Like a kid kicking their feet in the backseat wondering whether we’re there yet, these are the questions on so many minds as we all struggle to find our footing in a world impacted by COVID-19. Now that summer has come and some states have begun opening up, many people are feeling braver and more willing to venture out in search of normalcy—families included. What are they looking for when they go back to eat at a restaurant for the first time? How are they feeling? And what are their expectations of restaurants?

C3 looked to answer those questions and others when we surveyed over 500 parents with young kids (ages 4-10) during the third week of June 2020. Even though a lot has already changed since June, looking at parents’ behaviors and attitudes during that time reveals what is important to them—and what will keep being important to them—as they bring their families back to restaurants.

Kid-friendliness is key for bringing families back to restaurants.

One key finding: restaurants that create a kid-friendly experience will make parents feel safer and more excited about taking their kids out to eat. Read on to see what else they had to tell us about going out to eat in these unprecedented times.

A Mix of Excitement and Anxiety

As families tentatively return to restaurant dining rooms, they’re filled with excitement, worry, and high expectations.

More than half of the parents we surveyed are willing to dine indoors at restaurants with their kids in the next month. In fact, by late June, a quarter had already done so. The other half of parents remain hesitant, a percentage that may grow again in the coming weeks as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise across the US.

Parents’ mixed attitudes about taking their kids into restaurants are mirrored in the emotions they feel about the prospect: The top five emotions parents report feeling when thinking of taking their kids out to eat are: excitement, anxiety, worry, joy, and hope.

Keeping Kids Safe

It’s no surprise that parents have high expectations of safety and sanitation procedures at restaurants. The parents we surveyed want to see clearly visible steps taken to reduce risk, including free hand sanitizer at entrances, sanitation of tables/chairs between customers, employees wearing masks and gloves, spaced out tables, and daily employee temperature checks.

The top five emotions parents report feeling when thinking of taking their kids out to eat are: excitement, anxiety, worry, joy, and hope.

They also have expectations of safety procedures that relate specifically to kids. Over half of parents surveyed expect play areas to be closed, or at the absolute least, sanitized more frequently; two-thirds expect sanitation of high chairs & booster seats between customers; and they expect kids’ toys, cups, crayons, and activity menus to be single use or individually wrapped.

Now is not the time to walk away from kid-friendly items like toys, cups, crayons, and activity menus. These items are now more important than ever in restaurants because, as parents told us, they feel better knowing that there’s entertainment to help keep kids safe at the table.

Kid-Friendly = More Motivating

Not only is kid-friendliness important for families to feel safe, it’s also what will get them excited about going out to eat.

In fact, it’s the number one thing—by far—that parents say will make them choose one restaurant over another once they’re ready to take their kids out to eat. The parents we surveyed said kid-friendliness is even more important than the food.

Of the 22 options we gave them, here are the top six things that parents will look for in restaurants when they’re deciding where to dine out with their kids again. This list shows parents are putting a lot of emphasis on what will give their kids a good experience.

1. They’re kid-friendly (57 percent)
2. They have my favorite food / food I’m craving (49 percent)
3. They have my kids’ favorite food / food they’re craving (46 percent)
4. I trust their sanitation and safety procedures (45 percent)
5. They provide fun and safe things to entertain my kids while we’re in the restaurant (43 percent)
6. My kids request to go there (40 percent)

What do these parents mean when they say “kid-friendly?”

“Activities at the table, even just the typical menu and crayons is good,” said one respondent. “I went to one recently that didn’t have a kid’s menu or crayons given out and my daughter kept asking for them. We finally found a receipt paper and a pen.” “Puzzles and other fun activities,” specified another. A third clarified: “A very child-friendly place will have waiters who actually like kids.”

In other words, being kid-friendly starts with giving kids activities that they’ll love, but it’s also about creating an experience that tells kids and families that this is a place for them. There are so many creative ways to make families feel welcome, and now’s the time invest and innovate in this space to make sure your restaurant is a top choice for families.

