My "kid" was told they couldn't order off childrens menu

[TheWho]

Let me start off by saying I'm a cool aide drinking, go every July since 1998, DVC member. I have never had an issue anywhere on property and if a cast member punched me in the face, I would ask for another (you get my dedication here). This past week, I went to the Plaza for lunch. I am not on a dining plan. My kids are 15 & 11 (both girls). Even though I listed 4 adults when I made the ADR, I asked for kids menus when we checked in and the hostess said no problem. When the kids ordered Grilled cheese off the kids menu, the waitress said they couldn't. I said, "really?", and she pointed to the sentence that says 9 and under (I told her their ages). I said they've been doing this the whole trip and w/o any hesitation, she said I'll get the manager (I honestly wasn't being rude and wasn't ready to play the "I want to speak to a manager" card). At any rate, the manager came over who was very polished and spoke to me like I was 9 or under. I told her that I had eaten in Italy the night before and had no problem. She used the "WDW doesn't own those restaurants" reply. I honestly can’t stand that response because I’m on freaking WDW property!! It was at that point that she said they could order off the kids menu but I would have to pay for their drinks. All of a sudden, this turned into “Let’s Make a Deal”. Take a look at the difference between the club sandwich I ordered and anything off the kids menu, they are similarly priced. Money was not the issue here, they just wanted the grilled cheese. At this point, I was just getting confused and wanted to clarify for the rest of my trip. I asked her what if a senior wanted to order from the kids menu because of portion size (which we have done years ago w/ grandparents). She again went to her talking points and said WDW serves thousands of meal a day and some crap how she has worked there for 5 years. Little did she know, I wasn't some newbie tourist but someone who has singled handedly stimulated the Central Florida economy since 1998. At any rate, the kids got their grilled cheese, my wife got her Ruben, and I got a bill w/ 4 drinks on it.

Let me just finish by saying my kids did order off the kids menu at LeCellier & SciFi later in the trip w/o any resistance. On a positive note, Boma, Crystal, SciFi, LeCellier, Dessert Party, and both Italian restaurants were all awesome!!

The takeaway from this story, I think this was an isolated event and if you think your kids will use the kids menu, put them down as kids on the ADR because that seemed to be the genesis of this problem.
I think?

 

[TDC Nala]

Sounds to me that is either a rule at the Plaza (I've heard that before about the Plaza) or with that particular server. Not sure how putting them down as children on the ADR will help if the kid looks older than 9. You probably couldn't pass off a 15 year old as a 9 year old.

She used the "WDW doesn't own those restaurants" reply. I honestly can’t stand that response because I’m on freaking WDW property!!

On property or not, WDW doesn't own the Italy restaurants. But then I have heard of other Disney-owned restaurants allowing anyone to order from the kids menu. But if the Plaza doesn't want to, that is up to the Plaza.

 

[rentayenta]

Personally I think it's ludicrous to force anyone, child or not, to order and pay for more food than they'll eat. No wonder this country is overweight. I hate to waste food so I am stuck with either wasting it, paying adult prices for a child's portion, or stuffing my face. It's insane. Getting penalized for trying to be healthy makes no sense to me. The mark up on food is very high so please don't tell me they'll lose money by honoring the requests of those wanting to simply not waste and eat less and not get screwed over while trying to do so.

Off soap box.

 

[pjpoohbear]

DM is on a weight loss plan and when I asked if she could order off the kids menu, it had the portions she needed, it also took a manager and she was told no dessert (she didn't want it anyways.) It seemed that the stipulation was just to make a point that we were annoying them.

Pj

 

[Balou2u]

I bet "Jersey Week" is just a brutal time for WDW CMs.

 

[Jakesmom504]

I could see if your entire party wanted to order off the kids menu but come on! Your kids should be able to order whatever they want! Teens are just that, teens, they are not kids and not adults. Some teens eat like adults, some eat like birds. That is just ridiculous IMO!

