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

[LindyN]

This is a sore subject with me too. I want to eat what I want, regardless of the menu it is on. When doing QS if I want a kids meal, I order it. I eat plenty of kids meals in fast food places too. Calorically they're 'just right'. I don't need an 800 calorie sandwich.

I expect to have problems at Disney TS locations when my teen doesn't want a full meal. We now select many of our restaurants based on the appetizer menu. So rather than have the hassle of the kid/adult thing we just order an appetizer and we're done with it. We will also cancel an ADR at the last minute if no one is hungry enough for the meal. Obviously we do not do a dining plan--its TIW for us for many years now.

Disney would be better off with a split plate charge, or a 'lite' option for younger diners or seniors at menu dining and ala carte locations.

 

[Euphoria027]

I know. Apparently, some also suffer from health problems or social disorders that can only by corrected by three daily servings of chicken nuggets.

This is my favorite post of all time.

 

[battymum]

I have a F! package booked at Mama Melrose - I understand this includes and app, entree and dessert.

There is no way my DD16 and twin DS13 will eat 3 adult courses - looking at the menu - they will be quite happy with the childrens menu - We are on DDP but would rather not waste a TS credit for them, if they are happy to eat off childrens.

Anyone had any experience paying OOP at Mama Melrose?

If they share - will we be short a F! ticket?

 

[robinb]

I have a F! package booked at Mama Melrose - I understand this includes and app, entree and dessert.

There is no way my DD16 and twin DS13 will eat 3 adult courses - looking at the menu - they will be quite happy with the childrens menu - We are on DDP but would rather not waste a TS credit for them, if they are happy to eat off childrens.

Anyone had any experience paying OOP at Mama Melrose?

If they share - will we be short a F! ticket?

You can't mix paying OOP with buying a package. You won't get enough tickets because the "cost" of the ticket is included in the package price and that's an adult price for kids 10 and older. You will either have to pay the adult package price for your girls or have everyone pay OOP and wrangle your own Fantasmic! seats. Consider it the same as a character buffet ... it doesn't matter how much you eat you still pay the adult price if you're 10 and over.

 

[alice99]

!
Kids' Dining - My opinion on this whole topic is that the rules are what they are, you can request to get an exception to the rule.... but you may, or may not, get your way.

Some people on the boards have had the rules bent for them (myself included)...but you cannot EXPECT it !

If I read about a person on these boards getting an unofficial "perk" then I go to my hotel (or restaurant, or theme park) and EXPECT the same treatment , I may be disappointed.

One CM bending the rules for a family does not constitute a policy change.

I consider myself lucky when I am able to get the rules bent a bit for me.

I have a F! package booked at Mama Melrose - I understand this includes and app, entree and dessert.

There is no way my DD16 and twin DS13 will eat 3 adult courses - looking at the menu - they will be quite happy with the childrens menu - We are on DDP but would rather not waste a TS credit for them, if they are happy to eat off childrens.

Anyone had any experience paying OOP at Mama Melrose?

If they share - will we be short a F! ticket?

You can always ask when you get there...... but if I were in your shoes, I'd be prepared to pay for everyones' full meals.

Last year I booked Dinner in Cinderellas Castle for Christmas day. I was SO looking forward to it, as I had never been inside before. Well, when I looked over the menu I realized there wasn't a single thing my 13 year old son would eat. Unfortunately , at that point I realized it wasn't going to be a good fit for us, so I cancelled.
I was upset, but realized they may not let my 6'2" 13 year old son eat from a kids menu.
I understand your dilemma, because I have the same "problem" with my kids, but you can't count on them bending the rules for you.

Good Luck! I hope it works out for you!

 

[megan926]

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.

I am with you here. I do not eat a lot and do not like to waste food. If I am around home, it isn't a problem, as I bring a lot of leftovers home...but on vacation, I can't do that!

If I want a smaller sized meal, I should I be able to get one.

