News

Technomic report sheds new light on Kids' Menus

New report features consumer insights from 500 parents of children under 11.

November 28, 2005

Kids' menus play an important role for many fast-casual restaurants, accounting for over 1,100 distinct menu items at the top 250 chains. They also factor largely in the dining out decisions for many parents with kids. To better understand how restaurant operators can target kids and their families, Technomic Information Services, a division of Technomic, Inc. recently released The Kids' Menu Report 2006. The new report thoroughly canvases kids' menus in both limited- and full-service restaurants, providing detailed reporting and key takeaways on menu variety, proteins and desserts. Among the findings reported: "what kids want" dominates the decision-making process, accounting for 80 percent of the reason parents order off kids' menus at chain restaurants. Value, toys, habit, and healthfulness all take a back seat to kids' food preferences. Furthermore, 90 percent for parents of three-to-eight-year-olds cite the existence of a kids' menu as an important factor in choosing a quick-service restaurant. The report also found that at fast-casual restaurants, kids' menu usage peaks at ages three to five, dropping slightly for six-to-eight-year-olds.