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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have asked for a toy?

77 replies

Newusername53412 · 29/05/2018 11:30

DH and I are vegetarians. Therefore we have decided to bring DD (3) up as a vegetarian also. If she changes her mind when she is older that is fine by us, but for the moment she eats whatever we have.

I went to McDonald's the other day with some of my friends and their (similar aged) children. Their children all had happy meals.
McDonald's doesn't sell a vegetarian children's meal, so I ordered a large vegetarian adults meal and DD shared with me. All of these other children had happy meal toys and were playing with them together.

DD felt left out that she didn't have a toy so I went up and asked if I could have one for her (I did say I was happy to pay for it)
The lady at the counter got very snappy with me and said no because they are only if you have a happy meal. I was fine with that but she got really annoyed at me and hinted that DD shouldn't be a vegetarian at such a young age.
I know she's reasonable to refuse me, but WIBU to ask, even if I offered to pay? My friends seem to think I was, and apparently they would never ask such a thing....

OP posts:
Notso · 29/05/2018 11:34

You can buy the toys for £1, DD worked at MacDonalds for a while and I used to give her money to buy them for her brothers so they could collect the ones they wanted without eating the food every week.

LawDegreeBarbie · 29/05/2018 11:34

YANBU. It baffles me how there isn't a vegetarian Happy Meal option for children (and I'm a meat eater).

Pandora79 · 29/05/2018 11:34

MacDonald have always let us buy and extra toy. My friends ds would eat an adults meal and still want a toy when he was around 7. We have done it a few times.

PenguinChristmas · 29/05/2018 11:35

You can buy them for 99p from the counters it’s always been their policy as far as I’m aware (from my childhood 25 years ago!) ... I brought some when it was the Pokemon you’d fit my son because he’s obsessed but I didn’t fancy him having McDonald’s every week

TheShapeOfEwe · 29/05/2018 11:36

YANBU - and it sounds like the woman had a real chip on her shoulder. She could have said no politely if it's not allowed rather than giving you attitude!

I also can't understand why McDonalds don't do a vegetarian happy meal! I suppose there isn't much call for them but given all of their food arrives frozen anyway I don't see why they couldn't have a small number in stock.

NurseryFightClub · 29/05/2018 11:36

Yanbu, I would complain to hq, if there is enough people writing in they.may add additional items to menu. Not all kids like the same things.

Rocinante1 · 29/05/2018 11:36

My kids don't eat mcdonalds, but if we go out with friends, I buy them the toy. Never had a problem.

Original poster
Newusername53412 · 29/05/2018 11:37

Yeah, I have looked it up and apparently you can buy them. That's why I asked but apparently not. Don't know if it was just the lady being funny or if it's actually a policy.

OP posts:
Stickerrocks · 29/05/2018 11:40

YANBU. I was so surprised that there isn't a veggie Happy Meal Option that I actually went to look on their website. Perhaps they mistakenly assume that all vegetarians eat fish or chicken!

Butterflykissess · 29/05/2018 11:43

Even the chip s in MacDonal d's aren't veggie so I'm not surprised they don't have vegetarian option. I've never had any problem with the toys in there though.

ZibbidooZibbidooZibbidoo · 29/05/2018 11:44

hinted that DD shouldn't be a vegetarian at such a young age.

What did she actually say?

Mousefunky · 29/05/2018 11:44

As PP’s have said, McDonald’s do happily sell the toys on their own and have done for as long as I can recall.

My DC are also veggie. They get the cheeseburger without meat so that’s perhaps an option for you in future.

Mousefunky · 29/05/2018 11:44

Oh and the chips are definitely vegetarian.

VogueVVague · 29/05/2018 11:46

I dont understand qhy you didnt just buy a happy meal and give the nuggets to another kid

EleanorLavish · 29/05/2018 11:46

You can definitely buy the toys for £1. My youngest loves many of their toys and I go in and buy a ‘set’ so he doesn’t have to eat 6 Happy Meals.
Surprised they don’t have a veggie option.

Butterflykissess · 29/05/2018 11:47

I read that MacDonald s were sued for them frie s not being veggie. Maybe they have changed since then.

Trinity66 · 29/05/2018 11:47

Yeah, I have looked it up and apparently you can buy them. That's why I asked but apparently not. Don't know if it was just the lady being funny or if it's actually a policy.

I think it might depend on the McDonalds because I read somewhere before that they're individual franchises so for example some charge extra for ketch up etc and others just give it away free. But still that woman sounded awful and it's none of her business how you feed your child

SaucyJack · 29/05/2018 11:48

You can ask for a cheeseburger without the meat patty. I've done it loads of times personally.

BertrandRussell · 29/05/2018 11:49

“hinted that DD shouldn't be a vegetarian at such a young age.”

What did she actually say?

And the chips are vegetarian.

Mousefunky · 29/05/2018 11:51

I think they were sued in the US but they are vegetarian society approved in the UK along with the veg burger, milkshakes and ice cream.

Notso · 29/05/2018 11:54

The uk fries are certainly vegetarian.

VogueVVague · 29/05/2018 11:56

Gotta admit its a bit sad - a kid in mcdonalds without a happy meal. Doesnt seem right. Its what childhood memories are made of!

BabiesDontNeedDaddies · 29/05/2018 11:57

Don't know if it's still a thing but when I was younger my parent used to ask for a veggie burger happy meal. It was a little more expensive than a regular one and was classed as a substitution. Try asking next time.

ThanksForAllTheFish · 29/05/2018 12:02

For future reference Burger King do a vegetarian kids meal (and their veggie burgers taste nice than McDonald’s anyway).

What I have done previously for vegetarian DD is to buy a happy meal and either order a cheeseburger (and give it away to a homeless person - this works well if in busy city centre). She has the chips, drink and toy. I will then order her a portion on cheese dippers (usually some form of these available most of the time).

On other occasions I have had a happy meal and asked if they can replace the burger/nuggets etc with a fruit bag and they have been happy to do this.

I do agree you should be able to buy a toy separately but I know not all of them do this (most are franchises).

I would love McDonald’s to offer a vegetarian kids meal, something like veggie fingers/nuggets or even a soya or Quorn type of thing.

Steeley113 · 29/05/2018 12:03

If this actually happened then make a massive complaint. Use social media to get attention to it. You can buy the toys for 99p (I get them a lot if it’s a good toy set like the Pokemon’s) so she essentially refused to sell you something.