Whether your establishment is a simple family eatery, or offers higher end, high-concept dining, catering to kids and doing it right can increase repeat business in your restaurant. While children don’t pay the check, if they like what you do, they will bring themselves and their parents back over and over again. So building their loyalty pays.
The Facts
According to a CBS poll, almost half of Americans dine out at least once a week, with just under a quarter going out four or more times a week. And quite a healthy portion of that dining includes children. Close to 41 million American children are filling those restaurant seats, bringing restaurants about $43 billion in revenue, according to CREST’s research.
In many cases, if you make an impression on kids they will actually beg their parents to come back. So how do you get, and keep, this valuable little audience while maintaining the authenticity and ambiance of your restaurant and the sanity of your staff?
So what do you need to do?
It Starts with the Menu
Establish a menu just for the kids, actually, two if you can swing it, rather than listing kids items as an afterthought on page five of the regular menu. Consider the paper placemat type for the younger ones and a brochure menu geared toward the older ones. These menus should be as colorful as possible, and matching the colors and theme of your logo or decor helps to maintain your brand consistency and recognition.
Use large print and simple descriptions as well as photos and illustrations to add appeal, especially for those too young to read easily. This will help them choose what to order and will increase the likelihood that they’ll get what they’re expecting. Don’t overlook adding things for them to do, like mazes, puzzles, games, short stories, and coloring projects, this satisfies restless kids of all ages who love to have something to do while their parents are enjoying their food and a night off from cooking and cleaning up.
Kid-Friendly Fare
You already know that a small assortment of kids’ favorites should be on offer, tailored to the style of your restaurant. Pasta in many forms is welcome, from mac and cheese to pasta with butter, marinara and maybe meatballs. Chicken tenders or nuggets, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and burgers/sliders have many fans, too, as we know.
But don’t overlook the healthy choices that many kids like, now one of the biggest trends in food service. Parents love to see their kids eat healthy, and if it's done in the right way, the kids like to eat healthy, too. Offer items like carrot sticks, salads, lean meats, fruit cups, yogurt, or specialty dishes that fit your menu, from chicken tacos to grilled salmon. Offer healthier drinks, too, like juices, smoothies, and milk.
Be descriptive with the menu and let little diners know what items are included with their meal. While adding the appeal of choices, it will also limit surprise for the finicky eater. If those chicken tenders come with celery sticks, apple juice, and ice cream, say so. And you may want to throw in an extra like a small prize or stickers with the meal. Price your kids’ menu selections about 1/2 to 2/3 the cost of the adult menu items. Even if that makes food costs tight for those items, see it as an investment in your restaurant’s future. And be clear on the age limit to order off the kids’ menus.
Get Creative - It Doesn’t Stop with the Food
Maybe you have kids yourself and you know what it is like to take them out to dinner. At the very least, you have been a kid at one time, and in your time in the industry, you’ve seen the many ways your youngest customers can act when they’re dining out. So get creative with your menu as well as other ideas when considering ways to engage kids and their families as they eat at your restaurant.
Why not be creative by offering a specialty drinks such as a healthy fruit smoothie in a special mug with your restaurant's name on it? Make the mug one they can take home with them and return any weekday night and get a free refill. Now every time they look at the mug they think of you. Talk about staying top-of-mind!
If you really want to get snazzy, you can do something like Texas Roadhouse has done. Since someone in the family usually has a smartphone, they have added QR codes to the menu that link directly to photos of items on the kids’ menu, a Justin Bieber music video or a Nickelodeon game website. This may seem like a big feat to accomplish, but many creative ideas can be easier than they seem with a little research or help, and it sure makes the kids raving fans.
Service with a Smile
As with customers of any age, it’s not just about food but also about service. Service staff should be encouraged to adopt a welcoming, patient, respectful, and especially a friendly attitude toward kids of all ages. That means no deep sighs or eye rolling when the macaroni tumbles to the carpet! You may need to remind servers that kids are customers too, both present and future ones; even though the tips aren’t yet coming from their pockets they are definitely the ones who are holding the purse strings. Keep in mind that for most children, when they are at a restaurant that they enjoy and want to go to, they are better behaved.
Kids love to return to their favorite places, and since restaurant customers are always going to be bringing along the family, making the whole family happy helps ensure that those customers will keep coming back again and again.