When the food is "coming out soon" and the 4-year-old is 30 seconds from meltdown.
Hangman on a napkin
Menu words: "broccoli," "fork," the restaurant name.
Tic-tac-toe
Dots and boxes
Describe the person two tables over, the other guesses which one
I Spy
Finish-the-story: one sentence each
Count the lights in the ceiling
Find every letter of your name on the menu
Pick a color, count everything that color in the room
Whisper jokes — try not to laugh
Thumb war tournament
Rock paper scissors, first to 5