As a new restaurant owner, you are constantly looking for ways to attract and retain new customers. There are no magic methods to growing your business, but refining certain aspects of your service can certainly help. You may want to team up with or talk with an industry professional, like Buffalo Phil's Pizza & Grille, for more tips.

However, focusing on children's services is one way to expand your clientele.

Family-centered Service

Parents will visit your restaurant for convenience' sake as much as for the food. If you provide quality highchairs and no-spill kids' cups, parents will be appreciative. In addition, you need to offer simple entertainment for kids. Even crayons and coloring placemats will make your business more attractive to children. Your goal is to minimize mess and emphasize distraction. 

Healthy Menu

Parents are more interested than ever in having their kids eating a healthy meal while dining out. In addition to the usual kids' hamburger and fries offerings, your restaurant can join the Kids Livewell program sponsored by the National Restaurant Association. To participate, you need to have at least one complete children's meal on the menu that contains an entree, side dish, and beverage that is no more than 600 calories and that provides two or more servings of vegetables, fruit, or other healthy foods. You will also have to provide nutritional information about these healthy meal choices. By offering these healthy meals, you will enhance your reputation among concerned parents.  

Pricing

Children do not eat as much, and so their portions are smaller. As a result, you should charge approximately 50% of adult meal prices for your kids' meals. Making the dining experience affordable for families is essential to keep them coming back on a regular basis. You should also consider choosing one night a week when younger children eat free. Pick one of your slow nights and prepare the staff to focus on children. You should still have a profitable evening, but more importantly, you are currying goodwill and repeat business. 

The food industry is a tough business. There is no one way to make your restaurant profitable, but focusing on families can certainly help. A night out with the kids will never be totally relaxing, but a restaurant that focuses on the child's dining experience can certainly take some stress off of parents. Happy parents will return again and again, in part, because their children will demand that they do. If you win over the kids, the parents will follow, and your restaurant will thrive.