I am often surprised by how poorly Irish restaurants cater for families. As the birth rate in the country continues to grow, this untapped market offers huge potential to the imaginative restauranteur. The problems encountered by families stem initially from poor design. At the entry point, it can be difficult for parents with buggies to manoeuvre through doors and tightly packed tables, there may be no high chairs for little ones, childrens menus can be limited to nuggets and fries and there is nowhere for them to wander safely without risk to the child's safety and the parents' sanity. We also have have some way to go in terms of service and value for money! For those with an interest in tapping into this segment, I suggest a trip to IKEA! It's got a great self-service restaurant with multi-tray trollies, bottle-warming facilities, a play area in the centre so parents can keep an eye out, free bibs, colourful plastic crockery, baby food from 'Hip Organic' (free with every adult meal) and a kids meal from only £1 which includes a free piece of fruit! Other facilities include family toilets, nappy dispensers and baby changing units.
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