Disney Needs a "Tweens" Menu

[Uno Mas]

I've read a lot lately about kids over 10 not being able to order off of the kids menu, which is Disney policy, but I never had a problem with it. Sounds like they may be enforcing that in some restaurants. The problem I have is that it's difficult to feed my 12 - 16 year olds at Disney TS restaurants at times. (We are not buffet fans). The adult menus at many places have too many sauces and things that they just do not like, and I'm hard pressed to spend $30 on a meal for a kid that's only going to eat a small portion of it. Yet, the kids menu is too limiting as well - sure, my kids like chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, but those meals are designed for young children, not teenagers. I think having an "inbetween child and adult" menu would serve Disney well. It would be very easy to create as well - several protein and side options, that are larger than a childs but not quite as big as an adults, nothing too fancy in saucing, and vegetables that are more teenager friendly than an adult menu would contain.

 

[Pugmalion1]

I could not disagree more. There are plenty of options in plenty of places in every resort and park to please the palates of everyone. Introducing new foods into existing menus where originality is already dwindling just to further placate picky eaters would only lead to more boring dining options for everyone.

If I went into Jiko with one of my younger cousins and he or she was given a "teen" menu, it would be the last time I would dine at that establishment. I would be bringing them there to expand their culinary horizons a bit, to step outside of the norm, not to buy them an expensive version of something they could get at any chain restaurant in any city in the country.

 

[MrsLS]

When I was 12-16 or whatever you would consider a "tween" I ate the same things that my parents did. I think it just depends on the kid, not that there needs to be a special menu, but thats just my opinion.

As far as sauces and such, most will not put any sauces or whatever on your meal, just ask. Most are also accommodating on switching sides too. & you can always order 1 meal to share if you think the portions are too big.

 

[madalex]

I've read a lot lately about kids over 10 not being able to order off of the kids menu, which is Disney policy, but I never had a problem with it.

There have been isolated incidents reported on these boards recently about over 10s not being permitted to dine off the kids menu. I think those incidents are few and far between. In 10 years of going to Disney with children over age 10 (spread over more than a dozen trips), I have never once been told that an older child could not order off the kids menu. As a result, I do not think it is Disney's official policy that older kids may not do this.

As such, I don't see much need for a "teen menu."

 

[hooch11bear]

My daugher will eat just about anything and she will be 13 but the one thing I think they do need is to offer something on the DDP for that age group. I just don't think they can eat as much food as an adult.

 

[clanmcculloch]

My 10 year old is a very fussy eater and only eats very plain foods. Most places we order her food off the regular menu and just ask for sauces to be left off and occasionally she'll get fries instead of the more interesting sides. Restaurants really are great about doing this. Occasionally she'll order off kids menus but not often. If there isn't anything on the menu that I think looks like it could be easily modified to her tastes (as in just leave off a sauce) then I choose a different restaurant. I don't expect an alternate menu and frankly I don't want one because it would either mean higher prices or cutting back on other menu items.

 

[Anthony1971]

You have options...
You can ask for the "sauce" on the side and ask for fries instead of.....
most will accomodate you. If you are looking for a large amount of chicken nuggets then have him order an appetizer or a side at a TS and order what he wants at a CS later or before or simply eat at Buffets more often they are not the same as your local ones by far.

 

[Donaldswife]

I do think there is a bit of gap that could be filled. My DD9 would like to eat some of the adult choices, but the portions are too large for her. She likes things on the kids menu, but it get repetitive after a week.

I think there would be a market for a "junior" menu, for kids with bigger appetites or wider culinary pallettes. I know several of the restaurants in my area have a "big kids menu" with smaller portions of some of the less adventurous adult items, and larger portions of some of the more traditional kids fare. I think it could be a great addtion to the Disney restaurant offerings. The "kids menu" could still be for 9 and under, and the Junior menu could be for kids up to 13, and if kids 9 and under wanted to order from the "junior" menu they could for a small upcharge to the dining plan. I would personally welcome it. There are many times my daughter would have preferred salmon or something like that, but the adult entree was way too large, salmon was not on the kids menu, and she was tired of pizza. This would have been a perfect fit for her, and probably lots of other kids in the 8-13 range.

