Pizzédélic -- Pizza never fails to please the younger set, and this place caters to any taste, with toppings that stretch the imagination.

Magnan -- Known especially for its supercheap all-you-can-eat lobster and beef extravaganzas, the menu also has lots of sandwiches and other simple foods that kids like. Parents don't have to worry about inevitable messes, especially since they'll be making big ones themselves. 2602 rue St-Patrick, Pointe St-Charles. tel. 514/935-9647.

McDonald's -- For something familiar, but with a twist, this McDonald's, only a block from the Notre-Dame Basilica at the corner of rue Notre-Dame and boulevard St-Laurent, deserves a mention. Located in a house that was once the home of Antoine Lamet de la Mothe Cadillac, the founder of Detroit and a governor of Louisiana, it offers the usual menu, along with pizzas and the Québec favorite, poutine (french fries doused with gravy and cheese nuggets).

Mövenpick -- This something-for-everyone emporium has a dozen stations selling omelets, pizzas, burgers, and just about anything a youngster might crave in a Disneyland setting with a romper room, games, and atmosphere that suggests that parents need not fear making too much of a mess.