Applebee's kids meals cost $6.49 to $7.49. The kids entrées listed here run from Kids Grilled Chicken at 180 calories to the Kids Classic Cheeseburger at 680. Order the grilled chicken: it has 32g of protein, more than the tenders, for less than half the calories. Applebee's promotes a Kids Eat Free offer on its own site, a free kids meal with a full-price adult entrée at participating restaurants, but the nights are set locally, so there's no single national schedule.
Applebee's Kids Menu Prices and Calories
| Kids entrée | Price | Calories | Protein | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kids Grilled Chicken | $6.99 | 180 | 32g | 650mg |
| Kids Chicken Tenders | $6.99 | 420 | 24g | 1,150mg |
| Kids Macaroni & Cheese | $6.49 | 510 | 18g | 1,350mg |
| Kids Classic Cheeseburger | $7.49 | 680 | n/a | n/a |
Prices and the kids lineup both vary by restaurant, so yours may carry items that aren't listed here. The lightest side listed is applesauce, at 90 calories and 10mg of sodium.
The Best Kids Meal at Applebee's
Order the Kids Grilled Chicken if your child will eat it. It wins every column we have: the fewest calories (180), the most protein (32g) and the least sodium (650mg). Against the tenders, it's 240 fewer calories, 8g more protein and 500mg less sodium.
If they'll only eat tenders, that's fine. At 420 calories the Kids Chicken Tenders are a normal child's dinner. The side and the drink are where you have room to adjust.
The one to think about is the mac and cheese. It has 1,350mg of sodium, which is 90% of the 1,500mg daily limit for a child aged 4 to 8, in a single bowl. It isn't a reason never to order it. It's a reason to keep the rest of that day's food low in salt.
Every Applebee's Kids Entrée
Kids Grilled Chicken
A child-size grilled chicken breast. With applesauce, the whole plate is 270 calories.
- $6.99 · 180 calories · 32g protein · 650mg sodium
Kids Chicken Tenders
Breaded chicken tenders with a dipping sauce. The order most kids pick.
- $6.99 · 420 calories · 24g protein · 1,150mg sodium
Kids Macaroni & Cheese
The cheapest kids meal, and the saltiest.
- $6.49 · 510 calories · 18g protein · 1,350mg sodium
Kids Classic Cheeseburger
A smaller cheeseburger with American cheese. At 680 calories it's the biggest kids entrée, a good fit for an older kid with an adult appetite and a lot of food for a five-year-old.
- $7.49 · 680 calories
Does Applebee's Have Kids Eat Free?
Yes, at participating restaurants. Applebee's lists a Kids Eat Free offer on its own specials page: a free kids meal with a full-price adult entrée. What it doesn't do is set one national night, because each franchisee picks its own, and plenty don't run one at all. Call your restaurant to find out.
Here's how Flynn Group's July 4, 2026 deal worked, which is a fair guide to what a holiday version looks like. Dine in and you got two free kids meals with each adult entrée, for children 12 and under, with a side and a drink. Order To Go online or by phone and you got one free kids meal per adult entrée, up to four, with a promo code.
The nights are the hard part. A franchisee picks whatever evening their restaurant is quietest, so it's Tuesday in one town and Monday in the next, and it can change without notice. Any website that prints a single "Kids Eat Free day" for Applebee's is guessing about your restaurant. The location finder has the phone number, and one call settles it.
Holiday dates are easier to plan around. Franchisees have run free kids meals on July 4, Halloween and Easter, and those tend to be announced a week or two ahead.
What a Family Meal at Applebee's Costs
Two adults on the 2 for $25 menu plus two kids meals comes to about $38 to $40 before drinks, tax and tip. On a Kids Eat Free night, the same family pays $25.
For a cheaper adult option, two $9.99 Really BIG Meal Deals include drinks, which puts the whole family at about $33 to $35.
Sides and Drinks
The drink changes a kids meal more than the entrée does. A fountain soda adds sugar that milk or water doesn't, and no entrée swap removes as much. Applesauce is the lightest listed side, at 90 calories. Ask which other sides your restaurant offers.
Allergies
Applebee's kitchens share grills and fryers. The grilled chicken is the simplest kids item, with no breading. Tenders contain wheat, and the mac and cheese and cheeseburger contain dairy. For a serious allergy, ask for the manager and say it's an allergy, not a preference. The allergen menu covers the main adult dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a kids meal at Applebee's?
$6.49 to $7.49. Kids Macaroni & Cheese is $6.49, Kids Grilled Chicken and Kids Chicken Tenders are $6.99, and the Kids Classic Cheeseburger is $7.49.
Does Applebee's have Kids Eat Free?
Not nationwide. Individual franchisees run it, like Flynn Group's July 4, 2026 deal at its restaurants in 24 states. Call your restaurant.
What day is Kids Eat Free at Applebee's?
There's no national day. Each franchisee that runs it picks its own night, so ask your local restaurant.
What age is the Applebee's kids menu for?
Kids 12 and under, which was the age limit on Flynn Group's July 4, 2026 Kids Eat Free deal. Some restaurants set their own rules.
What's the healthiest kids meal at Applebee's?
Kids Grilled Chicken: 180 calories, 32g of protein and 650mg of sodium.
How many calories are in Applebee's kids chicken tenders?
420, with 24g of protein and 1,150mg of sodium.
Which Applebee's kids meal has the most sodium?
Kids Macaroni & Cheese at 1,350mg, then the tenders at 1,150mg.
Deals and Drinks for the Whole Table
For the adults at the table, the 2 for $25 is the usual pairing. To see what's in the drinks, see non-alcoholic beverages. For a birthday party, catering platters feed 6 to 8.