Giraffe

Kids eat free deals pop up here during school holidays

Giraffe sits airside in Edinburgh Airport’s main departures zone, just past central security and before most of the gates. It’s a family-friendly international chain with a 3.5-star average rating and mid-range prices (most mains land around £12–£16). Expect a mix of burgers, noodle bowls, salads, and breakfast plates rather than anything specifically Scottish.

The menu runs all day, so you can get pancakes at 9:00 or a chicken katsu at 19:00 without side-eye from staff. A standard burger with fries usually hits around £14, kids’ mains hover near £7, and soft drinks are airport-level pricey at about £3–£4. Portions are decent by airport standards, and the kids’ menu includes the usual pasta, burgers, and nuggets with a drink.

Service speed varies with the first wave of departures between 5:30 and 8:30. When three Ryanair flights board together, food can take 25–30 minutes instead of 10–15. If your boarding pass says “go to gate” within 30 minutes, this isn’t the time for a sit-down hot meal. Staff are used to tight connections, but they can only move so fast when every table is turning over at once.

Quality is chain-level consistent: fries come hot, salads are heavy on dressing, and the veggie burger and chicken katsu are safer bets than the steaks. With a $$ price tier and no big signature dish, think of Giraffe as a predictable option, not a destination. It beats a gate-area sandwich when you’ve got a 2–3 hour layover and kids who need a proper seat and a kids’ menu.

Tip: If your flight leaves before 9:00, aim to sit down by 7:15 to comfortably get through a full meal, pay, and walk the 5–10 minutes to most gates.