When will Disney stop serving crappy kids food?

[tarheelmjfan]

What frustrates me is that people say to just buy them an adult meal oop or pack healthy stuff in your luggage. Well we are coming from the UK, won't have a car and shouldn't have to pay oop when we already have the ddp to give our kids a healthy option.

I also think it's odd that anyone thinks it makes sense for those wanting more healthy &/or well balanced food to be the ones bringing it in. It's a whole lot easier to carry in junk food than healthy food. Most junk food is so full of preservatives that staying in the sun all day won't harm it. It's also easier to find grab-n-go junk food than healthy food.

I don't really care what anyone feeds their child. My child ate his fair share of junk food, when he was a teenager. I just think it's funny that people seem to think those wanting a more well balanced meals for their child should have to be the ones making concessions.

My personal opinion is WDW's kids meals are more about the food being cheap to serve than making sure kids who have very limited diets can have what many parents seem to think is typical kid food. If it was as cheap or cheaper to serve kid's meals based on the restaurant theme, that's what you would see. When my DS was young, the TS restaurants all had smaller versions of the adult offerings. That was pre-DDP & before they started cutting the menu choices & quality so drastically.

 

[6disneykids]

I have been reading this thread and the different responses because of the title. I am not sure if I would describe the kid's food offerings as "crappy", I tend to think of the kids food choices as limited. Maybe I am a glass 1/2 full kind of person. I guess I am in the small minority, but I have gotten out of line at different CS locations if I don't think the kids offerings are what I deem to be in my children's best interest. Usually it is before a line forms behind me.

I think that restaurants offering "plain" grilled chicken is striking the balance between what mom considers healthy and what most kids will tolerate. My older boys have always been more adventurous than my middle 2, and the younger 2 will probably be somewhere in the middle. (DS15, DS13, DD9, DS8, DS4 & DD2)

I learned a long time ago, (maybe because I have 6 kids) you can't please everyone all the time.

 

[nanienamou]

What is unfortunate for me is that some of the kids' offerings lack in quality. For example, I don't mind if my kids eat chicken fingers once in a while when we go out, as a treat, but how come they get the fake-meat puck-looking ones at Disney while the adult chicken finger meal in white meat? And what is it with those disgusting little "children" pizzas? Why such crap quality for kids meals?

We never get the DDP because it does not fit our style of eating. Furthermore, portions would not be enough for my 7 and 9 years old boys. They also eat almost everything. My youngest (he's 5) is the picky one, I could see him getting a couple of the kids meals, but he would go more for the "power packs" style meals with the yogurt, carrots, cookies, string cheese, etc.

 

[Baliezer]

For those complaining about the unhealthy options, that have more than one child. Why not order one adult meal and split it? We do this all of the time and most of the time, it is more than enough food. Even then, you can pay for a side order of more veggies, or whatever the meal comes with.

Not only is this healthier, but in most cases cheaper than ordering two kids meals.

 

[JimmyV]

My biggest beef (pardon the pun), is not so much with the "staples" of nuggets and mac-n-cheese, as I think those can be pretty easily avoided. My DS never ate a single one in each annual trip to WDW from age 9 months to age 14. And it didn't take much planning to avoid them. So I think the focus there is a bit overblown. No. My beef is with the fact that the same children's menu is offered for 4 year olds and 9 year olds. I don't see enough "leveling up" of eating progression on children's menus. I'm not making the "let's see more healthy choices" argument. I'll leave the health debate to others. Instead, I would like to see a mix of "staples" and adult food simply because a typical 9 year old does not eat the same as a 4 year old. And vice versa.

Let's take two restaurants as examples. First comes Tutto Italia. Its kid's menu looks great for a 4 year old. But when my DS was 9, she would have been insulted by the following:

Entrees
Mozzarella Sticks $10
Spaghetti - with meatballs and parmesan $10
Piccolini alla Panna - Farfalle pasta, cream and parmesan cream $10

No veal. No chicken parm or Marsala. No scampi. Transitional foods is what she wanted at that age.

Now let's look at Mr. Paul.

Entrees
Supreme de Poulet roti aux pomme puree et haricot verts
Roasted chicken breast with mashed potatoes and green beans $13.00

Filet mignon et pommes puree, jus naturel
Filet mignon served with mashed potatoes and natural jus $16.00

A home run for the transitional eater, but nothing here for the typical 4 year old. (And spare me the "My snowflake would have loved those two choices when she was 4." Know what? Mine would have too. But that fact doesn't make it the majority rule. I'm trying to fashion an argument here for the masses. Not the lucky few.)

