Day #290 Tip - 10 Tips for Eating Out at Restaurants

Eating out used to be so peaceful – date night, it still is. Taking kids to a restaurant can be daunting. We just went to a restaurant with the kids this last weekend. We sat down with food and immediately had a potty break. We had two spills. We had kids that didn’t want to sit in their seats. We had interruptions. It’s a hard task to juggle the kids and the food. I wouldn’t ask you to avoid it because of the struggle. I also would ask you to limit the amount of time you eat out. I think it is important to eat around your own dining room table with food you cooked. I think there is a better monitoring of health as well as benefits of going through the whole process – from preparing to cleaning up. My husband’s family used to have a weekly family dinner out. It is now a monthly experience, so my kids have had their share of eating out. There are things we’ve done well. There’s still a lot of room for improvement. Here are some thoughts:

1. Prepare at Home – I have talked before about how to get kids to stay at the table until they are done eating. I just looked back at this tip and realized I was struggling with it at the time. I find myself in the same predicament now. I tightened up for a while and need to do it again. It was evident by how much they wanted to get up from the table at the restaurant this weekend. Time to buckle down again. Teaching them to have proper manners at home will translate to eating out.

2. Bring Your Own Activities - I have often taken our own bag full of activities to dinner. The bag has a couple books, coloring stuff, lacing activities and little hand-eye coordination manipulatives.
3. Limit Phone Time – I have been to restaurants and watched kids play on their parents’ phone the entire time. There is no interaction. This does not benefit your child. Yes, it makes your life easier. However, sometimes the better road is the harder road. We have done a little phone time with their learning games toward the end of the meal. It’s a way to survive the last ten minutes and can be used as a reward. Please don’t use it as a babysitter.
4. Bring the Kids into the Conversation – Teach kids they are valued by asking them questions. Teach them to ask questions as well. My kids are beginning to say, “How was your day?” or ask other questions about other people. It’s fun to watch.
5. Have them Order for Themselves – Ever since my kids could communicate with us what they want, I would have them order for themselves. It teaches them how to interact with strangers and gives them a sense of accomplishment and ownership over their decisions.
6. Share Food – Eating out can be expensive. Portions are huge. Encouraging kids to eat non-kid foods is healthy for them. Often times kids options are not healthy. They are deep fried and simple without a lot of vegetables or fruit incorporated. Why not choose an item with your child and be able to share to cut on cost and teach about healthy options?
7. Choose the Right Restaurant – If you are new at taking your kids out or don’t trust they’ll behave, choose the louder and more kid friendly venue. I would encourage you to try and work your way to a restaurant that may require more self control. Make a special date night out of it. Maybe attempt it in a one-on-one experience first. Make a big deal about it and prepare your child ahead of time for the experience.
8. Clean Up After Your Child – Sometimes it’s not possible because of the size of the mess, but try and be respectful of your servers by handling the kids’ messes as best you can.
9. Sit Near Exits – Often times eating out happens at dinner, which can also be your child’s fussiest times. Do not expose the restaurant to your child’s poor behavior. If you position yourself near an exit, you can more discreetly slip out of the restaurant to handle your child’s behavior before you return.
10. Tip Well – Although you have tried to be respectful and keep your place orderly, there will be more food on the ground. Serving children can add a lot of work to the servers. Be respectful of that. Waiters and waitresses rely on their tips, so try and be generous.