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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To give all the children a happy meal at ds's 5th party?

96 replies

Hangingwiththeraisingirls · 17/05/2014 16:33

27 children coming. We are on holiday until the day before and will be back late (bad planning on my part).

Wibu to take orders when the children arrive and go and get them all a happy meal and then they can have some birthday cake. Dh says parents will judge me. However I say it will probably be no less healthy than normal type party food and it won't be any more expensive and the kids will love it. The McDonald's is only over the road and I wouldn't then give a load of biscuits and sweets. Just the happy meal and the birthday cake.

Would you judge me?

OP posts:
TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 17/05/2014 17:03

Fine by me but I'd probably get pizza and paper plates!

Kif · 17/05/2014 17:04

Rookie - its not worse - but it's harder. Imagine carrying 28 of those eeny weenie boxes across the road!

WorkingtoohardMama · 17/05/2014 17:04

I've done this myself a couple of times, and it has worked perfectly.

I've phoned in advance with the order, and they've had it ready for the time I asked, at my local macdonalds they put all the food in a big box, and gave us the happy meal boxes flat, so it was easy to dish the food out, and then we used the happy meal boxes as party bags, with the toy, a balloon and a bit of cake.

rookiemater · 17/05/2014 17:15

Ah ok kif I get your point. Pizzas always go down well, but I still think the DCs would really enjoy the happy meals and if they are prepared to give you the boxes flat then that sounds like an excellent idea.

mammaof4girls · 17/05/2014 17:18

I think its a great idea. definitely would only offer water, fruit shoot or the bottled milk as a drink. some of my children have gone through a faze of not eating the chips and the option of carrot sticks or fruit bag is great. enjoy your dcs party!

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/05/2014 17:28

I am a McDonald's refusnik. DD has been once, with her DF and never since. She doesn't know they have toys Blush

Even I would be ecstatic if you were happy to give my DD food, a toy and a fun time. I would thank you and I expect DD would be really happy. Even the most diehard McD's hater would be a real killjoy to make a fuss about their DC eating it once at a party.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 17/05/2014 17:30

We did Dominos for DD's birthday, asked them to choose between cheese, ham and pepperoni in advance, then based it on two large slices each plus a few spare, ordered in the morning for a specific time and picked up ourselves (DH popped out during the party for it) so we could use the BOGOF offer. Easy to carry too.

It worked out at about £2 per child, we provided biscuits, cake, paper plates and napkins and fruit shoots ourselves. It went down a storm and was very easy for us - just had a list of who wanted what and doled it out of the boxes onto the plates.

I'm not judgey about McD's (love it myself) but neither of my DCs like burgers or nuggets, one doesn't like fish fingers or fries either.

WorkingtoohardMama · 17/05/2014 17:37

We just ordered all fruit shoots and provided jugs of water.

MammaTJ · 17/05/2014 17:44

The last big party we had, there was a kitchen in the hall. As it was near tea time anyway, we decided to give all the DC sausages or burgers and chips, all done by wonderful DP in the kitchen.

About 45 kids, stress free and they kids were happy and the parents were happy as they hadn't picked at sweet stuff and then gone home wanting tea.

We then put out the nice bits, biscuits and cakes etc, for them to pick at.

It really was easy. We also had colouring books and a laminator handy. So, they sat colouring while DP was finishing it off and we laminated 'place mats' for them while they were eating. They were lovely and calm for their meals.

dancinggerald · 17/05/2014 18:14

I don't do Macdonald's, more for ethical reasons than anything else, plus my children are veggie and there's no veggie Happy Meal (Burger King do a Bean Burger Happy Meal) - even I wouldn't bat an eyelid at them being served macdonald's at a party, I'd just tell them to leave the meat and have chips, and I know they'd love it anyway. And I'd be grateful that you'd fed my children and given them a lovely time!

whatever5 · 17/05/2014 18:20

I think McDonalds would be better than pizza because they will get a toy and also can choose what they want so everyone will be happy (not all children like pizza).

mumontheroad · 17/05/2014 18:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsCakesPremonition · 17/05/2014 18:28

See if you can blag some free helium balloons while you're at it.

zipzap · 17/05/2014 18:41

My dc have been to parties where this has been done and it's fine - the kids are getting a known quantity, you don't have to worry about how hygenic the food prep of party sandwiches and stuff has been!