What WDW needs more of is a combination of these types of menus and we would see far more happy diners. Note that there isn't a nugget or burger to be found on either menu, so we can end the debate now that that is the only thing served at WDW. No. This isn't about nuggets and health. It is really about a fair mix of food fit for toddlers and pre-teens. That is where the diversity focus needs to be. And if your 9 year old want to eat like a 4 year old, then he will get that chance. And if your 4 year old wants to eat like a 9 year old. She can too. As long as there is a decent mix of choices. Lacking that, we never got the dining plan since many typical kid's menus were designed for 4 year olds, and unlike Peter Pan, our kids do grow up. It's great to pay a lesser fee for a 9 year old. But not at the expense of having him/her eat like a toddler.

 

[maxiesmom]

What WDW needs more of is a combination of these types of menus and we would see far more happy diners. Note that there isn't a nugget or burger to be found on either menu, so we can end the debate now that that is the only thing served at WDW. No. This isn't about nuggets and health. It is really about a fair mix of food fit for toddlers and pre-teens. That is where the diversity focus needs to be. And if your 9 year old want to eat like a 4 year old, then he will get that chance. And if your 4 year old wants to eat like a 9 year old. She can too. As long as there is a decent mix of choices. Lacking that, we never got the dining plan since many typical kid's menus were designed for 4 year olds, and unlike Peter Pan, our kids do grow up. It's great to pay a lesser fee for a 9 year old. But not at the expense of having him/her eat like a toddler.

I think there is a decent mix of choices. Just not always at the same restaurant. Each restaurant doesn't need 15 things on their kid's menu. Don't think your kids will eat what is on a certain menu? Don't eat there. Go eat at one of the other 20 restaurants in that park. Lack of options is not an issue.

Know what would happen if they had kitchens full of food choices? You would have a lot of wasted food. And with Disney streamlining their menus, there is no way they are all of a sudden start trying to please every tiny palate. Which would be impossible anyway. And all of that hassle for someone paying $18 a day for food? That is expecting an awful lot for not much money.

I'm not seeing what is so hard about viewing menus on line, and picking restaurants based on what will or will not be enjoyed. If I don't like the menu, I don't eat someplace. I don't expect them to change the menu to suit me, or to offer all sorts of choices that run the gamut from plain to fancy. That is like saying Monsieur Paul should have french fries and hot dogs, and then progress up to their escargot. I don't get why they have to have food that will make everyone happy.

 

[dansamy]

Disney can't offer many options on every kids menu. Kids menus usually offer 3-4 options and are also limited by what the place serves. Many families could solve their dilemma by ordering an appetizer & an entrée. Kid could share the app with Mom & Dad & also share some of the entrée.

 

[JimmyV]

I think there is a decent mix of choices. Just not always at the same restaurant. Each restaurant doesn't need 15 things on their kid's menu. Don't think your kids will eat what is on a certain menu? Don't eat there. Go eat at one of the other 20 restaurants in that park. Lack of options is not an issue.

This is only true to a point. The problem lies when the restaurant does not offer children choices that are commensurate with the style and level of the restaurant as a whole. Tutto Italia is not "upscale", but it is far beyond mozzarella sticks and spaghetti. Why should adults get to choose veal and shrimp dishes while kids are stuck with toddler food. So, no. I do not agree with you that lack of options is not an issue. That is precisely the issue. It is too convenient to say: "Don't eat there." But after you say that 80 times, what's left? Shouldn't parents and kids who dine at a nicer venue like Tutto both be able to enjoy decent food. And shouldn't parents with a 5 year old be able to dine at Mr. Paul at an early hour and expect at least one option for their child?

I don't get why they have to have food that will make everyone happy.

Look at this sentence in isolation and see how silly it looks. Why would a restaurant not want to try to please everyone? What sort of business model intentionally alienates a market slice? Add a small version of a chicken or veal dish to Tutto's menu and viola! How hard is that? The ingredients are already in the kitchen.

 

[nanienamou]

This is only true to a point. The problem lies when the restaurant does not offer children choices that are commensurate with the style and level of the restaurant as a whole. Tutto Italia is not "upscale", but it is far beyond mozzarella sticks and spaghetti. Why should adults get to choose veal and shrimp dishes while kids are stuck with toddler food. So, no. I do not agree with you that lack of options is not an issue. That is precisely the issue. It is too convenient to say: "Don't eat there." But after you say that 80 times, what's left? Shouldn't parents and kids who dine at a nicer venue like Tutto both be able to enjoy decent food. And shouldn't parents with a 5 year old be able to dine at Mr. Paul at an early hour and expect at least one option for their child?



