With half term close to coming to an end in England, I spotted a Pizza Express kids eat free deal that ends on Sunday 1 November, so you will need to be quick. That said, it could be a nice way to finish off the holidays, so I decided to share it all the same.
Pizza Express kids eat free: how the Piccolo deal works
First up, the free Piccolo meal. Any adult who buys a full price qualifying main gets one Piccolo meal for a child dining with them. That means a Classic, Romana, Duo Romana, Large Classic, Duo Large Classic or Leggera pizza, or an Al Forno or Salad dish.
The Piccolo is Baked Dough Balls to start, then a pizza, pasta or salad, plus dessert and/or a Bambinoccino. Pizza Express recommends it for kids aged 12 or below. Drinks are charged extra, which is easy to miss.
Pizza Express is firm that a child must be present. Adults buying a main without one do not qualify, which does make you wonder if someone has tried this in the past! If you are also comparing hotel deals for the family, my Premier Inn kids eat free article is a good place to start.
The teen deal: £12 for anyone aged 19 and under
Once your child is past Piccolo age, there is a separate deal. Anyone aged 19 and under can get one Classic pizza and a soft drink for £12, with no ID required. That is roughly the price of 6 litres of diesel, though I think that says more about fuel prices these days!
The pizza can be gluten free or vegan. The drink is limited to regular serve Coca Cola, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Sprite or Fanta. Duo Romana, Large Classic, Leggera, Al Forno dishes and Salads are not included.
Where the extra costs creep in
This is where you need to be careful if you are trying to maximise the saving. A Romana base is £1.95 extra, and going large on the drink is another £1.95. Take both and you have added £3.90, about a third on top of the £12.
Throw in a pudding and it adds up quickly. If you were planning to buy all of that anyway then you are quids in, but it is worth knowing before you sit down. I covered the same trap in my McDonald’s delivery hidden costs article.
Can you combine the two deals?
Yes, the two offers can be used together, but the rules are strict. Each offer needs its own qualifying items, so the adult main cannot double as the teen’s pizza. Bills also cannot be split to claim multiple discounts.
| Kids Eat Free | Teen deal | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | One free Piccolo meal | Classic pizza and soft drink for £12 |
| Who it is for | Child dining with a paying adult | Aged 19 and under |
| Drinks | Charged extra | Selected soft drinks only |
| Other offers | Only the teen deal, Goodwill codes and survey vouchers | Only Kids Eat Free, Goodwill codes and survey vouchers |
| Where | Dine in only, not Scotland | Dine in only, not Scotland |
Is the Pizza Express kids eat free deal worth it?
I would say the deal is real, and I have personally had a very nice meal there before. The food tends to be consistent, you know what you are getting and the restaurants are often in good locations.
A few things to know before you go. Both offers are dine in only, so delivery, collection and walk in takeaway do not count. Some pizza prices may include a small charity donation, which you can ask your waiter to remove. Groups of 7 adults or more get an automatic service charge. Airports, Brixton, Finsbury Park, Earls Court, PizzaExpress Live venues and supermarket pods are all excluded.
You also cannot just walk in and ask for it. Download your code from the Pizza Express offers page first, then show the QR code to a team member, who will scan it and apply the offer. Club members can apply it in the app instead. And a note for fellow Scots: these offers exclude Scotland, which stings a little.
If you enjoy a time limited deal, this year’s National Cinema Weekend has already ended, but it comes round every year, so it is one to watch for next year. For more ways to keep everyday spending in check, head to my Spending Habits: Small Changes, Bigger Savings page.
Free is lovely, but the extras are where they get you. Will you be squeezing in a pizza before the deal disappears?