Families’ High Expectations

At the end of the day, parents are still looking to restaurants to give their families a great dining experience, one that includes all the things that make going out to eat extra special for their kids. And for 73 percent of the parents we surveyed, that expectation of a great dining experience is just not the same as it was pre-COVID—it’s even higher now.

Parents feel that if they are going to take the risk of taking their kids out to eat at a restaurant, they want that risk to be worthwhile.

Why? Because, in this environment, parents feel that if they are going to take the risk of taking their kids out to eat at a restaurant, they want that risk to be worthwhile.

In conclusion, many families are ready (or almost ready!) to start coming back into restaurants to eat, and though they’re craving a comfortable and familiar experience, they know that some things will need to be different. They’re keeping an eye out for the ways brands are striving to keep them safe, healthy, and entertained, and they want their choices to be worth it—not just to them, but to their kids. There is a unique opportunity here not to walk away from things that add to the experience, but to lean into the realities of 2020 and invest in strategies to keep families choosing to come back.

But time moves strangely during a pandemic. By the time you read this, the situation may have changed drastically again … though the things families want and need likely haven’t.

By Jennifer Loper
C3 Brand Marketing for Modern Restaurant Management

Indeed, K–12 is too significant a segment to ignore when it comes to healthful fare. In fact, nationwide, schools comprise 9 percent of all foodservice units and 4 percent of all foodservice spending, according to the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association.

The segment’s size makes it ground zero for the childhood obesity crisis, which school foodservice stakeholders could help relieve by re-engineering school menus around nutrition. After all, unhealthy diets are a principal reason that an estimated one in five children age 2 to 19—about 14 million kids—are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.¹

Healthy-Eating Hurdles

Schools face unique regulatory and financial challenges that could hinder the pursuit of more flavorful, fresh and wholesome ingredients. Although the Obama-era Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandated school lunches with less sodium, more whole-grain foods and fewer sweetened drinks, for instance, the Trump administration wants to ease the standards in order to reduce schools’ menu-planning challenges.¹

Even after overcoming regulatory and financial obstacles, schools must persuade kids to embrace better-for-you food. In many ways, that is the ultimate challenge, as there’s no point in offering healthy food if students won’t eat it.

In spite of the challenges, healthy eating champions must persist. Because without their intervention, the status quo—highly processed, low-nutrition items that are cheap and plentiful—will remain the default setting for school foodservice operators.

Nourishing Opportunities

Suppliers and distributors who offer healthy foods will find an especially eager (and growing) audience in the K–12 segment. Approximately half of school districts in the 2018–2019 school year served cleaner-label menu options; a year later, 91 percent of them were considering expanding their menus to include more nutritious, better-for-you offerings.²

Healthful Hits

Combining wholesome offerings that have exceptional flavor with clever marketing campaigns has helped some school districts win student favor.

At Broken Arrow High School in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, for example, the school dietitian and strength and conditioning coach worked together to create a menu that would appeal to student athletes. Called the Tiger Nutrition Training Table, it meets federal school lunch regulations and features dishes that were formulated to maximize student athletes’ health and performance. The meals offer the maximum allowable calories, with more complex carbohydrates and fruit and vegetable options.³ For example, one qualifying lunch is teriyaki chicken with brown rice and vegetables—a mixture of lean protein and whole grains. Each day, 200 to 300 students line up for the meals in this program.

In Portland, Oregon, public schools offer an authentic Japanese dish—yakisoba with chicken and vegetables—through a partnership with noodle supplier Umi Organic, which district officials discovered at a food show. The company owner was a graduate of one of the district’s schools and was therefore familiar with its Japanese Immersion program. After the food show meeting, she developed a traditional, whole grain-rich yakisoba noodle that could be prepared in ovens to comply with the district’s cooking equipment. The tasty, authentic dish is now served in all the district’s elementary and secondary schools.⁴

Through thoughtful sourcing, partnerships and creative positioning, healthful food can be a hit with students and parents alike. Begin with high-quality proteins that deliver the essential nutrients students need, and then enhance them with flavorful spices and sauces that appeal to kids’ evolving taste buds. They’ll be sure to tell you what they like—and what they don’t.

