The Benefits of Kid Marketing

While not every restaurant has a specific marketing plan directed towards kids, you must acknowledge the children’s market as an important one and make efforts to address it. You should provide coloring projects, play areas and/or efforts to establish brand awareness, to ensure that both the parents and the children remember their experiences as positive.  Here are some of the common and easy ideas about appealing to kids:

• Children’s menus are a good way to cut down on food costs, both for the operator and the patron and ensure the restaurant offers something the child will be eager to eat.

• Coloring projects and crayons keep kids occupied while waiting for food to arrive.  Have bulletin boards to post their projects and drawings so kids can see their artwork when they return.   

• Play areas for kids where toys are available often allow the parents to rest for a moment, especially when the areas are staffed by an attendant and remember to keep these areas clean.

• Kids dictate where the family goes to eat more today than ever before. Try to offer great toys.  You know why they like Mcwhatshisname.

• Kids establish loyalties with brands and will often become lifelong customers and many of them will come to work for you when they get older.
• Birthday Parties offer a great source of revenue when your dining room is quiet or empty on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  Also the afternoons before the dining hour during the week.
• Catering opportunities- kids always want their favorite pizza on their special day, no matter where the party is. Think of all the graduation parties, Sweet Sixteen's and Saturday night gatherings you could attain for catering.