Am I a CF to expect free lunch for my DD?

[jasminemaya]

Booked a two week holiday with DP and DD (3).

The hotel has advertised 'kids stay and eat for free'.

We have booked half board. Me and DP won't need lunch but obviously DD will.

Am I a CF to assume she can have a little plate from the buffet at lunch time? Or do I need to budget an extra fiver or so a day to buy her lunch?

Make sure she gets plenty of breakfast and then just find a local cafe for a drink for yourself and something small for her - she won't need that much at her age - or keep fruit and crackers and cheese and ham if there is a fridge in your room

What will you have for lunch?

Those that never steal from a breakfast buffet must have never stayed in a Disneland Paris hotel. There was sandwich production lines at every tables, they had to ration meat in the end. They even had Tupperware.

I would never take from the breakfast buffet by the way! Just thought as OP was being cheeky anyway

Why don’t you need lunch? Can’t you all just go to a cafe together?

Why do you and your dp not need lunch?

Oh and "making up a lunch for her from the breakfast buffet" is stealing and totally unacceptable.

Hahahahahaha call the cops

Those that never steal from a breakfast buffet must have never stayed in a Disneland Paris hotel. There was sandwich production lines at every tables, they had to ration meat in the end. They even had Tupperware.
And it lost them so much money that now breakfast is no longer included, and it costs a fecking fortune.

I agree with Havaina, speak to the hotel and I'm sure they'll be happy to be oblige. A 3-year old doesn't eat very much and they're getting your business half-board.

I think MN posters just like to deliver slaps as often as they can. Your only mistake was to put 'CF' in the title.

Goodness me, lots of pearl clutching going on.

OP budget a little extra and then when you get there just ask the the score is, it may be a definite no no, it may be we don't give a shit.

Is it not free now Utterley?. We last went in 2014 and it was a scrum at breakfast time.

The few times we stayed in hotels, and had a fridge in our room, we kept tons of stuff for dd in it. Mainly because she tended to dislike the hotel food anyway, but also because it's always nice to have access to a bit of cheese or something in the middle of the night.

Its quite normal not to need lunch when you get a big breakfast on holiday. I'd just pick up some bits and pieces for your dd at a local supermarket.

I love the classic MN pearl clutching responses especially after the OP had already conceded that she was likely incorrect in her thinking.

Call the hotel you're staying at and ask them for clarity.

Never fancy lunch when it's hot, especially after a big breakfast and lying around in the sun all day.

I don't think there is a food shop at the resort, just a gift shop.

I'll budget an extra £100 for her lunch then assuming it will be max £7 per day.

Serious CF territory.

And people who make up a lunch buffet from the free breakfast are embarrassing. Just buy your fucking lunch and stop stuffing rolls into your handbag.

You’re budgeting £7 a day for a three year old’s lunch? That’s steep.

Is it not free now Utterley?. We last went in 2014 and it was a scrum at breakfast time.
No, the free scrum days ended in March 2017, as far as I remember (we were last there shortly beforehand).

Is their a lunch buffet anyway - can you choose between AI and HB as all the half board places I have been to do not offer it unless there is also an AI option

I will go against the grain and say that she should be having lunch as she is only 3. Just check with the hotel and see what they say. If I am right and it is abroad, chances are that they will be sorting out something for her as things are very child friendly abroad. If not, just get loads of buts from breakfast. Have a blast.

Hmm, are you sure you'll be "lying around in the sun all day." on holiday with a 3 year old?!

Surely you'll be in and out of the pool, making sandcastles, then back up to the room/somewhere air conditioned for the hotest parts of the day (if it's hot enough to sunbath, then she probably can't sit out at lunchtime and will have a nap).

Re think, holidaying with a pre-schooler is very, very different to holidaying with just a partner, or even a non-mobile baby. (Assuming as you haven't had to think about feeding your DD on holiday before you havent done a sun holiday since she was a baby or not at all)

I thought £7 was fine, if not a bit low...

Say £4.50 for a meal, £1.50 for a drink, £1 for tip / service charge... It's very easy to get to £7 for a kids meal in most hotels

No doubt the but it's theft drama llamas will start hollering but if I were you i'd just make her a little pack up from the breakfast buffets.

Kids that age don't eat much in the mornings anyways (( waits for the poster whose kid scoffs a pack of bacon, 20 eggs and a loaf of bread each morning. All washed down by a pan of porridge ))

I thought about checking with the hotel but felt a bit embarrassed. It's a posh resort and it will highlight the fact we don't have much money!

Nope haven't been away since she was born, it's a big birthday for DP and a once in a lifetime trip.

The kids club looks excellent and right up her street so I'm hoping to get a few hours in the day of lounging around

But also agree, the "kids eat free" is usually at the same meals as parents are paying for.

Think about it as places like Harvester often do 'kids eat free' deals for some meals, they are always with the requirement that an adult is paying for a meal at the same time. Call the travel company to check, but I'd be very surprised if free meals for her didn't come with a requirement that you were paying for a meal for yourself - either as part of the package, or buying a meal.

Do you think "kids stay and eat for free" means that I can drop off my teenagers to have a free room and free food, despite DH and I not staying in the hotel at all? After all, they're "kids", so entitled to "stay and eat for free"

Yes, everyone thinks precisely that

Just call and ask. They might say yes.