Kids Meal or Ranger Meal: Which Tier?
Both tiers are for twelve and under. Kids Meals run $4.99 to $7.99; Ranger Meals run $8.99 to $10.99. Both include a side and a drink.
The choice is normally about appetite, but there is a pricing wrinkle worth knowing.
What each tier offers
Kids Meals: All-Beef Hot Dog $4.99 (390 cal), Macaroni and Cheese $4.99 (300), Mini-Cheeseburgers $6.49 (670), Jr. Chicken Tenders $6.99 (360), Grilled Chicken $6.99 (110), Lil' Dillo Steak Bites $7.99 (170).
Ranger Meals: Chicken Critters Basket $8.99 (340), Andy's Steak $10.99 (250), Ranger Rib Basket $10.99 (350).
Note that Mini-Cheeseburgers at 670 calories is the heaviest option in either tier despite being a Kids Meal at $6.49 — so the tiers are about portion and price rather than strictly about quantity of food.
The exclusion that changes the maths
Ranger Meals are excluded from kids meal coins, certificates and most other offers. Kids Meals generally are not.
That means a $10.99 Ranger Meal with no offer applied can end up costing more than an $11.99 adult Early Dine entrée — which comes with two sides rather than one.
For an older child with a genuine appetite, the adult Early Dine list can be both cheaper in effect and more food. It is worth comparing rather than assuming the kids menu is always the economical choice.
- Kids Meals — $4.99 to $7.99, side and drink included
- Ranger Meals — $8.99 to $10.99, excluded from most offers
- Heaviest option — Mini-Cheeseburgers, 670 cal, in the cheaper tier
- Lightest — Grilled Chicken, 110 cal
- Compare a Ranger Meal against an $11.99 Early Dine entrée
Choosing on appetite
For a younger child or a small appetite, a $4.99 Kids Meal with a side and drink is plainly the right call.
For a child who will finish an adult-sized plate, the Ranger tier or the Early Dine list both work — compare on the day, since any offer you are carrying may not apply to Ranger Meals.
Andy's Steak is worth flagging: at 250 calories it matches the adult 6oz sirloin exactly, which suggests the portion is closer to the adult one than the tier name implies.
Frequently asked
What age are both tiers for?
Twelve and under.
Why are Ranger Meals excluded from offers?
They are positioned as a larger tier rather than as a standard kids meal, so kids meal promotions do not extend to them.
Is an adult entrée ever cheaper?
It can be. A $10.99 Ranger Meal with no offer applied against an $11.99 Early Dine entrée with two sides is a close comparison.
Keep reading
The Kids Menu and Ranger Meals
Two tiers that are easy to confuse, and one of them is excluded from most offers.
Read →
Kids and Ranger Meals: The Nutrition View
The lightest protein on the entire menu is on the kids page, and so is a 670-calorie option priced like a snack.
Read →
Feeding a Family: Where the Money Goes
The bill for four is moved less by which entrées you pick than by three decisions most people make without noticing.
Read →