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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:
BarbaraofSeville · 14/12/2015 12:54

I don't think service and 'nice family time' warrants the mark up either.

When I eat out, I want food that takes some effort to make and is better than we have at home. Otherwise what's the point?

Save easy, no effort, throw in the oven food for nights at home when you can't be arsed to cook. Sod paying someone else a massive mark-up to do that for you.

I suppose some of the comments on this thread explain why the standard of a lot of restaurant food is so low - people happily pay a lot of money for reheated crap.

ShutTheFuckUpBarbara · 14/12/2015 12:55

There's nothing wrong with nuggets, fish fingers etc. but I do like when a restaurant offer home made ones, like I would do at home. I don't particularly like eating out and being served processed food, when I could have done better myself.

This being said, DD is only 4 and will happily eat most things you put in front of her, processed or not. So as long as she's enjoying her meal out, I'm happy.

BarbaraofSeville · 14/12/2015 13:04

I hope your username is not aimed at me ShutTheFuckUp Grin

Dancergirl · 14/12/2015 13:21

When I eat out, I want food that takes some effort to make and is better than we have at home. Otherwise what's the point?

Yes totally agree. For an adult. But most children don't think like that.

Gileswithachainsaw · 14/12/2015 13:25

which is perhaps why standards should be higher, yes?

proper chicken nuggets.

hand made burgers

fish fingers made on the premises.

anything that's not already in the freezer at home for that day you can't be arsed

TaliZorah · 14/12/2015 13:26

I'm with Giles it should be homemade or at least well made stuff.

TheSecondViola · 14/12/2015 13:30

My annoyance is if there's a bright children's menu there ds wants that, if there isn't one he just gets on and eats

Ah, so your actual point is you don't want your kid to have what he wants, ie the kids menu, so you don't want anyones children to have the option. How nice of you Hmm

I think its fairly obvious you are being unreasonable. If you don't like the menus that are available in the places you keep going to, stop going there and go to ones where you like the menu.

Original poster
Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 13:40

Oh viola don't be so over the top. I swear one people are just looking for a fight.

I said it was nice to see ds eating things he wouldn't have otherwise chosen. He really enjoyed it I think he enjoyed it even more.

Some children might want to eat from the children's menu because it's handed to them as the children's menu.

If the regular menu had a price next to it for child portion and brightly coloured with characters they might be more inclined to have something else they might enjoy it is all I meant.

Jeez I just wondered what people thought I'm not campaigning for the end of chicken nuggets.

OP posts:
TheSecondViola · 14/12/2015 13:42

It's not over the top. You're backtracking because you realise it was a bit of a dumb question.

Original poster
Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 13:43

As for not wanting ds to have what he wants, well I've never once stopped him from ordering from the kids menu.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 14/12/2015 13:44

If the regular menu had a price next to it for child portion and brightly coloured with characters they might be more inclined to have something else they might enjoy it is all I meant

I think.its obvious what you meant.

of course when confronted with cartoon characters, pictures of cartoony bottles of drinks with smiley faces on the menu and photos if ice cream of course it's obvious what they will go for. especially when there's a big picture to colour on the other side and a balloon.

the links above show you just that. Dennis the menace burger. hulk nuggets, mucky mouse macaroni etc. it's marketing that's all. and the reality is it's not worth the money

Original poster
Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 13:47

Ok viola if you say so

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 14/12/2015 13:48

Sorry I don't really class nuggets and chips as proper food!

Oh.

Shame that's pretty much all one of my food avoiding DGC will eat then...Sad

SheHasAWildHeart · 14/12/2015 13:55

Notso thank you, and it's Manchester that we're going to so glad to hear it's good, trying to move DD away from Pizza Express which is her fave!

TheSecondViola · 14/12/2015 13:55

As for not wanting ds to have what he wants, well I've never once stopped him from ordering from the kids menu

Which is why you want there to not be a kids menu at all.

Lookit, if you're ineffectual and your children are so easily swayed by a cartoon character on a menu, thats not the restaurants problem, or anyone elses. How about you just make your own choices and feed your own kid?

