Should Adults Be Allowed to Order Kids’ Meals?

Why Restaurants Might Restrict Kids’ Meals

There are several business reasons a restaurant might choose to do this.

Protecting menu pricing

If adults could routinely substitute inexpensive kids’ meals for regular entrées, the restaurant might lose sales on higher-priced menu items.

Controlling food costs

Kids’ meals are often priced around smaller portions.

Allowing unlimited adult access could change the economics of the menu.

Family-focused promotions

Some kids’ meals are intentionally designed as part of a family offering.

The restaurant may want to preserve that positioning.

Toys and promotional items

If a kids’ meal includes a toy or collectible, the restaurant may have policies around who can receive it.

Portion expectations

The restaurant may simply intend the meal to meet children’s typical serving needs.

But Is It Really Fair?

This is where I think the conversation gets more complicated.

Suppose an adult wants a small meal.

They aren’t trying to exploit a promotion.

They don’t want a toy.

They simply want less food.

Why shouldn’t they be able to buy it?

That’s a reasonable question.

After all, the restaurant is still making a sale.

The customer isn’t asking for free food.

They’re asking to purchase a smaller portion.

The Portion-Size Argument Is Especially Interesting

Restaurant portions can be enormous.

For some people, a standard entrée may be more food than they want or need.

That includes:

• Older adults with smaller appetites
• People eating a light lunch
• Travelers
• People who don’t want leftovers
• People with different appetite levels
• Anyone who simply prefers smaller portions

A restaurant that offers smaller portions to everyone could potentially serve more customers’ needs without relying on an age restriction.

Should Restaurants Offer “Small” Meals for Adults?

Now we’re getting somewhere.

Instead of making adults ask for kids’ meals, restaurants could offer:

Small portions.

Not kids’ meals.

Not “children’s food.”

Just smaller versions of popular dishes.

For example:

• Small burger and fries
• Half-size pasta
• Small sandwich
• Petite salad
• Half entrée
• Smaller breakfast plate

That gives customers another option without undermining the purpose of the kids’ menu.

And I think many adults would appreciate it.

Kids’ Meals Aren’t Always Just About Portion Size

There’s another important distinction.

A kids’ meal may include things that aren’t part of a standard adult meal.

For example, it might include:

• A toy
• A special dessert
• A promotional item
• A child-specific drink
• A family promotion

In those situations, the restaurant has a stronger reason to limit availability.

If the appeal is primarily the smaller portion, however, the argument becomes less clear.