I took the kids to Chick-Fil-A tonight. By myself. On kids' night. Will had a dinner program tonight and I was pooped after a VERY long day at work, so I decided to go to Chick-Fil-A so the kids could play for a little while after dinner (preferable until bedtime). When I made these plans in my head, and after I told Claire about said plans this morning, I remembered that Tuesday night is kids' night at the ole' Chick-Fil-A. I decided to go anyway. BIG. MISTAKE.
If I ever decide to take this voyage again, I have a few tips/rules that I will follow:
(1) Don't go alone. There should be one parent per unrestrained child in the restaurant.
(2) Don't sit where your kids can see the play area. Otherwise, they won't eat.
(3) Take your child to the potty before you order and get your food. Especially if you have not followed Rule #1. You might then have to ask some random stranger at the next table to watch your food while you take your valuables and all of your children to the bathroom.
(4) Let your child either (1) eat ice cream OR (2) play in the play area. Doing both would be way too overstimulating. Claire picked ice cream so we headed to Target afterwards to fill the time until bedtime instead of playing.
(5) Grab any open table you see as fast as you can!
I also have a few tips for Chick-Fil-A:
(1) If you see a family with unequal parent to child ratio, help the parent to his or her table with their large tray of food. Otherwise, the three-year-old will have to push the baby in his high chair to the table and this could be dangerous for your other customers.
(2) Free kids' meals should be for "kids". While I personally love to order kids' meals for myself at fast food restaurants, when you are running a big promotion, you need to limit the number of kids' meals a family can order or at least put an age limit on the free meals. There were way too many teenagers and childless parents in loitering in the restaurant.
(3) Train your employees to be a little more helpful to parents of young children. If you see that they are finished eating, offer to take the tray/trash. Help them get to their table with their food OR find an empty table for them. Offer to get them refills on their drink.
I am a BIG fan of the Chick-Fil-A, but this was not a good night for them in my book. I am tempted to right a letter to the store manager. I have been in other local Chick-Fil-A restaurants (at equally busy times) and had much more pleasant experiences.
This is not a DEAL BREAKER for me though by any means. I just need to vent a little. All done.
If I ever decide to take this voyage again, I have a few tips/rules that I will follow:
(1) Don't go alone. There should be one parent per unrestrained child in the restaurant.
(2) Don't sit where your kids can see the play area. Otherwise, they won't eat.
(3) Take your child to the potty before you order and get your food. Especially if you have not followed Rule #1. You might then have to ask some random stranger at the next table to watch your food while you take your valuables and all of your children to the bathroom.
(4) Let your child either (1) eat ice cream OR (2) play in the play area. Doing both would be way too overstimulating. Claire picked ice cream so we headed to Target afterwards to fill the time until bedtime instead of playing.
(5) Grab any open table you see as fast as you can!
I also have a few tips for Chick-Fil-A:
(1) If you see a family with unequal parent to child ratio, help the parent to his or her table with their large tray of food. Otherwise, the three-year-old will have to push the baby in his high chair to the table and this could be dangerous for your other customers.
(2) Free kids' meals should be for "kids". While I personally love to order kids' meals for myself at fast food restaurants, when you are running a big promotion, you need to limit the number of kids' meals a family can order or at least put an age limit on the free meals. There were way too many teenagers and childless parents in loitering in the restaurant.
(3) Train your employees to be a little more helpful to parents of young children. If you see that they are finished eating, offer to take the tray/trash. Help them get to their table with their food OR find an empty table for them. Offer to get them refills on their drink.
I am a BIG fan of the Chick-Fil-A, but this was not a good night for them in my book. I am tempted to right a letter to the store manager. I have been in other local Chick-Fil-A restaurants (at equally busy times) and had much more pleasant experiences.
This is not a DEAL BREAKER for me though by any means. I just need to vent a little. All done.
1 comment:
phew ! i've been there ! and don't want to be there again anytime soon ! my babies are 5 and 7 now though so we're through that stage ! hope your next experience is better ! did you end up writing that letter ??
PS ... i answered your question in my most recent post ... http://bonnie-simple-beauty.blogspot.com/
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