My husband has been vacation since before Christmas. And when he’s on vacation, I partly check out too. I can’t completely take time off from my job as a stay at home mom, but I do get lazy with my other routine tasks, especially cooking. We’ve been eating out a lot these last two weeks. And that got me thinking, I need to create a section on this blog dedicated to eating out with children! Because going out to eat with little ones in tow is hard work. Thankfully, there are a lot of places to eat around here that make it easier for parents with kids.
Our latest favorite place to eat out with the little guy? Chick-fil-A!
Chick-fil-A is relatively new in Connecticut but there are already 6 locations in the state: Brookfield, Danbury Fair Mall, Mohegan Sun, North Haven, Wallingford and of course, Enfield. We New Englanders love our chicken sandwiches just as much as they do down South!
What sets Chick-fil-A apart from other fast food places though? For one, they have an awesome indoor play area, one of the best in the area. They also have a really great kid’s menu with healthy choices like fruit cups, grilled chicken and smaller portions. And the service is incredible.
When you first enter the restaurant, you head right to the counter and order your food. They have a lot of great options for the adults including my favorite, the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich and waffle fries. Their sweet tea is really good as well. I’ve also had their salads which are huge and very tasty.
They have a great kid’s menu. We always order our little man the grilled chicken nuggets (sometimes we splurge on the regular nuggets), fruit cup and chocolate milk. Between my waffle fries and my husband’s, he gets his hands on a few of those as well! The kid’s meals come with a toy, and if you have a child under the age of 3, you can request a board book instead.
Once you order and pay for your food, you are given a plastic container that basically serves as your marker. You can go find yourself a seat, and then you wait for them to deliver the food to you! How crazy is that! A fast food restaurant that delivers your food to your seat! Talk about southern hospitality! That is perhaps one of the nicest perks at this restaurant.
The dining area is pretty large, so you have plenty of seats to choose from.
They also have high chairs available. You’ll find those towards the back of the restaurant near the play area.
He started out in the highchair but that didn’t last long. I think we are slowly transitioning out of the highchair… which really stinks because it was a great way to keep him contained and out of trouble!
Our food arrived pretty quickly, so we were able to eat right away, which is always helpful when you have a child with you. He plowed right into his food, especially those waffle fries!
He started eating so quickly that I didn’t even have time to set up his placemat, another great thing Chick-fil-A provides. These are little plastic placemats that actually stick to the table. So it helps keep everything clean!
Once we finished eating, we finally let the wild man loose. He wanted to get into the toddler play area!
The play area has a few rules. The area is for guests that are 54″ and shorter. Normally, you see play areas that are the older crowd, so this is different. For awhile, I actually never took him into the play area because I thought he was too little. So it was nice when I discovered I was wrong!
There is also no food or drink allowed in the play area.
Additionally, they ask that you play nicely, don’t run, or climb on the outside of the equipment, and that parents accompany their child while they are in the play area.
Before you enter, you should also take a minute to clean up your kids hands from all the ketchup and waffle fry grease!
Once inside the room, they have a spot for your child to deposit their shoes. No shoes are allowed inside the play area.
The play area is not huge but it has a lot of fun things to do including places to climb, a slide, the car hanging in the air, and activity walls. In the winter, the room can feel chilly so you’ll want to keep a sweater or their coat handy in case the kids get cold. Although with the way they run around, I think they will keep plenty warm!
The back wall is geared towards toddlers (3 and under). It has fun activities like matching games, puzzles and a big mirror.
Parents are encouraged to play and have fun with their kids! The sign even says so!
Once I was ready for a break, I sent daddy in to watch the boy! The nice feature about this play area is that while one parent is in there, the other parent can sit outside at the table and watch everything from their seat since the wall is made of glass! So while I sat and sipped on my drink, and took some photos, I could see the two of them in the play area the whole time! Also, while I was sitting at the table, an employee came over and offered to refill my beverage. Another reason I love the service at this restaurant!
After a good half hour of playing, we finally lured our child out of the play area with a strawberry milkshake! They also offer other treats like ice cream, frosted coffee and cookies. I ordered a large shake with the intention that all three of us could share it… but he had other plans.
We had a good time at lunch. Chick-fil-A has definitely been a welcome addition to Enfield, and to Connecticut. They do a great job at making your meal with a child stress-free, from the food to the service and of course, the play area helps! So if you have yet to check Chick-fil-A out, do yourself a favor and dine-in for lunch or dinner! They also serve breakfast so if you like chicken for your first meal of the day, you can also check that out. But just remember, Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays!
Also, make sure to follow your local Chick-fil-A on Facebook since they often post special events and promotions like Cow Appreciation Day or free breakfast items (Enfield’s Chick-fil-A Facebook page can be found here).
This about sums it up…
25 Hazard Avenue – Enfield, Connecticut
Hours:
Sunday: Closed
Monday through Saturday: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Features:
- Free Parking
- Changing tables are located in ladies and men’s room- handicap stall
- Lots of seating
- Highchairs available
- Kids Menu with many healthy options available
- Major credit cards accepted
- Play Area available for children 3 and under – no shoes allowed so make sure your child has socks on!
