Children's Menu Question for Ten Year Old

[Katems]

We have the free dining booked. Can my ten year old order off the children's menu, since the food is already 'paid for'? I mean, she will have credits for ADULT menu food, so would any restaurant have a problem with letting her DOWNGRADE and choose from the children's menu?

Thanks!

 

[daisyduck123]

We were on the Dining Plan in January for 8 days.
I don't think any of the restaurants we ate at would have minded at all if my DD11 had wanted to order of the kids menu. No problem!!

 

[ShannonRT]

I don't have the dining plan for our October trip, but I'm in kind of a dilemma with my DD10. My 180 day window starts Monday so I've been trying to finalize all our plans. After reviewing the menus on allearsnet, almost all of them say 3-9 for the children's menu.

The problem is DD10 won't eat most stuff on the adult menus, except maybe steak, fish or ribs. I think we'll be ok at some places, but if there is nothing on the adult menu she'll eat, should I "fudge" her age and say she's 9 so she can order from the kid's menu?

I'm almost afraid to try this too. She'll be less than a month from her 11th birthday while we're there. It won't be like she just turned 10.

Are they very strict about this? What about counter service meals? Seems like most places besides Disney will let adults even order off the kid's menu if they wish.

 

[laurabelle]

From what I've read they seem to be able to order from either menu. I hope so anyway. My picky dd will turn 10, 3 weeks before our trip. I remember reading a while back that teens were getting charged double when paying OOP for kid's meals at table service places. I don't know if that's still happening. At the counters, they wouldn't know who was eating the kid's meal.

 

[LovingLife]

WE just got back with a 9 and 11 year old. The 9 year old not only ate off the children's menu but was offered appetizers from the adult menu. When she liked something, she picked it. The fact that this was offered was a nice surprise for us. As for the 11 year old, she ate off both and we had no problems. I will add that the 11 yo is not a picky eater and does like fish.

 

[tictoc]

Thye are fine with Down grading. They will even let YOU order off of the kids menu! I do it all the time.

 

[laurabelle]

That's what I thought...glad to hear it first hand though. My dd will be happy! Thanks!

 

[Pixiedust34]

I'm glad to hear this! My ds will be just-turned 10, and at CRT the lunch entrees from the kids menu will be much more appealing to him than the lunch entrees on the adult menu. I'm also going to ask if he could please have one of the swords from the meal. That would make his day. (And it would take the edge off of the "princess theme" for him. )

 

[jjohnson]

I don't have the dining plan for our October trip, but I'm in kind of a dilemma with my DD10. My 180 day window starts Monday so I've been trying to finalize all our plans. After reviewing the menus on allearsnet, almost all of them say 3-9 for the children's menu.

The problem is DD10 won't eat most stuff on the adult menus, except maybe steak, fish or ribs. I think we'll be ok at some places, but if there is nothing on the adult menu she'll eat, should I "fudge" her age and say she's 9 so she can order from the kid's menu?

I'm almost afraid to try this too. She'll be less than a month from her 11th birthday while we're there. It won't be like she just turned 10.

Are they very strict about this? What about counter service meals? Seems like most places besides Disney will let adults even order off the kid's menu if they wish.

I'm sure it's fine for your 10yo to order off the children's menu. But I wouldn't fudge the age. They asked my children at the podium of every restaurant their ages.

 

[tinkerbell60]

The only places your 10 y.o. cannot "order" off the children's menu are the buffets, they can still eat off the children's section of the buffet but will be charged as an adult. I have a very picky 12 y.o. and the buffets were a big waste of money for her. She had no problem ordering off the children's menus at the other TS restaurants last July.

 

[pigby]

Hi Johnson family

We went to WDW twice last year ( a total of 21 nights) - my DD was 11 and looks it. In all the restaurants, she was just asked if she wanted a kid's menu and she just said she did (she is very picky) and we were charged the child price. I can't recall being asked her age at any restaurant - but our last visit was October and perhaps they have tightened up a little. At buffets, she was charged the adult price, so wasn't a great deal for us as she has the appetite of a sparrow. We avoided the FDP as she would've had to pay adult price and she wouldn't eat anything off the HBD adult menu, which was a shame, cos we love it there.

It will be interesting to see what happens this year as she will be 12 but I know she'll still want the kids meal - which no doubt she can have - we'll see what we get charged.

 

[formernyer]

We just got back from WDW. My 10-year old daughter was never asked her age by anyone. She was on the children's plan (it was right around the time of her 10th birthday) and nobody ever gave her a second glance.

Some people have reported that their "adult" children were able to get larger sized portions of items off of the kid's menu if they asked.

Also keep in mind that even though the entree comes off the kid's menu, the child is still entitled to an adult appetizer and adult dessert, since you paid for an adult meal.

 

[NYMom]

Last year during the free dining promo, my DS11 ordered off the kid's menu.
He was given an adult portion (1-2 extra chicken pieces and french fries), after being told that there would be an increased price because he was older than 9. When the bill arrived, we noticed that the meal was charged at around $13-17. He was also given his choice of adult appetizer and dessert. We used his TS credit for him. We were also asked at all the restaraunts that we had ADRs the ages of my boys (11 & 7).

 

[kcashner]

In my experience, anyone can order off the kid's menu. (I've done it as an adult.) If you are on the dining plan and using an adult credit, they typically increase the portion size slightly (and increase the cost). Your child will also be able to order an adult appetizer and dessert.

It is no problem at all.

 

[jjohnson]

I know & read on these boards for a longtime now how many are never asked their ages & are permitted to order off the children's menu (including adults). It may be due to the change in children's ages on the menu from 11 to 9 about 2 weeks before we arrived. It started the first night at Ohana's when our server reluctantly ordered a KM for my DS & telling me I would still be charged the adult price for the meal (we weren't). The following night was dinner at Concourse & I was told if my DS ordered off the KM he would be charged double (he wasn't) the same happened at the Castle for dinner. Someone just recently posted a review that his children were forced to order an adult meal but I haven't read that anywhere else.

I'm happy to hear this doesn't happen too often to anyone, but want to let everyone know about my experience.