Eating out as a family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a lot more fun now that my kids are teens/tweens and interested in food.

It was a nightmare until my most difficult kid started being less difficult (age 13 or so). We never went out.

OP, this is an outlier.

+1
My 8 yo can behave herself in a restaurant.

[Anonymous]

Read the menu in advance, and then give your kids two choices when you first sit down. Order an appetizer that everyone will like.

Bring books, or stickers, or something for the kids to entertain themselves while waiting.

Eat outdoors when possible.

If the wait is super long, have one parent walk the children around, or go to the bathroom, or invent a reason to walk back to the car.

As long as your kids aren't screaming and throwing things, no one is paying attention to you. It's fine.

I don't really understand your specific complaints, but I do agree that eating out with kids is different and can be difficult. It's totally fine not to do it, or to only eat at casual counter order places or have take out picnics instead. But if you want to do it, there are good tips in this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read the menu in advance, and then give your kids two choices when you first sit down. Order an appetizer that everyone will like.

Bring books, or stickers, or something for the kids to entertain themselves while waiting.

Eat outdoors when possible.

If the wait is super long, have one parent walk the children around, or go to the bathroom, or invent a reason to walk back to the car.

As long as your kids aren't screaming and throwing things, no one is paying attention to you. It's fine.

I don't really understand your specific complaints, but I do agree that eating out with kids is different and can be difficult. It's totally fine not to do it, or to only eat at casual counter order places or have take out picnics instead. But if you want to do it, there are good tips in this thread.

No, go home. No long waits with small kids. This is where things start to fall apart.

[Anonymous]

We have a few places that are our regular eat out with kids spots. We have this one Indian restaurant that we've been going to for years, it's like cheers since we know the waitstaff and the chef and the give kids free lassis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it awkward when you get up to leave??

Yeah, this and posture? Very weird things to obsess about. Everyone in the restaurant will be getting up to leave.

[Anonymous]

Teach your children good manners at home and they will have good manners in public.

[Anonymous]

This is weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is weird.

You’re just jealous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is weird.

You’re just jealous.