Survey: Parents with young children in the hospitality industry. For assignment!

[Hospitality_Student]

Hi :) I'm Kate and I'm a 17 year old year 12 student from Brisbane. I do not have any children or looking to have any within the next few years but I am currently doing a market segment assignment on parents with young children for my Hospitality class and was wondering if any parents here could help me out by answering the survey I wrote. Basically it is about taking children out to restaurant, hotels, resorts etc and what the industry can provide in order to make life going out to places much easier on parents.

I'd very much appreciate answers on this survey as soon as possible because I am a naughty little girl who left her assignment to just about the last minute ^^'

Please feel free to give opinions on the questions of the survey itself. :)

1. In general, do you believe that establishments need to do more in catering for the needs of children?

2. Do you feel that it is the parents responsibility and not the responsibility of the establishment to keep children entertained? (with the exception of high chairs, change tables, children's menu and a safe environment.)

3. What do you believe is needed in order for an establishment to be able to claim that they are child friendly?

-Highchairs, change tables and childrens menu's
-Non-supervised play area within sight of parents
-Supervised play area away from parents (to give parents a break)
-Quiet activities supplied at the table
-Child safe environment (clean and safe)
-Enclosed area so childrean can not wander out of the establishment
-Other- please state

4. Have you ever had reason for concern when it came to the safety or cleanliness of an establishment in regards to children?
If so, please state.

5. If your children were to misbehave in an establishment, would there be anything you would expect staff members to do in order to help?

6. Is there anything you would like to see less and/or more of on children's menu's?
If so please State.

7. Are there any establishments in the Hospitality Industry that you detour from because of your childrens needs?
If so, what are they and why?

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Thank you so much for your time :)

~Kate

[Rhoxie]

1. In general, do you believe that establishments need to do more in catering for the needs of children?
Yes I do - Many restaurants have one token (nasty looking) high chair and a kiddy menu that envolves nuggets and chips and that is what they call catering to children.

2. Do you feel that it is the parents responsibility and not the responsibility of the establishment to keep children entertained? (with the exception of high chairs, change tables, children's menu and a safe environment.)
Yes I do believe that parents should keep their own children entertained and behaving appropriately whilst in a restaurant. However if a certain establishment makes my job as a parent easier by providing amusements (colour ins, play area etc) that help entertain my children then I am likely to visit more often and stay longer thus spending more of my money there.

3. What do you believe is needed in order for an establishment to be able to claim that they are child friendly?

-Highchairs, change tables and childrens menu's
-Non-supervised play area within sight of parents
-Quiet activities supplied at the table
-Child safe environment (clean and safe)
-Enclosed area so childrean can not wander out of the establishment
-Other- please state

They should also not keep you waiting for a table.
They should always serve the childrens meals quickly. The childrens menu should include healthier items other than nuggets and chips, fish and chips or pizza and chips.
The high chairs provided should be incredibly clean with all safety straps present. The high chair trays should also be gladwrapped after cleaning so that there is a visible assurance that the tray is clean when the high chair is delivered.

4. Have you ever had reason for concern when it came to the safety or cleanliness of an establishment in regards to children?
If so, please state.
Many establishments do not clean or maintain their high chairs adequately

5. If your children were to misbehave in an establishment, would there be anything you would expect staff members to do in order to help?
No I do not expect the staff to disapline my children. However - if my children are hungry and cranky because of slow service or being made to wait for a table then I expect my children to be offered something to eat while they are waiting (eg bread/garlic bread etc)

6. Is there anything you would like to see less and/or more of on children's menu's?
If so please State.
Less chips ! childrens meals do not need to be served with chips. If we are at an Italian restaurant I expect there to be children's sized meals of Italian food, not fish and chips on the childrens menu.
7. Are there any establishments in the Hospitality Industry that you detour from because of your childrens needs?
If so, what are they and why?
Sizzler because you have to queue for a table
anywhere with poor service and nasty looking high chairs.

