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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think kids menus are pointless?

101 replies

Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 10:59

And that half portions of the regular menu would be a much better idea.

Usually when we eat out we just let ds order from the kids menu without thinking about it. It's almost always boring, burger and chips, chicken nuggets and chips.

Like a lot of 7 year olds ds does like that sort of food but when at home he will at least eat most things.

Saturday we went to a place without a children's menu but still family friendly, a Mediterranean place.

Dh looked blankly over the menu and asked what an earth ds could have. Ds asked the waiter where the children's menu was BlushI rolled my eyes and said its just food.

We ended up having sharing platters and tapas dishes and ds loved it, couldn't get enough of the food.

Such ashame most food places don't adopt this.

OP posts:
Dancergirl · 14/12/2015 11:59

YABU

Good for you that your children eat everything, lots don't and it doesn't come from being pandered to which is a common myth.

So what if a child fancies chicken nuggets and chips once in a while? If you have a healthy lifestyle they're probably not being cooked at home.

Going out to eat is more about nice family time than the actual food. Not everything has to be good value for money. To start fussing about the food not being worth the money takes all the joy out. If my kids are eating well when we go out and behaving well and everyone is having a nice time, that's worth every penny IMO.

Original poster
Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 12:02

Passive I was thinking more the time I was in a department store cafe.

I wanted a jacket spud for ds but it wasn't on the kids menu. I said I'd pay full price but they couldn't grasp

OP posts:
SheHasAWildHeart · 14/12/2015 12:02

I don't like chicken nuggets but threads like this make me want to go eat a bag and just be a rebel!

If my kids are eating well when we go out and behaving well and everyone is having a nice time, that's worth every penny IMO.
This!

Good we ate some crap growing up, but are healthy, happy and functioning adults :)

Thurlow · 14/12/2015 12:05

I wanted a jacket spud for ds but it wasn't on the kids menu. I said I'd pay full price but they couldn't grasp

What, they said you couldn't order something for a child because it wasn't on the child's menu? Confused

RaspberrySwitchblade · 14/12/2015 12:08

If you want a jacket potato* for your child, and are willing to pay the 'full price' then just order one.

*or any food

I'm baffled by that, Pyjama

WorraLiberty · 14/12/2015 12:08

I think it depends on where you eat.

Lots of restaurants will serve small portions for children if you ask them to.

However, some restaurants can't because "The till doesn't have a button for that".

But I find non chain restaurants are rarely a problem.

SheHasAWildHeart · 14/12/2015 12:09

I was at a place last week full of students from the local uni all ordering for themselves off the kids menu and no one said anything. Business is business :)

tootsietoo · 14/12/2015 12:09

YANBU! If only places would just do half sized and half priced plates of everything on the menu. Would this be feasible? I've never worked in a restaurant. I agree the children's menus are usually boring. Mine are pretty typical I think as in they love the beige food, sausages etc but would quite like to have some of the stuff on the normal menu sometimes.

I usually end up buying one meal and asking for two plates (because the pubs we usually go to don't have children's menus) but you can imagine there are often arguments about who wants what. Our local does a sharing plate - so we often have that, which works out good value between four of us and is about the right size for lunch.

slightlyglitterpaned · 14/12/2015 12:11

They're not much cop for veggies. Also, way too large for a toddler, so we end up getting a side of chips or a starter.

Blueberry234 · 14/12/2015 12:12

I have had weight loss surgery and have had issues with trying to order kids meals, but that is totally my issue, I normally order a main and share with my 5 year old only thing is I rarely get my choice off the menu, luckily he is fairly adventurous

Jw35 · 14/12/2015 12:13

I don't think they're pointless but they should have healthier food on them

RaspberrySwitchblade · 14/12/2015 12:15

pretty good choice here, and you can mix and match the sides

RaspberrySwitchblade · 14/12/2015 12:19

and these have jacket potatoes on the children's menu

harvester are opening more 'eat only' places on out of town shopping parks too, so maybe something to look out for instead of a department store one?

ceeveebee · 14/12/2015 12:24

It does irritate me that they often bundle in drink and ice cream, as my DC only drink water and DD won't eat anything sweet so I'm paying for stuff I don't want.

