7 IKEA Food Court Tips You Have To Try

What's better than a visit to IKEA's food court? Honestly, not much — well, in our book, anyway. The Swedish furniture store's in-house restaurant has always been a highlight of any trip since the company's very early days. IKEA's food court origins stretch back to the late '50s, and its first restaurant, then known as "IKEA Baren" (or "the IKEA bar"), debuted just two years after its flagship store opened in Älmhult. Back then, it was a pretty basic affair, serving just cold dishes and coffee. Pretty soon, though, it had expanded, and nowadays it's an international affair, serving millions of Swedish meatballs every year to hungry shoppers who need a place to find refuge after hours of trying out chairs and looking at rugs. Its bistro, meanwhile, has a hot dog deal that beats Costco.

Like IKEA's flatpack furniture, its food court is honed to an exact science, and its food is simple, affordable, and effective. That doesn't mean that you can't make the most of it, though. There are loads of ways you can make the most of your visit to IKEA's food court that you probably aren't taking advantage of, from the store's membership offers (which are free, just so you know) to some fun and easy-to-execute hacks that can give your food some extra zip. Ready to make your trip to IKEA even better? We are, too.

IKEA's best food court tip might be staring you in the face, without you even realizing it. Unless you're a regular shopper at IKEA, you're probably not a member of IKEA Family, its free rewards scheme that allows you to build up points as you shop. However, even if you only go there once or twice a year, it's worth joining, not least because of its food-based rewards. Its points can be spent on free dishes in IKEA's food court, and because of the amount that most people spend at the store, they can add up pretty quickly. 900 points, for example, gives you two free entrées – which sounds like a lot, but you get a point per dollar, and you may well spend that amount on a single visit.

That's not all. Simply joining IKEA Family means that you get a free coffee and tea every time you visit the food court. Just for giving your email address over. That's not bad, right? On top of this, IKEA Family membership gives you access to other limited-time offers for IKEA food, and to non-food offers elsewhere in the store. With all this in mind, we really don't understand why you wouldn't join. It's free, after all.

The drinks fountains in IKEA's food court are just fun, guys. Instead of the old (boring) classics like Sprite and Fanta, you get to choose from options like raspberry and lingonberry soda (and for those of you who want to keep things simple, don't worry, you can still get your fix of cola or lemon). With all of these choices, though, come options for mixing things up — and frankly, we're amazed that more people aren't mixing their sodas to make brand-new cocktails.

So, here's your permission slip to do just that. When you grab your refillable cup upon ordering your food, don't just go for lingonberry soda, but opt for half raspberry, half lemon. This will create a drink that tastes surprisingly like a blue raspberry slushie, and one we're absolutely here for. Or, mix your lingonberry soda with cola to make a drink that tastes surprisingly like a cherry Coke. The possibilities aren't quite endless, but you can get a lot of combinations out of a few simple options. It won't cost you any more to mix 'em up, either, so we don't know why you wouldn't give it a go.

If you've ever been to IKEA, you'll know how tiring it can be. Add kids into that equation — and kids who might not have eaten anything — and you're in for a world of stress. Thankfully, during certain periods, IKEA makes shopping with kids just that bit easier. The store periodically offers free kids' meals when you buy either one or two adult meals, which is a great way to save a bit of cash.

It should be noted, though, that these offers can be pretty variable. Sometimes they apply to all IKEA stores, whereas sometimes they can be isolated to just one. They may also be active for a single day or a few days, but they can occasionally extend to a little longer. Last year, for example, kids ate free at certain IKEA stores on Wednesdays for a good couple of months, before the company ended the deal. IKEA also doesn't tend to publicize these offers very far in advance, so the best thing to do is to keep an eye on its website or social media.

We love a Coke float, and honestly, we think that they deserve a comeback — and a bit of a rebrand. Coke floats are delicious in their base form, but when you use a different soda than Coca-Cola, they really come alive. Want proof of this? Head to IKEA's food court via its bistro. You can build yourself a DIY lingonberry float, which serves as a delicious dessert after all those meatballs, and the whole thing will cost you just a couple of bucks.

Here's how you do it. First, go straight to IKEA's bistro section. Don't go through the whole store to get there: Just make a beeline for it when you enter, otherwise it'll take you all afternoon. Once you get there, grab yourself one of its must-try sweet treats, a vanilla soft ice cup. Then, head to the food court and pour a cup of lingonberry soda. Place the soft serve into the soda, and enjoy the creation to your heart's content.

Instead of the caramelized, vanilla-forward notes that the Coke provides, a lingonberry float goes hard on the berry flavors. It's fruity, sharp, but still smooth and sweet. If you want to make things even more berry-centric, you can replace the vanilla ice cream with IKEA's strawberry one. Additionally, if you want a regular Coke float, you can still do that too: IKEA serves cola alongside its lingonberry soda.

We all love it when our money goes further, right? Especially when it comes to food. So, if you're willing to potentially put up with a couple of raised eyebrows from your fellow diners, then this next one's for you. Multiple customers have stated that one of their favorite IKEA food court hacks is to order two kids' portions of meatballs and mashed potatoes, instead of their regular adult meal with the same items. The reason they do this is that while the price is essentially the same (two kids' meals cost $9.98, while an adult eight-meatball meal is $9.99), you may get a couple of extra meatballs, and you may well get free goodies like a kids' ice cream or a free drink, too.

Now, we should say that this one does take a little bit of road-testing. On the official IKEA website, its kids' meals are advertised with four meatballs each, and while people have anecdotally shown that they get more than that, that may well be at the discretion of your server. However, regardless, those free items are definitely a positive. Oh, and even if you get the same amount of meatballs, you haven't spent more than you normally would. To be honest, this one feels like a no-brainer.

IKEA isn't as loud about its discounts and promotions as some other stores are. Generally, we expect its flatpack furniture to be a pretty set price. Its food, though? That's a little different. IKEA often runs nifty little discounts on its food court options, which help ease the strain on the wallet when you're buying all those IKEA finds that will upgrade your kitchen. 

Sometimes, these apply to individual meals or dishes; other times, you have to buy a couple to get the full benefit of the savings. At the end of last year, for example, IKEA offered a big old deal that gave a family of four plates of pasta, garlic toast, beverages, and chocolate cake for $19.99. In the middle of 2025, it also ran a prominent half-price deal on all of its restaurant meals, in a bid to help customers with rising costs. And in February 2026, IKEA offered 40% off your choice of dessert with the purchase of a falafel entrée. These offers pop up and disappear pretty quickly, so don't miss 'em.

Forgive us for stating the absolute obvious here, but IKEA is busy. Like, really busy. If you go at the wrong time, it can be pure hell, and the food court is no exception, with soul-crushingly long waits and crowded tables. It's not what anyone wants after spending hours trawling through its affordable cookware sets, right?

So, our top tip is to figure out exactly when your food court is less busy, and aim for those times. These times might not be when you think they are, too. Naturally, evenings and weekends are usually pretty rammed, but mid-mornings can also be a little busier than you might like, if your local IKEA serves breakfast. IKEA stops offering breakfast at 11:00 a.m., so your hopes of a quiet early lunch might be dashed if you head in close to that cut-off point, as people scramble to get their food in. Generally speaking, Mondays are the quietest day at IKEA, and trying to time it so you arrive close to your food court's closing time can give you a nice, quiet experience.