European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine new York times when parents eat out kids now go along by Liza Nelson new York times before they had children Anne and Joel Beerman went out to dinner a lot. A lot emphasized Beerman a lawyer in new York. We went to inexpensive seafood restaurants ethnic restaurants and to i Don t know what you Call them new wave or whatever with salads and fancy  now every thursday evening while his wife attends an exercise class Beerman goes out for a meal with his son will 9 years old and daughter Ellie 4. They go to much the same kind of place that Beerman liked 10 years ago. More and More parents like Beerman Are taking their children with them when they Dine out. According to a nationwide Survey in the United states of 10,000 families of All income Levels that was taken for the National restaurant association the number of children under age 6 patronizing better restaurants Rose 43 percent Between 1982 and 1986, far faster than the Overall increase of 10 percent in that Market. A reason for this trend is that Many parents now have More disposable income less Access to baby Sitters and a genuine desire to spend their free time with their children. The restaurant Industry has noted the change and reacting to it. Take for example Newport Bay a restaurant at the rive place Marina in Portland Ore. Although 70 percent of the restaurant s diners Are business customers on expense accounts Newport Bay holds a monthly drawing to give a $25 gift certificate to a Young Patron based on pictures children draw while eating there. Is last year the Hyatt corp. In Chicago sent a memo to its food and beverage directors that stressed the importance of the family Market. At the Hyatt Ravia hotel in Atlanta every child at the cafe Ravinia is greeted at the door Given a balloon a special menu and an activity Book and crayons. All items on the adult menu can be ordered in half portions at half Price. The Way society is going with both parents working and one Parent families they feel guilty leaving the kids at Home said Melissa Libby a spokeswoman for the hotel Chain. We want them to come  children accompany their parents for a variety of reasons. It s hard to plan ahead to Call the few teen agers we know in the City willing to baby sit said Irwin Arieff a correspondent for the Reuters news service in Washington. His difficulty is shared by Many other families. Equally important to Arieff and his wife Deborah Baldwin the editor of common cause Magazine is the pleasure they derive from meals out with their daughter Alexis who is 6. The same is True for Nancy Wilson a part time teacher who lives in suburban Boston with her husband Dana a print shop manager and daughters Amy 7, and Emily 5. We enjoy going out mrs. Wilson explained. We re financially Able and we want our kids to have a Good  parents like the Wilsons Are unwilling to Settle for what they consider the mediocrity of fast food and family franchises. We Don t want to get to a Point where we think Ponderosa is Quality and we teach our son Jake the same said Debbie Kirsch a homemaker in Portland. Naturally parents look for places that will keep their children Happy. Finding meals that children will like May be the easiest problem to solve. According to a 1987 Gallup Survey of 509 restaurants in All Price categories 75 percent said they offered child size portions or a children s menu. But families also require a restaurant with an ambiance and noise level that will not be shattered by children s voices. Quick understanding service is appreciated too. Some parents have been surprised to discover that the haunts from their single Days May meet those criteria. Many restaurants that opened in the Early 1970s, offering Young adults a casual upbeat atmosphere in which to eat drink and mingle now Cater to families with children. If we talk about the last three years there has been Good improvement in what we Call casual dining Fern bars in attracting children said Dave Jenkins the marketing director of consumer reports on eating share trends or Crest a Chicago company that does Market surveys. Steve Nygren a partner in the peasant group which operates 13 restaurants in Atlanta and Washington noticed the trend starting about five years ago. This entire generation who have been eating in Fern bars for years still want a relaxed atmosphere now that they re getting married and having children he said when the peasant group opened its Neo Der micks in Atlanta in 1984, we really thought about kids Nygren said. Mick s has cheerios on its children s menu and each Highchair comes with crackers raisins and a bib. Tai fridays a National Chain based in Addison i e was a singles Haven in the 70s. Now it has developed an award winning children s menu and offers a number of drinks like the oreo Speed Wagon using flavors children appreciate wednesday july 20, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 13