Creating a Kid-Friendly Environment That Will Keep Parents Coming Back
When we think about our customers, we often think of those with the buying power- mainly adults. But what about kids? Those who have children know how picky they can be; kids have their favorite places to eat, and those that they dislike too. Today, we’re discussing how to create a kid-friendly environment in your restaurant that will keep parents coming back again and again!
Design a fun kids menu
The first step in attracting younger audiences is designing a fun kids menu. You should have multiple activities on the menu that are good for solo play and appropriate for a wide range of age groups. Common activities are word searches or mazes. You can even switch it up and offer spot the difference games or different images to color. Offer children crayons with their menu to make sure that they have entertainment while they wait for their food. You can even offer branded coloring pages for kids to use. When they’re done, ask if they’d like for their artwork to be hung up on the wall. Create a designated area for displaying coloring pages to maintain interest in the activities you provide.
Create physical space for kids
This could be applicable in a variety of ways. First, make sure you have the appropriate furniture for children, like booster seats and high chairs. Beyond that, analyze other spots of your restaurant that you can make more accessible to kids. Do you have a fish tank or other entertaining view that may be too high for kids to see? Think about installing a beam below it to give them a chance to share the experience. Also, consider adding stools in your public restrooms to help kids reach the sink and wash their hands.
Secondly, you can create designated kids areas. This doesn’t have to be as extreme as a playground next to your patio. These spaces can be created in smaller, more cost efficient means, such as adding a shelf with games or toys that can be played with while waiting for meals. These not only keep younger children entertained, but can also serve as a unique way for families to bond during their dining experience at your restaurant.
Another consideration would be to add stroller parking or storage space if you are in an area with high foot traffic, like a pier or a mall. By taking these simple steps, you are signaling that children are welcome in your restaurant!
Do kids activities or specials
The third action you can take to create a kid-friendly environment is to cater activities, along with certain specials, to kids. Many restaurants will offer a discounted kids meal on specific days of the week to increase their sales. However, you can get more creative than that! Consider out of the box ideas, like offering a free dessert of choice to children who bring in report cards with all A’s and B’s. Get kids excited about coming to visit you.
You can also host events geared towards kids. For example, Texas Road House offers peanut stomping contests periodically, and the winning child gets a prize. You can also create fun and interesting partnerships to encourage kids to visit. Consider partnering with a local events company that hires ‘princesses’ and ‘superheroes’ in costume to attend. Invite a local singer to perform kids songs at your restaurant. Combining kid friendly activities with your brand values can attract an entirely new market of consumers.
If some of these ideas seem too big, it’s ok to start on a smaller scale. Some pizza shops will offer children pieces of dough to play with while they wait, or “make your own pizza” kits. Think of fun ways that you can take dishes in your restaurant and allow children to play with them without incurring additional costs.
Need help coming up with ideas that best fit your brand? Sherane Chen LLC has you covered! Our team of marketing professionals is ready to help you engage these little critics and turn them into fans! Contact us today or call (386) 627-3628 for a consultation!