Tell McDonald’s what’s important to you when eating out with your family - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED!

[EmmaMumsnet]

Whilst eating out with the family can provide a much-needed treat and opportunity to reconnect, it can also entail much compromise in order to ensure that all members are satisfied with the outing. McDonald’s UK is keen to find out what is running through your mind when it comes to making that often tricky dining decision whilst keeping smiles on everyone’s faces.

Here what McDonald’s has to say: “We’re looking at new options for our Happy Meal and invited Mumsnet behind the scenes as we started the food development journey! Our restaurants have changed, options like kiosk ordering and table service make it easier for families to enjoy our food but we want to know what you look for when eating out as a family.”

Whether you are celebrating a special occasion, visiting your favourite family restaurant or simply popping into a local take away, we want to know on what basis you make such decisions. Is it the provision of colouring sheets for the kids, or haute cuisine for the more mature members of the family? Maybe you find it difficult to identify a restaurant with menus capable of pleasing all parties and resort to visiting several locations? Is making sure your children’s meals are well balanced or that the location is family friendly important to you?

Whatever your main considerations are when choosing somewhere to eat out with your family, please share them below and you will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a £300 voucher of your choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Quick service, somewhere to sit, simple food that isn't overpriced.

With my daughter being coeliac we are limited to places that serve wheat and gluten free options. We like clean bright and lively places to eat and are lucky to have a few places locally that suit us well.

Good value food is important along with kiddy size meals!

Variety of menu, polite and helpful staff, clean and tidy environment and time, not being rushed

Cleanlinessis very important to me, clean tables, chairs, floors, toilet etc.
Keeping on top of the pencil crayons in the colouring in section is always good. Wherever we go (not just food places) where there is a colouring station they are either broken or need sharpening. Kind of defeats the purpose. The balloons are always a nice touch in McDonalds, very popular with my kids

There has to be something for everyone, meat eater, vegetarians, kids & something to keep the kids from getting bored. I like it when they have those paper mats with pictures on & crayons so the kids can colour them in

That the food tastw good and that the prices are reasonable .

As a FTM things that I've now started to look at are-

1. Can I easily have the pram at the table with me?
2. Can I get to the toilets with the pram without having to squeeze past tables and people?
3. Are the changing facilities clean?
4. Is there a toilet I can use where the changing facilities are?
5. Is there a roll of paper provided that I can put on the changing table?
6. If I'm on my own with a pushchair would someone help me to the table if I needed it?

I've found a lot of places don't seem pram friendly and it makes me quite uncomfortable when trying to manoeuvre through places when you don't have room and are banging in to things.

I've never had to buy food for my child yet and I do like the options I've seen so far.

Healthy options and reasonable price. Good service and tasty fresh food. Clean environment

Fresh produce, wide variety of on the menu. Clean, safe environment. Definitely not fast food chains with their processed rubbish such as MacDonald's, KFC, Burger King etc, etc. Another big no no is is Pizza.

The staff make a massive difference, I went out to eat with some friends and our children the other day and a member of staff shoved past me knocking the car seat I was carrying and waking my sleeping 5mo so I ended up bfing all through the meal. A little understanding/ help goes a long way.
Clean toilets are always high up on my list when thinking of where to eat out.
We also went to a,lovely place last year that had little games etc on the tables to keep the kids entertained which was lovely.
Plenty of high chairs/ space at tables for highchairs is also great and room for prams.

A friendly eatery with a small safe area set aside for young children, who can play if they start to get restless! For fast food then a wide range of products and appropriate sized meals/snacks that are not loaded with sugar :)

The most important thing to me is that I can trust my two to behave at the table

A friendly and relaxed atmosphere where you feel welcome as a family. Also food quality is a major factor of where we eat as well.

Happy, helpful staff make are so important when eating out as a family, as well as a varied menu to suit all tastes and requirements.

Somewhere that's affordable and comfortable, quiet enough that you can have a chat with your family but not so quiet that you feel pressure to keep kids quiet!

Healthy food and dietary requirement options.

A nice quick service, clean play area/ facility, good menu with lots of choice, friendly staff who are child friendly are all important factors to us. It's also handy when restaurants have side booths as our son is autistic and would most definitely try to run off at the earliest opportunity! He can be kept still if we are sat with him in booth seats if we take plenty of entertainment for him. :-)

A good range of choices as some children can be fussy like my daughter! Things to do whilst waiting for food. I know of a restaurant which has where's wally type table tops so you can play spot the... at the table which keeps kids entertained.

Easy to access toilets with pushchairs and ensuring these are well equipped with child friendly things like a step up stool or child height sink.

A healthy well balanced meal for children is very important, clean highchairs and equipment, tables, chairs and of course baby changing area and toilets. Knowledgeable staff that can help with any important questions you may have regarding ingredients and nutrition and last but not least a child friendly atmosphere where you don't feel your being rushed.

Clean pleasant surroundings, good menu choices for everyone including healthy options, reasonable prices.

Somwhere that isn't too busy and the menu isn't too fussy. Good, simple meals that the whole family can enjoy are always a must. When my son was much younger, we would try to go places that had activity mats & crayons for kids. And easy parking! Having to drive around for 10 hours trying to find a parking space, or having to park 3 miles away is never fun!

quick friendly service is a must

A friendly and clean restaurant that is reasonably priced and caters for children with play areas changing rooms and a good variety of vegetarian food on the menu

Has to be good value, at least on the kids meals. Quite often I'm not eating so it doesn't matter so much what's on offer for adults!