Look at this sentence in isolation and see how silly it looks. Why would a restaurant not want to try to please everyone? What sort of business model intentionally alienates a market slice? Add a small version of a chicken or veal dish to Tutto's menu and viola! How hard is that? The ingredients are already in the kitchen.

Exactly. Look at the menu at the Brown Derby - grilled cheese, hot dog, fish sticks, buttered pasta and grilled chicken breast, plain. I,m sorry but this is supposed to be a signature dining experience. To charge 2 kids' table-service for that is outrageous. Why serve crap to kids?

ETA: I'm just observing facts. When we go with our kids, we will share apps and entrees from the adult menu and eat family-style because we don't do DDP.

 

[maxiesmom]

Look at this sentence in isolation and see how silly it looks. Why would a restaurant not want to try to please everyone? What sort of business model intentionally alienates a market slice? Add a small version of a chicken or veal dish to Tutto's menu and viola! How hard is that? The ingredients are already in the kitchen.

What restaurant does please everyone? I can't think of a single one that would please every person with every want or need your could think of. But people expect the Disney restaurants to be able to perform that feet.

Disney won't make small portions of the adult food because they would lose money doing so. Adults would then order the smaller portions, which would cost Disney a lot. Not to mention, how would you then charge for it on the Dining Plan? The only other solution would be to make it kids only, and not allow adults to order the smaller size. And we all know that would not go over well.

And say they did make smaller sizes of adult food, do you not think they would then increase the price of the children's dining plan? It is a steal at $18 a day. No way would they increase the offerings and not increase the price.

Disney can do what they like (up to a point) because you are pretty much a captive audience. Unless you bring in your own food or leave the parks, if you don't like what one restaurant offers and go to another, you are still eating at a Disney restaurant! No harm done to them.

People need to realize what is crap to them is perfectly acceptable food to others. Not every child considers spaghetti "crap". And many would not eat the more "upscale" veal. If they did do as you suggest and add veal to the kid's menu, there would still be people not happy with the menu. It is impossible to please everyone! And what would make you happy would leave others very unhappy. You may look at veal on the menu and think "Great! Disney is offering more choices!" another parent would look at it and think "My child won't eat that crap!" What is happening at Be our Guest sums it up perfectly. Offer choices that are not the norm for kids, and you have very vocal outrage. Can't. Please. Everyone.

 

[lillykat]

Well at home we eat mainly chicken, veggies and fruit. I am not opposed to some nuggets on vacation even if we do not eat them at home. My older DD can't eat pizza due to food allergies and doesn't eat hamburgers prefers chicken or steak, veggies and fruits. Dd#2 will eat anything but prefers the adult foods. I guess what I don't get is all the I won't let my kids eat that vs my kids want kids food options. Why can't they offer both maybe not a lot of each options but if they have 6 items why can't 3 be healthier or adult options and 3 be the "kids" choices. Why can't they offer pizza, nuggets, but also offer grilled fish or chicken. Then make options like seasonal veggies and fruit, as wellas fries. There are many restaurants that let you pick a main item, pick sides etc. I know some places in wdw have options but I can't understand why all of them don't. This way there are options for all. It would also be nice if they could make adult entrees in smaller portions. I bet there would be people interested in that. It just seems like an all or nothing deal. I know some places offer both, but I think more places would benefit from a mix.

 

[akl-fan]

I think Disney is between a rock and a hard place. When they offer healthier options there are many complaints and people trying to bring in nuggets from other restaurants. When they only serve nuggets and pizza they get slammed again.
I have taken my three year old several times for 2 weeks at a time. I have had no problem getting her healthier options - I do check menus and plan before we go. I also have no problem letting her have some pizza or nuggets once in a while - we are on holiday after all.
We always stay in a 1 bedroom so that when we have had a naughty lunch, i can prepare a nutritious meal.

 

[brymolmom]

I think this thread is evidence that there is NO WAY that Disney will ever please everyone.

There are plenty of adult and kid offerings at EVERY Disney restaurant. They just DON'T have the adult offerings at the kids prices. If your child wants a more adult meal - you are more than welcome to order them one.

The kids Dining Plan is CHEAP....Disney likely already 'loses' some money on the 3 - 9 age set with the price of that plan. There is no way they can offer more expensive options on the kids dining plan without having to jack up the price. And obvious by the comments here, many families do not want to pay more for kids meals...Or many on this thread would just be ordering the adult meal for their child and paying more.

