Asheville, NC: Challenges of dining out with autistic children

April 13, 2024, Asheville, NC NBC 13: Mother of children with autism shares challenges of dining out

News Clip on dining out with autistic children. Viewers learned what restaurants can do to be accommodating to autistic people.

A mother with two autistic children was interviewed.

Reporter: . . . Her children, Ben and Jadzia,

Ben is a restrictive eater, meaning he’ll only eat certain foods, and Jadzia has specific needs as well

Mom: She’ll eat one food and one food only for a period of time, and sometimes that’s only a week and sometimes that’s six months. 

Reporter: But that doesn’t stop them from going out to enjoy a meal together.

Mom: We go out for the same reasons everybody else does. . . .

Reporter: It does however require Jennifer to do some legwork before they even stop out the door. . . .

Mom: So Ben, he stims. In his case, he rocks, and he rocks very hard. So we look for a place where he’s not going to disturb other diners doing that.

We look for staff that is going to pay attention to him and to my daughter and not look  to me for their communication.

Reporter: Apollo Flame Bistro is a restaurant that checks those boxes and works for Jennifer’s family. . . .

Restaurant owner: We try to accommodate whatever they want, whatever they needs. . .

Mom: We need to expose my children to the world, and we need to expose the world to my children.

It’s important for there to be that acceptance and that awareness, and for everybody to live together.

Anchor: And you know what’s so nice about this? 

At the end of the day, it’s really a win for everyone, the restaurant, the families and they’re doing good.

Second anchor: And I love this mom advocating for her kids. What a great mom.