My kids are generally pretty well behaved, so I have never been too concerned about where I take them. If the children are old enough to have their own kids meal, I look at what kids meals are on offer, if you have a pram, find places that aren’t two storey!
If you are wanting something less expensive and still with that atmosphere of eating out at a restaurant, rather than fast food, Nandos is our new favourite! You can get share style meals and it works out much more affordable. Also, Indian and Chinese are good for the same reason- order a few dishes and share them around.

I definitely try to look at an online menu beforehand and suss it all out. Make sure there are food items that i know my kids will eat. And definitely avoid the typical chips and nuggets as i want them to eat something a bit more wholesome! Ive found eating and trying more things has in turn made my kids more interested and open too as i dont just go for the easy nuggets.

My kids were so good when we went out. As long as I had a bagful of colouring books, pencils, books and some cars, and I was able to get veggies, chips or something similar they were happy.

I personally always check the menu online before hand to make sure there are options there that i know my kids can eat too as if we are eating out, i want everyone to be able to enjoy themselves. It also makes it less stressful and kids are happy too !

Yes I agree that restaurants that have a playground for the kids are great. Back in the days our kids were little we always aimed to visit one of those, ideally with a terrace connected for the parents to oversee their children up close. I also found it important how accommodating they are with diet requirements, but in our experience kid friendly restaurants are often also flexible with their menu and willing to be creative

Along with making sure the food is good and affordable and can be shared with everyone; we also go with parking that is easy to access and free. We also choose venues that have good facilities which includes accessible toilets. We also like venues that are not loud and overcrowded.

I’m always on the lookout for staff that are approachable about allergies and take it seriously. I like a play area for the kids or paper tablecloths & pens to draw – a bonus but not a must. Healthy food with a good variety, reasonable prices. Toilets on site are a must have.

I always check out the menu first! Make sure theres something i know my kids will eat – and not just chips and nuggets because they eat enough of this already! I dont mind whether they have a kids play space or not, as long as there is something they can enjoy too

First thing I look for toilet facilities. I know it may sound weird. But yes. Then play area to keep them occupied. Also the food options are variety with cooked options like pasta rice something cooked rather than just nuggets or chips. They need something that doesn’t look like McDonald or kfc

It’s great to find a place with a playground but surprisingly find these are free and fast between! Otherwise, I go earlier when families are more likely to be there and noisy kids are more tolerates. My two year old is generally good as long as he’s eating… but he is two… so is unpredictable… the reality is meals are quick and I also take a few toys and introduce a new one ever 10 minutes to keep him engaged.

We always look for restaurants that offer share plates and share meals for all of the family. It makes good economic sense to order and share meals. We choose restaurants that serve large portions and quality food. We openly ask for share plates and we have only ever received excellent service.

When the kids were really little we looked for places where some noise would be tolerated (because we tried, but it takes a while to teach kids) – explicit family restaurants, fast food, or the family restaurants attached to clubs. As the kids have got older, we’ve branched out both in the kind of restaurants and the kinds of cuisine.

Because my guy is still so little I try to pick places where him getting loud won’t be frowned upon. I prefer outdoor seating so he has more to look at and noise is handled better. I like somewhere with choices of apps. Bread is a must have, and some kids options are always welcome. But I always come with a lunch box filled with food just in case

My daughter is very fussy so i tend to bring her food with us as she has an allergy and most restaurants are ok with this. I look for casual dining as it is more suited to family with kids over a more fancy restaurant. If the restaurant or cafe has an entertaining area for the kid that is a bonus, we have some really nice place here in WA that have a great play area for kids while the adults can enjoy a peaceful meal.

We look at the menu and if there is something that pleases all family members. Three of us are vegetarian and one of us is diary intolerant and one of us is gluten free. Besides this the younger two of our children do not like Asian foods. Another thing we look at is the atmosphere of a restaurant and if they are kid friendly.