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Original poster

Is it ok to order off the kids menu as an adult?

120 replies

ColdLasagna99 · 21/09/2022 10:01

Lighthearted! Slightly inspired by the other ongoing restaurant/takeaway threads.

I don’t have a massive appetite due to my meds. (I love food and cooking - I just genuinely can’t eat as much as I used to.) At a chain place, I will quite often get a kid’s meal, which is the right portion size for me and obviously is about half the price of an adult meal. I will only ever do this in chains and when I am with friends they’ve never cared. For example, Nando’s does a great kid’s meal, and I will order drinks, extras, sides etc. Only been slightly reprimanded once. I’ve been a waiter in a chain and I wouldn’t think twice about putting the order through.

I know if everyone did this, they wouldn’t make any money, but I genuinely don’t finish my plate most of the time! On the plus side, when I order a normal portion do get nice leftovers for lunch Grin

OP posts:
LazyJayne · 21/09/2022 11:20

I’m over thirty and have been known to order chips and chicken nuggets and a nice glass of wine. Once I asked for ‘just beans, please’ in a place that did them in a particularly nice sauce. Haven’t yet caused the breakdown of society.

sausagepastapot · 21/09/2022 11:20

You can order whatever you like

thelastgreatdynasty · 21/09/2022 11:26

TanteRose · 21/09/2022 10:42

Fish fingers and beans - twice Grin

I love this 🤣

shinynewapple22 · 21/09/2022 11:31

I have eaten off children's menu occasionally a few years back - I recall ordering a child's Sunday lunch on a number of occasions - with an extra portion of veg. Only reason for this was I was dieting and the smaller main course plus extra veg to pad it out worked for me .

PP were talking about the size of starters - I find it quite frustrating when this isn't consistent - I have taken to ordering a bowl of olives to pick at as a starter as most times I find that once I've finished my starter I don't have room to enjoy my main course fully .

shinynewapple22 · 21/09/2022 11:32

Oh - my son's GF has sometimes ordered an adult portion of a child's meal as she prefers that kind of food .

antelopevalley · 21/09/2022 11:40

Order a childs meal regularly if we eat out. It is cheap, but only in places where there is a decent option e.g. fish and chips. Not all places allow it though.

over2021 · 21/09/2022 11:40

I often order a kids meal for me and an adult meal for DC2 (6)

We just swap plates after the server puts them on the table!

Rosehugger · 21/09/2022 11:41

This thread is making me irrationality annoyed as I don't work in the restaurant industry. I do however have a business degree so have an understanding of the business model -it is clear many here do not

And many don't give a shit. If a restaurant wants me through the door then they have to make me want to go, it's not the other way round. Too many places have dictated to customers how to eat, how to buy things, how they should use their services, how sorry, you are not seeing their vision. And a lot of these will be failing now, along with many good businesses.

washingbasketqueen · 21/09/2022 11:42

My dc11 has a bigger appetite than me so in some places we order a child meal and an adult meal then swap (usually in pizza/ chain type places). If dc wasn't with me and I wasn't that hungry id order a starter as my main. I wouldn't order a child's meal without a child being present.

NotLactoseFree · 21/09/2022 11:45

Rosehugger · 21/09/2022 11:41

This thread is making me irrationality annoyed as I don't work in the restaurant industry. I do however have a business degree so have an understanding of the business model -it is clear many here do not

And many don't give a shit. If a restaurant wants me through the door then they have to make me want to go, it's not the other way round. Too many places have dictated to customers how to eat, how to buy things, how they should use their services, how sorry, you are not seeing their vision. And a lot of these will be failing now, along with many good businesses.

But during busy times, if your'e ordering off the children's menu and taking up space that could be filled by an actual paying customer, I suspect they would NOT want you coming through the door. That's an important point.

As a PP upthread pointed out - during quiet times, they're probably quite happy to do the kids menu for adults on the basis that they're open anyway, and they will make money on drinks or whatever But when it's busy, and they COULD fill a table with a bunch of people eating off the actual menu.. well, I suspect they'd be quite happy to lose your business.

