8

Active Military with ID - Free

Seniors (65+) - $10

The planetarium costs $3.00 extra, but I highly recommend it!

Good to know: Tellus is easy to get to off I-75. There's not much around it, but a few exits away you'll find plenty of restaurants. It has a small, very basic cafeteria - you can run out to the car to bring in your lunch when you're hungry.

Tellus participates in the ASTC Passport Program, so if you buy a membership, you will have access to science museums across the country when you travel.

Mother's Day Events - 5/8/09-5/10/09

Time shared with Mom would be more memorable than a last-minute gift! Fortunately, there are lots of events going on this weekend to honor her.

Don't forget the free craft classes going on all week at Michael's!

Friday, May 8

Autrey Mill is hosting a mother/daughter tea today at 4:00 p.m in their summer house. You should call to make reservations. Enjoy tea, sandwiches, and desserts, and make a tussy-mussy (Victorian flower decoration). The cost is $20 for members and $30 for non-members; additional siblings or grandmas are $8.

Souper Jenny, a restaurant in Buckhead, has been celebrating Mom all week. Here are today's activities:

* Raffle for VIP Car Delivery Service: You can call in your order, no matter how small, and we

will bring it to your car!

* Homemade chocolates for Mom

* Free 5 minute "Massage for Mom" with Wendy

* Make your own Mother's Day cards on the patio

* We continue to create our Mommy Memorial Garden

Saturday, May 9

Zoo Atlanta's Nightcrawler for the month has a special mother and child theme. In the Nightcrawler program, parents and children stay overnight at the zoo, learn about the animals, have a scavenger hunt in the reptile house, and visit the zoo the next day. It's for ages 6 and up and starts at 6:00 p.m.

Make a Mother's Day craft at Autrey Mill between 10-1. The cost is $5, and it's appropriate for ages 4 and up. This is a drop-off activity, but littler ones may need a parent to stay and help. It will take an hour to complete the project.

Various Borders bookstores are celebrating a Mother's Day party at 1:00 p.m. Crafts, books, and songs will show Mom how special she is. This program is aimed at kids from 1-10. Call your local Border's to make sure they are having this activity.

Souper Jenny in Buckhead hosts Mamapalooza!

*Local retailers set up shop right out front so you can eat and shop for those last minute

Mother's Day gifts!

*Free cupcake decorating!

*Make your own Mother's Day cards and help create the Mommy Memorial Garden.

At the Georgia Renaissance Festival, the first 100 moms through the gate receive flowers.

Boling Park in Canton celebrates Mother's Day with an Indian Festival and Mother's Day Pow-Wow. There's an Indian Festival at the Cumming Fairgrounds this weekend, too, but with no Mother's Day theme. The cost is $9.00 for adults, $5.00 for children, and free for children 5 and under. It runs from 11:00-9:00 on Saturday and 11:00-7:00 on Sunday.

Sunday, May 10

Imagine It! in Atlanta has "Marigolds for Mommy" at 1:00 p.m. Hear a story about mommies, then decorate a flower pot and plant marigolds for Mom.

Take Mom to see some masterpieces at the High Museum - admission is half-price on Mother's Day!

Here's an article for the best Mother's Day brunches in Atlanta. Access Atlanta has reader and staff recommendations as well.

Monday Reviews - Yellow River Game Ranch

The Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, GA is a rustic wildlife ranch. Walk along the mile-long trail and encounter hundreds of animals - mostly forest and farm animals. You can feed many of them, t00: everything from the typical farm animals like goats and sheep to deer! Feeding deer from your hand is unforgettable.

Other animals you will see are black bears, a mountain lion, owls, foxes, buffalo, donkeys, and pigs. I have great pictures from our multiple trips to the ranch, so don't forget your camera.

Check the calendar for all the fun events; there is something going on almost every month of the year. You can see Georgia's own groundhog, General Beauregard Lee, all year - but you may want to visit him on Groundhog Day to find out how long winter will last. Spring time brings baby animals, and May 23, 2009, will be sheep shearing day.

The Ranch is definitely rustic. The habitats range from completely natural to large cages, which are not as aesthetically pleasing. You'll hear the donkeys braying wherever you are - it's hilarious!

Yellow River Game Ranch is open every day except major holidays. Under 2 is free; 2-11 costs $7.00; and 12 and up costs $8.00. There is a coupon in the Entertainment Book. The hours are 10-5 M-F and 9:30-6:00 Sa/Su. The last ticket is sold one hour before closing.

Good to know: You can bring a lunch to eat on picnic tables, but you would probably want to wash your hands with more than hand sanitizer before eating. Close to the entrance is a Sonic, which is great for a cold drink after a long hot visit with the animals. You'll walk through a very tempting gift store to enter and exit the Ranch. You can bring food to feed the animals, but YRGR also sells it very affordably. Carrots, saltine crackers, and peanuts are best.

Free Mother's Day Classes at Michael's

From now until Mother's Day, your children can make a gift for Mom at Michael's Arts and Crafts - and it's free!

The weekend classes start at 1:00, and the weeknight ones start at 6:00. Some classes require a purchase such as a t-shirt or frame, but most are completely free. If you ARE Mom, your kids can make a project for Grandma.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Visit Frontier Days at Stone Mountain Park this weekend (April 30 - May 3)! There are lots of pre-Revolutionary War, pioneer, and Civil War demonstrations, from weapons to cooking to medicine to cavalry. This event takes place at the Antebellum Plantation.

The programs run from 9:00-2:00 each day. The cost is $10 per person, and you can add on more attractions (such as the scenic railway) for a small fee. See the link above for more details.