Another interesting conversation with Dining.

[jjohnson]

So...I call this morning to add Concourse Steakhouse for dinner & was asked their ages.

"11,9, 8"

She replies "well the 11yo will have to order off of the adult menu"

me: "he's not allowed to order from the children's menu?"

Her: "no"

Me: "What if nothing appeals to him on the adult menu?"

Her: "I'm sure there's an adult hamburger at most restaurants"

Me: "have you read the menus"

Her: "no"

Me: "well I have & most TS do not offer hamburgers"

So I booked anyway as I've been told misinformation many times in the past few weeks from Dining. Do you really think WDW would refuse to let an 11yo order from the children's menu? My DS is not a "picky" eater but does eat like most kids his age. Even if there was a hamburger on every menu who wants to eat that for 7 days.

It's one thing to change the ages & charge double for children's meals but to refuse to serve him what he's in the mood to eat is just unbelievable.

 

[Punch]

Charged double for ordering off the kids menu? What's up with that?

 

[missyf]

I just got off the phone with Disney Dining regarding a 10 year old on the dining plan ordering off the childrens menu. My ds is picky and doesn't eat "adult" type food. I asked the CM if he would be allowed to eat off the childrens menu and the CM responded it was up to the TS place to allow him or not.

How would they charge double on the dining plan for an adult eating off the childrens menu? Would they use 2 credits instead of 1?

Missy

 

[Aimeedyan]

Don't sweat what Dining tells you, most of them don't have a clue (and many haven't even been to WDW). I wouldn't believe for a second that a restaurant would refuse your 11 yo ordering something off the children's menu. Now, they are starting to charge double for children over the age ordering off it, but they certainly allow it!

I bet if you call back you'll get a completely diff answer from a diff agent

 

[Karel]

She replies "well the 11yo will have to order off of the adult menu"
me: "he's not allowed to order from the children's menu?"
Her: "no"
Me: "What if nothing appeals to him on the adult menu?"
Her: "I'm sure there's an adult hamburger at most restaurants"
Me: "have you read the menus"

My 11 daughter wouldn't touch a hamburger with a ten foot pole.

I'll feed her before we go to the restaurant and she can have a drink and share with the rest of us.

She doesnt' even EAT enough in one sitting to consider the adult menu.

 

[Mad4Dizne]

That is exactly what we are going to do!!! Thank-you for the suggestion!!!!

 

[DiscussDisney]

Don't sweat what Dining tells you, most of them don't have a clue (and many haven't even been to WDW). I wouldn't believe for a second that a restaurant would refuse your 11 yo ordering something off the children's menu. Now, they are starting to charge double for children over the age ordering off it, but they certainly allow it!

I bet if you call back you'll get a completely diff answer from a diff agent

A little off topic, but don't believe what dining tells you. I called today to make an AR at Kona Cafe and the CM told me there was no such restaurant....lol...I told her it is at the Poly, but she insisted it didn't exist. I just hung up and called again.

 

[Lewisc]

I'm sure the restaurant will accommodate you. If nothing else works tell them you want an adult sized entrée of the chicken fingers, or whatever you want.

They have a right to charge you an approximation of what that it would cost if it was on the adult menu. I wouldn't expect it to cost significantly less than the least expensive entrée on the menu. A restaurant provides children's meals as a loss leader. The least expensive entrée is priced to include an allowance for overhead and profit. The actual cost for the food is a fraction of the menu price.

If they offer to double the childs price you got a good deal. If they also increase the portion size you got a winner.

 

[jjohnson]

A little off topic, but don't believe what dining tells you. I called today to make an AR at Kona Cafe and the CM told me there was no such restaurant....lol...I told her it is at the Poly, but she insisted it didn't exist. I just hung up and called again.

Thanks I needed that!

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Concourse Steakhouse is one of our favorite restaurants!

My boys are 11 & almost 8 so I'm facing the age thing too.

I wouldn't worry at all about the menu or about them being accommodating. We've had nothing but great food & great service from them for years.

 

[christinou]

My kids, especially my 10 year olf will very often order an appetizer from the adult menu, and be happy with that, my 8 year old loves salads and is happy with a salad as her meal, I cannot believe that any restaurant would not allow an 11 year old to order fromt he kid's menu. I will post a report when we are back.

 

[ckret01]

I'll top this ...I went last year to the MGM and ate at the Brown Derby. There were 4 adults in our 30's. Well me and my friend are picky eaters while our boyfriends would eat anything. Well I should have looked at the menu before we decided to go in there because I did not see ANYTHING I liked.....We actually asked the waiter if we could order off the kids menu and explained why and said he can charge us what ever for the meal and he had NO PROBLEM with it.-LOL So we ate Mac n cheese of the kiddie menu!!!

