Eating Out can be one of the pleasurable parts of
a family vacation, but it can also be one of the most
stressful. Restaurants can make for a distraction on
a long car ride or provide a family with a nice evening out.
While kitchen facilities at hotels are
convenient and economical, a vacation for the whole family usually
includes some restaurant dining.
Here are some tips to help make it
more enjoyable for all.
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Down or click on Specific Tips
Preparing Children for Eating Out
Basic Manners
What to look for in a Family Restaurant
Safety Tips
At the Restaurant
Alternatives to Sit Down Restaurants
Introducing proper table manners at home goes a
long way to making meals in restaurants a more relaxing experience
for the whole family. Share family meals at home with your
children. Reinforce basic manners
by your example.
Have a family in-house Restaurant Night with
everyone dressing up, have take out food and see who can use the
best manners - Make it a fun activity.
Encourage children to use proper
utensils at home so that they
become familiar with their uses.
Tell children how you expect them to behave
before you enter the restaurant.
Expose children at an early age to dining out
and using manners in public.
Encourage children to experience, experiment and enjoy new
foods. See Tips to Expand Your Child's Taste
for Exotic Food
HOTEL FUN 4 KIDS™ PRESIDENT'S TIP:
We use the three EEE's to get our children to try new foods.
It's a code with us. When a new food is introduced I just say - its a
three E food. The kids know that we always say you need to experience new
foods by experimenting with new tastes so that you can enjoy new foods.
This way we don't go into the whole lecture about new foods at a restaurant - we
just say "Its a Three E food".
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Here are some basic manners to observe when
dining in Restaurants:
-
Always say please, thank you and excuse
me. Pleasantness with and respect of restaurant staff
goes a long to receiving better service. Set an example
for your children.
-
Use a quieter tone of voice and remind
children to respect others in the restaurant who will not want
to hear loud conversations.
-
Eat with your mouth closed. Avoid
talking or taking another bite until all food has been
swallowed.
-
Elbows off the table. Not only does this
present a better appearance in the restaurant but it also
makes it easier to use utensils.
-
When sitting down in a restaurant, place a
napkin on your lap and use a napkin to wipe fingers and
face.
-
While some foods are designed to be eating
with fingers, encourage children to use cutlery in the correct
manner at every opportunity.
-
If children are old enough to use a knife and
fork, teach them to cut gently. Food should never be
stabbed with the fork, but lifted gently. For
younger children, take the time to cut up the food as soon as
it arrives.
Some other guidelines include:
-
Children
should not jump around in seats or booths, roam the restaurant
or go under the table.
-
No
spitting.
-
Never
throw food.
-
No
burping in a loud or offensive manner - say excuse
me.
-
Cover
your mouth when sneezing or coughing and turn away from the
table.
-
Do
not lick fingers.
-
When
eating from a buffet, don't sample food until you return to
the table. Take a clean plate each time. Once food
has been touched or put on the plate, do not return it to the
buffet table. Don't overload the plate.
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Children are traditionally picky eaters, so it
helps to look for restaurants that are family friendly .
Here are some tips when looking for a restaurant
that the whole family can enjoy:
-
Typically chain restaurants,
with standard menus, kids promotions and even playgrounds are
a favourite option for families.
-
Buffets, themed restaurants
and cafeterias work well for families as the service is often
quicker and the fare is usually acceptable for all family
members.
-
Avoid formal dining
establishments, although it can be fun if children are
well-behaved.
-
Offer kids a choice as to
which restaurant to go to.
-
Look for clean, well-run
restaurants with friendly staff.
-
Many Hotels and Resorts have
on-site restaurants with children's menus available.
-
Ask around - go to the local
tourism office or ask hotel staff to recommend family friendly
restaurants.
-
Consider going for an early
dinner - kids will not be as hungry, but may be in a better
mood. They may eat less so order accordingly. See
At The Restaurant.
-
Breakfast is usually a good
time for a family meal.
Call the restaurant ahead of time and ask:
-
Do
they have a children's menu or children's colouring placemats
and crayons?
-
Can
you bring in a stroller? Sometimes this is easier than a
highchair for babies and avoids placing a car seat on the
floor or table, which can present a danger to babies.
-
Do
they have highchairs?
-
How
busy is the restaurant or when is it the busiest - see if you
can reserve a corner table or at a quieter time.
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Tips
When dining with
children, you want to ensure that they do not get injured by hot foods and
drinks - here are some tips to help keep children safe while dining:
-
Keep
children away from hot dishes when they come to the table.
-
Ask
the wait staff to bring the child's supper first to you so you can cut it up to
cool it down faster and so young children do not touch hot plates.
-
Teach
children not to touch their plate until you say it is okay.
-
Keep
hot coffee and tea away from children.
-
Be
especially careful with hamburger and chicken, - check that the meat is cooked
through before children eat it - cut it open and make sure there is no pink or
red meat and that it is cooked through.
-
Don't
let young children use a fork or knife.
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Once you have decided on where to go for
breakfast, lunch or dinner, it's time to plan your strategy for
the meal time.