Usually my DD won't eat anything off the kids menu other than the chips, as she prefers steak, fish (without the batter), chicken (without the nugget coating) whereas DS will pretty much only eat beige food or pasta. So we tend to mix and match, with a few things shared off our plates and maybe one kids meal between them (they're only 4 so not huge appetites).
The good thing about places with kids menus is that I know they'll be child friendly and I won't get constant tuts and stares if my DC don't sit perfectly quiet and still for the duration!

honkinghaddock · 14/12/2015 12:27

I like children's menus for two reasons. Firstly it is usually finger food so we don't see pulled faces when ds eats pasta with his fingers. Secondly we like to give him a safe option when he is out because he is easily overwhelmed just being somewhere different. He usually has some of ours as well.

SheHasAWildHeart · 14/12/2015 12:29

Has anyone visited Giraffe? Was looking at their menu for a trip we're doing next week. They've got salmon plus veg on the menu that I know DD would love. We don't eat meat but from what I can remember the menu seemed ok.

Notso · 14/12/2015 12:38

DH and I were saying the other day how much better children's menus have got.
Our eldest is 15 now but when she was little we often ordered her an adults portion of whatever she fancied and DH ate the other half took half home because she didn't eat chips until she was about 10.
Since we have had Dc3 and 4 aged 5 and 3 I don't think we've been anywhere where the kids menu has just been something and chips.

skyeskyeskye · 14/12/2015 12:38

giles I wouldnt pay £5-7 for turkey dinosaurs. The local pub does a childs carvery, dessert and drink for £6.50. I took her to Pizza Hut for a special treat and the £6.95 menu gave her a chocolate float milkshake, a pizza, ice cream factory and garlic bread, along with an activity book, crayons, a hat and a balloon.

I thought that was good value based on the price of eating out generally. You cant compare it to buying in Aldi or whatever or you would never eat anywhere. We all know we are paying for more than the food, you are paying for service etc as well.

Original poster
Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 12:39

Oh gosh yes the jacket potato scenario.

It was nothing to do with trying to be healthy either he was an older baby but couldn't manage finger food very well.

It was one of those the till won't allow it moments.

I think the woman got confused because I was saying I didn't need the pizza slice that came with it but I'd gladly pay for it if necessary.

She just kept pointing the the children's board saying sorry we can't do it.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 14/12/2015 12:44

I still don't think the "service" eartebts the mark up on alot of this stuff.

you may he happy with the carvery and pizza place. however when it comes to the standard fare we are talking about , nuggets and chips etc the mark up is huge. it really is low quality crap and I l ow on several occasions we have been served chips that have seen better days. definately been re heated as they don't taste fresh at all. I do object paying for the crap. a freezer burnt ice cream in a penguin tub, someone else's chips and a few pennies worth if nuggets is what you often get. no sevice is worth the mark up

Notso · 14/12/2015 12:45

SheHasAWildHeart we visited Giraffe in Manchester with our two oldest in the summer holidays. It was their choice. They are 15 and 11 so ate from the adult menu but the food was really good loads of choice and the service was fantastic.

middlings · 14/12/2015 12:46

The demise of children's menus would mean I wouldn't get to eat the dessert from the children's menu in Pizza Express when the DDs are too full for it. So for that very reason alone, YABU.

That said, if I think it's good value (and I think the Pizza Express and Prezzo ones are mainly because I get dessert without having ordered it and therefore it's calorie free), then I go for it. If I don't think it's good value, we tend to get an adult main for them to share that they'll both enjoy. No staff in any restaurant have ever objected!

TaliZorah · 14/12/2015 12:47

Giles I've never had that but I would object to paying for that too!

Gileswithachainsaw · 14/12/2015 12:49

giraffes has always been good for us though.

friendly staff and a decent selection. balloon after.

better than many if the pubs

GinIsTheBestChristmasSpirit · 14/12/2015 12:53

Depends where you go our favourite place to eat out offers burgers, nuggets, fish fingers, spagbol, pizza, fajitas, curry and rice, chicken breast and fish pie as well as veggie options. You can choose chips jacket mash or boiled potatoes then a variety of veggies or salad. I think it's a decent variety. It's also cheap but good portions.

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