Kid's Menu-yuck!

[Amyg]

I agree the kids menu for the most part is very limited. My son likes a variety so I'm sure he and I will be sharing a lot of meals.

Although most restaurants around the country have similar kids menus, we are not a "captive audience" as at WDW. We want to stay on site and use their transportation system, but we also want to be able to eat at the restaurants that we want to eat at instead of having to study kids menus and selecting the restaurant that offers the best kids menu.

I won't really be worrying about it much since I'm sure we'll be too busy having a great time. But I have emailed Disney customer service and mention this situation, they just gave the standard "we will look into this" reply. So who knows, maybe some of the restaurants will upgrade their kids menu by the time we go next year.

 

[Belle♪♪♪]

PS = if you think WDW is bad - have you seen kid's lunches at school? KETCHUP fullfills a vegetable requirement. LOL

Totally agree

 

[Joan1]

I posted this list that may help you, it is on page 18

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=870269&page=18&pp=15

 

[jrjac]

I posted this list that may help you, it is on page 18

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=870269&page=18&pp=15

WOW! Quite the detailed list! Thank you!

 

[missypie]

I thought that the kids' menus were pretty bad, too. WDW is KID CENTRAL. They should be industry leaders in offering tasty kids' meals with lots of variety.

Some of the choices-or lack thereof- make no sense. As I recall, at the Hamburger part of Cosmic Ray's, there was no kids' burger. At Teppanyaki, why is the only kids' choice chicken? Why can't they offer smaller portions of all the meats/seafood and price them as they need to?

Our DDs' favorite kids' menu was at Mama Melrose. Calzone, or "pasta your way."

Some of the posters here have the right idea, in thinking out of the box...buy a fruit cup, by a soup side, etc.

 

[Dis_Grk Grl]

I'm very glad that I came across this thread! I went to the link that supplied the menus, and I would have to agree...how much mac-n-cheese and hot dogs, pizza meals can one child eat in a one week period? I mean, no Pizza at pizzafari? Crystal Palace and some other buffets seem like a pretty safe bet, as for counter service, we're going to have to figure something out. At home, my daughter does eat hot dogs & mac-n-cheese, but not every night! She LOVES greek food, fruit, vegetables, and her favorite meat is...pulled pork. Oh well, it's only 5 days, I am sure she will survive...now let's hope the Disney cruise that we are going on following WDW has some decent kids food.

Nicole

 

[WDW1st-timers]

Personally I think the people that work on the food menu's at disney for kids need to and in a few more options from what it sounds like. I can not comment on this thread properly due to us having not gone to disney yet. But I will put in my two cents when we get back.

 

[jrjac]

At Teppanyaki, why is the only kids' choice chicken?
Why can't they offer smaller portions of all the meats/seafood and price them as they need to?

Offering smaller portions of the "adult" menu is exactly what I say! Why they can't do this is beyond me. (Of course, keeping the mac & cheese, etc. as well)
ps Shrimp is also on the kid's menu at Teppanyaki-thank goodness!



5 days and we're off to Disney!

 

[marcyinPA]

My kids really liked the chicken at Teppanyaki. Even my picky 6 year old ate every bite, dipping sauces included!

We like buffets because our kids can eat 'adult" foods at "kids' prices. That seems to be the best option for us!

 

[tar heel]

Eat at the World Showcase restaurants where the kids' menus are much better, or at least they were. Is steak really not on the kids' menu at Teppanyaki now -- my youngest son has it at least a half dozen times?

 

[calie_j]

Is anyone else shaking their heads at the picture of the kid's steak meal at CG? My DD LOVES steak and she loves mashed potatoes.......but I don't think she'd touch that meal because the 2 are touching and getting steak juice all over the potatoes. Don't they know that not only do the parents have to cut the steak but now they have to scrape all the potatoes off it and remove all the "icky" potatoes that got juice on them before a kid would eat it It even creeps me out a bit to see it.

