After researching the most popular clip-on high chairs, we landed on the Lalo, and it’s become one of those baby products that permanently lives in the trunk of our car.
Yes, Restaurants Have High Chairs. That Doesn’t Mean They’re Great.
When I was building our registry, a portable or clip-on high chair wasn’t even on my radar.
Why would I buy one when every restaurant already has high chairs?
Then we actually started going out to eat with a baby.
The problem wasn’t that restaurants didn’t have high chairs. The problem was where they fit. Most of the time they ended up attached to the very end of the table because that was the only place there was room. Our daughter was technically sitting with us, but she wasn’t really part of the group. She always felt just a little off to the side.
I also found myself wiping down restaurant high chairs every single time before putting her in them. They usually looked clean enough, but straps, buckles, and all the little crevices made me wonder how thoroughly they had actually been cleaned.
After a few outings, I started looking into clip-on high chairs instead.
What I Was Looking For
My wishlist wasn’t very complicated.
I wanted something that:
- Clipped securely onto different tables.
- Was compact enough to leave in the trunk.
- Was comfortable for longer meals.
- Included a footrest.
- Was easy to wipe clean.
- Didn’t take forever to attach and remove.
Most importantly, I wanted our daughter sitting right at the table with us instead of hanging off the end in a bulky restaurant high chair.
Why We Chose the Lalo Clip-On High Chair
After weeks of reading reviews and way too many Reddit threads, I kept coming back to two options.
The Lalo Clip-On High Chair and the Inglesina Fast Table Chair.
If you’ve spent any time looking into clip-on high chairs, you’ve probably seen the Inglesina recommended over and over again. I have several girlfriends who own one, and every single one of them absolutely loves it. It’s one of those baby products that seems to have an incredibly loyal following.
I came very close to buying it.
In the end, though, I kept coming back to Lalo for two reasons.
The first was the brand itself. We already owned several Lalo products, including their spoons, bibs, and feeding accessories, and we’d had such a great experience with all of them that I felt really confident ordering another Lalo product.
The second reason was the footrest.
That might sound like a tiny detail, but after spending months researching high chairs before buying our Tripp Trapp, I became convinced that proper foot support really does matter. Babies seem more comfortable and stable when they have somewhere to rest their feet, and once I noticed which chairs included footrests, I couldn’t stop paying attention to it.
That ultimately made the decision for me.
What I Love About the Lalo
We’ve now used it enough that it’s become part of our normal routine whenever we eat out.
It keeps our daughter at the table with us.
This is still my favorite part.
Instead of sitting at the very end of the table in a restaurant high chair, she’s sitting right alongside everyone else. Meals feel more like family dinners because she’s actually part of the conversation instead of sitting off to the side.
It may sound like a small thing, but it genuinely changed the experience of eating out with a baby.
It’s incredibly compact.
When we’re finished eating, it folds down quickly and goes right back into the trunk.
It doesn’t take up much space, which means I never have to think about packing it before we leave the house because it’s already in the car.
Those are usually my favorite baby products. The ones that quietly stay where you need them until it’s time to use them.
The footrest.
I know I’ve already mentioned it, but I really do think it makes a difference.
It’s one of those little details that probably isn’t a dealbreaker for everyone, but it was important to me. Our daughter always seems comfortable sitting in it, even during longer meals.
Cleanup is easy.
The tray wipes down quickly after meals, which is exactly what I wanted. There aren’t a lot of little crevices to scrub, and I don’t find myself dreading cleanup afterward.
Other Clip-On High Chairs I Seriously Considered
The Lalo was ultimately the right choice for our family, but these were the other chairs I spent a lot of time researching before making a decision.
Inglesina Fast Table Chair
If I hadn’t bought the Lalo, this almost certainly would have been the one.
Like I mentioned earlier, I have several friends who absolutely swear by it, and it’s probably the clip-on chair I see recommended most often. It’s compact, easy to travel with, and has been around for years for a reason.
The only thing that held me back was the lack of a footrest. Once I noticed that difference, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Chicco Pocket Snack Booster
This one isn’t a clip-on chair. It straps onto a dining chair instead, which makes it a nice option if you don’t always have tables that work with clamp-on chairs.
If you’re looking for something affordable and versatile, it’s worth considering.
Munchkin Brica GoBoost
Another really popular travel booster that folds into its own carrying case.
I liked how compact it was, especially for vacations or grandparents’ houses, but I ultimately decided I wanted a true clip-on chair instead.
Baby Delight Go with Me Booster
This one seems especially popular with families who spend a lot of time outdoors.
If you camp, attend sporting events, or have lots of backyard dinners, I think it’s worth a look because it works in more places than just restaurants.
Comparing the Most Popular Clip-On and Travel High Chairs
| High Chair | Best For | What Stood Out to Me |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Lalo Clip-On High Chair | My overall favorite | Trusted the brand already, loved the footrest, compact, and keeps our daughter right at the table. |
| Inglesina Fast Table Chair | Most recommended | Probably the chair I hear about most from friends. I just wished it had a footrest. |
| Chicco Pocket Snack Booster | Best budget option | Great value and works on most dining chairs. |
| Munchkin Brica GoBoost | Travel | Folds into its own carrying bag and takes up very little space. |
| Baby Delight Go with Me Booster | Indoor and outdoor use | Great if you want one booster seat that works almost anywhere. |
Do You Actually Need a Clip-On High Chair?
Probably not.
You can absolutely use restaurant high chairs, and for plenty of families, that’s all they’ll ever need.
For us, though, it became one of those purchases that made outings feel just a little easier. Our daughter sat comfortably right at the table, we always knew her seat was clean, and we didn’t have to wonder whether the restaurant even had enough high chairs available.
Those little conveniences add up when you’re eating out with a baby.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Lalo Clip-On High Chair worth it?
For our family, absolutely. It’s compact, comfortable, easy to clean, and small enough that it permanently lives in the trunk of our car.
Why did you choose the Lalo over the Inglesina?
The Inglesina was my other finalist, and I think it’s an excellent chair. I ultimately chose the Lalo because I already trusted the brand from using their feeding products, and I really wanted a chair with a footrest.
Can you travel with it?
Yes. It folds down surprisingly small, making it easy to keep in the car or pack for road trips.
Do restaurants still have high chairs?
Almost all of them do. We just found that we preferred having our daughter sitting directly at the table with us instead of off to the side in a traditional restaurant high chair.
Final Thoughts
I’ve realized that some of my favorite baby products are the ones I never expected to buy.
A clip-on high chair was definitely one of them.
We could have continued using restaurant high chairs, and we probably would have been just fine. But once we started bringing our own, family dinners out became noticeably more enjoyable. Our daughter felt like part of the table, setup took less than a minute, and we always knew she had a clean, comfortable place to sit.
Looking back, it’s one of those purchases that quietly made life easier without taking up much space in our home or in the car. Those are usually the products that end up becoming my favorites.