to think a children's meal should be enough for a four year old?

[CustardLover]

Had a nice lunch today in Carluccios - we all liked it, especially DS who's 4. He liked it so much (penne with tomato sauce) that he finished it in minutes - there was about 10 pieces of pasta in the sauce. I had to order extra bread and broccoli as well as give him my pasta to make sure he'd had enough food. When the waitress was taking the supplemental orders she commented that I should have ordered him an adult portion, which surprised me. He's not a fussy eater but he's not gluttonous and he's FOUR. AIBU to think that a children's meal, at £6.50, should have enough pasta in tomato sauce to satisfy a pre-schooler? Or am I being naive and do you have to switch over to the adult menu much earlier than I had expected? Restaurant owners - what is your expectation of child diners?

It's usually up until about 7 or 8-ish depending on the child. DS has been eating 2 kids main (there's one he really likes that there isn't an adult version of) at wagamanas since he was about 8.

I have found the exact opposite in all restaurants. They're always given far too much food ime.

Sounds like you went to a stingy branch! I've always found the carluccio's kids meals to be really big.

My 2 year old would need more than that. That's a huge rip off.

I usually find the opposite too. Far too much food. 10 pieces of pasta is ridiculous.

My 4 yo wolfed down a meal last week and did look like she could have eaten a lot more. It's unusual for her though as normally she does just pick. My local place does 2 different sizes of children's meals and it was the larger one I ordered simply because that was the item she wanted. The small meals are very small.

That's a crazy small portion. Kids meals normally cover up to 10yr old type ages.

£6.50 for 10 bits of pasta! YANBU, I would expect a kids meal to at least feed up to an 8 year old.

Sounds like a stingy branch of Carluccios.

We went a few weeks ago with my friend's 6 year old and the food was more than she could manage.

She had bread sticks and a drink.
Pasta
Fruit salad

All as part of the children's meal.

I didn't count the pasta obviously

But there were way more than ten bits.

Another one surprised by that from Carlucci's This was the last restaurant we stopped ordering childrens meals in as usually they were so big.

I think child meals should have enough food to fill them up until the age of around 7 sometimes 8.
£6.50 for a 10 bits of pasta in Tom sauce is just mean.
My ds is 8 months and will eat 4 pieces of pasta, little sauce and broccoli for a meal

My 11 year old still eats childrens meals, I have always found them to be huge.

DD (6) has had Carluccio's kids meals many times and they've been nowhere like as tiny as that (unless you're exaggerating). She's nowhere near ready to have adult portions, the kids ones are massive!

I'd expect a child's meal to feed a 10-year-old tbh.

Did you not question the size of it OP?

Garfunkels kids meals are the same size as the adult meal, just cheaper - it's fab.

We've gone to Carluccios loads and it's been satisfactory and I did just think this was a particularly stingy occasion (honestly, I'm not exaggerating) but less than the portion size I am surprised by the waitresses' comment which implied she thought DS shouldn't be eating a child's portion (he's tall but not a giant). I guess rather than order extra food for him I should have just asked for a refill.

We've gone to Carluccios loads and it's been satisfactory and I did just think this was a particularly stingy occasion (honestly, I'm not exaggerating) but less than the portion size I am surprised by the waitresses' comment which implied she thought DS shouldn't be eating a child's portion (he's tall but not a giant). I guess rather than order extra food for him I should have just asked for a refill.

Most places I go to advertise their childrens meals as being suitable for under 12's

Sounds like a really stingy portion. Would have questioned it when it was brought to the table.

One of our chains says kids older than 12 must order from adult menu.

So I would guess they should have enough to feed a junior school kid?

If you're a regular there and used to having much bigger portions, I can't understand why you didn't ask about it.

The offer atm is the kids meal for £1 with an adult main course!

We were in sainsburys cafe recently and what came out for my three year old was tiny - a single ice cream scoop portion of mash, a single chipolata sausage and a small ramekin of baked beans.

It just about did him with the bread from my soup and a piece of fruit afterwards but I can't imagine many 7-8 year olds eating that little!

He would inhale 10 pieces of pasta in less than a minute lol