Sources:
Content courtesy of Perdue Foodservice
¹Kreidler, Mark, “No More Tater Tots? California Schools Put Healthier Lunches to the Test,” California Healthline, Oct. 15, 2019
²“2019 School Nutrition Trends Report,” School Nutrition Association
³Keleher, Katie, “Broken Arrow Nutrition Program Helps Student Performance”, KJRH-TV, Dec. 9, 2019
⁴Schilling, Becky, “Who’s Serving the Best K-12 School Meals in America?” Food Management, Nov. 12, 2019

According to the NPD Group, Millennials with children increased their restaurant visits by 5% percent in 2018 over the prior year, at a time when the total restaurant industry experienced flat traffic growth.

It is ever thus that busy parents are looking for help when it comes to feeding their families, and catering to them represents a significant opportunity. Millennials themselves—who helped drive such game-changing trends as the growth of fast-casual restaurants, demand for fresh menu concepts, and interest in global and spicy flavors—are in the midst of the family formation stage, and they’re turning to restaurants for convenience to help ease their hectic lives.

What is the Market?

According to the Pew Research Center, in 2016 Millennials (the population cohort born between 1981 and 1996) made up 29% of the U.S. adult population and 35% of the workforce; in addition, millennial women accounted for 82% of U.S. births in 2016. And while they’re waiting longer to have kids than did previous generations, 48% of Millennial women (ages 20 to 35 at the time) were moms in 2016. More than a million Millennials give birth each year, and the total number of millennial moms (not including adoptive mothers or stepmothers) reached 17 million in 2016.

That’s a lot of demand for dinner—as well as breakfast, lunch, and snacks. In 2018, in fact, Millennials with kids made 7.3 billion visits to their choice destination of quick-service and fast-casual restaurants, says NPD. This includes dine-in options as well as takeout and delivery, with 46% eaten at home, 30% eaten at the restaurant, and the remaining percentage spread out among eating in the car, eating at work, at another location, and other places. When at home, millennial parents will often blend a restaurant item with items they prepared.

Key Considerations

There are several important things to keep in mind when reaching out to kids and their parents as a target market.

• Convenience is a key driver – According to Technomic, 47% of restaurant orders are for takeout and delivery, and 40% of consumers order differently for off-premise, than on-premise
  • Implications: Family meal bundles, multiportion grab-and-go options and meal kits, and expedited digital ordering
• Offering kids a balanced diet is a priority – Datassential reveals that 80% of parents monitor their kids’ diet to some degree, and while healthy eating is the norm at home, they also want that option when dining out
  • Implications: Fresh natural foods, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, healthful preparation techniques
• Exposure to new foods is important – Many parents are concerned that their children are fussy eaters, and 77% of parents encourage them to try new things, says Datassential. The special-occasion nature of dining out represents a food opportunity
  • Implications: Different kids’ menus for different ages, more variety, familiar menu favorites with new flavors and ingredients
• Kids influence the decision, and their needs are integral – Regardless of their age, kids frequently order their own food; according to Technomic, in fact, in 78% of families, kids order their own entrées, and 37% order from the regular menu
  • Implications: Smaller portions of adult items, family-style combo meals, customizable items for children

Did You Know?

• Women are delaying childbirth through their 20s. The median age at which women become mothers in the United States is 26, up from 23 in 1994. In 1994, more than half (53%) of women in their early 40s had become mothers by age 24; by 2014, this share had fallen to 39%
• More moms are working. Seven in 10 moms with kids younger than 18 were in thelabor force in 2015, up from 47% in 1975
• Moms are working more hours. In 2016, moms spent around 25 hours a week on paid work, up from nine hours in 1965. At the same time, they spent 14 hours a week on childcare, up from 10 hours a week in 1965. Dads, too, are spending more time on childcare.

Sources:
Content courtesy of Nestle Professional
Pew Research Center (May 2019), The NPD Group, “Millennials with kids are a growth group for U.S. restaurants” (March 2019); Pew Research Center (May 2018); Technomic, The Flavor Experience – Evolving Family Dining Dynamics, August 2018; Datassential Keynote Report, Kids’ Menus, May 2016

Is it time to give your kids’ menu a facelift?

