11 yr old not liking adult menus, flexibility question.

[maxsmom]

Just my opinion but I would forgive a signature restaurant for not having a child's menu.

They had a children's menu but we weren't allowed to order from it. I said she'd prefer to order off the children't menu and he laughed and said, "Now, we can't do that."

I was hoping to find what other restaurants have become difficult like this so we could decided to avoid or not. Of course there are some restaurants where she likes things on both menus.

 

[mickeyway]

I don't really understand why Disney cares what I order. I am paying for the meal regardless. If I have a small appetite or a palette of a 10 year old what should it matter to them? I understand the AYCE and Buffets charging based on age, but everywhere else it should be pay for what you order. If I want two, I'll order two, If I want MIckey check meal then bring me the meal. I hate that I have to settle for soup and a salad when what I really want is right there on the children's menu. I enjoy the atmosphere of the TS and My family enjoys the adult's menus. I am under 5' and under 100 pounds I don't need the adult sized portions.

 

[MadMadamMim1]

Pretty much anywhere else you go 12 and under is considered a child. What 10 year old eats the same as a full grown adult. Only at Disney where they can get more money out of you for it would they scoff at an 11 year old being considered a child!! That's shameful they laughed at you and charged you more, which makes no sense. I get Signatures all having kids menus, it's Disney. Kids are everywhere. Only excusable one is V&A!!

 

[marielynn724]

Thanks everyone. We ate at Le Cellier our waiter laughed when I asked for a kids menu last yr.

The waiter LAUGHED at your daughter!?!? I can't believe it! That's absolutely unacceptable and very un-Disney. I hope you complained to the manager! I happen to think that what you eat/don't eat is a very personal thing and no one should shame anybody else for it, no matter your age. Geez!

 

[Sandiz08]

I’m sure all this varies from server to server as well. Our daughter was 10 on our last trip, never had a problem ordering from child’s menu. She would be mortified if she had to eat what we ate. We paid adult price for her to eat Mickey waffles and gummy bears at buffets.

 

[maxsmom]

I’m sure all this varies from server to server as well. Our daughter was 10 on our last trip, never had a problem ordering from child’s menu. She would be mortified if she had to eat what we ate. We paid adult price for her to eat Mickey waffles and gummy bears at buffets.

Or chicken tenders and gummy bears.
This is the reason we have avoid any buffets for a while w/ both kids becoming Disney "adults".

 

[hart6066]

One thing we found when paying OOP for children's menus, is that many of the restaurants do not include a drink or side if you are paying for the meal OOP. Even though that makes sense, it can be confusing to the kid if they're used to getting a "full" meal--and once you add on the price of the drink and a side, the meal could end up getting pricey. We have often had DD order an appetizer or soup and then share with me.

 

[pangyal]

One thing we found when paying OOP for children's menus, is that many of the restaurants do not include a drink or side if you are paying for the meal OOP. Even though that makes sense, it can be confusing to the kid if they're used to getting a "full" meal--and once you add on the price of the drink and a side, the meal could end up getting pricey. We have often had DD order an appetizer or soup and then share with me.

This has been my experience as well. I often order from the kids’ menus due to the portion sizes being more agreeable to me. It’s never been a problem, but they have never included the drink or dessert at TS locations.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

DD was 15 last trip and she still orders off the kids menu sometimes. We've never had an issue for her. I prefer the kids butter chicken at Sanaa (I like to really splurge on bread service and dessert there) and our server was obviously bothered by that, but that's been the only time even I've had an issue order a kids meal.

 

[skyblue17]

We've had no problem at all with our kids ordering from the kids' menu (not buffets or prix fixe), even when our pickiest was as old as about 16. If a server had ever insisted on charging more for this, I would have expressed my disappointment, paid the extra amount, and then subtracted that amount from the tip at the end. And I guarantee that if a server had ever laughed at one of our children, they would have ended up being very disappointed indeed by their tip, if I gave one at all.

You would have docked the server for enforcing a policy they had no say in creating? Yeesh.

 

[Lilsia]

It would be nice if restaurants had smaller portion meals of regular food. We usually find that portion sizes are too big. I know there are plenty of people who do not eat that much food in one sitting. We had the opposite issue when our kids were small. They did not eat the typical kid's food stuff. We just fed them what we were eating so we struggled to find kid's portions of normal, healthy food. We ended up splitting an adult meal between the 2 of them but that meant that they ate the same thing. We would also split up and share our meals with them. As far as I remember, most restaurants had no issue with us ordering an adult meal and having our kids split it. I really don't see why it should be an issue the other way. Unless they are just concerned with not bringing in as much money. The cheaper meals you buy, the less tip the server gets since it is based on cost of the meal. I would imagine that some servers feel this way. The thing to remember with the way they print menus is that they make them sound fancier then they really are. Most foods are just basic meat/potato/veggie like you would eat at home. Maybe encourage your 11yo to split a meal and app with you. I would imagine chicken strips and mac and cheese would get old eating them at every meal.

 

[Kerriowl]

We just got back and had no trouble with our 11 year old ordering off of the kid's menu at multiple restaurants. We specifically ate at Teppan Edo, Beaches and Cream, and Be Our Guest (lunch). We had to pay the adult price at the buffets and "all you care to eat" meals, but the other's were fine.

 

[kaytieeldr]

which makes no sense

It coordinates the park ticket age groups with the dining age groups. I would guess that when the kids meals were for ages 3-12, either a lot of confusion of a lot of complaints occurred.