Now, several tried and true recommendations
for enjoying these family outings:
-
When you arrive ask for a
corner table (if you haven't already made reservations for
this) or an out of the way location, booths also offer a bit
more privacy for a family.
-
Supervise children closely - especially
when using the restroom - see Safety tips for Using Public Washrooms
-
Remove Candles or ensure that they are out
of reach - See Fire Safety Tips.
-
Try to feed babies before
your meal, unless you
think a bottle may occupy them during
your meal.
-
Move breakables, cutlery and salt shakers out of reach.
-
Take along a bib, bottles
and a child's special cup for drinking.
-
Crayons, colouring books,
books and
a favourite toy may help amuse younger children.
-
Know what to do if your baby is choking
- see First Aid Tips for when a Baby is Choking
-
Use High Chairs, Boosters and Hook-on
Chairs Safely - See Tips for Purchasing, Renting and Using Travel Equipment for Babies.
-
Include
kids in the table conversation or relive some fun family
experiences while you are waiting for your food or drinks.
-
Order as quickly as
possible. If there is a wait for tables, look over the
menu and order as soon as you are seated. This will
speed up the delivery of your meal, especially if kids are
really hungry.
-
Ensure everyone washes their hands before
eating. See Tips on Washing Hands to Avoid Germs.
-
Ask your server for some
bread or crackers for the children.
-
Know what your kids
like. Don't expect them to try new things in a strange
setting. Watch out for spicy foods.
-
Start kids off with water
(bottled water), milk or fruit juices and then order the drink
to be delivered with the meal. This avoids kids filling
up on sugary drinks before the meal. If the drinks are
too full, ask for an extra cup and split it up.
-
Gage your children's moods
and skip dessert and coffee if need be or take advantage of an
Alternative to Eating Out.
-
Remind children about their manners
in a gentle, reassuring way. Try not to nag, but lead by
example.
-
Ask for children's meals to
be served with appetizers or as quickly as possible,
especially if children need to be fed or closely supervised
while eating.
-
For a change of pace, order
appetizers as a meal. This can be a fun way to try new
foods that can be sampled in a more casual manner.
-
Consider ordering on meal to
be split between young children, or share some of a parent's
meal for small appetites. Ask the server for an extra
plate.
-
Take some little healthy
snacks with you just in case the meal is late.
-
When the meal arrives,
settle children first. Cut up younger children's meals,
add condiments. You might want to check the child's meal
before they sample it. This is a wise idea when ordering
hamburgers and chicken to ensure that the meat is thoroughly
cooked.
-
When children are done
eating, ask your server to take their plates out of the way,
clean up the kids and their immediate area so they can colour
or play in a clean area.
-
If you need something, ask
your server, they are usually more than happy to help keep
children content in the restaurant and tip accordingly. See
Tips On Tipping: How Much To Give And
To Whom, While Travelling With Your Family
-
Try to remain calm and enjoy
your meal. If something spills, smile (it helps to
lighten the mood) and ask the server for some extra napkins.
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While eating out can be fun, there are
alternatives to eating in a sit-down restaurant that can be
interesting too.
Some options to consider:
-
You may choose a hotel or
resort that offers kitchen facilities. Hitting the local
grocery store and stocking up on cereals, bread, lunch items
and even prepared dinners to eat in-room.
-
Some Cottages and Resorts
offer Barbecues for guest use - see Safety News - Barbecue Tanks and Charcoal
Grills.
-
Bring in take-out.
Even without kitchen facilities, pizza, take-out chinese and
others can easily be eaten in a hotel room. Make it an
indoor picnic.
-
Have a picnic.
Look
for a local park, beach or playground area. There will
be room for the kids to run, play
some games and enjoy a local play area. See Playground Safety Tips.
The grocery store or room service or hotel restaurant may be
able to make up picnic lunches. Be sure to store food
properly. A cooler with ice in a plastic bag may be
necessary on hot days.
-
If your hotel or resort
offers child
care services,
consider an Adult Night Out. Feed the
kids early (or some facilities even feed the kids) and enjoy a
romantic dinner.
-
Enjoy an outdoor cafe where
the kids can watch passersby.
-
Take a meal pool side if
available.
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All Tips are offered as suggestions only
While we have tried to provide you with a
list of suggestions to help parents when travelling with
children to keep them safe, unfortunately, we can’t think of
everything and it is the responsibility of parents to ensure
their children’s safety.
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Tips to Expand Your Child's Taste for Exotic Food For Tips on Eating out with Children with
Severe Allergies Click on
Tips on Washing Hands to Avoid Germs
Tips for Potty Training, Potty
Training while Travelling and Common Potty Training Practices For Tips on Using High Chairs, Booster Seats and Hook-on
Chairs Click Below:
For Tips on Who and What to Tip Click Below:
For Tips on Travelling with Grandchildren Click Below:
Also see Travel News:
A Day of Social Savvy is a tradition at The Ritz-Carlton, Bostonas The Hotel Celebrates 15 Years of a World Class Etiquette Program, Boston, Massachusetts
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