12 year old ordering from kids' menu?

[marciemi]

I know this has been answered before, but I'm just trying to make sure. If we go to a sit down restaurant (right now booked Sci Fi and Teppanyaki), can my 12 year old order off of the kids' menu? He's a picky eater, and I can't imagine him wanting stuff off the adult menu, but when I made the reservations and said 3 kids, and she asked their ages, she said "oh, 2 kids and another adult". I understand if we were doing a buffet (decided not to for this reason), he'd be charged as an adult. But if he's happy with chicken tenders and fries, can he order them or is the kids menu just for 11 and under? Thanks!

 

[Philadisney]

i hate the kids menu age limit. if i could still order from it today i would, often i only want a small portion. that's why i like the quick service restraunts, because then i can order a kids meal and it doesn't get questioned. sorry, i guess i didn't really answer your question, just wanted to vent but if your son doesn't look that old, they probably won't question it. (i'm assuming the cut off age is 10 or 11? you COULD lie if they ask his age, it's not like they'll ask for his ID or something. of course, that's dishonest.....)

 

[monarchsfan16]

I ordered off the kids menu at Rainforest Cafe when we were in AK a few years ago. I was 15. It wasn't questioned. In fact at a lot of sit down restaraunts they asked me if I wanted a kids menu. It's fine for a 12 year old to order off of it.

 

[KerriL]

My kids ordered off the kid's menu at Jiko. They were 14 and 12 at the time.
No problem at all.
Kerri

 

[SuBeat]

I've read so many reports on these boards of adults being able to order off of the children's menu, I don't think your 12 year old should have any problem at most restaurants.

 

[maggiew]

At Sci Fi, my DD (12) ordered off the kids menu.
At Teppanyaki, her and I shared a meal. She probably could have ordered off the kids menu, but we decided to share. My younger DD (9) ordered a kids meal. When they brought out Dd9's ice cream, they brought one for DD too.
At California Grill, they gave DD (12) both an adult and kids menu. She ordered off the kids menu.

Hope that helps.

If they won't let you order off the kids menu, then maybe he could order an appetizer or you can share.

Maggie

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I think they probably were counting this child as an "adult" on the reservation thinking of SPACE. For instance we can sit at a booth for 4 with our younger 3 children... but as they get older, a 12yr old would obviously take more space than younger children- so we then wouldn't fit at a booth so they'd have to make the reservation as that person as an "adult" to make sure they got you at a big enough table?

 

[kidangel]

Our last trip, my oldest DD was 13, and all our PS indicated that she was an adult. However, without exception, the server always asked her if she would prefer to order off the kids' menu and gave her the option to do so.

 

[magicmouse2]

Thats good to hear. We would like to try some nice sit down restaurants but DS - 14 only likes the stuff on the kids menus in those places. At a ch. meal I would pay an adult price for him.

 

[marciemi]

Just back and wanted to update this thread for you guys! We had no trouble with DS12 ordering off the kids menu anywhere - even the sit downs. However, just wanted to warn folks that the portions are small - especially at the counter service restaurants. One of the biggest problems we found was with the drinks - kids meals come with a little, tiny drink (maybe 9 oz, half of which is ice). My kids were always dying of thirst and it was cold when we were there, so I imagine it would be much worse in the summer time. Even my 9 year old was asking for 2 kids meals generally since the 3-4 chicken nuggets just weren't enough for him.

We ended up usually (counter service) ordering an adult meal and drink for my 12 year old (he liked the chicken tenders on the adult menu better than the nuggets on the kids one), and 3 kids meals for my 9 & 11 year old to share - each getting 1 1/2 kids meals in effect. Always ended up with way too much applesauce though (no one likes applesauce)!

But just in case you're budgeting, for older kids, a kids meal might not be enough. At times when we got just one per kid, we usually ended up supplementing with churros or some other snack shortly afterwards!

 

[patsal]

My DS 13 is not an adventurous eater, he always orders off the children's menu unless they have steak and potatoes or chicken and potatoes on the adult menu. I just check with the hostess before we actually are seated to be sure that it will be acceptable. In July last year he ordered off the children's menu at Jiko, Coral Reef , California Grill, Artist Point, and San Angel. He was fine with the adult menu at Kona, Whispering Canyon, and Sci-FI.

 

[tar heel]

The only sit-down restaurant at Disney that has an age limit listed on the kids' meal is Flying Fish. One of my teens frequently orders kids' meals, but he usually gets two.

 

[GoodFairies]

Just wanted to let you know that last time I was at Teppanyaki, they didn't offer chicken tenders & fries as a kid's meal (as you seemed to indicate your child would only eat). The kid's meals there were the plain chicken or shrimp stir fry with rice.

 

[jlaspoq]

My daughter is 12 and goes back and forth between wanting kids' meals or adult meals - if she wants to order off the kids' menu, we always ask the server if it's all right. They are usually very nice about it, and we've never been refused. And it's honest!

 

[eeyore0062]

My grandmother has even ordered from the kids menu with no problems! Disney owned and operated restaurants are some of the few places who don't seem to have a problem with that practice.

 

[vicb]

My DS age 8 last time at WDW is also fairly picky. He did fine at Teppanyaki with the kids grilled chix meal, I shared some of my steak with him too. But I did bring some small packets of ketchup because I wasn't sure they had it there and he won't eat meal without it! Our Teppan chef was a real character and had been playing up the silly jokes with DS all the time he was cooking, well when he saw the ketchup come out he pretended to have a fit. Wanting to know who snuck that contraband into his grill area etc... it was funny.