 

[EvilQueenT]

i can understand your frustration. we spend a lot of money on more than one trip a year to wdw regularly and we often eat at signature venues so the moneys been spent for food but when i don't want a huge meal i don't want a huge meal. for instance if we're traveling and run through a mcdonalds drive through i literally order off the kids menu...that's already like 500 calories. if you were on the dining plan i'd say you've made a money deal in advance and it is what it is but when you're paying out of pocket they should be like any other restaurant in the real world.

 

[Tara922c]

I waited tables for a long time, and we allowed anyone to order off the children's menu. Our GM (general manager) told us not to advertise it, but if someone said, "may I order off of the kids menu?" you say, "no problem, adults are more than welcome to order off the children's menu, but the drink is not included for adults". (sounds much better than "okay but you are paying for your drinks") The way my GM explained it was that person may come in today, and only spend 5 bucks on a kid's meal, but if they have a great experience, they may come back with a larger group, and spend more money. He always said, "5 bucks is not worth losing a guest for life, and when guests leave unhappy, they tell their friends about their bad experience".

I can tell you I did have some co-workers who would tell guest "no" simply because they wanted them to order something more expensive. (the higher the bill the higher the tip) Most restuarants don't care if you order from the kids meals. What is the difference between ordering a kids meal, and sharing a meal?

It sounds like your server/manager felt like being on a power trip, and treated you like you were being cheap. You weren't being cheap, you were allowing your kids to order what they want. Again, I don't see the big deal in a teenager ordering a kids meal. Would they rather the family order two meals and share it between the four people? Or just order desert? You should be able to order what you want at an al a carte TS. As far as the drinks go, it wouldn't bother me if I was charged for my soda if I ordered off the kid's meal, but it would bother me if the manager said, "I will let you have it but you have to pay for your drink". That's fine, I am spending 5k on vacation, I think I can swing 2 bucks for a drink!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

The only place that wouldn't let my 12 year old order off the kids menu was Tutto Italia.

Most restaurants my kids (12 and 13) would rather order off the kids menu. I would gladly just pay for the drink if the restaurant would just let them order what they want.

The problem at Tutto was that dd loves their pizza, but no pizza on the adult menu. We just had ds (9) order the pizza and let him get the adult pasta meal. Way too much food for him but at least they both ate what they wanted.

I think they should just make an "adult sized" portion of the kids meal and charge a higher price as an alternate.

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

We just got back and we had no problems with one of the girls we traveled with (12) ordering off the kids menus. She was an extremely picky eater. She did this at San Angel Inn, Kona and 50's Prime Time.

 

[Tiger926]

The thing with kids' meals is not the portions, but the cost. Kids' meals are at a lower cost point, and people want to order them to save money, and therein lies the issue. There are many Disney restaurants that do allow older kids or even adults to order kids' meals, but there are some that do not, and I think that is their choice to do so, as they don't even have to offer kids' meals. We have eaten at The Plaza many times, but usually our kids split an adult entree over there.

If everyone did this at WDW, not sure what the menu prices would look like? You all are saying it's for dietary reasons, which is a great point, but kids' meals are offered (which many restaurants don't even offer kids' meals) at a reduced cost, as a break for the parents. So, there are some restaurants that offer kids' meals at much smaller portions, but then there are some that offer huge portions - we have purchased kids' meals that were larger than our adult portion, and so the financiall product cost would come into play here.

I come from a restaurant family, and a very ethnic restaurant town, and the authentic European places, like my family's restaurant, don't offer kids' meals, but they offer half portions and other similar reduced sized portions. They are a bit more in cost than kids' meals, but that is the way it is.

We have been getting our kids' adult meals to share for years at Disney as we have been using DDE/TIW for years. It works out to be a bit more, but my kids find that many of the kids' meals aren't enough food, or they offer yucky choices (kids have never eaten peanut butter/jam, mushy mac n cheese, etc.). Plus, they don't always want the kids' combinations (although at Disney owned restaurants, it's a la carte for kids, so you don't have to order dessert).

Just a different perspective, Tiger

 

[Disbug]

Dave,
We have had similar issues once or twice at The Plaza to the point we quit going there. That feeling of inhospitality isn't worth ruining your lunch.
This past trip we had a member of our group who simply liked the selection better on the kids menu @ Sci-FI. He ordered a kids meal AND he got the drink included (bottled water) AND the dessert. No questions asked and no apologies needed!