[MummyoftheMuffins]

1. In general, do you believe that establishments need to do more in catering for the needs of children?
Some places yes, others no. In general, alot of places don't offer high chairs etc, and therefore us parents need to take prams and so on into a busy restaurant. And the problem with that is there is often not enough room for prams in a restaurant.

2. Do you feel that it is the parents responsibility and not the responsibility of the establishment to keep children entertained? (with the exception of high chairs, change tables, children's menu and a safe environment.)
Yes. It couldn't be the restaurants responsibility to entertain your children. But high chairs, change tables, parents rooms etc is definately a must.

3. What do you believe is needed in order for an establishment to be able to claim that they are child friendly?A crowded busy restaurant for me is a No-No... My daughter likes to stumble around and can never sit in the one spot for very long. So a crowded restaurant with tables close together would probably be a problem, especially if i needed to get a pram in there next to our table.

-Highchairs, change tables and childrens menu's
-Non-supervised play area within sight of parents
-Supervised play area away from parents (to give parents a break)
-Quiet activities supplied at the table
-Child safe environment (clean and safe)
-Enclosed area so childrean can not wander out of the establishment
-Other- please state
4. Have you ever had reason for concern when it came to the safety or cleanliness of an establishment in regards to children?
If so, please state.Mainly just some places that have an open restaurant, with no doors. So an enclosed establishment with adult-only doors would be a good thing.

5. If your children were to misbehave in an establishment, would there be anything you would expect staff members to do in order to help?no i think that is the responsibility of the parent.

6. Is there anything you would like to see less and/or more of on children's menu's?
If so please State.Whenever i have gone to a restaurant, my daughter always has chips, because that is the only thing she will eat. (Which is fine) BUT, They always give you heaps of chips, I think that we should pay less and only get a little bowl or something, so we aren't wasting food we have paid for. Children's meals should be smaller, and decently priced.

7. Are there any establishments in the Hospitality Industry that you detour from because of your childrens needs?
If so, what are they and why?

I don't know sorry, I guess just some places that have the above problems.


I hope i helped a little, good luck with your assignment!:thumbsup:

[~Danni~]

hey :wave:
I worked in a café before having my bub and although we had a very baby friendly environment the café didn’t provide highchairs or a children’s menu which many patrons had a problem with. So far I haven’t encountered to many problems going out but I find that quite often bub has to sit on my lap which does make it harder to eat. I also think a children’s menu is useful when you are not able to order half serves of adult dishes or the adult dishes don’t cater to most children’s tastes, we lost a few customers because they didn’t feel they could bring their children for food.

I think it is totally the parent’s responsibility to keep children under control and entertained, aside from providing books and a few toys we left it to parents to keep children under control and entertained. We also had a large backyard area for kids to play which was excellent but some parents didn’t feel they needed to watch their young ones.

Child safe environment (clean and safe)
Non-supervised play area within sight of parents, depending on what sort of establishment I generally think that parents should be in charge of their own children (you would have to have people especially employed to supervise kids and many places don’t have the money or space to provide this.
Highchairs, change tables and children’s menu's, I don’t think a children’s menu is always needed providing you can purchase a smaller portion of a regular meal that would be appropriate for kids.

If my youngen was to misbehave I would feel that it was up to me to make sure that I had control of the situation. Having worked in hospitality I can’t even imagine what an employee could do to help.

I find that I have trouble getting a pram through lots of places so adequate pram parking/isle would be great, also highchairs are normally so grotty or missing pieces it makes it hard to use them. Ummmmmm I can’t think of anything else at the moment
Oh making sure kids get meals quickly makes them less likely to annoy other patrons even making sure you get the drink to them faster helps,

Hope it helps a little bit, good luck:fingerscrossed:

[InSaneOne]

Please feel free to give opinions on the questions of the survey itself. :)

1. In general, do you believe that establishments need to do more in catering for the needs of children?

some do yes

2. Do you feel that it is the parents responsibility and not the responsibility of the establishment to keep children entertained? (with the exception of high chairs, change tables, children's menu and a safe environment.)

yes it is but it helps to have friendly staff - not ones that frown on you because your baby is crying