Ethnic-inspired and gourmet items on kids’ menus are top 20 trends.² Kids like what they know, so how can you balance the needs and the trends? Introducing new flavors with familiar ingredients can assist in balancing a kid-friendly item with unique flavor trends.

Condiments and sauces are a great option. For example, create kid-friendly “flights” offering fries with curry ketchup and chimichurri as dipping sauces.

Offering updates, such as switching out the bun for a waffle hash brown, can help develop more adventurous plates for familiar kid-friendly favorites such as burgers.

Want to be more adventurous? Capitalize on ethnic dishes that utilize kids’ staples such as French fries or mashed potatoes with Poutine or Lomo Saltado.

A few changes to your ingredients and tweaks to menu wording can convert your go-to kid friendly plate into a trend setting dish.

¹2018 Technomic’s 2018 Generational Consumer Trend Report
²National Restaurant Association Restaurant.org/FoodTrends

First from Chinet, a new 8oz Paper Container, made of heavy-duty double polycoated paperboard for strength and resistance to moisture and high temperatures. Next from Simply Potato, we’ve brought in 10 new items. Simply Potato Products use premium, fresh never frozen or dehydrated potatoes that give a quality satisfaction. First we have an Extra Large Diced, made with peeled russets cut to 7/8″ pieces. Next Large Redskin Diced Potato, made with skin-on diced to 5/8″, a Shredded White Potato Hash Browns, with a wide shred and made with peeled russet potatoes. A Classic Russet Mashed Potato, a traditional side dish. Southern Style Diced Potato, made from peeled russet potatoes diced into small pieces, guests will love their satisfying and fluffy texture. Large Diced Potato, slightly smaller than the extra large, diced at 3/4″ and made from peeled russet potatoes. Next Large Red Diced Potato, also diced at 3/4″, made from skin-on red potatoes. A White Mashed Potato, your classic mash made with peeled russets, skim milk and salt. Redskin Mashed Potato, made with skin-on redskins, skim milk, butter, natural sour cream flavor, salt and black pepper. Finally a Redskin Garlic Mashed Potato, made with skim milk, butter, salt, roasted garlic and white pepper. Next from Pillsbury, a  Bacon, Egg and Cheese Stuffed Waffle, made with savory bacon, real egg omelet, and cheddar cheese sauce sealed neatly in a crispy, sweet maple-flavored Belgian-style waffle. In Grab-N-Go format, perfect for busy patrons. New from Bake Crafters, a Whole Grain Blueberry Maple Waffle, that is a K12 compliant item. From Graphic Packaging a White Dome Lid that pairs with item #23420. Just in time for your back to school menu’s, or any menu where little ones might be, we’ve brought in 6 new flavors of Applesauce from Zee Zee’s Snacks! Zee Zee’s line of Applesauces are guaranteed that each one of the delicious, fun flavors contain 100% daily value of vitamin C and meets ½ cup of fruit requirements. First flavor, Unsweetened Strawberry – It’s every bit as sweet as a regular strawberry applesauce with nothing added to make it that way. Wild Watermelon – juicy watermelon and mild tartness of the apples make a blend of sweet perfection. Strawberry Banana – the three flavors in the Strawberry Banana Applesauce are a party in your mouth. Unsweetened Peach Mango – no added sugars or sweeteners. Unsweetened Orange Dreamsicle – a flavor reminiscent of your favorite summer treat, this orangey vanilla applesauce. And Birthday Cake – the sweet apple-y applesauce taste you know and love, with a confetti cake flavor. Lastly from Advantage, 2-Ply Facial Tissue in an attractive contemporary box.

Dennis Paper & Food Service delivers thousands of foodservice products and supplies to restaurants and food operations in Maine and New Hampshire. If you have a question or are interested in becoming a customer contact us or call 1-800-439-2727.

Stock status subject to change. Posted 7/31/19.