Question about child eating who is considered a Disney adult

[Princess Rosie]

We have a 10 year old who, by Disney standards is considered an adult. However, he basically only eats chicken nuggets/tenders and fries at table service restaurants. Can he order chicken tenders off of the kids menu at table service restaurants or will we be forced to pay adult prices for him for things that he is not going to eat?

 

[ShannyMcB]

Depends on the restaurant. We had luck at whispering canyon and topolinos. Whispering canyon brought a larger serving of a kids meal and charged us a couple bucks extra. Topolonios we paid the adult pre fix price but they gave us an adult size portion of the kids waffles.
Your mileage may vary

 

[NYCgrrl]

You will also find that many TS restaurants will allow him to order off the children’s menu. Just keep in mind that the food will be “child sized”.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We have a 10 year old who, by Disney standards is considered an adult. However, he basically only eats chicken nuggets/tenders and fries at table service restaurants. Can he order chicken tenders off of the kids menu at table service restaurants or will we be forced to pay adult prices for him for things that he is not going to eat?

If you are ordering off menu most likely he can order off kids menu and be charged kids price but at buffets or all you care to eat you will be charged adult price even if he eats only from kids area

 

[mom2rtk]

Character meals and all you can eat places will charge adult prices. Others might work out something else. I used to see a lot of places do double the kids meal portion for double the kids meal price (whether they wanted the extra quantity or not).

 

[Dulcee]

Any where that is a Buffett/character meal/price fixed meal you should assume you’ll pay the adult price. Most of those locations though will work out getting you kid friendly fare, just with a $$ price tag.

Anywhere that is a regular menu you shouldn’t have any problem ordering from the kids menu for him.

 

[nursejackie]

We have a 10 year old who, by Disney standards is considered an adult. However, he basically only eats chicken nuggets/tenders and fries at table service restaurants. Can he order chicken tenders off of the kids menu at table service restaurants or will we be forced to pay adult prices for him for things that he is not going to eat?

In my experience yes. I even ordered from the kids menu for a 15 year old at Sci Fi and no one questioned it. I might add it's not to save money, it's just he preferred less 'bulky' burgers.

If it's QS I also order kids meals, leaves me more room for all the yummy snacks

 

[scard192]

My 18 and 13 year old grand daughters ordered off the kids menu at 50s Prime Time and were charged the kids price.Chicken tenders and fries.

 

[LoveDaisy]

Our experience has been if it’s a Disney owned restaurant they usually allow it, some may serve a larger portion and charge more. If it’s a non Disney owned restaurant and I would be prepared with a back up choice in case they say no. As others have stated if it’s AYCE, a character meal, buffet, or a prefix menu you will pay the adult price regardless of what they eat.

 

[kmill99]

Our experience has been - they don't know the ages, not officially, you just book the seats. If your kid is small and eats a small kids portion, say they are a child. And tip the server well, of course.

 

[elvispursley]

Our experience has been - they don't know the ages, not officially, you just book the seats. If your kid is small and eats a small kids portion, say they are a child. And tip the server well, of course.

I guess with that logic one can pass their small 9yo off and gets kids’ admission too

 

[kmill99]

I guess with that logic one can pass their small 9yo off and gets kids’ admission too

Not the same at all. If your kid eats a kids meal, why pay full adult price? That's just gouging - and even the servers know that. In fact, they frequently proactively verbalize the billing.
However, if your 9 yr old is legitimately undersized and cannot ride adult rides... I'm morally flexible I suppose to that argument. You have to set basic rules for systems to function, but flexibility (even if unstated) is helpful in the real world for optimum function.

 

[loves to dive]

If the restaurant doesn't allow, how about possibly an appetizer or just sides for him?

 

[Dulcee]

Not the same at all. If your kid eats a kids meal, why pay full adult price? That's just gouging - and even the servers know that. In fact, they frequently proactively verbalize the billing.
However, if your 9 yr old is legitimately undersized and cannot ride adult rides... I'm morally flexible I suppose to that argument. You have to set basic rules for systems to function, but flexibility (even if unstated) is helpful in the real world for optimum function.

Our local water park does admission prices by height cut-off, not age, for exactly this reason. Just makes sense when you are really pricing based on access to attractions.

 

[jimmymc]

It depends on the restaurant. For a buffet or all you care to eat meal, he'll pay adult prices, even if he only eats chicken fingers and fries. Some restaurants will let him order a kid meal, while others will let him get a larger portion for a bit more money, but less than the adult entrees. For quick service, you can order kid's meals and nobody will question it.

 

[GirlfromTN]

I guess with that logic one can pass their small 9yo off and gets kids’ admission too

9 yr olds still qualify for the kids admission ticket…

 

[BrianL]

I think any table service restaurant (not the buffets) that have chicken fingers will be glad to provide them, even if they are jsut on the kids menu. I find Disney restaurants to be very understanding about such things. They may charge more or size it differently, but I can't imagine getting a flat-out "No."

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I do remember the Plaza and Tutto Italia refusing to let my then 10 year old order a childn's meal.
Other than that most non-buffets will allow it.

 

[stace1214]

My 12 year old eats like a bird and has had no problems ordering from the kids menu at all restaurants. We've only ever been charged kid prices. It kills me to pay adult prices at somewhere like Boma when she eats so little but it is what it is. We just find ourselves going to pre-fixe meals much less often now.

 

[kdka421]

However, if your 9 yr old is legitimately undersized and cannot ride adult rides... I'm morally flexible I suppose to that argument. You have to set basic rules for systems to function, but flexibility (even if unstated) is helpful in the real world for optimum function.

Our local water park does admission prices by height cut-off, not age, for exactly this reason. Just makes sense when you are really pricing based on access to attractions.

A bit off topic to the OP's question, but responding to these thoughts - my 9yo is considered quite below average, her bone age (and size) is about 3 years behind her birth age, and she's currently tall enough to ride all the rides in the 4 parks. At age 8 she measured *just* under 48".
Just wanted to share this actual experience...by age 10, almost all kids (even those as undersized as my daughter) will likely be tall enough for all rides, so I do understand in that regard why Disney sets 10 as the adult age if it's based on what rides they can ride.

To circle it back to the kids meal conversation, we'll be visiting the parks shortly after she turns 10, and definitely are just going to be of the mindset to avoid the buffets/etc for this visit. It just won't make sense for us with her little appetite. We have one or two TS meals in mind where we might order a handful of apps/entrees to share as a family.