Restaurants go 'kid-friendly' to lure parents
by Michelle Fraser,Outpost Staff
When Mary Allan was a little girl, she rarely accompanied her parents to restaurants.
"When we went out to eat it was a treat, a special occasion," Allan says.
Times have changed for Allan, now the mother of two, ages 3 and 5. After Allan has been at work all day, she wants to see her children and doesn't want to leave them at home while she and her husband go to a restaurant. So they come along
Gwen Mock, an assistant manager for Wells Fargo Bank, and her husband take their 8-year-old son out to eat two to three times a week. When Mock gets home from a nine-hour work day, the last thing she wants to do is cook.
Allan and Mock are part of a growing number of parents who don't have much time to cook, much less plan meals for the week. This changing lifestyle is leading to more parents taking their children to restaurants with them.
In the past, parents had few choices of restaurants that catered to children, such as Denny's and TGIFriday's. But children are increasingly coming along with their parents, more restaurants have seen the need to become "kid-friendly."
No hula hoopers outside on this blustery day. Photo by Michelle Fraser. |
"We welcome children and provide kids with menus they can color on," said Cheryl Latta, general manager of 5 & Diner on South Virginia. The 5 & Diner also has hula hoops the children can play with before their meal.
Even more upscale restaurants like Cafe Soliel on the Caughlin Parkway are starting to cater to children.
"We're not geared towards kids, but we don't discourage them at all," said Charlene Scheid, restaurant manager.
The Mock family doesn't just go to restaurants that cater to children. They frequent Mexican or Chinese restaurants, as well as and the Nugget.
"The more you expose your children to different things, the better off they are," Mock said.
In contrast, Allan and her family only go to restaurants they know cater to children, such as TGIFriday's and Red Robin.
"My kid's may not always be good," Allan said.
Misbehaving children is one reason the Glory Hole, located off of Fourth Street, does not cater to children. The restaurant doesn't offer high chairs or booster seats.
Restaurant manager Gordy Kjer said children detract from the restaurant's atmosphere.
"Our guests expect an adult atmosphere, and eight out of 10 of our guests wish to be moved if they are seated next to a table with kids," Kjer said.
Mock agrees: "We expect our son to behave when we are at a restaurant, why can't other kids."
Even though restaurants are adapting to families with children, some restaurants have a limited children's menu. For example, Cafe Soliel only offers chicken strips, cheese pizza and pasta noodles.
Mock said she wishes restaurants would offer more healthy alternatives for children.
"I think restaurants should have vegetables and chicken breasts," Mock said. "There is too much fried food on the kid's menu."
Who knows? If restaurants can provide hula hoops for their younger guests, maybe healthy food is just around the corner.
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