Is this weird

[Enoughnow12]

Four adults go out for an evening meal. One adult gets a kids meal. Is this weird.

Not weird at all.

The children's menu in most restaurants isn't the kind of meal I want to eat, I'd rather order something nice and only eat what I want or order a salad if I'm not that hungry (this rarely happens, just if I'm dieting ☹️)

I always want to order a child's portion because I have reflux and some other stomach issues. I genuinely just thought it was bad form? I've never seen an adult do it. I tend to have two starters instead but I might be braver if other people are already doing this and it's something I fancy on the child's menu.

an American poster said upthread that she always had a starter (her use of the word entree for main course gave the game away).

Her entirely correct use of 'entrée'.

The two starter strategy is a good one, ime.

@isabellerossignol I have no stomach at all and always tell them when I book the table if it's a new restaurant, ones we frequent regularly know me. We eat out a couple of times a week and have never encountered a problem. I do have a card but have never been asked to show it.

It'd be good if more places offered the choice of small portions - proper food for kids and appropriate portion size for people like me short postmenopausal women with ludicrously low calorie requirements.

My card

Yes, really weird. Why are four adults eating at the kind of establishment that offers kid’s meals?

YABU
Not every menu offers ‘lite bites’ and not everyone has a huge appetite.
There have been plenty of times I would have loved to have ordered off the kids menu, but it has stated for under 12 years only, so I have had to order and pay for full size but leve half meal. Such a waste.

In a pub my DM always does this as she doesn't like large or normal portion sizes

At my local restaurant the meals are huge. My daughter asked for a kids fish and chips (exactly the same as an adults one but smaller) and it was more than I'd have eaten. I guess it depends where and what they ordered

I think a bit of context is needed here?
I'm a T1 diabetic and I carb count. I can now change my insulin based on how much I eat but for a very long time I was on a static dosage of insulin and had to eat the same amount of carbs every single day.
At a fancy restaurant I wouldn't order a kid's meal but I would end up not finishing the meal (even though I really wanted to!) However at our local cinema diner where it's a lot more informal I would always get the kids meal because the portion suited me a lot better and I didn't have to send back a plate half full

Forgot to add in prev post. - My point is, people do things for reasons and maybe you just don't know why they've gone for the kids menu and they may have a genuine excuse.
But either way - so long as they're not forcing the other adults to do the same then surely it's a non-issue?

I have ulcerative colitis and would do this if I wasn't up to eating much/having an off day.
People have valid reasons at times

Would never be considered weird on here where every poster allegedly eats like a bird and constantly complains about 'so much food...' and a chicken can last an entire month between 8 people

@Enoughnow12

YABU. It's not 'weird' for someone to have a child's meal when they go out to eat. When I go out for a meal, I have a starter as my 'main,' and then a small dessert. I am not a big eater, and I get full easily.

I do not have hang-ups about food, nor do I have an eating disorder, nor have I had a gastric band or bypass! I am just full on a small-ish amount of food.

I do however, have a problem with snarky people and their judgemental attitudes.

I went out with some colleagues about ten years ago, and one particular woman, would not let up on me ALL EVENING. She kept constantly commenting on my 'small portions,' asking what was wrong with me, if I had anorexia, if I had some underlying issues, and how worrying it was that I was not eating enough, how 'eating too little makes you fat' (apparently!) and generally mocking and staring at me. It completely ruined my entire evening out.

It was the first and last time I went for a meal when I knew this woman was going to be there.

I will eat as much - or as LITTLE - as I like when I go for a meal, it's got fuck-all to do with anyone else, and the OP and people like her, need to mind their own damn business. Do you think people who eat small portions want YOUR opinions? They may have an eating disorder, or they may not. But your snarky judgemental comments are not helping ANYone.

I would assume that restaurants won't go for this (the children's menu often says "up to 12" or something ime) but I frequently have two starters instead of a starter and a main and thinking about it I've never had a restaurant moan about that.

No I wouldn't judge. I'd rather not have chicken nuggets and beans but I'm guessing that's not what they went for, or if it is then they must like it!

I don't think it's weird. My best friend has a small appetite and eats little and often. Ordering a kids meal saves her from wasting food and money.

I think it's a good idea to order from the childrens menu, because I cant eat an adult sized meal.

@Pierrettelasanguinaire
Correct only in the US. Entrèe isn’t used for main course in the U.K.

A lot of posters here seem to only go to places where children’s food consists of baked beans, or chicken nuggets. It’s really often not the case that’s is what’s on the children’s menu or all that is available if you want a smaller sized portion.

I’d rather see an adult eat a meal that is marketed towards children than see lots of food go to waste.