HilarityEnsues · 21/09/2022 11:56

One of my daughters always has a starter as a main in a restaurant we go to regularly, she likes that dish and it's not available as a main. I never thought about this being problematic for the restaurant, but as we eat there about 3x a month I think they'd rather we continue. I wouldn't feel bad eating a child's portion but I would ask if it is ok. A lot of chain/lower price places offer smaller portions now, Wetherspoons offer smaller pizzas and plates, Sainsbury's cafe has light bites and a lot of independent chains have the sandwich/baked potato cheaper option. You are not obliged to eat a large main if you don't want the main any more than I am obliged to order wine when I don't drink alcohol- I know the mark-up on drinks is high but they need to have a business model that works for all types of customer these days.

Rosehugger · 21/09/2022 11:57

I don't actually order off the kids' menu as it tends to be boring - but was just speaking generally.

We went out a few weeks ago and DD2 who is 23 and adult sized ordered a starter as a main as it was the only thing she fancied on the menu, and it wasn't a problem - also it was huge. I do that quite a lot if starters are more interesting.

Rosehugger · 21/09/2022 11:58

13 not 23 - d'oh.

NotLactoseFree · 21/09/2022 12:06

As a rule I think there's a big difference between a starter as a main and a kid's menu. Most local restaurants do a 2 course kids meal, with a drink, for about £7. A starter at the same restaurant would be at least £7, plus the adult would order their own full priced drink and potentially a side and/or dessert/coffee. Big difference.

AnotherMNposter · 21/09/2022 12:07

My 14 yr old ordered from the children’s menu in Pizza Express recently - just simply would not eat an adult sized pizza. The waitress raised her eyebrows, hesitated, moved away, twirled back and asked what age they are. Same waitress the next time we went back, same thing. There was nothing on the menu to say it was only available up to a specific age.

antelopevalley · 21/09/2022 12:10

NotLactoseFree · 21/09/2022 12:06

As a rule I think there's a big difference between a starter as a main and a kid's menu. Most local restaurants do a 2 course kids meal, with a drink, for about £7. A starter at the same restaurant would be at least £7, plus the adult would order their own full priced drink and potentially a side and/or dessert/coffee. Big difference.

I agree. Which is why DP and I have childrens meals. If the place allows it, what is the harm.

DelilahBucket · 21/09/2022 12:14

The only time I've done this is at the chippy as the I would never eat a full adult portion and they know it's for me, and I did it in a pub and ordered a child's roast dinner, but I did ask if it was okay for me to do that. It's one thing at a fast food restaurant, but anything beyond that I wouldn't without asking.

abovedecknotbelow · 21/09/2022 12:14

Lots of places caveat with under 12s only or whatever their age cut off is.

Pubs near me do a 'smaller portion' option and price mains for normal or half portion.

GG1986 · 21/09/2022 12:26

Depends on the restaurant, I have done it before, but checked first and luckily they said it was fine.

gogohmm · 21/09/2022 12:27

I have, in fact many places now just say for smaller appetites

MikeWozniaksMoustache · 21/09/2022 12:40

Surely this just boils down the the restaurant. If they let you, they let you, if they don’t, they don’t. It’s not really a question you need random opinions on.

Bossa09 · 21/09/2022 12:45

I have over 10 years experience in the hospitality trade and I wouldnt hesitate to do so. My company however would charge a £2 supplement for an adult having a kids meal (smaller portion). I’d also go through the main menu and state which portions could be done smaller. The customer would be charged around £6.95-£9.95 depending on what they ordered.

evilharpy · 21/09/2022 12:54

I wish more places did a smaller portion of adult meals for a bit cheaper than full size. Especially Sunday roast type meals. I have a few elderly relatives who have very tiny appetites and would like just a little bit of meat, one roast potato, bit of veg, and actually get a bit fretty about knowing half the food on their plate will go to waste. It's not really even a cost issue for them - maybe just because they've grown up when times were hard (my mum and my uncle were both born pre-WWII and remember the years of rationing) and can't abide wasting food.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 21/09/2022 13:01

Could you try slumping down in your chair and putting on a squeaky voice on when you order?
Maybe take a toy with you and muck about with that whilst looking around a and staring at people.
Swing your legs about a lot.

DON'T PAY WIYH A CREDIT CARD OR YOU'LL THE GAME AWAY.

Raul57 · 21/09/2022 13:05

It's good to read so many order off the kids menu
As I said the portions are large for us so we just take them but our adult daughter often has a kids menu plus drinks and cake etc.