Bon Appetit! Treat your kids with a restaurant at home

Every kid likes to feel special and every kid likes eating out. So why not combine the two with your very own restaurant at home–complete with a waiter, menu and five-star table setting? Here’s how we did it.

Okay, so I have to say, my kids absolutely LOVED this! We’re well into week three of quarantine due to COVID-19. I figured, since we can’t go out to dinner right now, why not do it at home? And even after quarantine is over, I am definitely going to do this again. My kids thought it was the bomb. Here is how you can do it too.

Prep your restaurant at home menu

We have four boys ages 10 down to 4, so I planned a very kid-friendly menu. Here’s what our restaurant at home served for dinner:

Appetizer: Mandarin orange cups, rolls
Drink: Capri Suns
Main Dish: Tator tots and mini corn dogs
Dessert: Dessert cups and Little Debbie Treats

Of course, you don’t have to serve what we served. Just make something that you know that your kids will like and keep it simple.

Print your FREE restaurant menu

It wouldn’t be a fancy restaurant without a classy menu. I designed this menu with fill-in-the-blanks so you can write down whatever menu you would like. Don’t forget to write the name of your restaurant on the front. Download your menu by clicking on the link below. I offer this printable for FREE to all visitors of my blog, but if you’d like to show your support, feel free to buy me a taco 🌮.

Restaurant at Home Menu Instant Download

Menu for your restaurant at home. — FREE printable menu.

Get cookin’!

The best part about this meal is how easy it was. I just threw some tots and dogs in the oven and that was it. While everything was cooking, I set the table. Make it look really nice as if you were at a real restaurant. I put a candle out and had a fancy place setting. Put the menu on each of the plates. For added effect, I found a fireplace video on YouTube and put it on the TV.

Serve your guests

I told my kids to play in the backyard while we were getting everything ready. The only thing I told them was that we were having a special dinner tonight. When everything was ready, I told them to go around to the front and ring the doorbell. My husband greeted them like a real waiter and he even spoke with a French accent the entire time.

My kids were actually really well-behaved throughout the entire meal. They loved calling for the “waiter” and asking for refills on drinks. My husband made the entire experience so much fun. He really got into it.

Overall, our restaurant at home was a smashing success. And it was worth all the work to see my kids having so much fun. What ideas do you have to make your kids feel special? Leave your comments below.