To think that this menu isn’t suitable for children?

[Mummyofabear]

A few months ago I booked to take my children to Matilda in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall this month (October), I had to book hospitality tickets because those were the only tickets left at the time of booking. And then today have been sent an email with the hospitality details and this is the menu! They don’t have a separate children’s menu either even though Matilda is a family event! AIBU to think this menu isn’t suitable for children? My children have autism and are very fussy so the only thing that they will eat on this menu will be the desserts but even then I don’t think there’s much on this menu that most neurotypical children would eat either? In my opinion it’s not suitable for families or children even though it’s supposed to be a family event!

I’ve copied and pasted the menu below incase the image doesn’t work:

Snacks (served pre-show):
Black garlic polenta crackers

Seaweed tapioca crackers

Canapés (served pre-show):
Glazed beef skewer, chimichurri

Parmesan churros, tomato and Parmesan sauce (V)

Cold Bowl (served pre-show):

Pumpkin seed houmous, maple-roast pumpkin, pomegranate, pickled pumpkin ribbons, mint oil

Sliders (served pre-show):
28-day dry-aged beef patty, crispy bacon, tarragon and chive aioli, confit garlic,
served with potato hash puffs, truffle mayo

Moroccan-Spiced lamb slider, grilled onions, sumac mayonnaise & pickled cucumber,
served with buffalo cauliflower

Dessert canapés (served during the interval):
Mango, passion fruit, coconut pavlova

Millionaire's chocolate mousse, salted caramel, vanilla sablé

Milk and Cookies

Drinks:

Trebbiano, Rubicone, Novità
Sangiovese, Rubicone, Novità
Estrella Galicia 4.7%
Ginger bitters (soft cocktail)
Sparkling mineral water
Still mineral water

What bollocks. There’s crackers, cheesy breadsticks and tomato sauce, mini burgers and loads of puddings. Loads of kids would eat that. And most kids will drink water, ffs! They take bloody great water bottles to school every day these days.

Mine would eat that. Eldest might scrape the odd bit out, Middle child would get extremely excited about the over the top description and definitely enjoy pretending to be fancy. Youngest would stoically eat as many burgers as he could get away with/finish eldest cast offs. It would be a matter of sales pitch I think!

I think it looks fine. Much better than chips and nuggets!

What are we supposed to do with that information other than assume you are not ready to be let into a world of grown ups..?

Bring your own KFC bucket with you, then?

Aioli is garlicky mayo. Who wouldn't eat that?

Mine would definitely eat that!

Because most adults like special food on special occasions and aren't big babies?

TBF I wouldn't, am a lifelong mayonnaise hater. But most adults are going to find stuff they can eat there and it's a menu designed for adults not children.

It’s a hospitality package at the Royal Albert Hall. It’s hardly going to be fish fingers and chicken nuggets.

Well, quite. Most people paying extortionate ticket prices for a VIP experience don't want the equivalent of the Pizza Hut buffet. It's a completely fine menu to offer for the target market for hospitality tickets.

DDs would happily eat most of that menu. It just seems the height of entitlement to pay over the odds for a VIP experience and then moan it's too fancy. I do hate the view that children need their own separate category of food by which people invariably mean beige crap. If you have children that are so fussy they wouldn't try some cheesy churros or a burger or milk and cookies then surely you just pack your own bags of Monster Munch and Prime or whatever else they eat.

It sounds lovely! My just turned 2 year old would eat most of that, but he probably wasn't had his fussy phase yet!

Could you ask what the veggie options is and see if it has something they'd like better?

My youngest is autistic and would eat most of that (if it could be made dairy-free). It really depends on your child.

I'd talk to the venue and see if they'd be willing to substitute items for you, or allow you to bring a packed lunch.

Menu looks great. My 2 year old.would definitely eat some.of that

Ok so I'm probably what can be classed as an adult "picky" eater, but I'd absolutely love that menu!

My son (almost 7 and diagnosed as autistic) would like parts of it - the crackers, churros, the hash brown, bits of the burger but not the actual beef, the cookies and milk. He'd say the mousse was "too rich" so I'd eat his 🤣

My kids would eat some of that. But most people don’t take their kids to a VIP suite when they go to Matilda… so they aren’t usually catering to kids who don’t eat posh burgers and some cheesy crackers

But it’s the fancy additions that make it problematic for some children (and adults). It’s not just a burger, or just crackers.

I find the menu totally off putting and it’s not always easy to scrape off the bits you don’t like.

My 3 would devour most of that. It's crackers and hummus, burgers and pudding. Yum.

After spending £250 on the food and ticket, you'd bring a packed lunch?!

Which parts of that menu do you think are ‘problematic’, and how?

Anyone who doesn't like a strong taste of garlic and/or the texture of mayo?

I never judge adults on their likes or dislikes, so not sure why so many are judging autistic children?! Clearly none of you have any understanding of autism. Or people in general as it's common knowledge we don't all like the same things.

How much?!

Fair enough; didn't realise it said that.

It’s meant to be a vip experience hence the fancy menu. If i had booked it i would think it was actually a bit basic

Garlic - not everyone likes it as a main taste
Glazed beef skewer - likely glazed with something sweet - sweet and savoury do not mix imo. Likewise the bowl.
Seaweed - I’ve had seaweed crackers and they tend to have quite a strong flavour
Hummus - see above re garlic
Truffle - as per garlic
Cauliflower - the most disgusting of vegetables
sumac - might not be a flavour some like

My best is it will soh d fancier than the reality. Don’t make a big deal of it in advance - and I bet your kids will eat and enjoy it.

Oh no! Flavour! Scrape it off!