3. What do you believe is needed in order for an establishment to be able to claim that they are child friendly?

yes -Highchairs, change tables and childrens menu's
yes -Non-supervised play area within sight of parents
not necessary but nice -Supervised play area away from parents (to give parents a break)
yes every place should have some cheap pencil or crayons and paper available on request -Quiet activities supplied at the table
yes definately -Child safe environment (clean and safe)
maybe if the place has room for it. -Enclosed area so childrean can not wander out of the establishment
-Other- please state it would be nice if there was better lighting near the baby change room and if it is in the diabled toilets like it ususally is a little bench near the change table would be really great as there isn't anywhere to put the baby bag while hanging on to the baby as the top of the toilet and sink are generally too far away.

4. Have you ever had reason for concern when it came to the safety or cleanliness of an establishment in regards to children?
If so, please state.
no

5. If your children were to misbehave in an establishment, would there be anything you would expect staff members to do in order to help?
offer the use of a quite area if the child is screaming but otherwise disapline should be the parents responsibility

6. Is there anything you would like to see less and/or more of on children's menu's?
If so please State. some veges or fruit you can usually get fish/nuggets and chips but nothing that is healthy.

7. Are there any establishments in the Hospitality Industry that you detour from because of your childrens needs?
If so, what are they and why?

i hate going into somewhere that is smokey and full of drunks. i like a clean smoke free area and i am going to enjoy going out when the no smokeing at all rule comes in.

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Thank you so much for your time :)

~Kate[/QUOTE]

[Tisme]

1. In general, do you believe that establishments need to do more in catering for the needs of children?
Yes - Maintaining and PROVIDing High Chairs. They really are an inexpensive NECESSITY for children also provide a childrens menu that has colouring in on it ... simple, and effective for children to choose their own meals (for older children) as well as entertaining. One restaurant my DP worked at provided a monthly colouring comp for the kids menu's and they displayed the winners on the wall ... it was a real homely touch to the otherwise starkness of a restaurant.

2. Do you feel that it is the parents responsibility and not the responsibility of the establishment to keep children entertained? (with the exception of high chairs, change tables, children's menu and a safe environment.)
Yes.

3. What do you believe is needed in order for an establishment to be able to claim that they are child friendly?

-Highchairs, change tables and childrens menu's - YES
-Non-supervised play area within sight of parents - Maybe
-Supervised play area away from parents (to give parents a break) - NO
-Quiet activities supplied at the table - YES
-Child safe environment (clean and safe) - YES
-Enclosed area so childrean can not wander out of the establishment - DEFINATELY
-Other- please state - Friendly staff who have the patience to allow the children to order their own meals if necassary, or at least politely talk to the child/ren.
- I don't think the cleanliness levels in any establishment should be improved JUST to be Child Safe, Adults need cleanliness as well.

4. Have you ever had reason for concern when it came to the safety or cleanliness of an establishment in regards to children?
If so, please state.
Staff ot being trained in the ediquet of serving around children ... ie. Don't put knife and fork in front of a child unless stimpulated by the parent ... NEVER serve Hot drinks over the childs seat and NEVER lean across a child to serve others at the table.

5. If your children were to misbehave in an establishment, would there be anything you would expect staff members to do in order to help?
YES - Divert the attention of the nosey parker at the next table to you .... the amount of times I have heard a staff member comment on the misbehaving child whilst taking an order from a nearby table ... ! But if they were to divert the staring people away from the noise then the parents may have more a chance settling the child down ... as the child WON'T have an audience to play to.

6. Is there anything you would like to see less and/or more of on children's menu's?
If so please State.

Half size NORMAL food

7. Are there any establishments in the Hospitality Industry that you detour from because of your childrens needs?
If so, what are they and why?

Clubs - often not much room between tables.
Tightly packed Restaurants
Cafes - often no more than 2 to a table and are in very confined space!

good luck with assignment!

[hannabanana]

hi, im also in year 12, this year though!
i realise you did your assigmnent a year ago, but i was wondering if i could maybe have a look at yours, im just trying to get a grasp on how its ment to look, the layout and stuff because im really struggling with mine. :|
thanks heaps.
x