Waiting for food to arrive can be tricky with kids in tow — especially when hunger or tiredness starts to creep in. A little distraction goes a long way, so we asked parents to share their favourite ways to keep kids entertained at the table.
Here are 13 fun waiting games to play at a restaurant with kids, to help everyone (including the table next to you!) enjoy the meal out.
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Games to Play at a Restaurant
Waiting around is never much fun, especially with hungry or tired kids. These simple games work just as well at a restaurant table as they do queuing in a line or passing time anywhere else.
It’s always worth popping a small notepad and pen in your bag — it opens up extra options like writing practice, drawing, making lists, or folding paper aeroplanes while you wait.
Most of the games below can be adjusted up or down depending on the ages of the kids playing. Have fun!
#1. I-Spy
A classic that never gets old. It’s perfect for filling a few minutes while you wait for food to arrive. For younger children, try playing with colours instead of letters so they can join in too.
#2. Yes/No
The challenge here is to answer questions without ever saying “yes” or “no.” Whoever lasts longest without slipping up wins. For younger kids, set a fixed number of questions — if they get through them without saying yes or no, they’ve won.
#3. Hangman
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Keep a small notebook and pen handy for moments like this — or ask if the restaurant has spare paper or a paper kids’ menu you can use. The goal is to guess the word before the drawing is complete.
1. Think of a word, phrase or movie title (keep your audience in mind).
2. Write the word out as dashes on the page, one dash per letter.
3. The other player(s) take turns guessing letters.
4. Correct guesses get filled into the matching space (fill in every instance if the letter appears more than once).
5. Incorrect guesses mean you draw another part of the hangman picture — or any simple picture in stages, drawn over roughly ten guesses.
6. The game ends when the word is guessed correctly, or the picture is completed first.
#4. Pub Quiz
One parent asks general trivia questions and the kids try to answer. For younger children, offer a few multiple-choice options to make it easier.
#5. Guess People’s Names
Try guessing the names of other diners in the restaurant — and have a go at guessing what they do for a living, whether they have pets, or where they might live. Older kids often enjoy taking this further and building a whole (silly) backstory to share by the end of the meal.
#6. Capture the Squares
1. Draw a grid of dots (around 16–20) and take turns drawing a line to connect two dots.
2. When a player’s line completes a square, they write their initial inside it.
3. Once the grid is full, count up the squares for each player — whoever has the most wins.
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#7. I Packed My Bags
A memory game that works just as well in a restaurant as it does on a long car journey.
1. The first player says: “I packed my bags for [place] and in it I put…” and names an item (for example, “I packed my bags for France and in it I put a map”).
2. The next player repeats the first item and adds one more (for example, “I packed my bags for France and in it I put a map and a hat”).
3. Play continues, with the list growing longer and trickier each round. Anyone who forgets an item is out, and the last player remaining wins.
#8. Would You Rather
One player asks a series of questions — the sillier the better. For example:
- Would you rather be a snail or a spider?
- Would you rather have ice cream or chocolate?
- Would you rather have 15 kids or 20 kids when you grow up?
- Would you rather eat a slug or lick a worm?
- Would you rather be an astronaut or a zookeeper?
The answers are usually hilarious, and it’s a great way to spark some fun conversation while you wait.
#9. Colour or Draw
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This one works best if you’ve packed paper or a colouring book along with pencils or crayons — though many restaurants will happily provide paper or a paper kids’ menu, and sometimes crayons too. Let kids draw freely, or give them a theme to work with for a bit of inspiration.
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#10. Tic Tac Toe (Xs and Os)
Play the classic way with pen and paper, or get creative with four straws laid out as a grid, using coins for one player and salt or sugar sachets for the other.
#11. Pass the Paper
Fold a piece of paper into three even sections. The first player draws a head on the top section, then folds the paper so it’s hidden before passing it on. The next player draws an upper body without seeing the head, folds it again, and passes it on for the final player to draw the lower body and legs. Unfold for a (usually very funny) result.
For older kids, try a story version instead: the first player writes a few sentences, folds the paper so only their last word is visible, and passes it on. Each player continues the story from that last word, folding as they go, until the final player finishes it off and reads the whole thing aloud.
#12. Cards
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This one does rely on having a pack of cards to hand — though it’s always worth asking, as some restaurants keep a pack behind the counter. Otherwise, it might be worth keeping a small pack in your bag for exactly this kind of occasion.
There’s plenty you can do with a deck of cards, from fun family card games to building a house of cards. Older kids might enjoy learning some easy card tricks, or simply settle into a quiet game of solitaire.
#13. The Alphabet Game
Pick a letter and have each player come up with a word starting with it. Anyone who can’t think of a word is out, and the last player remaining wins. For older kids, add a challenge by picking a category too — town names, fruit, vegetables or animals, for example.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do these games need any equipment?
Most need nothing more than a pen and paper, which many restaurants can provide if you haven’t packed your own. A few, like Cards and Tic Tac Toe, are more fun with a pack of cards or a few coins and sachets from the table.
What age are these waiting games suitable for?
Most can be adapted for a wide age range. Simpler games like I-Spy and Would You Rather work well for younger children, while games like Hangman, Pass the Paper (story version) and the Alphabet Game can be made trickier for older kids by changing the categories or rules.
What if I forget to pack paper and pens?
Many restaurants have paper kids’ menus, disposable placemats, or crayons on hand — it’s always worth asking. Otherwise, several of these games, like I-Spy, Yes/No, Would You Rather and Guess People’s Names, need no materials at all.
Can these games work outside a restaurant too?
Yes — they’re just as handy for queues, waiting rooms, car journeys or anywhere else you need to fill some time with the kids.
Related Articles
- 21 Tried and Tested Waiting Games for Kids to Pass the Time
- 15 Entertaining (and Distracting) Games to Play On a Family Walk
- Simple Drawing Games for Kids
- 15 Fun Card Games for Kids
- How to Play the Categories Game, Otherwise Known as “Stop the Bus”!
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Bookmark this page or save it to your phone so you’ve always got a few fresh waiting games on hand next time you’re out for a meal with the kids.
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