INSIGHT Magazine September 2014 | Page 35

T aking the family out for dinner is an all-American activity that somehow manages to put the whole crew at one table, face to face, for at least a half hour. It’s the unifier, the common flag of getting our eats on under which squirmy toddlers, sullen teenagers and talkative tweens still manage to unite. include free ice cream sandwiches with kids meals — hands off, dad — which are priced at $3.99 each and include options like hot dogs, mini corn dogs, chicken tenders (fried or grilled for the health-conscious 12 and under crowd), served with fries, applesauce or mac ’n cheese. Unfortunately, taking those three kids out to eat and feeding yourself, too, that can be an expensive proposition. Rather than watch you waste away (have you been eating your vegetables?), we’ve decided to throw you a bone and let you in on a not-so-secret-anymore list of restaurants and the days they offer freebies to the kids, including half-off discounts and totally free meals. Fuji Japanese Cuisine Oxford Prime Dining, Anniston (256) 835-8788 If you want to get away from corn dogs (and we certainly don’t understand why, if you do), take the kids for cultural cuisine at Fuji, where they can eat for 50 percent off every Tuesday. Kids meals include Karate Kid Chicken, Sumo Steak and Komodo Shrimp and include soup or salad, grilled vegetables and steamed rice (or fried rice for an additional $1.00). Fuji’s kids meals are for 12 and under only — out of luck again, dad. (256) 770-7322 Prime offers plenty of choices for kids, like a kid’s sized burger, a mini cheese pizza, corn dogs, macaroni or chicken tenders, nearly every color in the kids dinner rainbow, and every Wednesday night children under 10 eat free (one kids meal per adult plate during dinner), drink included. Children’s meals are normally $5.99 at Prime. Jefferson’s of Oxford and Jacksonville (256) 835-5858 Dessert: the most important meal of the day. Jefferson’s recognizes this undeniable fact, and INSIGHT Applebee’s, Oxford (256) 835-2434 Kids have a pretty extensive set of options when they go to Applebee’s, with expected fare like hamburgers and chicken, but also quesadillas, shrimp and even a 4 oz. sirloin steak, for the tiny person with a big appetite. Sides range from salads and rice to mozzarella sticks or vanilla yogurt with strawberries (quit giving that food the ol’ shifty stare, mom — 12 and under only for this menu), along with apple juice, orange tangerine juice, milk or a soda. Kids eat half off on Wednesdays, so bring the whole menagerie. September 2014 35