Magazine Awards Best Places in America for Kids to Eat
Restaurant Hospitality, a business magazine for the full-service restaurant industry, announced the winners of its seventh annual Best Kids Menu in America. Restaurant Hospitality Publisher Jess Grossberg and Editor-In-Chief Mike Sanson presented the awards at the Kids Marketing Conference 2002 held recently in San Diego.
“These awards represent the best efforts of America’s restaurants to create memorable family dining experiences. From creative menu programs to kid-friendly menu selections, these restaurateurs and schools have learned how to win over the kids and the entire family,” said Grossberg. Grand award winners were named in six categories:
- Quick Service Restaurant – Arby’s, Atlanta
- Upscale Restaurant – Tanaka of Tokyo Restaurants, Honolulu
- Casual Theme Restaurant – Rainforest Cafe, Houston
- Family Restaurant – Friendly’s, Wilbraham, Mass.
- Hotel – Port-O-Call Hotel, Ocean City, N.J.
- Schools – Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Schools, Calif.
Donohue/Meehan Publishing, a subsidiary of Penton Media, Inc., produces the magazine and conference.
Moderator Comment: What retailers/restaurants do the
best job (or not) of catering to kids and families?
We are not familiar with all the establishments chosen
by Restaurant Hospitality. We do take exception with the choice of Friendly’s,
however. In our little corner of the world, it is known as the slowest fast
food restaurant on the planet. The food is okay and kids (parents too) enjoy
it but the 20 to 30 minute wait between ordering is almost enough to push any
six year old (mom and dad also) over the edge. [George
Anderson – Moderator]