Insights

How To Be Kid-Friendly: The Fast Food Edition

How To Be Kid-Friendly: The Fast Food Edition

UPDATED JULY 2026

Part 1 of our 2-part infographic series. Download as a PDF or check out part 2, the Casual Dining edition here.

A tall, colorful infographic by C3 Lab uses playful illustrations of children, toys, fast-food packaging, and bright sections in green, orange, red, yellow, and purple to explain how kid-friendly features influence family dining decisions at quick-service restaurants (QSRs). The infographic combines charts, bar graphs, icons, and survey data to show that both parents and children value kids' meals, engaging packaging, and especially toys as part of the restaurant experience. Key findings include: Families with children under 13 account for 25% of all QSR traffic, representing $54.5 billion in annual spending. 75% of parents say a restaurant's kid-friendliness is very important when deciding where to eat. The top priorities for parents are: Kids' meals (69%) Food their kids enjoy (65%) Toys (59%) The top things kids are excited about are: Toys (59%) Kids' meals (57%) Food they enjoy (56%) Additional features parents appreciate include kid-specific packaging, kids' play areas, kids' drinks and cups, and recognizable brand characters or mascots. Features ranked least important for kid-friendliness are: Discounts on kids' meals (28%) Healthy food options (25%) Mobile ordering (18%)
Families expect traditional kids' meal components: Kids' cups (89%) Toys (86%) Kid-specific meal bags or boxes (85%) Parents rate the following as important to the kids' meal experience: Food their kids enjoy (96%) Kids' cups (86%) Toys (83%) Kid-specific packaging (80%) A chart measuring anticipation for receiving a toy shows 50% of children rated their excitement as 10 out of 10, with 89% rating their excitement between 8 and 10. 85% of parents say toys make kids excited to visit a restaurant, and 85% feel positively about fast-food restaurants that include toys in kids' meals. 63% of parents believe their child would enjoy a kids' meal less if it did not include a toy.
85% of parents say toys make kids excited to visit a restaurant, and 85% feel positively about fast-food restaurants that include toys in kids' meals. 63% of parents believe their child would enjoy a kids' meal less if it did not include a toy. The infographic also lists the most desirable giveaway features, including playable toys, surprise packaging, collectibles, educational content, imaginative play, familiar characters, activities families can enjoy together, and toys that encourage outdoor play.
The infographic also lists the most desirable giveaway features, including playable toys, surprise packaging, collectibles, educational content, imaginative play, familiar characters, activities families can enjoy together, and toys that encourage outdoor play. The infographic concludes by encouraging restaurants to "win with families," noting that making children feel welcome helps attract the entire family. It includes a July 2026 update date, cites survey results from more than 2,000 parents of children ages 3–9, and ends with C3 Lab branding and the website C3brandmarketing.com.
Contact Us