Last week, the 5 best places to eat in your area meme was everywhere. It even made the online version of our local newspaper. Although Doug and I were tagged multiple times, we didn’t have anything to add to the great foods discussion. Taking our family out causes chaos from the moment the staff see us and make no attempts to hide their frowns until we try to keep a very active 2-year-old still and clean. Primarily, we don’t go out to places with tasty food, because it’s just too expensive to eat good food. We eat cheap food and that’s not something to brag about. I think it was Latte Man who once said that you shouldn’t eat anywhere you wouldn’t trust the staff to take care of your child. My apologies to restaurant employees everywhere, but I can’t help but think of all the stories I’ve heard about kitchen staff standing outside the building getting high during their break. That said, here’s a list of five restaurants with some form of a “kids eat free” policy.
1. IHOP – Our favorite place to take the crowd has one free child’s meal for every adult meal purchased between 3 and 9 pm. The service and quality varies greatly from location to location. We have been happiest with the employees and food at the Turkey Creek location.
2. CiCi’s and Shoney’s – Kids under 3 eat free at the buffet. This is not a great help to our family, so we don’t take advantage of Shoney’s offer. CiCi’s is so inexpensive that we go there when the children have friends visiting.
3. O’Charley’s – Kids eat free but we never go there since it is still too expensive and I associate them with hepatitis.
4. Hooters – Has a kids eat free night but we don’t go there. I’m not going to elaborate on what should be obvious reasons.
5. Denny’s – We used to eat there, but they no longer have a restaurant in Knoxville. I hear there’s still one in Pigeon Forge.
“I’m not going to elaborate on what should be obvious reasons.”
Owls?
I don’t remember making such a statement, or at least I don’t remember it out of context (cause it sure don’t make any sense in this discussion).
I guess it depends on what I meant (if I said it) by “take care of” I mean the TGIFridays and Applebee’s in our area are very kid friendly, and in a sense, “take care of” my daughter (and other kids) quite well, in that they have crayons, activities, etc. etc. to keep them busy, and don’t at all act like kids are an “issue” as they do at some places.
And the list you provided is as good as any list (if not better) than any one else provided. I mean it is nice to list all “5 star” restaurants and such, but in reality, I am much more likely to find myself in an IHOP or Applebee’s than the “best” places to eat anyway.
AT – If they’d just clean out the owl traps more frequently.
Jay – I wish I could do justice to the post that talked about allowing our children to eat food prepared by unseen, unknown entities when we are so careful with everything else in their lives. It made a lot of sense and was the kind of intelligent and perceptive observation that you regularly make.