Katys Guide To Free Meals And Back-To-School Bargains

Katy, Texas offers numerous opportunities for families to save money through free meal deals for children and discounted back-to-school shopping. This comprehensive guide outlines the current promotional offers and money-saving strategies available to Katy residents and visitors. The information is organized by category to help consumers maximize their savings on dining and shopping needs.

Kids Eat Free and Cheap Deals in Katy

Many Katy restaurants offer special promotions where children can eat free or at significantly reduced prices. These deals typically require the purchase of an adult entrée and may have specific day or time restrictions. Below is a detailed breakdown organized by day of the week.

Monday Deals

  • Alicia's Mexican Grill (25725 Katy Fwy.): Kids eat free all day with purchase of an adult entrée and beverage. Dine-in only.
  • Blue Fish (2643 Commercial Center): Get a free Kid's Bento Box with every $35 purchase.
  • Cowboy Chicken (20702 Katy Fwy.): Children 10 and under eat free with the purchase of adult entrée from 4:00 pm to closing.
  • Freebirds (21923 Katy Fwy.): Free kids meal all day with an adult entrée purchase. Dine-in only.
  • Fuddruckers (24033 Cinco Ranch Blvd., 25407 Bell Patna Dr.): Kids 12 and under eat for $1.99 on Mondays from 4:00 pm to closing with an adult entrée purchase.
  • Kokai Sushi (2404 Texmati Dr., Suite 101): Kids eat free off the kids' menu all day Monday and Tuesday. One kid's meal per adult meal purchase. $0.99 kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée from 4:00 – 10:00 pm. Dine-in only. Not valid on holidays.
  • Tacos y Tortas Adrian (1997 Katy Mills Blvd., 1603 N. Westgreen Blvd.): Kids under 9 eat free with the purchase of a regular priced adult entrée from 4:00 – 7:00 pm. Dine-in only.
  • The Cheese Bar (23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd.): Kids 12 and under eat free all day with the purchase of an adult entrée.

Tuesday Deals

  • La Machaka Tex Mex (23135 Morton Ranch Road): Free kid's meal all day with the purchase of an adult entree and beverage. Dine-in only.
  • Astor Farm to Table (1590 S. Mason Rd.): Free kid's meal all day with the purchase of an adult entree and beverage. Dine-in only.
  • Dish Society (23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd.): All-day, kids 12 and under get a free kids' meal with a purchase of a regular-priced entrée. Dine-in only.
  • El Asador (3750 S. Mason Rd.): Kids 12 and under eat free with the purchase of one regular adult meal with soft drink or Margarita.
  • Hooters (22575 Katy Freeway): Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal.
  • Kokai Sushi (2404 Texmati Dr., Suite 101): Kids eat free off the kids' menu all day. One kid's meal per adult meal purchase.
  • Main Event (24401 Katy Fwy.): Kids under 12 eat free. Enjoy one free kids' meal when you purchase a food item for $8.99 or more. Valid all day.
  • Texas Borders Bar and Grill (1251 Pin Oak Ste 141, 26440 FM 1093, Richmond): Kids meals for $1.99 with the purchase of an adult entrée.

Additional Kids Eat Free Locations

Several Katy restaurants offer kids eat free deals without specific day restrictions:

  • Hacienda (11605 S. Fry Rd., Fulshear): Kids 12 and under eat free all day with the purchase of an adult entrée.
  • Local Table (24033 Cinco Ranch Blvd): Kids eat free.
  • The Union Kitchen (9920 Gaston Rd): Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree.

Wednesday Deals

  • Chuckwagon BBQ & Burgers (4031 FM 1463): Kids eat for a discounted rate with the purchase of an adult entrée. Dine-in only.
  • Fadi's Mediterranean Grill (21792 Katy Fwy.): Kids Meals $1.99 with an adult meal.

Back-to-School Shopping Deals

Katy-area retailers offer numerous promotions to help families save on back-to-school essentials. From big-box retailers to budget-friendly outlets and neighborhood gems, here are some of the best places to find deals before the first bell rings.

