For families, dining out is often a mix of excitement and challenge. While parents are looking for a relaxing meal, kids hope for something fun, tasty and made just for them. The right children’s menu can bridge that gap, making mealtime enjoyable for everyone.
Kid-friendly menus for restaurants aren’t just about offering smaller portions of regular dishes. It’s about understanding what appeals to kids, balancing creativity with nutrition and ensuring the entire family leaves the store happy.
A well-designed children’s menu can turn first-time visitors into repeat customers and position your restaurant as a family favorite. Keep reading to learn more — especially if you’re a Restaurant Manager or owner.
Designing Kid-Friendly Menus for Restaurants: 10 Steps To Follow
Here’s how to create a menu that both kids and their families will enjoy.
1. Brainstorm Menu Items
Start with a blank slate and brainstorm dishes that kids love. Consider a mix of classic favorites like mini pizzas or mac and cheese and creative twists on adult dishes, such as sliders or “deconstructed” tacos.
Think about textures, flavors and fun elements that appeal to kids, like finger food or customizable options.
While brainstorming, don’t forget about beverages and desserts. Kid-sized milkshakes, juice boxes or a fun dessert sampler could be a hit. Aim to create a list that balances simplicity with excitement, keeping your younger guests in mind.
2. Organize Menu Items Into Categories
Once you have a list of potential items, organize them into clear categories. Typical kid menus might include sections like:
- Mains: Mini burgers, quesadillas or pasta dishes
- Sides: Fries, fruit cups or veggies with dip
- Drinks: Kid-sized smoothies, milk or lemonade
- Desserts: Cookies, brownies or a small scoop of ice cream
By grouping dishes, you create an easy-to-navigate menu for kids and parents alike. Categorization also helps you visualize your offerings and ensure a balanced variety.
Your restaurant’s kitchen team, including Cooks and Chefs, can contribute by ensuring dishes are prepared in kid-friendly portions and designed to be easy to eat.
3. Incorporate Healthy Options
More parents are valuing healthier choices for their kids. As you build your menu, make sure to include options like grilled chicken, veggie sticks, whole-grain pasta and fresh fruit.
Highlighting healthy items alongside traditional favorites reassures parents that your menu isn’t just about indulgence.
Additionally, consider offering simple customizations. For example, a burger could come with a choice of fries, fruit or a side salad. Giving parents flexibility helps them feel in control of their children’s meals.
4. Determine Your Pricing Strategy
Kid-friendly meals should be reasonably priced, but they also need to cover costs. Analyze ingredient costs, portion sizes and local dining trends to settle on pricing that’s both affordable for families and sustainable for your business.
Consider bundling items for value — for instance, offering a meal, drink and dessert at a discounted price. Bundles are convenient for parents and can subtly increase your average check size.
Restaurant Managers and financial planners can collaborate here to ensure your pricing strategy works for both the restaurant’s bottom line and your family-friendly image.
5. Craft Engaging, Descriptive Names for Each Item
Kid-friendly menus are about more than just the food — they’re about the experience. Use playful, creative item names to make dishes sound irresistible. Instead of “grilled chicken,” try “Dino Chicken Bites,” or swap “veggie sticks” for “Rainbow Snack Sticks.”
These descriptions create excitement and can spark conversations between kids and parents. Just make sure they’re still clear enough for adults to understand what’s being offered.
Your marketing team or a copywriter on staff can help craft engaging and fun descriptions that maintain the right balance of creativity and clarity.
6. Design a Kid-Friendly Menu Layout
The look of your menu matters as much as its content. A visually appealing design with bright colors, playful fonts and fun illustrations will grab kids’ attention. You might include interactive elements, like mazes, coloring sections or jokes, to keep kids entertained at the table.
If you’re unsure where to start, there are plenty of online resources and design platforms offering pre-made kids’ menu templates. Websites like Canva, Adobe and other graphic design tools provide customizable templates specifically tailored for children’s menus.
[Source: Canva]
These can save you time and help you create a fun, easy-to-read layout that still looks professional and appealing. Just remember to keep it simple — larger fonts and a clean design will ensure it’s easy for kids and parents alike to navigate.
7. Include Nutritional Information
Adding nutritional details like calorie counts or allergen information shows parents you’re considerate of their concerns. Even simple icons (e.g., a carrot for healthier options or a nut symbol for allergens) can provide clarity without cluttering the menu.
This transparency builds trust with families and can set your restaurant apart from competitors who don’t offer such details.
8. Test and Refine the Menu
Before launching your kid-friendly menu, test it out with real families. Invite regular customers with kids to a tasting session or ask for feedback from staff with children. Pay attention to portion sizes, flavor profiles and how easy the dishes are for kids to eat.
Adjust based on feedback. Maybe the spaghetti was too messy or the portion sizes weren’t quite right. Testing ensures your menu is practical, enjoyable and well-received.
9. Train Your Staff for Family Dining
Once your menu is finalized, train your staff to enhance the kid-friendly dining experience. Teach them how to interact with kids in a warm, engaging way and guide parents through the menu.
