| Product: |
Kids and Restaurants |
| Date: |
28/09/01 (62 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Nice to go out with the whole family for a meal
Disadvantages: Being made to feel unwelcome, Finding something for children other than chips on the menu, Many nice places don't let children in
Since I had my daughter nearly 3 years ago, we have only ever eaten on one place (The Grouse Inn in Carrog, N.Wales) which hasn't either offered chips or nothing for the kids, or treated us badly, or both.
We don't eat out all that often, usually only when we go shopping, when we buy lunch, or on special occasions, but we have found it increasingly difficult to find somewhere suitable for all the family. My daughter isn't a particularly fussy eater, but she isn't really all that keen on chips (not a bad thing, really, I suppose!) The problem is that virtually all restaurants expect children to like (and have) chips.
The other problem has been finding places that will allow children in. Usually we end up going to one fast food chain or another, eating burgers and chips, just because we can't find anywhere else. When you've been dragging a toddler round the shops all day, and they're a bit tetchy, the last thing you want is to surround them (and yourself) with other similar toddlers, but often you have little choice. And when your toddler isn't all that enthused about the food but is hungry, it just makes it worse.
We have tried going into cafes and restaurants with Kalisha. Those that claim to be lovers of children...although usually the minute you walk in the door you are greeted with foul looks and sighs, which continue throughout the meal. My daughter is generally well behaved and sits nicely at a table, but despite this we are often made to feel entirely unwelcome, and the enjoyment of the meal is ruined.
It is about time that restaurants realised that, particularly on birthdays and other special occasions, people like to take their entire families out to eat, including the children. If they don't begin to accomodate them and make them and their parents feel more welcome, they are likely, in my view, to lose a lot of business.
Summary:
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Last comments:
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- 28/09/01 Have you a pizza place in town? I find those good for kids and lunchtimes.
And I know exactly what you mean about children and welcomes. For high days and holidays Chinese and Indian restaurants often do all you can eat buffets which are loud and buzzy and have a lot of people walking about. Children seem to blend in more easily at those, and get less disapproving looks from staff and other customers. Also, the child, especially the fussy child, is under less pressure to eat anything they don't like. |
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- 28/09/01 Have you tried ordering starters as a main meal (obviously for the price of a starter) in restaurants. Kiddie menus always seem tokenistic (battered and fried leftovers usually) and this way you are getting something the chef considers worthy of eating rather than a sop to the sprogs. I think it would be to the benefit of all if those restaurants who had a particualr stance towards kids (be it pro or anti) use some kind of indicator (like a no-smoking policy). Personally I would chose a kid-free restaurant every time and when eating with kids would want to be in a venue with sympathetic staff, high chairs and other pre-requisites to ensure that everybody was catered for. |
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- 28/09/01 Some restaurants I've found to be quite child friendly include: Harvester, Beefeater, Mama Amalfi & Chiquito. |
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