‘All behaviors are welcome’ at this first CT dining event for families living with autism

The simple pleasure of enjoying a family meal at a restaurant was once very difficult for Lenard and Delphine Zohn because their young son on the autism spectrum.

He would have meltdowns, flop on the ground, run for the door and exhibit other disruptive behaviors.

It’s a common scenario for families with children on the spectrum, so the Zohn’s decided to do something about the situation.

The couple started the national group, “Autism Eats,” which allows families to spend two hours at a set restaurant without judgment from other diners or rules.

“Anything Goes,” Lenard Zohn said. “All behaviors are welcome.”

That’s not something autism parents are used to hearing.

The group will hold their first event in Connecticut since their founding seven years ago on April 2 at Mooyah in Newington from 6 to 8 p.m. The restaurant is located at 24 Fenn Road.

The dinner includes a burger buffet, chicken tenders, fries, soft drinks, and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, with a gluten-free option available. Attendees must register at autismeats.org/events.html, with admission at $18 per person.

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The Zohns son, Adin, is now 18 and does well in restaurants, but that wasn’t the case when he was younger.

“Our family, friends, extended family always enjoyed going to restaurants,” Zohn said. “Adin felt the exact opposite.”

Leonard Zohn said sometimes they had to rush to leave early or sometimes before the food came.

“Any enjoyment we had was really outweighed by the stress,” he said.

The Zohns’ “defining moment” came when they were at a pizza place where the wait grew long and “Adin took the situation into his own hands,” his dad said.

The child jumped up, started running around and taking pizza off the plates of people dining, dad said.

“By the time I caught him he grabbed pizza from three different tables,” Zohn said, noting the people affected all had a sense of humor about the situation.

“We thought, ‘we just can’t go out to eat anymore,'” he said.

After that, he and Delphine created the award winning national Autism Eats.

Under the program an arrangement is made at a restaurant for the group to occupy their own space.

A buffet is served for a set price and the group has the ability to control the lights and music, as some on the spectrum have sensory issues.

So far Autism Eats has done over 160 dinners in 24 states, but this is the first in Connecticut.

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Lenard Zohn said he attends the events that are close and will be at the Connecticut event. He and his family live in Massachusetts north of Boston.

Zohn said not being able to go out, including for dinner, can lead to isolation and loneliness.

At the Autism Eats events not only can those on the spectrum enjoy food, but also family members can connect with one another to “share the joys and challenges” of having a child on the spectrum.

“It’s good for the parents to spend time with others who have the same experiences,” he said.

Zohn said it’s also good for typical siblings to meet others like them who have siblings on the autism spectrum.

At the first Autism Eats event held in their hometown, Zohn told the restaurant owner they would probably have 25-30 people, but by the day of the event there were reservations for 125.

He said serving buffet-style food cuts on waiting time and allows flexibility for families to come and go.

“It has to do a lot with they’re (kids on the spectrum) not good at waiting,” Zohn said. “After a period of time they can get overwhelmed and it’s time to go.”

He said the Autism Eats dinners give parents, family members a chance to “exhale.”

“There’s no judgment. Everybody gets it,” he said. “I’ve had parents come up to me crying because they never thought they’d be able to go out to dinner again.”

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Zohn said he chose Mooyah because the business has been receptive and welcoming in other communities where dinners have been held.

“We are thrilled to host the first-ever (Autism Eats) event in Connecticut,” said Kelsey Silverio, operations manager of Mooyah Newington.” We look forward to hosting this inclusive fun night for the autistic community in a judgment-free environment.

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