By Kate Cohen
July 2, 2026
For many people, gathering around the kitchen table as a family for dinner is the best part of the day.
In fact, it’s not just enjoyable; studies have proven it’s a powerful way to connect with and influence your kids.
National Family Day began over 25 years ago as an initiative inspired by research showing that connecting over regular meals reduces a teen’s risk of using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
Of course, it isn’t just teenagers who benefit from family dinners.
Decades of research have proven that children of all ages benefit physically, social-emotionally, and academically from shared meals with loved ones.
While there’s nothing like a family dinner spent sitting around your home table, dining together can be just as rewarding while you’re out enjoying a shared experience.
And what better place to celebrate the family meal than the city people travel to from around the world for unforgettable family vacations?
Whether you’re looking for the perfect spot to observe National Family Day or your next meal with the kids out on the town, here are the best family restaurants in Orlando.
Key Takeaways
- T-Rex Cafe
- Rainforest Cafe
- Boxi Park
- King's
- The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen
- JoJo's ShakeBAR
- Stay and Dine as a Family at Rosen Inn International, a Family-Friendly Hotel in Orlando
T-Rex Cafe
T-Rex Cafe offers a special, immersive dining experience that’s popular with families from around the world.
As you walk into the restaurant, you’ll step back to a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth.
You’ll dine in one of several prehistoric settings surrounded by towering fossils, lush forest ferns, and life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, including a 15-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex.
This family-friendly restaurant is engaging and exciting, perfect to experience together as a family.
The large menu has plenty of variety for every guest, making it easy to find something for kids and grownups alike to enjoy.
Located in Disney Springs, T-Rex Cafe is a great spot to enjoy a meal together before spending time amidst some of Orlando’s best shopping and entertainment.
Rainforest Cafe
Transport your table to the lush environment of the jungle with a meal at Rainforest Cafe.
Dine (indoors) beneath a sky full of stars, surrounded by entertaining animatronic animals like elephants and gorillas that come to life throughout your meal.
You may find yourself caught in a thunderous rainstorm that brings the jungle to life with simulated lightning and tropical mist descending from the ceiling.
With so much happening around you, it isn’t hard to enjoy a meal without screens.
Rainforest Cafe has an expansive menu with plenty to appeal to every appetite, including picky eaters.
It also has a large retail space where you can find nature-inspired treasures from around the world.
The restaurant has two Orlando locations: one in Disney Springs and the other at the entrance to Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom theme park (diners don’t need a theme park ticket to eat at Rainforest Cafe).
Boxi Park
Lake Nona is one of Orlando’s newest neighborhoods, filled with contemporary developments and some of the world’s most prestigious medical campuses.
It’s also home to Boxi Park, a one-of-a-kind gathering place that’s fun for the whole family.
Boxi Park consists of 40-foot shipping containers repurposed as food counters (think food trucks, but stationary).
Everyone can get what they’re craving, from fried chicken to lobster rolls to street tacos.
And for the grownups, you’ll find beer, wine, refreshing margaritas, and creative cocktails ready to be poured.
The shipping containers of Boxi Park surround a large, covered stage and event space where you’ll frequently find live music, DJs, trivia events, and more.
Every Sunday is Family Day, with kid-approved music and activities like face painting or balloon animals.
There’s always something to celebrate at Boxi Park, even if it’s simply enjoying a meal together as a family.
King’s
Sometimes, family dinner could use a little friendly competition.
At King’s in Orlando, you can enjoy your pizza, burgers, salads, tacos, and shareable appetizers while challenging each other to a game of bowling.
Each alley is equipped with powerful sound systems, HDTVs, and projection screens to help players make the most of their interactive bowling system.
King’s is also home to an upgraded arcade with games like Mario Kart, Skee Ball, Double Shot Basketball, Air Hockey, and more.
Check out their promotions to see what specials and unique events you could encounter on your family excursion to King’s.
The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen
If anyone in your family has a sweet tooth, check out The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen at Universal City Walk.
This 19th century, steampunk-themed restaurant has a huge menu of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and hearty entrees loaded with flavor.
But where Toothsome really shines is its dessert menu.
The restaurant is known for its towering, over-the-top milkshakes that could almost be considered a meal unto themselves.
Toothsome’s dessert menu also features a variety of indulgent sundaes and other decadent treats.
Dining at Toothsome is an entertaining experience, too. You may get a tableside visit from Professor Doctor Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome and her robot companion, Jaques.
JoJo’s ShakeBAR
Another great spot for family-friendly dining with phenomenal milkshakes is JoJo’s ShakeBAR in Pointe Orlando.
This contemporary diner offers a casual and trendy atmosphere with a photo-worthy menu that kids and their grownups can enjoy together.
The savory menu at JoJo’s ShakeBAR is full of juicy burgers, flavorful sandwiches, refreshing salads, and playfully shareable finger foods.
Save room for dessert, because there’s a reason the word “shake” is in the restaurant’s name.
Treat yourselves to an opulent milkshake topped with goodies like donut holes, cookies, lollipops, candy, and marshmallows.
And, if the adults are looking to toast to a dinner well spent with the whole fam, JoJo’s also has an array of colorful cocktails to enjoy.
Stay and Dine as a Family at Rosen Inn International, a Family-Friendly Hotel in Orlando
Eating as a family and making lasting memories is one of the most important things you can do for your children.
Orlando is home to many places to eat, play, and adventure together.
One way to make the most of your family vacation is by staying at a family-friendly hotel.
Rosen Inn International has been hosting families from around the world for over 50 years.
Our comfortable, spacious accommodations have room for everyone, and our convenient location is ideal for families looking to spend their days exploring theme parks and local attractions.
We even make eating as a family a breeze with our two onsite dining offerings.
In the morning, enjoy a hearty breakfast buffet at Fountain View Café, where you can take advantage of our Kids Eat Free program.
Topsy Turvey Lounge is our onsite bar and grill serving gourmet twists on casual classics like burgers, fish tacos, chicken and waffles, and more.
Check out Rosen Inn International for your next family vacation in Orlando and rest well knowing you and your family are in great hands.
