To have asked for a toy?

[Newusername53412]

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....

McDonalds should have a vegetarian Happy Meal option, and allow people to purchase the toys (maybe if they spend an equivalent amount of cash to a Happy Meal) as lots of children have special dietary requirements of various kinds, but would still like to have the toy and box like their siblings or friends.

@oohyoudevilyou
I guess they assume that most vegetarians are vegetarians because of:
A) health or
B) animals rights

And so shouldnt really be in mcdonalds either way.

What do you reckon to that OP?

You can’t buy the toys at all branches.
Buy a happy meal and ask for no burger patty or no chicken nuggets

You CAN that should say!

VogueVVague

There's loads of reasons why some people don't eat meat, and anyway McDonalds consider that they do supply healthy food - just look at their website and advertising!

FWIW though, I'd have probably bought the child a Happy Meal and either refused, handed back or binned the burger/nuggets.

I shocked that they don't do a veggie happy meal! They could easily do veggie fingers couldn't they. I don't think you were unreasonable asking for a toy. You spent more than the price of a happy meal anyway.

In what way did she hint that your dd shouldn't be vegetarian? What did she actually say?

A cheeseburger without the meat patty?? So, a bun then?

Is it McDonalds that do mozzarella sticks? Can’t they put them in a Happy Meal? I brought my children up as fishandchipocrites, and we always had to wait ages for a fish Happy Meal......

Could you not buy a happy meal, swap nuggets for carrot sticks and chips for fruit, then take some falafels with you or something? Although I have bought the toys for £1 without complaint!

Some franchisees won't sell the toys separately at any time and others may restrict their sale during the final few days of each promotion if they are running low on stock.

It's rubbish they don't do vegetarian meal. I know someone who wrote to them and they said it was due to no demand. Burger king do do a vegetarian children's meal with toy which is much nicer than McDonald's vegetarian option just so you know is an option. My child is vegetarian through own choice but even when ate meat she didn't like the stuff in happy meals

Ah, come on you big old porky pie teller! She'd have sold you one for the £1 it costs and won't have had time or inclination to be "hinting" at not liking child vegetarians because you are just one of a MASS of customers she'll see daily. In the real world, if you were actually at a Maccies, you'll have refused to pay the £1 because it's not your child's fault they don't do a veg happy meal and she'll have not risked the hassle of slipping you one.

Why did you even tell her your "daughter" was a "vegetarian". I'm not sure if this is designed to get people to kick off about kids not having a choice or eating meat or whatever, but you should have made the kid a vegan if you wanted a reaction.

I think smashedmug has it in one! Op probably expected to be given it for free, and is avoiding answering the question of what was actually said, even though she has been asked several times by different posters

bobstersmum A cheeseburger without the meat patty?? So, a bun then?
No cheese in a bun

I’d complain.

Mouse funky So that's a cheese roll ??

I am surprised that you could not buy a toy but I guess they want more of you money off you so they try to make you buy the meal .
All credit to them that buy the meal and give the burger to another child / homeless person but I cant help but feel the burgerless child my feel a bit put out that they dont get a burger. ( at 3 it may be a bit hard for them to get the concept )
It is shameful in this day and age that kids are not able to have a veggie meal , but I guess some peoples reaction may be ' why go to a burger bar if you dont want burgers' ( cos you want the toy ! )

This thread is so sad.

Of course a 3 year old shouldn't be vegetarian. The serving lady was doing her duty with her "hint".

I can't believe there are any vegetarian options in a burger joint.

Of course YWNBU to ask, I'm also surprised there's no veggie happy meal for kids!

Of course a 3 year old shouldn't be vegetarian. The serving lady was doing her duty with her "hint".

Out of interest why not? (I'm not veggie and obviously my kids aren't either but I was under the impression that even kids could have a healthy meat free diet as long as it was planned properly. I also don't think someone working in McDonalds is necessarily in a position to pass judgement on other people's children's diets!

Although I am also now doubting the veracity of this story!

I used to work there as a student and I would totally have given you it, especially as you explained a bit!

I was brought up vegetarian and was gutted when I realised you could buy the toy separately - I’d been missing out for years! We didn’t have a McDonalds where I lived so realistically didn’t go very often, just for friends’ birthdays and stuff, but it was like a revelation!