After years of rampant inflation, food prices are still high. The USDA noted in June 2024 that “The food-away-from-home (restaurant purchases) CPI …was 4.1 percent higher than June 2023,” and in general, customers are expecting higher and higher prices from restaurants.
As a result, many have sought “hacks” to continue eating the restaurant food they enjoy without breaking the bank. While some of these hacks involve making duplicates of popular items at home, others involve carefully crafting an order to get the most for your dollar.
One of the most popular of these hacks is ordering a kids’ meal. Diners have often found that children’s meals still provide a substantial amount of food. Plus, they are selling them at a significantly lower price.
For example, a TikTok user sparked a discussion after sharing a kids’ meal hack at Cava, while another revealed a similar hack at Chili’s.
TikTok user Kayleigh (@kayleighleon) has previously sparked a debate after revealing that the Applebee’s children’s and adult cheeseburgers appeared nearly identical. Now, she continued the conversation after offering a similar tip for Longhorn Steakhouse.
Kids’ vs. adult sirloin at Longhorn Steakhouse
In a video with over 584,000 views, Kayleigh shows two six-ounce sirloin steaks that she says she purchased from Longhorn Steakhouse. One she says came as part of an adult meal, and the other came as part of a kids’ meal.
“This is a regular six-ounce regular sirloin,” she says. “It comes with a side salad or soup, and I got it with a loaded baked potato. This is $16.49.”
“And this is the kids’ six-ounce sirloin,” she continued. “I got it with a loaded baked potato as well, and it comes with your choice of drink, and I chose a Coke. This is $9.99—and don’t forget about the free bread.”
While she speculates that the quality or cut of the meat may be different, she concludes that they are the same cut upon further investigation. She also claims they taste the same.
“Is the soup or salad worth an extra $7 to you guys?” she asks, referring to the price difference between the two meals.
@kayleighleon This is just mind blowing🤯 #longhorn #foodie #foodtiktok #foodreview #tastetest #kidsmeal #steak #eatwithme #mukbang #comparison #cheapmeals #fastfood #fastfoodlife ♬ original sound – Kayleigh
Commenters share their thoughts
In the comments section, users offered their opinions about this kids’ meal hack. Some noted potential issues actually utilizing it.
“Usually, they require you to have a kid present. Also, there is a chance that the restaurant is trying to give parents a deal like they used to. Like ‘kids eat half price’ etc.,” a commenter said.
That said, others in the comments say they have found that ordering the item for pickup or delivery circumvents this issue. On that topic, in an email to the Daily Dot, Kayleigh says that she “has not had any issues ordering kids meals to-go.”
“The only real difference is the seasoning used when it’s on the grill haha,” added another commenter. “The kids sirloin gets a prairie dust and the adult one gets grill seasoning plus an extra side of your choice.”
“I Used to be a manager at Longhorn . It’s the exact same steak!” countered a third. “If you only want one side, the kids meal absolutely the way to go!”
“I would definitely recommend this hack, especially if you’re trying to save some money,” Kayleigh told the Daily Dot via email.
The Daily Dot reached out to Longhorn Steakhouse via email and Kayleigh via email and Instagram direct message.
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