The posters here have said 'but why can't they offer both' really just need to sit down and work the numbers. For $17 a day - You need to offer grilled chicken, broiled fish, steak etc. TWICE along with a $3 Mickey ice cream bar. That is the reason WHY they can't do it. SO don't get the dining plan and just order whatever you want from the menu for your child. OR if you want to do the dining plan - many posters have pointed out that you CAN do options other than the nuggets and mac n cheese...SO really they DO offer it, for those who want to make the effort to find and go to the right places. So it is just that the options that you can find on the kids menu - even steering clear of nuggets, mac n cheese, etc. just aren't the specific options that your child wants?

I don't really get the confusion.

 

[Sarah Millar01]

I agree, we visit from the UK for 3 weeks and its the same old same old! Kids even pull faces when asked what they would like to eat! My kids like fresh fish, and pasta dishes and it would be great if they could just get a smaller portion from the adult menu - much more nutritious too!

 

[Melanie B]

I've noticed that Disney is trying to provide more options for children and adults. Just this morning someone suggested that I try the Captain's Grille so I checked out the menu. There is a pretty good mix of healthy and kids "favourites". The healthier meal selections are called Mickey Check meals.

I think it's great that Disney is trying to make small steps in offering healthy options. At the end of the day we choose what we eat. If we stop at a food cart and they are offering fresh fruit and ice cream it's our choice what we pick. We shouldn't complain that the fruit is there since the next person may be ecstatic that it's offered.

 

[EmilyJ517]

I really feel like most restaurants, especially TS places, have at least two very healthy options for kids. I've seen shrimp skewers, grilled chicken, fish grilled or fish nuggets, steak kabobs, while wheat pasta with veggies, turkey sandwiches on multigrain bread, and the sides offered usually include applesauce, grapes, carrots, etc. I think Disney has made huge strides in offering this stuff. But they aren't going to take away what always sells like nuggets, fries, and pizza.

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

I really don't think my kids every ate off the kids menu, especially at WDW. The meal portions at WDW are huge, more than enough to share! This is what we always have done. Now the kiddies are 17 & 20 and we will share meals this trip as well.

We have NEVER done the dining plan.

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree, we visit from the UK for 3 weeks and its the same old same old! Kids even pull faces when asked what they would like to eat! My kids like fresh fish, and pasta dishes and it would be great if they could just get a smaller portion from the adult menu - much more nutritious too!

Many of the Disney restaurants have pasta and fish on the menu. I'm not sure I could eat someplace for 3 weeks and not have a few repeats though.

A quick look shows Be our Guest has fish, pasta, and grilled chicken. CRT has beef tenderloin, turkey pot pie, and a roasted chicken leg. Liberty Tree Tavern has pasta, mac & cheese, and a chicken+pineapple flat bread. Not typical kids fare, and certainly not the same old same old.

That took me maybe 90 seconds to find. When people say all they find on the menu for kids to eat are burgers or nuggets, they really must not have looked very hard for other options.

 

[lauradis]

What I don't understand is why anyone would make their child eat off kids menu if they didn't want to?

Even on the dinning plan I couldn't enjoy my meal if my daughter wasn't happy with her food. Last trip she ordered nasty cheese pizza took one bite and told my its awful so we asked for another plate because the little stinker want to eat my meal lol. It's a menu let them pick what they Want. Disney isn't going to stop serving kids junk food period. If you don't want to buy it then don't.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

What I don't understand is why anyone would make their child eat off kids menu if they didn't want to?

Even on the dinning plan I couldn't enjoy my meal if my daughter wasn't happy with her food. Last trip she ordered nasty cheese pizza took one bite and told my its awful so we asked for another plate because the little stinker want to eat my meal lol. It's a menu let them pick what they Want. Disney isn't going to stop serving kids junk food period. If you don't want to buy it then don't.

This made me . By the time our DS was 2, we stopped ordering kids meals that weren't smaller portions of adult entrees. It didn't take long for me to realize I would be eating the nasty kid's meal, while he ate my food. That was easier at WDW back then. He was young pre-DDP days. Back then most (if not all) restaurants offered kids smaller portions of the adult menu. In the restaurants that didn't we ordered him an adult meal. There's no way I would have expected my DS to eat something I wouldn't. I realize some kids like the kid's meal options that are currently offered. That's great! My child wouldn't have & he wouldn't have been forced to eat it.