Our recent study has revealed that three-quarters of customers with young children believe that pubs are doing enough to appeal to families. The survey found that the efforts of the sector to attract a wider demographic had been widely recognised as successful by the vast majority of respondents.
Unsurprisingly, the provision of child-friendly food offerings is by far the chief demand for customers with young children. However, although 91% of guests stated they would expect a separate children's menu to be available when they visit a pub, only 52% prefer to order for their children through this menu. A significant 36% of customers favoured smaller portions of dishes from the main menu for young children, indicating that there are alternative options for pubs hoping to minimise the number of dishes and ingredients they use, or for those wishing to cater for children in a less overt way.
In terms of specific food items customers that have young children are keen to see on the menu, a mini roast dinner came top of the list. This was closely followed by chicken nuggets, demonstrating that there is still a market for some of the traditional children's menu options alongside the smaller portions of adult meals.
Additionally, when it came to pub facilities, a quarter of respondents (26%) felt that the most important way pubs could appeal to families was to provide a separate dining area specifically for those with young children. The provision of family-focused special offers and entertainment in the form of colouring books and goodie bags were also highlighted as attractive.
Furthermore, health considerations were also found to be a top concern for customers with young children, with 66% stating they would like to see calorie, health, and allergen information displayed on the menu.
Elsewhere in the hospitality sector, chain restaurants scored particularly highly in catering for children, so it may be worthwhile for those keen to improve their offering further to look at brands in this area for inspiration.
We've found from diner feedback that each chain often has one or two things they do well or differently, which means there are sure to be some specific aspects from these brands that other operators can apply to their own business.
For those pubs wishing to be more than just wet-led, and wanting to appeal across all of the day parts, then it is clear that making younger guests feel welcome offers a great opportunity to boost income.