Calie

 

[maggiew]

Is anyone else shaking their heads at the picture of the kid's steak meal at CG? My DD LOVES steak and she loves mashed potatoes.......but I don't think she'd touch that meal because the 2 are touching and getting steak juice all over the potatoes. Don't they know that not only do the parents have to cut the steak but now they have to scrape all the potatoes off it and remove all the "icky" potatoes that got juice on them before a kid would eat it It even creeps me out a bit to see it.

Calie

Luckily my DD didn't notice and ate it all up. But maybe that is because she dumped BBQ sauce all over the steak before she had a chance.

Maggie

 

[PattnFmly]

Oh, I so hear you about the "touching" food! My boys won't eat anything that touches.

I've been thinking, how about if they could offer ziti & marinara sauce (no meat) with maybe a choice of meatball or not, at some of the places with mac & cheese? They're already equipped for pasta/sauce and it would be a bit of variety. It could come with a lettuce wedge and two cherry tomatoes. I never see anything like that except at sit-downs. But the mac & cheese is lots of places. Just a thought!

 

[nanalisa]

I told my dgd (8) on our way to WDW that I didn't want her to choose chicken fingers for all of her meals. We were going for 12 days, that's a lot of fingers. We were glad to see a few menu changes in that grilled chicken and other meats were an option at some places and even an appetizer option of a small salad or fruit. ITA with the posters that suggested a smaller version of some adult meals, especially for kids 6-11.

It's not just WDW with lacking childrens menus. It's frustrations to look at the coloring placemat and see choices of hamburger, hotdog, corndog, mac & cheese and chicken fingers.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Is there a reason why restaurants couldn't make a "half size" portion of *almost* anything- salads, fruit plates, pastas, sandwiches, shrimp dishes, etc. (obviously not "half a lobster" etc.) and charge a reduced price? This would be good for small eaters, such as those who have had gastric bypass surgery as well as children.

 

[missypie]

When we were at Teppanyaki for lunch in early June, the kid's two choices were chicken (non-teppan cooked) and chicken (teppan-style and sides).

 

[jrjac]

When we were at Teppanyaki for lunch in early June, the kid's two choices were chicken (non-teppan cooked) and chicken (teppan-style and sides).

Oh, say it isn't so! One of the reasons we choose Teppanyaki was the fact that many ppl and many menus said that the kid's menu offered shrimp, too. of course, my son loves the Japanese tabletop cooking, but shrimp is on top of his list of favs!

4 days and we're off to Disney!

 

[boosmom96]

I have to agree with most of you. I was really disappointed (but not surprised) with the children's menus at WDW. I was dismayed at the amount of food that is fried!! Several of the seafood restaurants only offered fried on the kid's menu. My DD is almost 9, and she hasn't eaten off a kid's menu for ages! We're staying off-site, so the meal plan is not an option for us. My DD will just order off the regular menu.

 

[ttfn3]

I agree that the kids meals at most restaurants stink. We try to eat healthy at home. Too much greasy food makes us sick!

As noted, the buffetts are a good option for healthier fare. The choices are also better at the sit down restaurants at Disney. I have asked in the past for a veggie to be substituted for the fries. I even remember once asking for a smaller portion of fries and then a small portion of green beans - which the waiter was able to do. I also will order an adult meal and then split it with my DS. Remember that Disney portions tend to be quite large. Some of the counter places at Epcot also have some good options for children (mainly by splitting an adult selection).

 

[nanalisa]

Oh, say it isn't so! One of the reasons we choose Teppanyaki was the fact that many ppl and many menus said that the kid's menu offered shrimp, too. of course, my son loves the Japanese tabletop cooking, but shrimp is on top of his list of favs!

4 days and we're off to Disney!

I think the restaurants can be very accommodating. If you ask for shrimp instead of chicken, I'll bet they will switch it for you with and increase the price a little. I think they figure that most kids like chicken and not shrimp. My kids were like yours, they loved (still do) shrimp.

I was sick during one of our vacations at WDW and servers let me order from the childrens menu and offered things that weren't on the menu like chicken noodle soup, cottage cheese, jello. It just never hurts to ask if you don't see something on the children's menu that you want.