 

[delgrec]

I bet "Jersey Week" is just a brutal time for WDW CMs.

Necessary?

 

[DisneySarah80]

I bet "Jersey Week" is just a brutal time for WDW CMs.

Excuse me????

Anyway.... Not much to say about the subject, but to the OP - I'm going to see Daltry in September at Prudential - Can't wait!!!! Just wish Pete would join the tour!

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I think anyone should be able to order an entree from the kids menu, but if they are over the posted age they should expect it to be ala cart.

I have done this with kids meals and appetizers as meals. Often my selection is plated differently than if offered to a child or as an appetizer. I try to remember to tip "as if" I had ordered a regular entree.

Bottom line...the proprietor should sell the customer what she wants, and the customer should be willing to pay for it.

 

[alice99]

I bet "Jersey Week" is just a brutal time for WDW CMs.

That is just rude, the obnoxious comments by DIS members is one of the reasons I come on these boards so infrequently.

Someone is using an alter-ego to post their nasty comments, look at the post count. Shameful.

 

[robinb]

I am a bit torn on the issue of teens/adults ordering off Disney's kid's meals.

My own DD ordered off the kids menu last year when she was 11 ... mostly because she is a peanut, a fussy vegetarian and had a little bitty appetite. Cheese pizza and pasta with marinara sauce were often the only thing on the entire menu that she would eat. I suspect that she will order off the kid's menu in December when she is 12, but to tell you the truth I can't wait for her palate to improve so she will eat "grown-up" food.

OTOH, I think that the kids menus are often "loss-leaders" in the restaurant industry. They are priced lower for the convenience of parents and to encourage families to eat out. The profit from items on the kid's menus is much, much lower than items from the adult menu. At WDW restaurants the menus are clearly marked for children 9 and under and I think it is perfectly OK for a restaurant to limit who can order from the kid's menu. To tell you the truth, I think the solution the manager came to (no dessert and/or drinks charged on the side) was just fine. It allowed the OP's kids to order what they wanted while charging them a reasonable price instead of a deeply discounted price.

 

[alice99]

I am a bit torn on the issue of teens/adults ordering off Disney's kid's meals.

My own DD ordered off the kids menu last year when she was 11 ... mostly because she is a peanut, a fussy vegetarian and had a little bitty appetite. Cheese pizza and pasta with marinara sauce were often the only thing on the entire menu that she would eat. I suspect that she will order off the kid's menu in December when she is 12, but to tell you the truth I can't wait for her palate to improve so she will eat "grown-up" food.

OTOH, I think that the kids menus are often "loss-leaders" in the restaurant industry. They are priced lower for the convenience of parents and to encourage families to eat out. The profit from items on the kid's menus is much, much lower than items from the adult menu. At WDW restaurants the menus are clearly marked for children 9 and under and I think it is perfectly OK for a restaurant to limit who can order from the kid's menu. To tell you the truth, I think the solution the manager came to (no dessert and/or drinks charged on the side) was just fine. It allowed the OP's kids to order what they wanted while charging them a reasonable price instead of a deeply discounted price.

I completely agree with this assessment.

I have the same problem with my son, he is 13 years old, and still only wants chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, pizza, etc...
I have a 12 year old daughter that wants a full blown 7 course (expensive!) meal.
I don't know how it's going to fly with a 6'2" boy ordering from the kids' menu this upcoming trip.

 

[scottmel]

That is just rude, the obnoxious comments by DIS members is one of the reasons I come on these boards so infrequently.

Someone is using an alter-ego to post their nasty comments, look at the post count. Shameful.

I don't get it...what is wrong with the post ?
Insiders joke? Isn't Jersey week when tons of people flood into WDW? Sort of like Spring Break? But all the Jersey schools are out? Or did I miss something?

 

[alice99]

I don't get it...what is wrong with the post ?
Insiders joke? Isn't Jersey week when tons of people flood into WDW? Sort of like Spring Break? But all the Jersey schools are out? Or did I miss something?

This poster is saying something negative about the original thread starter. Did you read the thread? Please, correct me if I am wrong.