Your Children in Restaurants
How to Go Out to Dinner with Kids
Children in restaurants don't have to be a nuisance. You can go out to dinner with your kids and make everyone happy, by following a few simple rules.
When you were single, children in restaurants were an annoyance. You may even have sworn you'd never become one of those parents reigning in her kids in a public place.
Now that you're a parent, there's no reason you can't still frequent your favorite restaurants, kids in tow. Going out to dinner with children is manageable and even enjoyable, just by making a few adjustments.
Now that smoking bans are being implemented in cities across the United States, more families are going out to dinner and bringing along infants, toddlers and children. And they're not limiting themselves to McDonald's and family pizza joints.
In Philadelphia, where smoking recently was banned in bars and restaurants, parents and children are showing up in bars, pubs and taverns.
"The number of children we see here has quadrupled," says Tom Peters, co-owner of Monk's Cafe in Center City Philadelphia in a Philadelphia Enquirer article. "I'm getting more baby seats."
When taking little ones to restaurants with a more adult atmosphere, keep in mind the comfort level of the kids, yourself, the wait staff, and the other patrons.
There are some key things you can do to make the dining experience better for everyone.
- Choosing a restaurant for kids is key. As much as you’d like to go to your favorite sushi restaurant, save that for date night with your spouse when you can leave the kids home with a babysitter. Choose a restaurant that has a kids’ menu or at least something that your children will eat. If a restaurant serves spaghetti, pizza or boneless chicken, you're probably safe.
- Be time conscious. ‘Taking Your Toddler Out to Dinner,’ an article on Quaker Oatmeal’s Web site recommends timing your dinner out. “A tired toddler can spell trouble when dining out. You may enjoy dinner at 8:00 but if this is encroaching on your toddler's bedtime, you're asking for trouble. Best bet, dine early and don't stay too long!”
- Take your own crayons and small, half-sheet coloring pages, just in case the restaurant doesn’t have them. Small toys are fine, too, as long as they don't encourage rough play or take up too much room at the table.
- Ask for a booth or a table in a corner. Any wildness coming from your table will be less noticeable if you're tucked away. A table near the kitchen is even better. You're less likely to bother other patrons if you're sitting near a noisy, busy area of the dining room.
- As your hostess is seating you, immediately hand her any candles or centerpieces that are on the table. Ask her to set them aside and put them back on the table when you’re gone.
- Tell your waiter to bring the drinks with dinner, not before. Kids tend to drink up whatever is put before them. They’ll need too many refills by the time the meal is over.
- Ask the waitress to bring the kids’ drinks with no ice. For one, they’ll get more of the beverage and they’re less likely to spill with no ice shifting around in the glass.
- Take the kids to the restroom after you order. It’ll break up the wait and you may as well use that time to get a bathroom break out of the way, so your meal won’t be interrupted.
- Like any family outing, be sure you don’t stay too long. Any child will start to misbehave after a period of time.
