Restaurants

If pizza is the food fare of the day, there are several tired-and-true restaurants that welcome children with ASD. Both Ci Ci’s Pizza locations {5012 60 th Street, (806) 788-1010; 2821 50 th Street, (806) 785-8888} are good. The owner of the 60 th street store seems to have a special place I has heart for kids and will often visit with the kids when he is there. Another place is Mr. Gatti’s Pizza {5001 50 th Street, (806) 796-2222}, but it gets very loud at times. One parent of a child with ASD relates a field trip to Dominoes Pizza where the manager allowed the kids to make their own pizza {5407 4 th Street, (806) 792-3816}.

50 th Street Caboose {50 th and Slide Road, (806) 796-2240} is great. Calling in    advance to secure a party  room (with the door closed) is recommended if the children are hypersensitive to noise. They have a varied menu. Also, the management is very flexible about changing up the menu to meet the needs of the picky eaters and is generous with what toys one can get with the tickets earned from the games.

If you feel like Mexican food, you will have a good time at Case Olé {4413 S. Loop 289, (806) 793-9351}, but it is better to go at a time when business is slow. Also good are all locations of Rosa’s Café & Tortilla Factory {5103 82 nd Street, (806) 794-2285); 4407 4 th Street, (806) 785-5334; and 3115 50 th Street, (806) 784-0100} which have decent food, but sometimes it is very loud. Taco Villa {5402 4 th Street, (806) 791-5939; 7110 Quaker, (806) 791-5939 and 2243 19 th Street, (806) 747-8373} is another fine location.

T.G.I. Fridays {6201 Slide Road, (806) 785-4700} is well worth the visit. Food is good, but one may find it a little expensive. Furr’s Family Dining {6201 Slide Road, (806) 797-6063} has a excellent wait staff, but the kids may gripe about the line. All of the Home Plate Diner locations welcome children with ASD {76-5 University, (806) 748-8550; 5812 34 th Street, (806) 797-0065; 3515 50 th Street, (806) 791-2333; and 5217 82 nd Street, (806) 794-0772}.

Fuddruckers {5501 Slide Road, (806) 793-8033}, McDonald’s {5201 4 th Street, (806) 794-2089} has a staff that doesn’t even blink when someone with a disability enters the building; and Subway {4009 19 th Street, (806) 700-8021} are accommodating.

Other recommended restaurants are Apple Country-Hi Plains Orchards {East of Idalou Highway 62-82, (806) 892-2961} which is a long way to drive, but well worth it!; Bigham’s Smokehouse {4302 19 th Street, (806) 793-6880 and 3312 82 nd Street, (806) 793-9241}; Chick-fil-A {69 th & Slide Road, (806) 798-1110 and in the South Plains Mall, (806) 797-2223}; and Fazoli’s {1902 W. Loop 289, (806) 791-4400}which is pretty good most of the time.

Activities

Skating, miniature golfing, bowling, and water sporting are great recreational activities. Skating is always fun and invigorating and Polly’s Roll Arena, {7340 19 th Street, 799-9083} is worth the drive to have a great time. It is very affordable and you get the whole rink for your group. You must bring your own CD’s for them to play. The wood floor makes skating easy. Putt Putt {5110 29 th Drive, 795-2312} offers lots of fun miniature golfing! Whitewood Lanes Bowling {3632 50 th Street, 795-9593} caters to Special Olympics’ teams and provides a meltdown-proof and nice environment. Texas Water Rampage {6602 Brownfield Highway, 796-0701} offers special group rates.

Crossroads Methodist Community Church {5833 4 th Street, 795-7111 offers their gym for activities. The 12 th Street Church in Shallowater {1001 12 th Street, 832-4776} has a small and friendly congregation and has students with stroke, paralysis, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and PPD in attendance. The youth director was trained by and worked for the Texas Boys’ Ranch. He is successful in knowing the special needs of the kids with whom he works and mainstreams them into the youth group. The church boasts of three Special Olympic gold medal winners.

Transition issues seem to be always on the minds of parents with children with Autism. United Supermarkets hire eligible students with disabilities as sackers.

If you know of other places whose proprietor’s are receptive to children with ASD, Email us @ ssarah.l.hendley@ttu.