My only concern would be when you said that you wouldn't let the dc choose their drinks - ds2 (just 6) doesn't get a McD very often but when he is there he knows what he likes. So if you were to say to him that he couldn't have lemonade then that would probably really throw him and he wouldn't then want to eat the rest of it if he couldn't have a 'proper' (to him!) happy meal judging by his reaction when they just changed the design of the cups the lemonade was served in, but not the actual drink in it.

I'm also a parent that hates fruit shoots - and would much prefer my dc to have a good old fashioned lemonade than a fruit shoot with loads of dodgy stuff in, so I'd be very Hmm if you said you allowed fruit shoots but not lemonade; definitely seems to be the wrong way around! (But I appreciate that not everybody agrees with me)

Also my local McD have a sign up saying they do free fruit on a friday - might be worth talking to them in advance and seeing if they will throw some free fruit in for you!

GoldenGytha · 17/05/2014 18:44

My DDs have been to a few Mc Donalds parties (in the days when they had a kids area) and they loved it, they always had burgers or nuggets as neither liked fish fingers.

They loved it, DD1 would struggle at a party if there was only pizza, as she absolutely hates it, and cheese in any form.

I never minded them having coke at these parties either, it wasn't as if it was an everyday thing, so once in a while did no harm. Would never have expected them to drink just water, as we don't have it at all at home but I would never say anything if that is what was offered .

Floggingmolly · 17/05/2014 18:54

Of course it's fine, the kids will love it. It's exactly the same (probably a bit nicer, in fact) than the shite provided at any catered soft play party.
At our local soft play, the "premium" meal (at an extra two quid per head) consists of the same greasy old nuggets and chips as the regular menu, but with a platter of cucumber and tomato slices to share!

oldgrandmama · 17/05/2014 18:57

Sounds wonderful. May I come too? Grin

serin · 17/05/2014 22:30

McDonalds do Tropicana pure fruit juice as part of their happy meal.
I would order that or milk rather than fruit shoots.

Sounds like a great idea though.

Have a lovely holiday!

jellybeans · 17/05/2014 22:45

Sounds great to me!

aleC4 · 17/05/2014 23:41

I would really worry about a) the food going cold and b) getting the orders right. Dd had a Build a Bear party earlier this month and we took the girls to McDonalds afterwards. Trying to sort out the variations of just 6 Happy Meals was a nightmare. What about a chip shop? Dd went to a swimming party recently where there is a chip shop opposite the pool. While the kids were changing the dad went to the chippy and just bough loads of bags of chips. They had buttered cobs and ketchup and the children just made up their own chip butties. I thought this was a great idea. No washing up and very little hassle.

Mybellyisaneasteregg · 17/05/2014 23:51

I would be worried about an order for 27 happy meals getting cold and then tasting inedible, especially the fries Hmm wouldn't it be difficult to transport that many happy meals and cups?

I think the subway/ pizza suggestions are better

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 17/05/2014 23:54

Personally, I'd send around an option form first where you tick nuggets/fish fingers/burger, chips/carrots/fruit and water/milk/orange juice etc.

Then you compile the orders, and tell McDonalds what you want. On the day, go across to collect the orders, check what's in each box and sellotape the child's order form on the side. That way you check you have all the right combinations, and it's easy to give them to the correct child.

But yes, I think McDonalds at a party would be fine, especially having only got back the night before! Smile

GreenEyedGoblin · 18/05/2014 00:01

Yanbu as it's your choice, but I wouldn't. Over £50 quid on a McDonald's? My 6 year old has already got to the stage where a happy meal doesn't fill him and he's starving half an hour later. You could do a lovely, much tastier and still simple buffet for less than that, and a tenner spare for pound shop tat for pass the parcel.

JohnCusacksWife · 18/05/2014 00:12

Sounds like a fab idea to me. Although I probably wouldn't offer a choice. I'd order half chicken nuggets and half fish fingers put it all out on table buffet style and let them get on with it. The only thing I'd say is that the "toy" at the moment is a Secret Seven book which might not be ideal for 5 year olds who can't read by themselves?

whatever5 · 18/05/2014 00:14

Another thing you can do is order party food from a supermarket. Most of them including Marks and Spencers do party food and sandwich platters that you pre order a couple of days in advance. We did that for one of dds' parties as we were having the kitchen refitted so difficult to make sandwiches etc. I would do it again as it made life a lot easier.