What would your ideal child friendly restaurant do?

[Daddster]

As a waiter in an Italian restaurant told me when I complimented him on how kid-friendly his establishment was, his smiled response with a glance at DD1 was "we were all that size once".

So for those restauranteurs who have yet to realise this - go wild - soyez raisonnable, demandez l'impossible!!

A few suggestions for starters (pun intended):
Highchairs (obviously) where you can strap the children in.
A place where you can put the pushchair without having to fold it up.
Bring Crayons and colouring-in sheets and a small bowls of crudités to the table without being asked.
Have the option of a "baby-tapas" (i.e. several small bowls of different kinds of food in case the kid turns up its nose up at one type of food).
Have a baby-changing table in the disabled loo or somewhere where you can park the pushchair easily.
Have the loo-seats which are also suitable for small children.
Ask whether the parents want bibs and beakers just in case they have been forgotten.
Have the loo on the same floor as the restaurant.
No added salt in children's dishes.
Plates and cups which won't smash if dropped.
A sideroom with a comfortable chair where Mum can breastfeed in quiet (if she wants some privacy) with a water fountain.

There must be more...

I hate it when other people's kids are running up and down past my table - I get tempted to trip them up after the fifth time. No no, don't all gang up on me - I've never actually done it. At the end of the day, it's not actually their fault... it's all down to lazy parenting.

Mmm, we've just discovered Pizza Express and like it for the same reason. The DCs even get their own "bambinocino" at the end of the meal. It's good value too, and if they haven't run out , they get colouring things (always more exciting than the ones we take - just because they're new!)

I appreciate it when child portions come in two different sizes - ie under 5s and over 5-12s. My 3yo is too often over-faced by humongous (sp?!) portions and I resent paying for food to be thrown away.

Ditto drinks.

Sorry, meant 5-12s (no"over").

An absolute must - for you to feel that your children should be there with you.

Went to a highly recommended fish restuarant with our 18 month old for lunch a week or so ago, in plymouth, it was empty apart from one table of two tucked away. It was off the cuff, asked if children were welcome, the waiter said, I am afraid there is no room for children in here?!!!!! WTF? So, we went a few doors down to a posh restuarant, full of lawyers, and other business people, very busy, very elegant, and not only did they welcome us, they offered a small plate, fork and spoon, crayons and paper, picked up things thrown on floor without a fuss, did not hide us away from the posher folk.

To me, we were made to feel welcome, that our money was as good as any. Just as important as those things listed. If the people serving dont want your childre there, child sized toilet seats are not relevant.

I don't need this anymore, but the ONLY thing I would ask for is that children can have a smaller portion of adult meals. By all means, offer nuggets, fish fingers, burgers etc for those kids who wouldn't eat anything else. But also offer small portion of adult meals, e.g. lasagne, curry, roast dinner, etc etc. parents can take their own colouring books, crayons, toys, but decent food on offer would be my number one.

But but but ...
I have a friend who takes a MAHOOSIVE bag of entertainment to any cafe/restaurant they go to to keep her children occupied (crayons/paper/craft activities - she even had PLAY DOUGH once ) and as a result spends her whole mealtime cutting out bits of paper, gluing, making paper aeroplanes etc ...
And her kids are rude and demanding with it "MUMMYYYYYYY, I can't fold it right!", "Mummmmmyyyyyyyy, help me make an origami swan NOW...."
I have to say, we started avoiding going out with them because it was so stressful - so I think you can go too far. I think it is nice for children to learn how to eat and sit properly in a restaurant, enjoy and savour the food and atmosphere. Obviously at 18 months you need somewhere with high chairs and everything but I think by the age of 3 children should be able to sit and eat a meal in a restaurant without throwing stuff/needing constant entertaining.
We avoid specific 'child friendly' places ... DS is 8 now and has flatly refused a 'kids' menu' since he was 5. DD is not a great eater but there is always something she can eat anywhere.

Jimmy - married life is bliss apart from chocolate pudding dilema. Would do link but have not figured out how to cut and paste on my new macbook. Its there tho...!

Your LO sounds fab! How embarrassing! I love Endsleigh. You been to Tanners restuarant I mentioned above? its great there!

As has been said, the most important thing is for children to be welcome.

Went out for a meal with DH on Friday night, very twee, old-fashioned place. There was a little girl, aged about 3, on the next table with her parents and grandparents. There was no children's menu, highchairs etc, but the child was made welcome and fussed over by the staff.

Mum and dad also played their part by keeping her occupied and happy.

I'd much prefer this sort of place, than a restaurant supposedly aimed at families, but where the staff don't really care and the children run amok.

lol, there's a restaurant near us, which apparantly is "great" because children are encouraged to get down between courses and have their faces painted/do colouring/be entertained.... mmm.. not my idea of a family meal out!

Your children, keep them occupied yourself ffs!

Ghosty,
I know what you mean. Although I do take a MASSIVE bag for the kids, it's filled with stuff for them to do by themselves or with very little input from me. I'm in the restaurant for a meal too! Luckily both of my boys are very self amusing (sp? help Mrs.Cellophane!) On our long haul flights to the states, my carry-on consists of books, crayons and toys to amusing my little one. DS1 has his own carry-on so he has his own entertainment. Even on short-haul flights I pack carry-on bags to keep the kids occupied. I get a bit let down when after the flight the adults who have picked the wrong seat and been saddled next to one of mine doesn't say to me, "What a delight he's been. I was a bit worried when I say down, but he's been just perfect. What a traveler." Of course I'm paraphrasing, but you get the jist.