Major Retailer Promotions

  • HEB: During back-to-school season, HEB rolls out aisles dedicated to affordable school supplies, backpacks, and lunch kits. Their bulk snack deals and weekly promotions provide a budget-friendly way to complete much of the school shopping list in one trip.
  • Houston Premium Outlets (Cypress): This outlet center offers discounted clothing, shoes, and backpacks. Back-to-school deals often coincide with Texas's tax-free weekend, with brands like Nike, Vans, Levi's, and Old Navy typically offering stackable promotions.
  • Target: Shoppers can save 40% on school supplies, vacuums, kitchen appliances, and more.
  • Gap: The retailer is offering up to 60% off on back-to-school essentials including jeans, polos, hoodies, and uniforms.
  • Nordstrom: Provides incredible discounts on fall fashion, brand-new arrivals, and back-to-school essentials like Nike, Vans, and Converse shoes, plus beauty and designer backpack markdowns.
  • Adidas: Offers up to 40% off on sneakers, athletic apparel, soccer jerseys, and more.
  • eBay: Features markdown events on tech essentials including laptops, headphones, printers, and dorm appliances.
  • American Eagle: Provides 30% off everything sitewide for high school and college students' back-to-school needs.

Money-Saving Strategies for School Shopping

  • Stack store coupons if allowed for maximum discounts
  • Check local resale and consignment shops in Spring, Tomball, and Humble for gently used clothes, backpacks, and lunch boxes at a fraction of retail price
  • Conduct a home inventory before purchasing to identify forgotten supplies or barely-used items
  • Sign up for store email lists from retailers like Target, Old Navy, and H-E-B for exclusive deals and early access to promotions
  • Take advantage of student or teacher discounts at places like Apple, Best Buy, and certain clothing brands

Texas Tax-Free Weekend Information

Texas hosts a tax-free weekend for back-to-school shopping, with specific rules and exemptions:

  • Online, phone, or mail orders are tax-exempt if paid for during the tax-free window (August 8–10, 2025) and the seller accepts the order then, even if delivery occurs afterward
  • Individual items like clothing, shoes, and backpacks must be priced under $100 each to qualify for tax exemption
  • Items at or above $100 will be taxed in full, even if other items in the cart are exempt
  • Electronics such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones are not covered under the Texas Tax-Free Weekend

Special Promotional Days

713 Day Celebrations

713 Day, celebrated in July, features special promotions at Houston-area restaurants and businesses:

  • Duck N Bao: All three locations donate $1 from every order of pork soup dumplings to Mercy Chefs, a faith-based non-profit organization providing disaster relief
  • Hungry's: Offers a complimentary order of hummus with any entrée purchase
  • Pizaro's Pizza: Both Montrose and Memorial locations offer the classic Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza for only $7.13 (normally $17.50) for in-person and phone orders when mentioning "713 Day"
  • WILD: Both Heights and Montrose locations offer two specialty cocktails for $7.13

Book Bargains and Deals

For book enthusiasts, several resources offer discounted reading material:

  • Bargain books are available through various online platforms and book retailers
  • Featured promotions include limited-time discounts on specific titles, such as "Guardian of Monsters (Sleuths of Shadow Salon Book 1)" by Catherine Stine, which was bargain priced from October 9 to November 1
  • Book prices can change without notice, so checking current prices before purchasing is recommended

Conclusion

Katy residents have access to numerous opportunities to save money through free meal deals for children and discounted back-to-school shopping. Restaurant promotions offer families significant savings on dining out, with many establishments providing free kids' meals with adult purchases on specific days or times. For back-to-school shopping, retailers from big-box stores to outlet malls and consignment shops offer various promotions and discounts. Additionally, special promotional days like 713 Day provide unique opportunities for savings at local establishments. By taking advantage of these deals and following money-saving strategies, Katy families can significantly reduce their expenses on dining and shopping needs.

Sources

  1. Katy Magazine - Kids Eat Free & Cheap in Katy Texas
  2. BookGoodies - Bargain Books
  3. Houston on the Cheap - Back-to-School Deals Houston
  4. Houston Food Finder - 713 Day Deals
  5. Katy Magazine Online - Katy Kids Eat Free and Cheap