Honestly, in my childhood opinion, it was fine, just trying out food and drinks (whether from shopping or restaurants), testing electronics and arcade games, maybe even buying some toys or going to indoor play areas.
Though the novelty of it soon worn out gradually, taking a walk and peek at around these areas for anything interesting is good once in a while, even if you're not buying anything.
Edit: on sec thoughts, should I place this in the urbanism community? And just so you know, I'm not an American, so I wouldn't know what butcherism might occur in the implementation of malls.
They all use luxury clothing stores as their "anchors" and it blew up in their faces. You don't get regular traffic with luxury goods unless you're in a boom economy, and... you know neoliberals, they assume economic booms will last forever and will debase themselves in any way possible to preserve that.
A shopping mall is only going to work if it strikes that balance between offering goods which everyone can afford with... not just being a supermarket with discrete rooms.