Tips for Eating Out With Young Kids

When they’re young, I think letting kids play a little bit or walk around before the food arrives helps them sit more calmly in the high chair when it’s time to eat. Of course, feeling comfortable letting them play is a challenge! So even though we don’t typically eat early meals, sometimes going to a restaurant earlier in the evening or lunch time avoids the rush. I think just having a little extra space with fewer people can make the entire experience calmer and totally worth the off hours!

I always try to have something in my bag to entertain the kids quietly when they get bored. The paper kids menus and crayons they hand out at many restaurants often work great for a while, but books, a few bristle blocks, or wax sticks are also nice to have on hand for continued entertainment!

I find that my kids tend to eat more if they control what they order (within reason of course). I have them read through the menu, decide what they're indeed craving, and take part in ordering.

When mine were younger, we would order the kids meals first (usually at the same time as our appetizer). Less time for the hungry kids to wait.

Kids can be messy and clumsy. Take away the filled-to-the-brim adult sized glasses from young children. Some tabletops are so cramped; there are times when I switch their cups to ones with lids to avoid spills.

If you're worried that your kid won't make it through a full sit-down meal, test it out at a place you can get in and out of quickly if needed. Do a meal at a fast casual place where you order at the counter and can leave as soon as things go south, or maybe a family-friendly brewery with a food truck.

Show up early for dinner - or do lunch! When our kids were little, we would always go out to eat right at the beginning of the dinner window. It felt so early and the place was usually mostly empty, but it's so much easier that way. You're usually seated right away, the wait staff has more time for you, food comes out faster, and the kids aren't starving yet. It also tends to be less disruptive to the rest of the evening because you're not having to push back bedtime.

Make sure you pick the right restaurant when you're eating out with toddlers or little kids. Set them up for success by choosing a spot that's already noisy, has a kids menu with appealing options, maybe has some TVs going, or has good outside space where they're allowed to move around a bit. Bonus points if you can find a place with some sort of entertainment, like shuffleboard or an open kitchen where they can peek at pizzas being tossed.

Ask for the check before you're in a rush to get out the door. Waiting until after you're done eating can be difficult if you have an antsy toddler who's ready to leave.

Take a look at the menu online before you go and have an idea of what everyone wants to order. There's not much time for leisurely perusing the menu when you've got a toddler who wants to wander, and ordering quickly means you won't have so much time to kill before the food arrives.