NOW FINISHED: Help create PizzaExpress' Service Charter and have the chance to win £250 of PizzaExpress vouchers

[Carriemumsnet]

You may recall many moons ago we asked for your thoughts on what makes the perfect restaurant/ cafe for mums (here), but we cannily didn't tell you who was asking the questions as we didn't want that information to skew your answers? Well we can now reveal that the company who wanted to garner your collective wisdom was > PizzaExpress and the reason they wanted to know is that they are in the process - in their words - of "creating the PizzaExpress of the future".

The first of their new generation restaurants will be unveiled on Oct 21st in Richmond (that's London not Yorks - sorry Yorkshire folks) and there'll be invites for Mumsnetters to road test it, with a chance to feedback and tell them what you think of the new concept before they start rolling it out elsewhere. Anyone interested in knowing more now, there'll be a blog about it live from Sept 17th here

They're introducing things that have the potential to keep children happy and occupied, like communal kids' drawing tables, and silent, interactive video screens created by the same chaps who did some of the great games at the Tate Modern. And they promise that there'll be room for buggies - one of the top things to come out of the survey It's going to be open all day, starting at 8.45, serving brunch and freshly baked daytime treats. The idea is that Richmond should feel like a bit like a 'living lab', where lots of new ideas are going to be tested out. The ones that work, they'll roll out, the ones that don't, they'll ditch.

One of the major themes that emerged from the initial survey was the difference good service makes to whether you frequent a cafe/ restaurant or not and PizzaExpress now want to create a Mumsnet Service Charter that they can use to help train their staff. Carrie is going to be videoed as part of their training, talking about what it's like to be a mum and what mumsnetters want and expect from good service. The idea being that this should help their waiters understand parents' needs and help them to help us make it through the day (or at least the bit of the day they spend in PE).

So go ahead - tell Pizza Express what three things would make your day (in terms of service). They can't guarantee to incorporate every single suggestion, but hopefully some themes will emerge that they can build into a realistic Service Charter.

We'll kick off:
Someone helping you with your buggy/ double buggy -rather than tutting when you struggle thro the door
Someone offering you something edible - even if it's just bread and water when you first sit down, and just being nice....
Sharp pencils
Good to get that off the MNHQ collective chest , now it's over to you. Everyone who offers suggestions for the Mumsnet /Pizza Express Service Charter on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky winner will receive £250 of Pizza Express vouchers.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Just been re-reading my post and realise that it might sound like I was asking for a massive babychange area like the parenting rooms at John Lewis. I know that this would be ridiculous in a restaurant .

I'd just like a proper mat with disposable paper sheets that's on a level surface, not one of those poxy pull-down changing stations that most other places have retrofitted (which are really awkward and not generally very clean).

Child sized cutlery is always useful.

Aside from that, I quite like Pizza Express as it is already. I find it an adult place to go that is child friendly and I would hate it to turn into a child place that is pretty horrible for adults (ie, tvs, toys, ice cream machines etc etc).

Clean, tidy toilets with basin, soap and dryers that children can reach.

Toilets that don't smell horrible.

Toilets where the washhand basin area is not swamped with water.

If it's a child friendly restaurant you need to clean the toilets more often than a more adult establishment.

Be honest about how long food will take at busy times - hysterically hungry kids are not relaxing dinning partners.

Please do not give children tall narrow glasses because they'll just get knocked over. Short and wide is the way to go.

Can't fault my local (Guildford), plastic cups, decent high chairs...they even host the monthly NCT meeting for gawds sake!

But pleeeeease could you put a small choc cake on the kids menu - DD (5) loves it and I'm neither willing to let her share my portion and would really rather she didn't eat a whole slice herself - and I could definitely do without 1.5 slices of the stuff delicious as it is.

And carafes of squash (a la Jamie's Italians please - his are free with the kids meal ) keeps the children from requesting repeated glasses of juice (which end up more expensive than the meal itself) or wanting to "try" coke (which is just not happening)

what I think would be FANTASTIC is that if Kids were giving the option to create their own pizzas...the menu as it stands is brilliant, but purely for something for them to do when they get there (Pizza Hut has the make your own ice cream parlour). It would be GREAT to get a little bowl of cheese, ham, olives and for the kids to actually make their own pizzas...would encourage them to also try new foods!!

that would be something for the children to do immediately, actually... forget about the crayons etc, just bring them a blank kids pizza and bunch of toppings. mine would absolutely adore that.

although i must say i am v interested to know about the actual cooking that takes place in PE, it sounds like it's bog all nowadays.

It would really help if the staff were well versed in allergies and the ingredients. Had one waitress (location shall remain nameless) who promised me that the margarita pizza was 'dairy free'

DS is dairy and soya allergic, and most of the time it's fairy obvious, but a lot of breads have soya in them, and would be very helpful if the staff knew the ingredients, perhaps of the basic pizzas?