 

[poohluvrs]

whats the big deal, its not like theyre going to dish up more food on the kids plate if hes older???its the same meal theyre dishing out,,,crazy!!

 

[bicker]

The amount of food is really not a significant contributor to its price. There are so many other costs and so much overhead associated with operating a restaurant that food ingredient cost is pretty small potatoes (pardon the pun). It is important to recognize the child's menu prices on full-service menus to be a discount -- a come-on to parents with younger children -- to entice them into eating in full-service restaurants. After a certain point, the benefit to the restaurant from offering the discount is less. Where the line should be drawn isn't clear, and varies over time. It sure did make sense to synchronize that line with the corresponding line as it pertains to admission. It's unfortunate for some folks that the line for admission was age 9.

 

[poohluvrs]

Ive ordered of a kids menu before & Im 3x's her sons age....Id find it hard to believe they'd deny a kids wish for example for a luncheon of kids sized chicken nuggets over the adults poached salmon platter??!!

That being said ITA that the overhead costs of running a restaurant are a lot to consider, thats why most restaurants fail in the first few years, but obviously at Disney they dont need to give their customers desires priority, its all about the total bill, after all theyre located in Disney! And theyre certainly not failing when DISers like us are fighting 90 days before our trip to get an AR for the privelege of dining at these establishments that may not even provide an 11 yr old kid a kids meal!

 

[maxaroni]

The amount of food is really not a significant contributor to its price. There are so many other costs and so much overhead associated with operating a restaurant that food ingredient cost is pretty small potatoes (pardon the pun). It is important to recognize the child's menu prices on full-service menus to be a discount -- a come-on to parents with younger children -- to entice them into eating in full-service restaurants. After a certain point, the benefit to the restaurant from offering the discount is less. Where the line should be drawn isn't clear, and varies over time. It sure did make sense to synchronize that line with the corresponding line as it pertains to admission. It's unfortunate for some folks that the line for admission was age 9.

While I realize what you are saying, I am having a problem with figuring out why the costs are much more dramatic if they serve a 9 yr old a kids meal or a 12 yr old a kids meal. Is it better to get the adults meal and throw alot of it away? It's not always an issue as to what is on the adult menu for my ds but qty, he can't eat an adult size meal. IMO, that is saying, either: waste food or order more and stuff yourself.

 

[NMAmy]

I've never had a problem at Disney (or anywhere else) with my very tall for her age 14 yo ordering off the kid's menu occasionally. Sometimes she's hungry enough for an adult's meal, sometimes she's not that hungry or nothing on the adult menu appeals--then we ask for the children's menu. Is this starting to be a problem now with the dining plan?

Heck, I've even ordered off the kids menu occasionally and nobody even blinked.

 

[jjohnson]

I'm at a point that I don't care if they charge him as an adult whether it be a TS or buffet but I will still be upset if any of the restaurants refuse to let him order what he wants.

We've also decided to do the Disney Cruise instead next year. At least(for now) they consider my DS11 a child until he is 18.

 

[Lewisc]

The costs aren't more dramatic. Restaurants price the childrens meals below their costs (including overhead and profit). Disney is reducing the number of children that they're willing to offer the special pricing.

With MYW Dining the number of guests eating in the TS is increasing. People are unable to get PS and may not be able to eat as a walk in. It makes sense for Disney to discourage guests who aren't interested in ordering the main menu.

Disney may prefer some of the families eat in CS or restaurants in which most of the family is comfortable ordering off the adult menu. Disney would rather have a table of 4 where the parent and older child order off the regular menu than a family of 4 in which the parents share one adult meal and the two children order off the children's menu.

While I realize what you are saying, I am having a problem with figuring out why the costs are much more dramatic if they serve a 9 yr old a kids meal or a 12 yr old a kids meal. Is it better to get the adults meal and throw alot of it away? It's not always an issue as to what is on the adult menu for my ds but qty, he can't eat an adult size meal. IMO, that is saying, either: waste food or order more and stuff yourself.

 

[Disney_1derland]

I would not be overly concerned as this policy really fluctuates based on the mood of the wait staff and management. Our experience has been that being pleasant with your waiter/waitress will mean they will bend over backwards to do what you want. In May we saw adults ordering the child's meals, no problem. We saw adults order the child's meals with a $2 upcharge and we saw adults order the child's meals at double the price. We also saw teenagers order off the kids menu with no problems or charges.

I wouldn't worry about it too much! Also, to add to the "Dining Reservations CM's don't really know anything" line of thought....last week I called to make PS's at "Cinderella's Royal Table" for "dinner" and when I called back later to confirm (which I always do) I was informed we were eating at 1900 Park Fair and NOT in the castle. Easily fixed, but a little annoying.