Can teenagers eat from the kids menu?

ClassyCrab

ClassyCrab

Member
Original Poster
Last time we went to WDW my picky eater daughter was 12 and was able to order from the kids menu without a problem but this summer when we go back she will be 15 and I know some of our ADRs have menus that are not that appealing to her. Will she still be able to order kids meals?
 
Disney4family

Disney4family

Well-Known Member
My daughter has ordered from the kids menu many times at many different restaurants every year since 2006. It's never been an issue for us - even this September when we celebrated her 15th b'day at the Cali Grill. I know she's an "adult" in Disney Dining terms, but once she asks for a kids menu, she just orders and receives a kid size meal for a kid size price. Actually, none of the CMs have ever offered/suggested an adult size portion (which is fine since that would be too much food for her).
We have heard of the "adult size" portion being offered to adults who order off the kids menu.
That's just our experience.
 
StarWarsGirl

StarWarsGirl

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
My 16 year old brother routinely orders from the kids menu without issue. Some places have the option where you can do something off the kids menu as an adult portion (SciFi, for instance, will do an adult chicken nuggets). Which is good for a 16 year old who inhales food. But you're not forced to do so by any means.
 
Hcalvert

Hcalvert

Well-Known Member
I went to 50s Prime Time last year for the first time and wasn't feeling well and wasn't that hungry. I asked the server if I could order from the kids' menu and he didn't have a problem with it. He didn't even mention an adult-sized portion to me and charged me the kids rate.
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
It will depend on the restaurant.

Quick service will be no issue.

Table service can be a little more nuanced. Buffets will charge the adult price regardless. All of the Disney owned restaurants will be fine with it. At most, they will charge you a surcharge and give you an adult size portion of a kids menu item. Non-Disney owned restaurants are a bit of a mixed bag. Most will act just like the Disney owned places, but we have run into a few that would not even entertain the idea of an adult ordering from the kids menu.
 
xdan0920

xdan0920

Think for yourselfer
I am here for this.

The moral high grounders should be here any minute to tell you what a dishonest thief you are if you order off the kids menu for kid over the prescribed age.

"Ordering off the kids menu for a 15 year old is basically the same as stealing a car. Plus you are teaching your child to be dishonest. Plus you are basically a criminal and should be arrested."
 
Weather_Lady

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
xdan0920 said:
I am here for this.

The moral high grounders should be here any minute to tell you what a dishonest thief you are if you order off the kids menu for kid over the prescribed age.

"Ordering off the kids menu for a 15 year old is basically the same as stealing a car. Plus you are teaching your child to be dishonest. Plus you are basically a criminal and should be arrested."
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Even though I'm often a member of the moral high grounder's club, I don't see anything objectionable about letting anyone and everyone order from the kids' menu. If you order and pay for a kids' meal at the advertised rate (I'm talking non-buffet, non-all-you-care-to-enjoy venues), you get a tiny, kid-sized portion. In my family's experience, even things like a kid's burger are half the size of what you'd get if you ordered from the adult menu. There's not really anything to exploit there: it's just an "opportunity" to pay less, and get less in return.
 
RandomPrincess

RandomPrincess

Keep Moving Forward
xdan0920 said:
Hey. You draw your own moral lines. But this is breaking a rule. There by stealing from Mickey Mouse. It’s not enough of a steal for it to bother you, I get it. Funny how you can decide what’s not quite deceitful enough to be a problem.
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How is it stealing? You are paying for what you get and the restaurants aren't telling you no, which they would/could if it was really against the rules.
 
donsullivan

donsullivan

Premium Member
xdan0920 said:
Hey. You draw your own moral lines. But this is breaking a rule. There by stealing from Mickey Mouse. It’s not enough of a steal for it to bother you, I get it. Funny how you can decide what’s not quite deceitful enough to be a problem.
Click to expand...