I'd rather speak to someone about ingredients than have items that say 'dairy free' as ingredients can change.

My P.E is step central and someone has always came to help with the pram. I find them very family friendly.

I think the only thing I'd love to see are 5 point harness on the high chairs and the addition od booster seats for toddlers and older children.

Oh and we have a genius young woman at one we used who asks families if they would like pepper / parmasan brought over. She does this as she noticed that younger children would plead for it to be ground on if she arrived with the giant mill and then promptly refuse to eat their food. She also did a highly convincing fake grind too .

Booster seats would be fab

I think communal drawing tables are a bad idea personally - it's just an excuse for crap parents to ignore their children while they run riot, and it makes it harder to keep kids at the table to finish their meals if other children are wandering off all the time.

What I would like -

I would like automatic offering of tap water rather than the assumption, if you say "water" that you mean mineral water. If you say water they should ask, "mineral or tap" rather than "still or sparkling".

Half portions off the adult menu would be nice - the children's menu is pretty limited.

Don't cram the tables so close together - this may be a London thing but at many london pizza expresses you can barely squeeze between them which is hard as an adult and even harder as an adult maneouvring a toddler and a baby and trying not to piss off other diners. I had my 18 month old lob a dough ball onto a neighbouring table - and his throwing arm isn't that good.

Not too much cheesy child-orientated crap. As others have said, the words "family restaurant" bring me out in a rash - even though I have a family and appreciate family-friendly service. I don't feel the need to have my children's every whim catered for - I just want a baby change service and space for a buggy. I would prefer to see Pizza Express going towards Carluccios rather than Pizza Hut.

No need for training, ilove.
All they need do is read the sides of the packets, jars or boxes.

so come on then, those of you who have worked there... tell all. am i right that the food has got crap in the last decade? or did i just have lower standards ten years ago?

I would prefer to see Pizza Express going towards Carluccios rather than Pizza Hut.

Heartily agree with this. One of the things that is nicest of all about Carluccios is the attentive service and genuine friendliness towards children.

I don't want to see screens either. As others have said, PE is already fairly child-friendly - it just needs a little tweaking in terms of no hot plates, better menu options, quicker service etc. It does not need turning into a creche.

1. let children help out making their pizza - mine always love watching (alternatively a better space to watch from)

1. Better desserts on children's menu not just icecream

1. A menu for older children - the baby menu is too small/unsophisticated for my 11 and 9 yos, but a grown up menu is too big/expensive for them.

There you are! We like Pizza Express (well i do, the children like pizza hut because of the salad bar. Sorry.)

hehehehe at coloured pencils that actually work. it's just WEIRD how few giveaway pencils make a mark on the page, isn't it?

• plastic drinks cups served with a straw for younger kids
• mini (6") pizzas for youngsters
• clutter-free tables with disposable paper tablecloths for crayoning on, complete with courtesy crayons for each child
• nibbles menu to be offered and served straightaway if required
• plastic kiddie cutlery/plates
• space around the tables for highchairs, bags, people to move around easily
• regularly cleaned toilets/changing areas

I would also like to request decent highchairs. I cannot remember which ones PE have, it's been a whole since I went. But I HATE those restaurants that have fold out Graco style highchairs that your child can't sit up properly in and food is caked int he padding.
I like the solid simple wooden ones and the Antilop. DH and I always comment on the highchair that is supplied in a restaurant. Yes, we are sad but it's really bloody annoying.

i think pe good already but betterpud choice and give the children lumps of dough to playdough with when arrive..

White table cloths, or softer decor, wooden perhaps, make it less noisy (our local one has marble tables, very noisy when banged with cutlery). This would also help it feel like more of a restaurant, than just a 'quick pizza'.

Make your own pizza corner for the children, entertainment and creativity and learning to cook, all in one!

A draw your own pizza competition - if your child's drawing is chosen they get a free child meal next time!

Vegan and wheat-free options? [hungrily hopeful]

1. Bring the childrens food as soon as possible. MNHQ's suggestion of bread/olives is good but maybe breadsticks rather than bread as you don't want little ones filling up on that and not eating the food you order or even worse - feeling full, deciding they have finished and wanting to get down and run round.

1. I know food has to be hot but can it not be red hot so the children can't eat it! And no hot plates please - they're dangerous for small children and just keep the food hotter for longer and mean we have to blow on it more.

1. Puree for babies please. Even if it's just jarred food. There is nothing worse than forgetting something for the smallest one and having to try and keep them quiet with crusts and salad until you can get some food for them. Always amazes me that service stations give baby food away for free and restaurants always forget.