• The main reason families dine out is to celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday or an anniversary (83%). For 50% of families, however, going out for dinner is a welcome reprieve from preparing a meal at home. 
• When it comes to choosing where to eat, the most popular venue for 29% of families is the traditional British pub, which as a sector has done extremely well to align itself with this market over recent years, offering family-friendly environments, value for money meal deals and offers. The reassurance and familiarity that branded restaurants offer also act as a draw for families, with 22% choosing a chain restaurant such as Nando's, GBK or Jamie's Italian, while only 14% would opt for a local independent restaurant.
• Families remain very price sensitive - 67% of respondents cited this as a key motivator in choosing where to eat. Also high on the agenda is the variety of food on offer with 65% of consumers stating that the menu options available influence where they dine out.
• When it comes to children's menus, chips are the side of choice, featuring in all three of the top dishes parents are most likely to order for their youngsters - chicken nuggets and chips (58%), burger and chips (56%) and fish and chips (49%).

We have created a handy infographic highlighting the key findings of the recent research, as well as a range of activity sheets - available for operators to download free at www.aviko.co.uk/downloads/pos - to keep children entertained while eating out.

* NPD Group ** Aviko/Toluna June 2015