Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Home of Georgia O’Keefe and Jimmy the Groundhog (Nemesis to Puxatawny Phil. It’s probably better if you don’t bring the name up). A sleepy bedroom community built around a Main Street located almost exactly 11 miles North East of the capitol building, Sun Prairie is a place Norman Rockwell may have painted back in his day.

But, fear not, all the conveniences of “big city” living is really only six miles away along the Highway 39/90/94 corridor at Exit 135 . Unless you are traveling during a lunar eclipse during a power outage, you can’t miss the Sun Prairie exit (Sun Prairie one way, Madison the other).  You’ll find East Town Mall, Home Depot, Office Max, Best Buy, Petsmart, and more than a handful of franchise restaurant choices. Honestly, I try to avoid it—especially when the kids are in the van. But, for better or worse, we call Sun Prairie home.

When a mom I recently met suggested Texas Roadhouse as a kid-friendly restaurant, I thought she had quite possibly lost her mind. Go to the craziest part of town, on purpose, to eat, with kids? Yikes! But, I got online and did a little research.  Two things drew me in: peanuts and fresh-baked bread. On a whim, we popped in to Texas Roadhouse early one Sunday afternoon (mind you, even then a line was starting to form).

Perhaps peanuts and bread don’t seem like a good reason to brave a crowd, but watching the kids eat peanuts from a bucket at our table and then discard the shells in the aisle was a blast. On the way to the women’s “outhouse,” my daughter and I decided if the elephant ever escapes from the zoo, Texas Roadhouse should be the first place to look. Kids and Ranger meals start at $2.99 and the boys gobbled their mini-steak bites down without even looking for ketchup. Perhaps they were distracted by the line dancing and the stuffed armadillo looking down at our booth?  Whatever the magic element was for us, we left full and happy, crunching as many things as possible on our way out the door.

Another Exit 135 option (on the opposite side of the highway from Texas Roadhouse) is Uno Chicago Grill. As residents of Sun Prairie, we receive coupons for Uno Chicago Grill practically every week in the mail. Located next to the Toyota dealer, we planned a lunch around an oil change and car repair. In a college town like Madison, the choices for pizza are mind-boggling, and advertising, coupons, and loyalty programs are key to repeat business as much as the quality of the food. We arrived before the lunch rush and sat among “business meetings” and people mainly interested in the soup buffet. I was surprised to find that the menu includes gluten-free options and the chefs are happy to modify your order to accommodate anyone with food allergies or special diet requirements.

 Our waiter explained the “build your own” pizzas are the most popular kid’s meal choice. With that, we made our request for one cheese and one pepperoni. Within minutes, she returned with a crust and tiny bowls of sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Each kid then assembled their own pizza (or pepperoni mountain with cheese and ½ sauce) and the trays were whisked back to the kitchen to be baked, sliced, and served.  May I recommend chocolate shakes as a diversionary tactic (and a great way to achieve a moment of silence, even when interrupted by moments of embarrassing slurping noises)?

When I learned that both Texas Roadhouse and Uno Chicago Grill have programs rewarding childhood literacy, kitchen field trips (classroom and small group), and fundraising programs, my franchise paradigm shifted a little bit more. With the support of a corporate office and a larger marketing budget, local communities benefit along with the franchise. We would love to see you all in Sun Prairie, of course, but if you’re passing through Madison on your way to somewhere else, hit exit 135 and find some kid-friendly meals only moments away.

Texas Roadhouse
4841 Annamark Drive
Madison, WI 53704-7402
Phone: 608-244-9486

Uno Chicago Grill
3010 Crossroads Drive
Madison, WI 53718
Phone: 608-244-3266

Popularity: 2% [?]