 

[macraven]

i liked it better financially when they had the adult-junior-child costs involved for tickets.
don't remember if food costs had that breakdown but thought the child's age was set higher for food costs than age 9.

 

[nytimez]

Most kids will learn to eat anything once they get hungry enough. Same trick works for fussy cats.

However, this is not true of pandas.

 

[LisaTC]

Most kids will learn to eat anything once they get hungry enough. Same trick works for fussy cats. However, this is not true of pandas.

I wish there was a LIKE button on the Dis!

 

[Mama Who]

Yes, this could have made their day even more interesting. You could have started with the club sandwich, asked them to add cheese, hold the meat and veg, and then throw it on the grill for a few minutes - voila! Grilled cheese!

I don't know why more places don't offer an adult grilled cheese sandwich. If they are offering sandwiches then they should have bread, butter, and cheese - it's kind of a no brainer. I like the occasional grilled cheese sandwich, especially if I've been having a lot of rich and heavy food and want something light.

I understand that they may not want to sell cheaper child meal options to adults - but if they have something on the child menu that you want, I don't understand why they can't create an adult size portion of the same food if that's what you want to eat.

In my experience (I went through a weird no meat phase when I was pregnant) most places will happily do you a simple special order if you ask for that. They balk at the financial loss of feeding adults off the discounted kid menu, but if you ask nicely you can generally get accommodated as an adult.

 

[tinkerone]

Most kids will learn to eat anything once they get hungry enough. Same trick works for fussy cats.

However, this is not true of pandas.

worked in my house.....course i don't have pandas.

 

[robinb]

worked in my house.....course i don't have pandas.

Didn't in mine. I must have a Panda . A vegetarian Panda living in a carnivore household.

 

[fitzperry]

A vegetarian Panda living in a carnivore household.

I have one of those too. And she has an iron will. I'm quite sure she'd rather starve than give in. Also, when asked about the most disgusting thing she'd ever eaten, she replied, "Probably steak or shrimp."

 

[PammyK]

This is really a sore subject with me. Three years ago we ate at ESPN. My kids at the time were 11, 13, 15. Two wanted to order chicken fingers and one grilled cheese which were only offered on the kids menu (12 and under). Both my husband and I ordered full adult meals. The waitress took our order, delivered our drinks and only then made such a huge stink about the kids meals asking how old the kids were. I was told that I would be charged adult prices for their meals and said that was fine for the two older ones if they were made into adult portions (meaning adding a side or fries to the meal as on the adult menu). They said no I would only get the child's portion. I told the waitress that I would not pay more for the same thing (plus the cost of the drink which I expected) just because they were older. She then proceeded to tell me my youngest child (who is tall for his age) could not be only 11 (he is now 14 and 6'3"!). She finally gave us the kids meal at the kids price (plus cost of drink) but told the kids not to let the manager see them eating because she would get in trouble! My kids are very shy and strict "rule followers". By the time the meal came they were so upset they couldn't even eat. My daughter was crying and begging to leave. My older son ate about 2 bites and kept looking around the room as if someone was going to yell at him. If they had offered the same items on the adult menu we would have ordered it but they did not like anything on the adult menu and nothing was said when the order was placed. If the waitress was worried about how the cost of the meal would be reflected in her tip, she should have thought twice about calling me a liar concerning my youngest child's age. That is what ultimately caused her to receive NO tip at all.

The server wasn't by any chance an Asian named Mae, was she?

 

[battymum]

Do they not realise there are children that want more than a three year old, but less than an adult.

I understand that childrens menus are a loss leader, and no restaurant wants a whole table ordering of that menu but what is wrong with requiring that each "child" is accompanied by a full paying adult.

I know in Disney restaurants there will always be another family willing to take our ADR time, but surely a normal restaurant would rather our family come in and buy 2 adult meals entree & app, maybe a bottle of wine and dessert and let our three teens eat off a childrens menu, than let that table sit empty.