Categorized less by their food (generally bland mainstream American) than by their use.

Family restaurants tolerate and promote the presence and activities of children with special treats, spaces, games and rewards, as well as budget prices. This normative image of family allows for some variation among chains (McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants with sit-down space) and restaurants with servers—Friendly’s, Howard Johnsons (with motels for travelers), Chili’s, diners, etc. Neighborhood and ethnic restaurants, however, also do strong family business—pizza, tacos, barbeque and dim sum have crossed over from their ethnic enclaves to allow for large and creative familiar groupings.