Staff should also be prepared to handle special requests, such as allergen substitutions or reheating baby food. Friendly, accommodating service can make families feel welcome and encourage repeat visits.
10. Market Your Kid-Friendly Menu
Finally, it’s time to share your menu with the world! Use social media to announce your new kid-friendly options, complete with photos of the dishes and maybe a short video showing kids enjoying the menu.
If you want to go the extra mile, promote family dining nights or special offers for kids, like “kids eat free” evenings. This helps bring in new customers and reinforces your restaurant’s reputation as family-friendly.
Understanding the Importance of Kid-Centric Menu Design
Creating a kid-friendly menu is not just about the food — it’s about engaging kids through fun visuals, choices and interactive elements.
By considering the psychology behind how kids make dining decisions and how they respond to the menu, you can design something that appeals directly to them, making family dining easier and more enjoyable for everyone.
The Psychology Behind Kid-Friendly Menus
Children often play a big role in deciding where the family eats. Their excitement about a restaurant’s offerings can influence parents’ choices, making it essential to understand the psychology of young diners when designing a menu.
As we already mentioned, kids are drawn to visually appealing presentations and interactive elements. They enjoy having choices, which gives them a sense of independence, and they gravitate toward fun, creative dishes that feel personalized.
Incorporating these insights into your menu design not only keeps kids happy but also builds loyalty with families.
The Impact on Family Dining Decisions
For many families, the quality and variety of a restaurant’s kid-friendly menu can be a deal-breaker. Parents want options that are both appealing to their children and aligned with their own values, such as healthier ingredients or balanced meals.
Restaurants that excel in this area often enjoy increased family patronage. When parents see their children excited and satisfied with their meal, they’re more likely to visit again. Additionally, family dining typically means larger orders, with appetizers, drinks and desserts often added to the bill.
Creating Positive Dining Experiences for All Ages
A well-designed children’s menu doesn’t just benefit kids — it enhances the experience for everyone at the table. When children are engaged and enjoying their meal, parents can relax and focus on their own dining experience.
This creates a positive and welcoming atmosphere that extends beyond families. Even diners without children appreciate a lively yet harmonious environment where everyone is having a good time. Restaurants that prioritize families often attract a wide range of patrons, fostering a sense of inclusivity.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, a kid-friendly menu is an investment in your restaurant’s reputation and customer loyalty. By understanding what young diners want and creating a menu that aligns with their needs, you’re not just serving meals — you’re creating memorable dining experiences that families will want to repeat.
With a thoughtful kids’ menu, your restaurant can become a go-to spot for family dining, increasing both foot traffic and sales. For Restaurant Owners and managers looking to expand their reach, platforms like OysterLink can provide great insights on industry trends and help connect you with top-notch talent to enhance your dining experience.
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Find Jobs HereHow To Create Kid-Friendly Menus for Restaurants: FAQ
Think about what kids love — simple, fun foods like pizza, mac and cheese and burgers. Add creative twists like “build your own” tacos or mini slider options. Don’t forget healthy alternatives, like grilled chicken or fruit sides.
Not always. While some items can be scaled down, a kids’ menu should include options that are easier for kids to handle, like finger foods or meals that they can customize. The goal is to offer meals that are fun, easy to eat and appealing to their tastes.
Yes! Offering kid-friendly beverages like milkshakes, fruit juices and flavored water can enhance the overall dining experience. Consider creative drink options, like a “build-your-own” lemonade or smoothie bar.
Provide activity sheets, crayons or small toys at the table to keep kids engaged. You can also include fun, interactive elements on the menu, like puzzles or trivia questions that are age-appropriate.
Focus on unique, high-quality offerings that other restaurants don’t provide. Create memorable experiences with themed menus or tie-ins with local events and ensure your menu reflects creativity and care.
Offer a range of healthier options that are just as fun and visually appealing as traditional menu items. For example, try colorful veggie sticks, fruit kabobs or whole-grain versions of popular dishes to balance taste with nutrition.
Yes, absolutely! Changing the menu to reflect seasonal ingredients or fun, themed offerings keeps things fresh and exciting for returning guests. You can also create limited-time options around holidays or events to keep families coming back for new experiences.
Your kids’ menu should align with the overall theme or vibe of your restaurant. Whether your brand is casual, upscale or fun, make sure the kids’ offerings match that tone and reflect your restaurant’s personality.
Written by Sasha Vidakovic
Sasha is an experienced writer and editor with over eight years in the industry. Holding a master’s degree in English and Russian, she brings both linguistic expertise and creativity to her role at OysterLink. When she’s not working, she enjoys exploring new destinations, with travel being a key part of both her personal and professional growth.
Reviewed by Marcy Miniano
Marcy is an editor and writer with a background in public relations and brand marketing. Throughout her nearly decade-long career, she has honed her skills in crafting content and helping build brands across various industries — including restaurant and hospitality, travel, tech, fashion and entertainment.
