I just participated in my first Career Day... finally, the chance to share my wisdom, stories and advice to the future leaders and restauranteurs and marketers! Where you ask? My son's Pre-K 4 class! Yup, my first career day presentation was to a group of 5 year olds. But stay with me, this gets good.
I was given carte blanche on how to present. The only guidance was that it had to be relatable to a group of 4 and 5 year olds and include some sort of activity. Welp, how in the world do I explain hospitality investing or media partnerships? Too advanced, maybe. But restaurant marketing? That I could do.
I came up with the idea to have the kids "create" a restaurant. We talked about the basics: a concept, a menu, a design, a slogan, and a marketing offer.
Sitting at the front of the class with a pen and giant flip notepad (no screens in this Pre-K!!!), the kids excitedly shared their favorite foods and beverages. The food was the easy part: Grilled cheese, pasta, chicken nuggets and mac and cheese (tracks…) They quickly came up with a concept: a restaurant for kids only where the parents sit separately. (Also, makes sense). Their differentiator? Play kitchens for kids to use while they waited for their food. (Genius, right?) The name: Kids Kitchen. (Simple, solid, I like it) The offer to get people in the door: free drinks. (The concept of a BOGO went right over their heads). Then came the slogan. The kids struggled with this one until one little guy proudly suggested, "Real food, pretend kitchens, and play while you eat." And just like that, we had our winner. Also, proud mom moment... that little guy was my Joshua!
With a little help from AI (and the school printer), we put all of our ideas into ChatGPT and five minutes later the kids were coloring their very own Kids Kitchen restaurant.
Okay Julie, cute story. Why are you writing about this? Because during circle time, while we were brainstorming, I asked the kids if there was one thing about eating in a restaurant that they would change. The answer was unanimous. Waiting for food. Not one kid liked it.
I chuckled then and I’m nodding my head writing this now because when I bring Josh to a restaurant, that's the hardest part for me, too.
Sure, crayons buy you a few minutes. I also have a bag of tricks that includes cards, Play-Doh, mini Solo cups and a bouncy ball for an impromptu game of Three Card Monte (yup, I start ‘em young). But eventually the whining starts. The hanger kicks in. The endless "Where's my food?" begins. It can be enough to ruin an otherwise great meal.
For years (well, at least ten years since I became a parent), I've been saying that I wish restaurants would let me place my kids' order in advance for dine-in service. Imagine showing up and five minutes later your child has their food.
Years ago, Branded tested an emerging technology company that allowed guests to order ahead. The use case was positioned around business lunches and pre-theater dining. I remember telling the founder, "Why not for kids?" He brushed it off. Said there wasn't a market for ordering ahead for children. If you are wondering…that company eventually pivoted to a version of online ordering and has been acquired.
What's ironic is that one of the best examples of this concept already exists, just not for kids.
At the Grand Tier Restaurant inside the Metropolitan Opera, guests can pre-order their meals before the performance. Why? Because intermission is short. Instead of spending that precious time waiting for menus, placing orders, and hoping the kitchen can keep up, diners arrive at their table to find their food already waiting. The entire experience is designed around eliminating friction and maximizing enjoyment. I’m an Opera fan (ask me about the Opera’s I’ve sang in…) and I’ve had the pleasure of dining there a few times. Let me tell you, it is quite a special New York Experience. Also, the crab cakes are fantastic! I digress…
If pre-ordering can help opera-goers make the most of a brief intermission, why couldn't a version of that same thinking help parents survive dinner with a hungry five year old?
Of course, when I dine out without kids, I welcome the wait. The ordering, the discovery, the cocktail first, the conversation. That's part of what I love most about dining out.
But with a five year old? Speed matters.
You know who else gets this right? All-inclusive resorts. Our last two family trips to Mexico and the Dominican Republic had supervised kids' clubs and playrooms between the restaurants? My kids were happily entertained with age-appropriate toys/activities while my husband and I get to eat like, well... adults.
So what's my point? The biggest opportunities aren’t necessarily the most complicated. They're small moments of friction that we've simply learned to accept. Operators and tech innovators… let’s shake that up! Maybe it's allowing parents to pre-order kids' meals. Maybe it's more thoughtful play spaces. Maybe it's faster kids' menu execution. Maybe it's something none of us have thought of yet.
What struck me most is that a room full of preschoolers immediately identified the same pain point many parents experience every time they dine out with young children. As an industry, we spend a lot of time talking to consultants, operators, analysts, and experts. (Hand raised here, on both sides of that fence). But maybe every once in a while, we should ask the five year olds. Turns out, our guests often know exactly what they want. Even when they're wearing Velcro sneakers.
