MAKING FAMILY LIFE MORE ENJOYABLE New WaysOf Dining Out, Family Style (NAPSA)—A recent survey showed that families are placing more emphasis on dining together. The study found almost 80 percent of families believe dining together helps them keep up with each other’s lives. Four out of five families have those family dinners at restaurants at least several times a month. In response to this trend and the changing needs of families, restaurants across the country have developed more family friendly innovations. From menu additions to customer education, restaurants have found unique ways to capture the growing family dining marketplace. “We’re thrilled to see that restaurants across the country are taking the extra steps to enrich the family dining experience for their customers,” said Sheila Cohn, registered dietitian with the National Restaurant Association. “All restaurants need to recognize that dining out is a key timefor families to make connections in their busy lives.” Thanks to Family Diner, a program created by The CocaCola Company with support from the National Restaurant Association, families now have some help choosing the right place to eat out together. Throughout the year, families can find tips and suggestions for making eating out easier and more fun at www.familydiner.com. Friendly’s, a participant in the Family Diner Program, recently Special options for adolescent eaters at Friendly’s help make dining morefun for families. introduced a Big Kids Menu to cater to adolescent eaters. Kids who aren’t quite ready to order from the regular menu but have a more sophisticated palate and larger appetite than the little ones, can find some satisfying choices. Ruby Tuesday also has updated its choices for kids. Through the restaurant’s “Smart Eating Initiative,” children now have eight new menu choices that contain less fat and calories and healthier, whole-grain carbohydrate options. As families seek sensible and affordable options for dining out, many of the nation’s restaurants haverisen to the challenge, offering appealing options for families looking for reasonably priced, well-balanced meals to accommodate their fast-paced lifestyles.
