I am talking about a chain of restaurants that, while targets families at a very small scale, their main focus is on teenagers on the weekends and professionals during the busy lunch time of the Monday through Friday work-week. So, why is it really important for this particular chain of restaurants to offer a kids meal program? Why can't they continue to carry on targeting these very strong groups and survive in their market?
A kids meal program is in fact that: a program - a combination of elements that put together, manages to keep kids busy, entertained and that aims at increasing the interaction between parents and kids. There is a strong misconception that a kids meal program must include kids meal toys - the sort of plastic wind-up, pull-back, press-n-go toy, typically made of pvc, abs, hips and many other types of plastic. This is not the case. A program can be composed of a placemat, a pack of crayons and a 12 oz. plastic cup or it can be as simple as a separate printed kids menu with offerings that aim to better satisfy your young customers (in the right size and portions). A kids' meal program is about empowering the young consumer to make their own decision and providing them with menu options that satisfy their selective appetite.
So, what did this particular chain of restaurants decide to do? They realized there was a need for a program - but they left the plastic, high-end pull-backs for the Mc. Donald's and the Burger King's of the world. They will concentrate on making their brand stronger while incorporating a kids meal program - the addition of a different menu that targets specifically two different age groups. They have taken this concept a step further and to offer a kids menu and a teens menu as they realize that they have enough of an audience that could further benefit from this new addition.
Will it work? I believe it will. I truly think that unless they want to stop doing business 10 years down the road they need not to forget the young clients. They are the future of their business. They are the ones that will come back to the stores by themselves and eventually with their families. They will remember who served them well and who didn't. I know this stands true at a personal level. I clearly recall who treated me like an important client in my younger years and who simply brushed me off because I could not reach the counter.