I feel that the person next to me or my kids paid just as much for thier seat or meal or whatever, so why should my kids spoil thier flight/meal or whatever? I guess it's a throw back to the Golden Rule...Treat Others As You Would Have Them Treat You. I wouldn't want some other person's kid spoiling my meal or flight, so why would I put up with mine spoiling theirs?

Oh, JandDmom - how I wish your kids had been sitting behind me at the cinema today!

(Sp looks OK to me at this late hour!)

totally agree with the child size portions of normal menu but whether anywhere is "child friendly" or not all depends on the staff. We went to a great pub in the summer that had a fantastic child's menu as well as being able to do small portions of anything, really friendly staff - one of whom took a shine to DS3 (6 months at the time) and entertaine him while I had my lunch.

It should have been obvious to me that the key to a good family restaurant is well-trained staff who welcome (rather than tolerate) children. Quid pro quo is that parents take responsibility for (and moderate) their children's behaviour.

I am one of those parents who allows their child (DD2 aged 14 months) to wander around the restaurant (with me or DW one pace behind) . She's usually been in a pushchair all the way there and wants to stretch her legs - she also likes to look at her surroundings and provided she's not a nuisance to anyone or noisy (which she isn't) I don't think it's that bad is it? DD1 (2.5y) used to be same and now she sits up with the rest of us.

I also let DD2 walk to the loo with me walking behind, which can be painfully slow, but if someone wants to get past, I pick her up and allow them to overtake.

I work for frankie and bennys in a newly opened resturant and the first thing we were taught was to treat kids like royalty!
they get an activity pack and balloon when they sit down
there own menu kids and juniors
free drinks (including fruit cocktails)
free puds
and we ALWAYS offer to take their meals out with starters
it is £3.95 for kids and £6.25 for juniors
we have a character greeting them and encourage them to have fun!!
we believe in "no rules" and if we can do it we will
I love it and as a mum feel it is important to have places like this

we live near an italian restaurant that has a "kids corner" in view of the seats. It has cartoons playing on a wide screen tv, little tables, little chairs, crayons, toys, soft cushions.

In between meals the kiddies can be excused and go and play together and return to the table for food (which is in half portions, with high chairs etc). It is great to not have to spend the whole evening entertaining the children's and the waiters (very good-humouredly) dodge the children quite happily all evening!

We're past the toddler stage so can't comment on changing facilities/highchairs etc. - but our very favourite café is one which is walled with bookshelves crammed with second-hand (oddly, inc. lots of French primary school textbooks) books - a Guinness Book of Records from 1959 had my son utterly enthralled for more than an hour.

Of course, I suppose there are those who think that reading at the table shouldn't be allowed ... but as for me, I'll take blissful quiet bookworms any day.

So - not just a wee refuge library tucked away somewhere, but the whole thing!

Lots of non-childrened people eat there too and are not at all bothered by the kids. We are on the continent and having a family is considered normal rather than an anathema, so children are generally more welcome (because people recognise that a) children are in fact people and they can only learn how to behave in social situations if they are allowed to take part in them and yet still be children and b) that every snooty complainer that inhabits a restaurant was once a snotty-nosed child and would probably have been more tolerant and less snooty had they been exposed to "adult" life as a matter of course.

I really love Giraffe. Great kids and adults menu, crayons and ballons for all children. DS and I love to go there.

Just to add that I agree that child friendly = staff who like kids!
luckily I work with alot of other mums and our manager is pregnant!
I love making a fuss of the children and never get annoyed with any behaviour because as DS is only 18 months old it could be me struggling one day lol
The only way kids will learn is with practise so it always helps if the parents feel comfortable taking them out to get it

We had a couple in the other night who complained about kids but the manager politely told them it was a family restaurant and if they preferred not to dine with kids then perhaps they should avoid coming at 6pm on a saturday night in future

As a child I was often taken to restaurants by my parents, along with my brother and sister. We were expected to behave well, and did. We were treated like every other guest, and my parents would never have taken us anywhere had we been rude or unruly. Although I do remember my brother (he was the wayward one...) swinging on his chair in a restaurant in Knightsbridge until it crashed over backwards. But that said, it was the only incident of its kind. I would love children to be offered smaller portions of the adult menu, not just the 'with chips' fare that is the standard. Treat them like people, not a species apart, and they will learn good manners and be well acclimatised to social situations. Which is the exact opposite of what we currently have. Saturday night town centres, full of bladdered 16 year-olds, anyone?

Child portions of everything on the menu.
Not serving drinks to children in great high glasses with narrow base and a straw!
Not being too 'child' orientated, tbh, in decor etc.
Having wash basins that children can reach - i.e not set into a formica top, where all the water pools and soaks into their forearms as they lean forward to reach the taps, and where you don't have to back-breakingly lift them up to wash hands!

I don't know if anyone has said this, but my heart sinks when they bring out drinks for the children in virtual pint glasses , filled to the brim with a straw floating precariously on top. I KNOW within seconds the whole flippin thing will be tipped over.

I like the idea of a 'library' of things the children can look at while they are waiting, instead of those eco unfriendly packs you get in places like Frankie and Bennys, which altho diverting are always left behind in the restaurant to get chucked away.

But I do like the cocktails for kids, veg and free refills you get there

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