AIBU - Child friendly kids menu...

[Blearymorningeyes]

Is there such a thing as a "child friendly" kids menu? Surely all kids menus are child friendly?!

I invited my SIL to my favourite Mexican restaurant for my birthday. She has 2 DC, ages 4 and 7.

I sent her the kids menu to look at, which has mini versions of Mexican fare such as fajitas, nachos and enchiladas, plus some "plainer" things too, such as chicken breast with mash. She just messaged me saying "Hi Bleary, can we please choose a different restaurant, because the kids menu doesn't really look very child friendly?". I feel sad as I and was so looking forward to going to this particular restaurant for my birthday and I don't see why her kids wouldn't like at least one thing on the menu - it's pretty standard, isn't it?! By "child friendly" does that translate to "It doesn't have sausages/fish fingers and chips"?

AIBU in thinking that my birthday restaurant choice shouldn't be changed because of this?

I hate confrontation... Help!

Definitely don't change it. Maybe if it was just a meet up, but it's your birthday - "we" didn't choose it, you chose it because it's where you want to celebrate so no, you can't choose somewhere else. If she doesn't want to come, presumably that's fine? Just say you've been looking forward to having your birthday there and thought the chicken/mash and other options would be fine. If not, no worries, you'll miss her but can catch up another time.

Just say "No sorry I can't, I've been really looking forward to having my birthday meal there. I'm sure there's something they'll eat."
It's not even like it's just a family get together, it's your birthday, she doesn't get to decide the restaurant based in where has the blandest food.

OP was just about to say the same. She feeds them before she comes. Gives them tortilla chips and ice cream there. Simples.

Sounds like a great kids menu! I can’t stand menus that only have fried items or bolagnese. My son doesn’t eat any of those things. It’s your birthday, you get to choose the restaurant.

I want Mexican food now, especially some delicious enchiladas... and yes - am aware its only 9,30 but as my DC dont do spice really, given the chance, I go overboard and this thread has me salivating!

simon then I'd not be able to eat out with mine very often. They like very plain, unfussy food. At a cafe for lunch, the sandwiches all had 4 or 5 ingredients, on fancy breads. Lovely, but not for my dd. Fortunately they made her beans on toast which wasn't on the menu. It would be great if all kids liked complicated, multi ingredient food but they just don't, and when restaurants don't offer plain 'kids food' It means I can't go there either. You don't have to order it.

Sorry, op, I wouldn't change the restaurant. Its your birthday. They can come and try it, or not come.

@SanFranBear Sorry for the inconvenience... But GO GET THOSE ENCHILADAS.

Thanks everyone, gosh you're all so helpful! I'm just figuring out the perfect reply and then will post it. I don't have kids so this is totally new to me. Argh!

I think children’s menus are bollocks anyway. If friends bring their children round to me for lunch they get what the adults do if they’re old enough to sit at the table. There’s never been a problem. I loved eating out as a child. And trying new things.

Wow she's a cheeky fucker. I have a kid who eats dry beige food only. I'd still never ask someone to change the location of their birthday meal- I'd feed my fussy kid first, they can sit at table and draw or something while everyone else eats.

Just reply “sorry but I picked this restaurant for my birthday meal out because it’s my favourite place!”

I’m sure a good restaurant will ‘tweak’ things for the children if they can!

I agree don't change the restaurant. If you were going Michelin star or say Indian that didnt do any non Indian food at all, then maybe she would have a point, but you've picked somewhere that has a good variety of plain food, plus will likely do smaller versions of the adults foods if you asked.

I'd just say oh no what a shame the kids menu is not suitable, you had your heart set on here but they are welcome to come and eat first and just have pudding or you're happy to go out with them somewhere else another time.

I have an incredibly fussy toddler and one average eater who doesn't really like spice...and we still eat out. I make sure we have a healthy lunch if we go out in the evening, and then there is generally something that she will eat even if it's just bread, and we generally bring some fruit along for her so she isnt starving. And we still go out, in my view it's up to her if she doesn't fancy any of the food, but we can't not ever go out to eat because of one little person. She is perfectly happy having a few popadoms and an ice cream and I don't mind the lack of nutrition as it's not every day.

Changing a whole group booking just so the kids can have their favourite chips is crazy.

Send her the link for babysitters.com

DS was a very fussy eater ( still is a bit) and I doubt I'd get him to eat much from that list. But I probably would have ordered fajitas then given him plain tortilla wraps or something similar. Asking you to change your restaurant venue is very rude.

My DD would always choose a plain chicken wrap at Chiquitos. Occasionally she’d try something else and always regret it as she couldn’t eat it! Sometimes they’d forget the plain chicken and bring her one with actual flavour spices and she’d send it back. It became a bit of a standing joke, we even knew the waitresses in there and they’d triple check when she ordered anything even vaguely flavoursome

You should be able to cobble something suitable together from sides and starters etc, even if it’s not on the menu, so plain chicken, chips, some salad bits, nachos, garlic bread. And if not, they can have a pudding. I’d have loved that as a kid or even now

Your SIL is being daft.

Its your birthday so your restaurant choice.

I’d be delighted to go there, great to see a decent kids menu rather than nuggets and chips.

Surely even a fussy child would eat plain chicken and mash? Or even a bowl of plain rice.....

My DS is a relatively poor eater due to medication but his life-long ambition is to have a chip hat like in Despicable Me 2. He'd happily fill up on tortilla chips. YANBU at all!

It's your birthday, you choose the restaurant! If she really isn't happy then she doesn't have to go along, but honestly surely there will be something her kids will eat - and if not, then yes she can feed them at home. Your birthday shouldn't be hijacked.

Chiquito's has gone bust hasn't it? Mine has closed down and all the signage taken away.

Not in the least surprised, really expensive and always empty.

I have one fussy child and one child who will eat almost anything (he particularly loves spicy food but has to have a big glass of milk to go with it!). My fussy child tends to decide by what something looks like whether or not she will like it, she has done sensory issues so to be fair to her the likes and dislikes so have a lot to do with texture. I know when looking at a menu whether she's likely to even try anything so if someone sent me a menu and asked if she'd like it I would tell them that she wouldn't. However, if someone sends me a menu and doesnt ask for my opinion I wouldn't give it...

“I’m afraid I’m going to pull rank as the birthday girl and keep the plans as they are; I’ve been really looking forward to going to this particular place. Perhaps you could give the kids a light tea before you come and they could choose something nice from the dessert menu. Looking forward to seeing you all.”

Start the celebrations 40 mins early by having starter in McDonalds

[quote Blearymorningeyes]@MaryShelley1818 But surely she could come anyway after feeding something at home - and get her kids some nachos and a lovely dessert?![/quote]
Yes of course she could but she may not want to. Unfortunately you can't force someone to eat somewhere they clearly don't want to go.
I hate Mexican food but I'd have no problem going and just getting on with it, but we're not all the same.
As the famous Mumsnet saying goes - it's an invitation not a summons.
She shouldn't have asked you to change though, just a simple no thank you, and we'll catch up another time.

I find Mexican menus hard when out with DD as she won't eat anything on the menu. So for us it wouldn't be child friendly, often even the plain things get made more fancy so she won't eat them! However I would never dream of asking someone to switch venues because of it. I would feed her before we went and have a plentiful supply of bread delivered to the table if I really couldn't find anything on their she would it. My DD is particularly tricky with food but that's no ones issue but ours, so we deal with it, and wouldn't expect others to accommodate her by switching venues!