 

[AndreaDM]

*Most* restaurants in our area that we frequent have a child's menu policy as well, I want to say more are up to 12 rather than 10. I'm sure most are more loose with their policies, but there are a few who inforce it pretty well. There is one I know of that does have a kids and a Jrs menu, I think the kids is up to age 10 and the Jrs up to 12. I do understand it because kid's meals are total loss leaders, that's why a lot of places offer free or $.99 kids nights, so parents and older kids come in as well and pay full price. It does suck once your kids no longer order off the kiddie menu, sure makes a difference in the check, but that's the way it is, kids grow up and cost more all the way around! I guess if I was checking out menus for any restaurant or vacation destination and they listed a child's menu up to a certain age, I wouldn't assume a child any older than that could order off that menu. If you can, great, if not, no reason to get upset over their policy which is clearly stated.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

I think they have a wide menu. Disney even post there menus online, so with a little more planning maybe you can eat places everyone will enjoy?

 

[TDC Nala]

If it's the sauces that are the problem, most TS restaurants, if asked, will leave off the sauce or serve it on the side and provide a plain entree. In most cases, sides can be substituted. French fries are a popular side with tweens and if the restaurant serves them they can often be substituted for other sides.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Here we go again! The age old debate............to be an adult at 10!

For those of you who think it reasonable for any establishement being Disney or not to charge a 10 year adult price for a meal/buffet, entrance into the park, congrats, Disney is doing it and getting away with it, you should be tickled pink!

For those of you/us who disagree, for those who find it ridiculous, guess what Disney isn't going to change it so we either put up with it or eat off-site! In the end it's a personal decision on where you spend your money and how you justify that expense!! Personally I can't justify making my child eat those kids meals! Chciken nugget, mac & cheese, pizza, hot dog, wow, I guess adult 10 year olds aren't adult enough to be offered regular food!

The arguments/excuses back and forth
A. My 10-13 year old eats like a bird!
B. My 10 year old eats more than all of us put together!
C. It's Disney you're paying the premium for being there!
D. Your paying for the Characters and the experience!
E. A 10 year old can ride just as much as an adult...?

Then perhaps at 10 with their adult status, Disney should let them ride the segways at Epcot and have a grey goose slushie in France!

Love these boards!

 

[Kae]

I think the problem is they call kids over 9 adults, many places have a tween menu. Expand the current kids menu make for kids 12 & under. add way better choices-like a small steak, 1/4 slab of ribs, etc sampler plates from the countries at WS.

Kae

 

[TDC Nala]

Dining categories follow park admission categories, and as far as Disney is concerned 10 and over are adults for tickets and dining. They won't up the dining age without upping the ticket age, and upping the ticket age won't happen.

 

[hildarumpole]

My DD13 sometimes likes to eat the kids food and sometimes she wants to order from the regular menu. The problem with the regular menu is portion size. She can't eat that much food, so about 1/2 of it goes to waste. My mother also has a small appetite. What Disney really needs is a lighter appetites menu. Many restaurants in the real world have them. They could offer dishes similar to the regular menu, but smaller portions. That would solve a lot of the complaints people have about Disney dining. Younger children who like adult foods, but can't eat the regular portion, will have more options. Adults with smaller appetites won't feel overwhelmed by their meals. It would create a wrinkle for the DDP, since the lighter meals would have to be priced in-between kid and adult price points and they wouldn't fall neatly in the kids and adult DDP structure. For those of us who pay OOP, it would be a welcome change. Disney has been on the healthy eating kick for some time. It's not just what you eat, but how much. Smaller portion options would do more good than those dreadful crumbly sandwich buns.

 

[juliebug1997]

I don't always like sauces either (especially if there are mushrooms in it) and I've never had any problem getting them to leave a sauce off and making substitutions.

 

[softballmom3]

I do agree with planning even with the menus they have now it is doable. But being the mother of previous tweens I would have LOVED to have a tween menu for them. Ours was usually solved by ordering an adult meal and they split it. My girls love all those sauces and stuff but would have been nice to have that menu then they wouldn't have had to spend the time "agreeing" what they wold share .

 

[kamik86]

One problem many don't think about is that the actual cost of the food on your plate is very small compared to what you are charged for it. a $25 meal probably contains $10 worth of food costs at most. The rest is for running the building, and the staff.

So if they offered a half potion that $25 meal isn't going to be $13 its going to be more like $20. Maybe more as now there are additional things to train staff on (what size for each) possibly more dishes to buy and wash, more cuts of meat to keep in stock etc. So if they price this one at $22 how many of you would actually buy it? Most would just spend the extra $3 just in case they had the room for the extra food.

 

[Que_Sarah_Sarah]

I remember asking for an adult portion of a kids meal for our grandma once at San Angel. Perhaps they do the same for adult portions? Try asking if they offer a half portion or other smaller option. If you don't ask, the answer's always no.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't remember Disney TS ever offering half portions of entrees, but if I want a smaller portion I generally order an appetizer. If that isn't enough, I can get another appetizer.