Giggles N' Hugs Serves the Whole Family

The idea for the Century City mall restaurant Giggles N' Hugs happened as a result of a disaster.

“It was Valentine's Day and we were taking our then-5-year-old, Yasmine, and our newborn, Sophia, to what we thought was a family friendly restaurant," Joey Parsi, founder and CEO of Giggles N’ Hugs, said about the evening five years ago. "We went early of course. After 10 minutes, Yasmine was twirling around and bumped in to the table next to us spilling the water all over the other diners. The couple at the other table was furious."

When his wife Dorsa said that she wished that there was a restaurant that was kid-friendly and served good food, Parsi, an investment banker, decided to do some research and found there was a market for such a restaurant.

“We opened in 2008, with no advertising and had lines out the door,” he said.

The restaurant features an organic menu, with flaxseed in the breading on fried items and butternut squash in the mac and cheese, all bought from local purveyors. Activity-wise there's Wi-Fi, Wii, flat screen televisions, climbing structures, an arts and crafts table, bubbles and even a drop-off service, so that parents can go visit the rest of the mall while their kids are playing.

“We offer parents a stress free dining experience while offering both demographics something they need: great organic food and a relaxed fun space for the kids,” said Parsi.

The play space is designed for toddlers and kids up to age 8. Older kids and adults can enjoy the Wii stations.

“On any given day you’ll see parents working on a laptop or iPad, playing Wii with their kids, or watching a ball game on the sets we have all around the space,” said Sean Richards, Giggles N’ Hugs COO (and father of 5-year-old Sofia).

“As a mom it’s important to me to have a place to dine that will serve my family’s needs that includes my 5-year-old son,” said Maya Fidler, watching her son play while she ate with a friend.

“It’s a pretty great idea,” said Janice Frank, who came in with her 5-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter and a friend. “I didn’t think the girls would enjoy it, but they love it.”

The drop-off service can accommodate up to eight children at a time, with a four-hour maximum stay.

“Parents wanted a few hours to shop, go to a movie or just connect with their spouse, so we decided to make available a baby-sitting service for $20 an hour staffed by supervisors that are both CPR and first aid certified.” Parsi said. “The key is that [parents] have to stay on the mall premises."

In addition to the hourly rate, there is a registration fee of $35 for the service. Children must be age 3 or older,  potty trained and able to speak.

“There is one supervisor, or play aide, per four children," Richards said. "Those kids will remain with the same play aide during their stay and will be together to play, do homework if they have it, or participate in activities like arts and crafts."

“I could see using the drop-off service if I didn’t have a baby-sitter that we employ on a regular basis,” Frank said.

In the background, 8-year-old, Vanessa got a star fish painted on her cheek while her friends Nicholas and Devon climbed all over the structures and played Wii. Elsewhere in the restaurant, their parents were able to talk leisurely and not get sneered at by other diners because their children were running around the restaurant.