How to target children in your restaurant?

You are probably interested in increasing the number of customers in your restaurant. For this reason, you might want to target families and more specifically children. Here are some tips to get  results!

Why target children in your restaurant? 

First of all,  you are right from a marketing point of view, since targeting children means on average a 25% increase in the number of customers. Indeed, a good welcoming of parents and their children generates an increase in the average price sold. This also leads to the building of family loyalty.

Well-received families will be more likely to talk about you and recommend you to others. You will also be able to make yourself known on networks or Kids Friendly sites. Above all, you will be able to build a relationship of trust and loyalty with your new customers.

Children are influencers for parents. Families will therefore tend to favour places where their children feel good and where they are well received.

Moreover, children are the consumers of tomorrow, so it is essential for them to know your restaurant.

How to target children in your restaurant?

To target children in your restaurant there are several opions:

Offer attractive prices:

To appeal to a family clientele, you can propose children's menus at an attractive price. The children's menu must be inexpensive or even offered for the youngest children or during  specific events in your establishment.

You can also offer your customers a discount to large families.

Make children meals appealing

To do this, you can vary the tastes and colours of your dishes as much as possible to make them attractive to children but also to their parents!

4 solutions are available to you:

- Offer a simple children's menu but with several options: dietetics, seasonal, choice of meat or fish

- Offer the dishes on the menu in limited quantities

- Set up a baby menu with the appropriate equipment within the establishment

- Create fun and appealing dressages for children

Availability of games for children:

In a restaurant targeting children, it is essential to propose games to keep the children busy during the meal. This way, parents can have a pleasant time and it also allows children not to be bored during a meal that may seem a little long to them.

For this purpose we suggest 5 options:

- Provide a safe playground: to ensure the tranquillity of parents and make children happy

- Games adapted to children: occasional animations, games, coloring....

- Create a mascot that represents the brand and the spirit of the restaurant in order to create an emotional connection with the child: goodies, website....

- Invite your customers to a family brunch with activities for children: workshops, games, competitions...

- Offer a surprise in a children's menu: surprise egg, colouring notebooks and pencil boxes, surprise pouch, etc...

Welcoming, the main strength to target children

Greeting is also an essential point to improve the number of visitors. Your job is to make sure staff members can meet the needs of all the children.

If you welcome children in a pleasant way, parents will be delighted and will remember it! So, smiles and fun should be on the agenda!

Some restaurants do not hesitate to offer a reduced price for nice children during mealtime. Others even dedicate themselves entirely to the child target by offering  children's themes such as pirates!

If you are one of these establishments, do not hesitate to communicate about your children's offer . To do this, you can use your website, social networks or direct communication within your restaurant.