25+ Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free (or Cheap) in 2026: Columbia, SC

We know taking your family out to eat can get quite pricey, not to mention chaotic. So, we made this easy: every restaurant below has been checked against its own website, and we call locations to confirm their promotions. Kids meal deals are set store by store and change fast, though, so it’s always a good idea to triple-check before you go. 

*This list does not imply restaurant endorsement or participation but is simply for our readers’ convenience. Last updated September 17, 2026.

Kids Eat Free in Columbia, SC: Quick Facts

• What: Restaurants where kids eat free or eat cheap in the Columbia, SC area
• Where: Columbia, plus West Columbia, Irmo, Lexington, Blythewood, Chapin and Batesburg-Leesville
• When: Deals run every day of the week, and Tuesday and Wednesday have the most options
• Ages: Varies by restaurant, from 4 and under at Shealy’s Saturday breakfast buffet up to 13 and under at Chubby’s in Blythewood
• Cost: Free to $2.99 for a kids meal, almost always with an adult entree purchase
• Good to know: Plenty of these offers are dine-in only, including Ruby Tuesday, Chubby’s, Knead Pizza, Red Bowl and Shealy’s buffet
• Last verified: September 17, 2026, against each restaurant’s own website

Daily Kids Meal Deals in Columbia, SC

Golden Corral

Offer: Kids eat free with purchase of an adult meal
Age: 3 and under only
Location: 5300 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29206
Golden Corral

CiCi’s Pizza

Offer: Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult buffet
Age: 3 and under only
Locations: 6120 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, SC 29212
715 Fashion Drive, Columbia, SC 29229
CiCi’s Pizza

Monday Kids Meal Deals in Columbia

Red Bowl 

Offer: $2.95 kids meal, Sundays and Mondays — dine-in only
Age: 9 and under
Location: 481-11 Town Center Place, Columbia, SC 29229
Red Bowl – Town Center Place Location

Chubby’s Burgers and Brewhouse

Offer: Kids Eat 50% off with the purchase of an adult entree (Ages 13 and Under) — dine-in only
Time: All Day
Location: 420 McNulty Street, Blythewood, SC

Salsarita’s

Offer: Free kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal
Location: 2507 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia, 29169
Salsarita’s

Shealy’s BBQ

Offer: Kids 6 and under eat free on the all-you-can-eat buffet (includes a drink, dine-in only); ages 7-11 pay $6.62 and adults $13.24
Location: 340 East Columbia Ave, Batesburg-Leesville, SC 29070
Shealy’s BBQ specials

Firehouse Subs

Offer: $0.99 kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal
Time: After 4 pm
Locations: 3250 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204
2301 Augusta Road, West Columbia, SC 29169
7467 St. Andrews Rd, Irmo, SC 29063
Firehouse Subs

Tuesday Kids Eat Free Deals 

Carolina Ale House 

Offer: Kids eat for $0.99 with the purchase of an adult meal
Age: 10 and under
Time: After 5 pm
Location: 277 Columbiana Drive, Columbia, SC 29212
Carolina Ale House – Columbiana Drive

Chubby’s Burgers and Brewhouse

Offer: Kids Eat 50% off with the purchase of an adult entree (Ages 13 and Under) — dine-in only
Time: All Day
Location: 420 McNulty Street, Blythewood, SC

East Bay Deli 

Offer: Kids eat free every Tuesday with purchase of an adult meal.
Time: After 4 pm
Location: 2708 Clemson Road, Columbia, SC 29229
East Bay Deli – Clemson Road Kids Night

Firehouse Subs

Offer: $0.99 kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal
Time: After 4 pm
Locations: 3250 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204
2301 Augusta Road, West Columbia, SC 29169
7467 St. Andrews Rd, Irmo, SC 29063
Firehouse Subs

Highway 55 Burgers

Offer: 50% off kids’ meals every Tuesday
Time: After 5 pm
Location: 1792 S Lake Drive, Lexington, SC 29073
Highway 55 Burgers – South Lake Drive

Ruby Tuesday

Offer: Kids 12 and under eat free with the purchase of a full-priced adult entree — dine-in only
Time: After 5 pm
Location: 5464 Sunset Blvd., Lexington, SC 29072
Heads up: the Columbia (Garners Ferry Road) and West Columbia (Augusta Road) Ruby Tuesdays both closed in 2026. Lexington is now the only Ruby Tuesday in the Midlands, so plan on the drive.
Ruby Tuesday Meal Deals

Moe’s 

Offer: Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal $6 or more
Locations: 470-1 Town Center Place, Columbia, SC 29229
4601 Devine Street Suite B, Columbia, SC 29205
625 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
2217 Augusta Road, West Columbia, SC 29169
Moe’s

Wednesday Kids Eat Cheap Deals in Columbia

Chubby’s Burgers and Brewhouse

Offer: Kids Eat 50% off with the purchase of an adult entree (Ages 13 and Under) — dine-in only
Time: All Day
Location: 420 McNulty Street, Blythewood, SC
Check out our review of Chubby’s Burgers and Brewhouse

Check out our review of Chubby’s Burgers and Brewhouse

East Bay Deli 

Offer: Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal 
Time: After 4 pm
Location: 108 Sunset Court, West Columbia, SC
East Bay Deli – Sunset Court Kids Night

Higher Ground Char House

Offer: One Free Kids meal with the purchase of an Adult Meal
Time: All Day – Dine in only
Age: 12 and under
Location: 211 Chapin Rd., Chapin, SC
Higher Ground Char House

Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ

Offer: Free kids’ buffet (1 per paying adult)
Age: 10 and under
Time: After 5 pm
Location: 4952 Sunset Boulevard, Lexington, SC
Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ

Firehouse Subs

Offer: $0.99 kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal
Time: After 4 pm
Locations: 3250 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204
2301 Augusta Road, West Columbia, SC 29169
7467 St. Andrews Rd, Irmo, SC 29063
Firehouse Subs

Knead Pizza

Offer: 1/2 price Kids Meal with each adult entree purchased (minimum $6.99 adult entree, dine-in only)
Location: 104-B Scarborough Drive, Lexington, SC 29072
Knead Pizza

Smashburger

Offer: Free kids’ meal (age 12 and under) with the purchase of an adult meal — the adult meal needs to include an entree, side and drink, and the offer is redeemable in-restaurant only
Location: 718 Fashion Drive Suite A, Columbia, SC 29229
Smashburger

Friday Kids’ Meal Deals

Ruby Tuesday

Offer: Kids 12 and under eat free with the purchase of a full-priced adult entree — dine-in only
Time: All day
Location: 5464 Sunset Blvd., Lexington, SC 29072 (now the only Ruby Tuesday in the Midlands)
Ruby Tuesday Meal Deals

Saturday Kids’ Meal Deals

Shealy’s BBQ

Offer: Breakfast Buffet – Kids 4 and under eat free (ages 5-11 are $5.50, adults $11.95, eat-in breakfast only)
Time: 7:00-9:30 am
Location: 340 East Columbia Ave, Batesburg-Leesville, SC 29070
Shealy’s BBQ specials

Sunday Kids Deals Eat Free Deals

Moe’s 

Offer: Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal $6 or more
Locations: 470-1 Town Center Place, Columbia, SC 29229
4601 Devine Street Suite B, Columbia, SC 29205
625 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
2217 Augusta Road, West Columbia, SC 29169
Moe’s

Beef O’ Bradys

Offer: $2.99 kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal 
Location: 4561 Hard Scrabble Road, Columbia, SC 29229
Beef O’ Bradys – Hard Scrabble Road

Firehouse Subs

Offer: $0.99 kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal
Time: All day
Locations: 3250 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204
2301 Augusta Road, West Columbia, SC 29169
7467 St. Andrews Rd, Irmo, SC 29063
Firehouse Subs

Slim Chickens

Offer: $1.99 Kid’s Meal with the purchase of any adult meal
Time: All Day
Location: 7544 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29209
Heads up: the N Beltline Boulevard and Killian Road Slim Chickens have both closed, so Garners Ferry Road is the only Columbia location left.
Slim Chickens

Red Bowl 

Offer: $2.95 kids meal, Sundays and Mondays — dine-in only
Age: 9 and under
Location: 481-11 Town Center Place, Columbia, SC 29229
Red Bowl – Town Center Place Location

Kids Eat Free and Meal Deals Special Events: Columbia, SC

Sometimes kids eat free and cheap, and kids’ meal deal nights come with special events that are so great for families. When special kids’ meal events are happening in Columbia, SC, we’ll list them right here. Make sure to bookmark this page and check back soon!

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Kids Eat Free in Columbia, SC: FAQs

Does Ruby Tuesday still have kids eat free near Columbia?

Yes, but you’ll need to drive to Lexington. Both Columbia-area Ruby Tuesdays closed in 2026 — Garners Ferry Road in Columbia and Augusta Road in West Columbia — which leaves 5464 Sunset Blvd. in Lexington as the only Ruby Tuesday in the Midlands. Kids 12 and under eat free with the purchase of a full-priced adult entree on Tuesdays after 5 pm and all day Friday, dine-in only.

Which night has the most kids eat free deals in Columbia?

Wednesday. Chubby’s Burgers and Brewhouse in Blythewood does half-price kids meals for ages 13 and under (dine-in only), East Bay Deli on Sunset Court in West Columbia runs its kids night from 4 pm to close, Knead Pizza in Lexington takes half off a kids meal with a $6.99 minimum adult entree (dine-in only), Hudson’s Smokehouse in Lexington calls Wednesday its kids eat free buffet night, and Smashburger on Fashion Drive gives a free kids meal to ages 12 and under.

Which Columbia restaurants have a kids night on Tuesday?

Carolina Ale House on Columbiana Drive runs Kids Night every Tuesday beginning at 5 pm, when kids 10 and under eat for $0.99 with the purchase of any entree. East Bay Deli on Clemson Road holds its kids night on Tuesdays from 4 pm to close, and Ruby Tuesday in Lexington does kids eat free after 5 pm.

Are Columbia kids eat free deals dine-in only?

Many of them are. Ruby Tuesday, Chubby’s, Knead Pizza and Red Bowl all specify dine-in, Shealy’s buffet pricing is dine-in only, and Smashburger’s Wednesday kids meal is redeemable in-restaurant only. Always double-check before you order at the drive-thru or online.

We have more restaurant suggestions!

These are some great kid-friendly restaurants in Columbia, SC!

Grab a burger, pizza, or even head to a family-friendly brewery with the kids.

Our Columbia Restaurant Guide is full of great dining options for your family!

Please let us know, are there any kids eat free (or cheap) deals in Columbia we’re missing out on?

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• BONUS: Kids BOWL Free all summer long.