What age did your child outgrow kid meals at restaurants?

[Anonymous]

My DS is 9 and on the smaller side, but has recently started complaining he is still hungry after eating a meal off the kids menu. What age did your child start ordering from the regular menu?

[Anonymous]

Probably about 9-10. Sometimes the kid's meal is fine, sometimes it's too small; depends on the place.

[Anonymous]

9

[Anonymous]

One kid preferred kid sized portions until he was around 11. The other outgrew them by 9. That second kid is now 12 and will often eat an entire adult sized meal plus the last third of mine, and still want dessert.

Eating a lot at that age generally means that a growth spurt is about to start. Get ready to buy new shoes!

[Anonymous]

My boys are both taller and more athletic than average.

By about 7 they wanted more food than a kid's meal. One of them, in particular, really liked kids meal type food though. So, we might let them order an adult meal, or get a kids' meal and some appetizers to share at the table, or get a kids' meal and eat a portion of mine, or a kids' meal and a side.

[Anonymous]

For mine it had fluctuated from maybe about age 9. Now even at 14 and 20, mine sometimes order from the kids menu or split meals and sometimes they order two adult meals.

[Anonymous]

Age 9 for us, DDs. They are adventurous, healthy eaters and just prefer the more interesting choices on a regular menu. I did not grow up in the US and where I am from the concept of children’s menus doesn’t exist. I always steered my kids away from that terrible stuff, even when they were little.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Age 9 for us, DDs. They are adventurous, healthy eaters and just prefer the more interesting choices on a regular menu. I did not grow up in the US and where I am from the concept of children’s menus doesn’t exist. I always steered my kids away from that terrible stuff, even when they were little.

LOL literally almost all of that is irrelevant

My 8yo often likes to order off the adult menu yet can rarely finish it. She had a kids pasta the other day though and was still hungry. I feel like she is in-between.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the menu. I don't make DS order off the kids menu unless there's something he wants on it.

[Anonymous]

About 10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the menu. I don't make DS order off the kids menu unless there's something he wants on it.

This. My 12 year old switches.

[Anonymous]

The kid menu options got disappointing quickly, so around 7/8/9, even though their appetites remained small.

[Anonymous]

Probably 7ish or so - they quickly got sick of the hotdog, grilled cheese, Mac and cheese options and preferred to eat other dishes. They would have probably continued with kid menu portions for longer if there had been better choices. I do find it really strange that somehow every restaurant has designated that stuff as kid food.

[Anonymous]

For us with 6 yo DS, at some places it’s about the choices and not necessarily the portions.

At our local Mexican place he is happy with the kid’s quesadilla & rice, and eats a ton of chips/salsa/guac alongside.

Most other places we go don’t have a kid’s menu, so we order a few apps and/or share entrées. He doesn’t like mac & cheese, grilled cheese, burgers, or hot dogs, so even if we’re at a place with a kid’s menu, he wouldn’t eat anything on it.

Last few restaurant meals have been:

1) giant pretzel from appetizer menu
2) chicken tenders from appetizer menu
3) fried shrimp basket
4) fried eggplant & fried mushrooms apps
5) chicken tikka masala, with leftovers for next day

[Anonymous]

Totally kid dependent. My 11 yo still gets a kids meal and has leftovers. My 14 year old stopped ordering from the kids menu probably around 12 but I don’t know if that will happen to my younger daughter. Some kids meals are huge and would be enough food for me!