Restaurants work (and play) to attract customers with kidsRestaurants work (and play) to attract customers with kids

It used to be that restaurants had to please moms to attract families. But today, it’s all about the kids.

With more than 1.1 billion visits from parties with kids lost since 2012, operators who want to recoup visits need to take a fresh approach to meeting the needs of the under-12 set, according to global market research firm The NPD Group.

“Kids today are not like kids 10 years ago,” said NPD analyst Bonnie Riggs. “Doing the usual, the same, may not be as compelling as it once was.”

According to the latest research from Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD, kids begin making their own decisions about what to order at restaurants across all segments starting as young as age five. Additionally, nearly 50 percent of children order their own meal...