If you own and operate a restaurant that is welcoming to families, then you need to do more than post a sign on the door to encourage families to come in. There is a lot of competition on the family restaurant scene, and you need your restaurant to be a place where parents and children alike can enjoy a meal. Here are some ways to make your family-friendly restaurant even more appealing to families.

Offer a discount for kids at least once a week.

At least once a week, offer a big discount for kids in order to attract families and help them dine on a budget. For example, you could offer kids' meals for $1 each with the purchase of one adult meal. The items usually used to make kids' meals, like chicken tenders and fries, tend to be very affordable, so you won't be taking much of a loss by offering this discount. You will, however, attract some new customers who will likely come back even when you're not running a deal. 

Put some kiddie cocktails on the menu.

For adults, being able to order a cocktail is one of the nice, special things about eating out. This whole idea can appeal to kids, too! Come up with a few fun kids' drinks to add to the menu. A banana smoothie, a strawberry lemonade drink, and a grape juice spritzer with sparkling water are all good ideas. Decorate the drinks with some fruity garnishes and paper umbrellas to make them look fun and festive. Kids will get so excited to enjoy these special beverages, and you only have to charge a couple of dollars for them, so many parents will buy them.

Offer an a la carte kids' menu.

Kids are often very picky. Parents do not enjoy ordering a kids meal only for their child to eat one out of three dishes included in that meal. You can help parents get around this problem by offering an a la carte kids' menu. Include things like chicken tenders for $1 a piece, a small order of fries for $1, cups of applesauce for 50 cents, dishes of baby carrots for $1, and so forth. Parents will enjoy being able to order exactly what their kids eat and no more.

The ideas above will make a family-friendly restaurant even more inviting! Your customers, young and old, will come to enjoy what you have to offer.

To learn more about your options, contact a family restaurant near you.