Original poster
Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 14:04

That's unrelated though nannyogg refusing other food is hardly ideal but I understand it can be really hard and stressful.

You might struggle to eat out a lot with a food refuser whatever the menu.

OP posts:
chicaguapa · 14/12/2015 14:16

I do find it insulting on behalf of the children that restaurants think all they're capable of eating is chicken nuggets and chips or that they're so unworthy of any creative thought. Hmm

My custom goes to places where DC can eat something more inspiring and I avoid the places where they just can't be bothered to offer anything beyond beige food to kids. I usually ask for a child's portion of something from the main menu and encourage DS to choose something that can be halved. At 11 he reads the adult menu and wants something more exciting, but it's too expensive to pay for an adult's meal for him.

My favourite place for children's meals is restaurant in Lakeland in Windermere. We make a special detour to stop there for lunch on the way up to the north Lakes.

Nanny0gg · 14/12/2015 15:48

That's unrelated though nannyogg refusing other food is hardly ideal but I understand it can be really hard and stressful.You might struggle to eat out a lot with a food refuser whatever the menu.

It is stressful. And snidey/superior references to the limited choices they make not being 'proper food' only goes towards making parents in that situation feel even worse than they already do.

counthedays · 14/12/2015 15:59

We almost always order from the kids menu and if it's nuggets etc it's fresh chicken in breadcrumbs as opposed to processed food so perfectly acceptable in my book. If you are eating somewhere where the children's menu is full of processed crap I could hazard a guess that the adult menu isn't all that homemade either?

Original poster
Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 16:17

You can take it as snide if you want to but you are just taking something personally that's not about you.

As I've said numerous times we eat stuff like that and it has its place but I think it would be nice for children to join in with the theme of a restaurant.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pyjamaramadrama · 14/12/2015 16:20

Yes and no countthedays, depends where you go. I've been to places with great kids menus like you say. Others it's all much of a muchness. Other places do great adult food but order in from Iceland for the kids menus.

I just wonder about the idea that kids really need their own separate food. I suppose it sells and attracts families which is where the money is.

OP posts:
Krampus · 14/12/2015 16:47

Countthedays that's always my thinking too, if the kids menu is full of crap then the food on the main menu will be too. The meat will be no better quality and the sauces probably out of a catering jar, other dishes frozen catering. Personally I enjoy a good chicken nugget and have no probs with my kids choosing them, they can be made well. A pasta, stir fry or curry aren't necessarily healthier or better. Chicken and breadcrumbs are a wining combination Grin my teen ( the former sauce hater) will eat off most restaurant menu's and loves a curry. Still he cant resist a Kiev, Katsu chicken, Milanese di Pollo.

There's lots of restaurants here that do put effort into the kids and smaller portion menu's. They are perfectly well made and interesting but simpler. With one of mine we always went for the kids menu as he hated any type of sauce.

Jesabel · 14/12/2015 16:50

I have one child who would happily eat a half portion of adult food and one who will only eat beige. I'd rather order nuggets and chips that he will enjoy off the kids menu than have him just eat bread.

witsender · 14/12/2015 20:07

It just seems a bit patronising.

"Hey, you're a kid...all you want is some deep fried freezer food with a couple of token peas."

Kids are just small people, why assume they will only eat beige food?! At least home make it, even I am partial to some decent nuggets and chips. Grin

LovelyFriend · 14/12/2015 20:20

My main priority when eating out is that it's a fairly relaxing experience for me us all.

Whatever floats the boat is fine with me. Kids menus are great - sure they are limited but at least they are safe. Sometimes we go off piste and it can be a waste of money when the unexpected (to a 4yo or 8yo) arrives and is rejected. Always go better if I make sure they are proper starving before we go, though that strategy can all to easily backfire Grin

I always thought I'd have adventurous eating children, like me. Turns out I don't. So kids menus can rock. They have their place.

Noodle/sushi places always a hit with my 2.

Byron do great kids burgers.

Wasabi and Wagamanas can do no wrong (though we don't usually order from the kids menu at Wagamanas but share bigger plates.)

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