On this one, I fail to understand how ordering a kids meal and only receiving the portion for a kids meal is stealing. You are choosing to get less food (reason doesn't matter) and order that smaller portion meal. If that's all you get it should be fine. I've seen it done buy folks I was dining with who are well past retirement age and just don't want as much food. I never seen a server have any problem with it except at a buffet or other self-service meal experience.
 
Weather_Lady

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
xdan0920 said:
Hey. You draw your own moral lines. But this is breaking a rule. There by stealing from Mickey Mouse. It’s not enough of a steal for it to bother you, I get it. Funny how you can decide what’s not quite deceitful enough to be a problem.
Click to expand...

I dont understand - where is the deceit? What is being stolen? You order a menu item, and you pay for it. Clearly there's a piece to this scenario I am missing.
 
Weather_Lady

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
xdan0920 said:
You are breaking the rules. That is deceitful.
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What rules? Per Disneys own internal policies and as represented repeatedly by different members of its Moms Panel (just Google it) adults (and even, specifically, picky teens) are allowed to order items from kids menus at a la carte restaurants, including TS. Perhaps it's not allowed on the DDP or something, but menu notations about "for ages 9 and under" don't capture the entirety of Disney's policy on the matter. It's not rule-breaking to do something against which there is no actual rule.
 
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Demeter Tess

Demeter Tess

Well-Known Member
I'm in my 30s and I order from the kids menu all the time. My other strategy is to order an adult entree without the sides. My appetite is tiny and I don't like wasting food. (And y'all can fuss at me all you like, I really don't care. I'm not getting more than what I pay for. In fact that's entirely the point: I don't WANT a full portion.)
 
xdan0920

xdan0920

Think for yourselfer
Weather_Lady said:
What rules? Per Disneys own internal policies and as represented repeatedly by different members of its Moms Panel (just Google it) adults (and even, specifically, picky teens) are allowed to order items from kids menus at a la carte restaurants, including TS. Perhaps it's not allowed on the DDP or something, but menu notations about "for ages 9 and under" don't capture the entirety of Disney's policy on the matter. It's not rule-breaking to do something against which there is no actual rule.
Click to expand...

Justify it however you want. Just remember this next time you feel like getting on a member here for asking if a child who just turned three needs a ticket. Try not to be a hypocrite.
 
H

Hockey89

Well-Known Member
xdan0920 said:
Justify it however you want. Just remember this next time you feel like getting on a member here for asking if a child who just turned three needs a ticket. Try not to be a hypocrite.
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I can explain the difference between an adult ordering off the kids menu and being charged adult prices while getting a bigger portion... Compared to sneaking in kids that should pay.... Do you know context? Nah? It's different and it is simple/
 
Weather_Lady

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
xdan0920 said:
Justify it however you want. Just remember this next time you feel like getting on a member here for asking if a child who just turned three needs a ticket. Try not to be a hypocrite.
Click to expand...

You're making up rules to manufacture a controversy where none exists. People of any age don't have to lie to order from the kids' menu and they're not breaking any rules to do it: Disney expressly allows it -- and officially SAYS that it is allowed -- and charges them according to their portion. My prior comments on a different subject pertained to an actual rule -- something Disney says people aren't allowed to do. The two issues are "apples and oranges." No reason for you to engage in ad hominem attacks...
 
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correcaminos

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
Tuvalu said:
She may be ~ but typically the restaurant will make an “adult size” portion of the kids meal and charge an adult price.
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This is not something we've experienced. If we order a kid's meal we want a kid's portion, not an adult portion. We ask nicely if we can order off of the kid's menu instead and so far all of the time we've been given the kid's portion. We never have ordered a kid's meal without an adult ordering food as well though so that might be a difference. We just asked about it at Sanaa in June and they said not a problem for my 10yo to order the kid's meal. No adult portion there.

I am a petite woman and sometimes a full meal is just too much for me, so as an adult I've kindly asked for kid's meals and told them I just cannot eat an adult meal. Not often but sometimes it happens and they've always been kind about it. I don't push though and if they said no, I'd likely try to find a little appetizer for my meal instead.
 

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