Eating out with kids – what makes a restaurant truly family-friendly? Share to win a £100 family meal.

[geemumsnet]

Parents, we’ve all been there - keeping DCs entertained, avoiding meltdowns, and maybe even enjoying a meal ourselves! But what really makes a restaurant great for families?

What are your non-negotiables: a brilliant kid's menu, welcoming staff or the little extras that make all the difference? Maybe you’ve had a standout dining experience you’d love to share. We’d also love to hear your top tips to make dining out with kids easier?

Tell us in the comments and vote in the poll for a chance to win a £100 gift card for Toby Carvery, Harvester or Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery. Enter by Monday 5th May. T&Cs apply.

Somewhere with a laminate floor - dirty carpets give me the ick.
Decent food - not cheap and nasty burgers and nuggets.
I will look a the food reviews and then decide.
Harvester does good meal deals when we eat out as a family.

We love Harvester for the kids eat for £1 deals - currently running this for Easter, the menu is good for children and adults and you don't find this everywhere. Plus we get rewards for subsequent visits - which is for special occasions. We are all feeling the pinch so good quality and a nice restaurant style setting is perfect for us. We like Toby's for a special sunday lunch - aaah the gravy.

my kid is devastated if they don’t offer a colouring sheet and crayons. The worst is when they do give a sheet but nothing to colour with 🤦‍♀️

I will look for special offers - can't afford to eat out often so leave it for birthdays until our finances get better -(if ever) the kids eat for £1 deals at easter were good - we went to Toby's for breakfast then went out for the day with full bellies - the menu has to be varied, staff friendly and the service being quick is very important - children are very impatient - so we always book a table to ensure that when we get there we can get a seat.

We'd like a varied menu, but quality - even if it's chicken nuggets - no grey mush please. There has to be good food for adults too, we make use of the kid's eat for £1 and kids eat free wherever we can. I will read reviews and if I feel we will have a good experience then that's even more chance we will return of we have one too.

Healthy and friendly for us, staff with a smile and food we'd eat at home, and fresh vegetables please. Even better if they have a meal deal when taking children.

Food quality - and purity, with a child with allergies - this is really important - good allergy information on the menu so we can decide what to have.

When you have 2 fussy eaters - we pick a restaurant with lots of food options - I will read through it, and tell my DC's what's on the menu so they mentally know what to expect when they get there - quick service is also something we would like. When one child will only eat pasta when out, and the other fish fingers or nuggets then this along with good adult meals is our go-to place to eat.
Kids eat for £1 gets a tick for me too.

A good kids menu with healthy options, not just tradition beige “kids” food. Small portions of adult meals being available for kids is ideal.

Things for kids to do such as colouring, quizzes etc. Games on the table.

Bright and interesting decor also helpful for small children to make it appealing and interesting.

At a restaurant mainly aimed at kids, a play area or climbing frame is a plus.

Honestly, a good kids’ menu is the real MVP when you’re dining out with little ones and luckily, our family has found some absolute gems! We love a place that gets the family vibe: a bit of chaos, a lot of ketchup, and zero side-eye when someone (usually me) ends up wearing half a meal. 😅
The kids’ menus that actually suit everyone from the fussy eater to the one who thinks they’re a junior MasterChef — are worth their weight in gold. Family-friendly restaurants, we salute you! 🙌

Good food, quick service with staff trained to deal with children, including neuro diverse children, please talk to them and not talk over them, they have a voice.
A varied menu is good to we can all find something we like. Can we have healthy drinks - not bottomless coke >

For me a truly family friendly venue has to be clean, a range of high chairs (cleaned !) and booster chairs, good food, quick service and special offers in the school holidays so we can have a trip out which won't break the bank - a loyalty scheme will also make us come back.

A varied menu, my DC's will happily eat a mild curry, breaded fish, fishcakes, and chili con carne - children don't always want chicken nuggets. We would pick somewhere with a outdoor area with both soft play and a playground.

We loved to to mummy meet ups at Harvester and Toby's both great for Children - and good value if you go to eat catch up and play in the gardens - which our local Toby's does. The service with a prebooked table is always good and we love a choice of meals, where intolerance and ingredients are shown.

A warm welcome and good service is so important. Also a range of food that caters for dietary requirements and a whole range of tastes. We've veggie teens, but also like to take Grandparents who are quite staid in their food choices. Also a venue that has nice seating and servers who engage well with the children. But to be honest it's great not to have to cook...

We would always pick somewhere where we can book a table for a certain time - hate to be left waiting and the children getting bored, food has to be something that they would like - I like to think that most children have eclectic tastes - mine love a Katsu curry - but adult portions are too large, so let's have childrens size adult meals. Plus like other mn'ers have said - meal deals for half term so we can afford to go a couple of times during the holidays for playdates.

To have a TRULY family friendly restaurant, you need be be able to bring food for your baby if they can't eat the menu food, a play area which is large and safe enough for multiple children, quick service, good healthy food choices (fish fillet and chicken breast) and staff who know how to approach children and speak to them clearly.

Serve my children first for everyone’s peace and quiet! They also eat veeerrrry slowly.

Good value, play area for children, and healthy desserts ! Meal deals are something which would sway us to choosing one where we can get discounts for children.

Play area, ideally indoor and outdoor.

kids menu with plenty of choices.

Harvester - not high end at all, but you've got access to the bread rolls and salad bar as soon as you've sat down. Great for hungry and impatient children!

Smaller versions of adult meals eg roast dinners, not just nuggets. Space and something for little ones to do. Clean toilets with good baby change facilities.

Appropriately priced and sized children's options - not paying nearly an adult price for nearly an adult size meal when a toddler or young child will eat relatively small amounts.
Agree with children's options being small versions of real food, not just beige and chips- and allergen friendly options and information.

Good food, not cooked from frozen please ! we love a carvery, but the roast potatoes can spoil the meal - you just cannot cut into them, so fresh, quick service and a play area for children.

yes, smaller portions of adult food rather than the usual unhealthy offerings. It's hard to teach children about making healthy choices when there basically aren't any!