Should Adults Be Able To Order From The Kids’ Menu?

There are plenty of reasons an adult might eye up the kids’ menu. Maybe it’s the smaller portion size. For many, the cheaper price tag makes eating out way more affordable. Some of us, especially seniors and those with health issues, have smaller appetites and just don’t need the huge portions that are often on the main menus. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because sometimes nothing hits the spot like chicken tenders and fries.

But not everyone agrees that adults should get to dip into the kiddie section of the menu. In fact, some restaurants actively ban it.

The issue has caused quite a stir recently online, and there are some pretty good arguments on both side of the fence.

I was fascinated by why this topic caused such a stir, so I decided to do a deep dive and try to understand why exactly it’s causing arguments all over social media. 

The debate reignited recently when TikTok creator Vanessa von Schwarz (@vanessaschwarzz) shared a video about being shamed for ordering a kids’ pizza while staying at a hotel in Japan.

“I’m in Japan right now and I just ordered room service. The girl who brought it to my room opens the door and she’s like, ‘Where’s the kid?’ I was like ‘What do you mean?’” she said. Things only got more awkward when the staff member pressed further, realizing there was no child in sight.

And she’s not alone. One commenter explained that after undergoing bariatric surgery, their doctor literally gave them a card to hand over at restaurants, allowing them to order from the kids’ menu without hassle.

For some adults, the smaller portion sizes aren’t just a preference — they’re a necessity.

The Case For Adults Ordering Off the Kids’ Menu

• Portion control: Not everyone can (or wants to) finish an oversized adult entrée. Some would argue that it’s wasteful to order food you just can’t eat, and that’s a really good point. 

• Health or medical reasons: Smaller meals can be medically necessary, like in the case of bariatric surgery patients.

• Comfort food factor: Sometimes adults just want the nuggets, mac and cheese, or pizza bites. Simple as that. Why shouldn’t we be able to eat the food we want when we’re paying for it? 

• Affordability: Let’s be real, the kids’ menu is often way cheaper.

The Case Against It

• Restaurant profits: Kids’ meals are priced lower with the assumption that adults will order full-price entrees. Too many grown-ups swapping to kids’ plates could cut into margins. We all know that many restaurants are struggling these days, and they’re up against every rising costs. A trend towards people ordering from the kids’ menu could be yet another stressor that owners really just can’t shoulder. 

• Fairness: Some argue that kids’ menus are meant for, well, kids. If adults want smaller meals, restaurants could (and should) offer half-portions instead.

• Experience factor: Dining out is often about the full meal, including appetizer, entrée, dessert. Restaurants worry that an influx of adults ordering kids’ meals undermines that.

At the end of the day, it comes down to perspective.

Some see it as a harmless choice that should be left up to the customer.

Others see it as unfair to the restaurant’s business model.

So, what do you think: should adults be free to order from the kids’ menu, or should those chicken nuggets be off-limits unless you’re under twelve?