Tesco Introduces Free Kids' Meal Deal in Cafés During Half Term
Tesco has announced a significant change to its in-store café offerings this week, providing free meals for children during the February half term period. The supermarket giant confirmed that kids can eat for free at any Tesco café when accompanied by an adult who makes a purchase and scans their Clubcard on weekdays.
How the Offer Works
The promotion allows customers to receive one free kids' meal option with any adult item purchased in The Café for dine-in only. Available choices include the Kids' Hot Meal Deal, Kids' Hot Breakfast, or Kids' Pick 'N' Mix. A child must be present to redeem the offer, and a Tesco Clubcard or the Tesco app is required for participation.
What makes this offer particularly appealing is the absence of a fixed minimum spend requirement. As HotUKDeals explained, "You could pay just 65p for a piece of fruit in a Tesco café to claim the freebie." This contrasts with many other kids eat free deals that typically mandate purchasing a main meal or meeting specific spending thresholds.
Regional Date Variations
The offer runs from February 16 to 20 in most parts of England and Wales. However, there are regional variations in certain areas including Redcar and Cleveland, Durham, and Gateshead, where the promotion will be available from February 23 to 27. Customers should check local café details as availability may vary across different locations.
Kids' meals normally cost up to £3.50 and include breakfast options like beans or avocado on toast, hot meal deals featuring items such as fish fingers or mac and cheese with vegetable sides, or the pick 'n' mix deal comprising a sandwich, drink, fruit, and two snacks.
Broader Context: Plant-Based Food Trends
This initiative comes as Tesco reports growing demand for vegetable-led foods rich in protein and fibre. The supermarket has observed plant-based food returning to growth for the first time in years as consumers seek more control over their dietary choices.
Tesco plant-based food buyer Bethan Jones commented: "We are beginning to see the green shoots of recovery across the UK's plant-based food sector, as a growing number of shoppers place long-term health and wellbeing at the centre of their food choices."
"Increasingly, the inclusion of vegetables and plant foods is being seen not as a passing preference, but as a fundamental part of how people expect to eat in the future," Jones added, noting that the plant-based movement emerged as the fastest-growing food trend of the late 20th century, driven by demand for meat alternatives and heightened sustainability awareness.
