How do you handle this?

Our kids meal is a discounted special that we offer for families. More and more, adults are ordering the kids meal for themselves and it burns me up. We are an "order and pick up at the counter" place so it is not obvious who they are ordering for sometimes. I know that money is tight these days but we count on having an adult meal purchased when we sell the kids meals to even out the high food cost. Does anyone else have this problem?

Kathy,
We have had similar issues. We state on our menu that the kids meals are cheaper, to help out families. If an adult orders it, we up charge. Of course, we have a wait person deliver the food so they know who is eating what. I would, simply, make it very clear on your menu what your policies are and then enforce them. No sense in loosing money when you are trying to help out by offering discounted food for kids.

Well I know in the case of my girlfriend a kids menu portion is more than enough of her. I dont think she should have to pay for more than she wants to eat it's probably going home and not getting eaten depending on what the dish is. So there are two sides to this.

My wife and I both have what I guess are small appetites - we routinely take home leftovers, especially pasta dishes and the like. We wouldn't dream of trying to order a child's portion.

I have a coworker that routinely orders the kids burrito at Moe's (as if asking for the Moo moo Mr. Cow isn't embarrasing enough). However, they do serve the burrito with small portions of rice/beans/etc on the burrito. Recently, she asked them to put more of the toppings (extra lettuce/cheese) etc and they point blank told her they would upcharge her at that time to the jr. burrito price if she did that. It's fair..she was trying to get more for the lesser price, but didn't want to get the huge burrito.

Anyway, maybe offer the kids burger, but limit the toppings you offer on it. Say, the kids can only come with your choice of lettuce/ketchup/mustard. Anything else for the kids add a per topping fee? Maybe that will stop those who are trying to get the full experience for the lesser price?

Well I know in the case of my girlfriend a kids menu portion is more than enough of her. I dont think she should have to pay for more than she wants to eat it's probably going home and not getting eaten depending on what the dish is. So there are two sides to this.

If Home Run Burgers does what I do, they just break even on the kids meal. The point is that the kids menu is discounted already as a help to the family and an incentive to come there. I'm sure you would not try to eat free on Kids eat free night.

From a consumers perspective...Right off the top of my head I can think of a couple of reasons, other than being cost conscious, a person would order from a kids menu, In my particular case, I just can't eat like a "20 or 30-something" anymore (and I'm not saying that is a bad thing). As I recall your "lunch special" is a burger of somewhat smaller proportions, so maybe my thoughts don't apply to your case but often times I go into a restaurant for lunch and am greeted by a menu featuring a 1/3 pound (and up). Burger and quite frankly that is just too much for me.

Perhaps the answer lies in marketing. If it's me, I'd probably try not promoting an item as a "kids" menu item but rather increase the price 25 or 30 cents and promote the item as "perfect for the smaller appetite", I doubt very much you are going to chase people away with that kind of price increase and it would help offset what you lose when an adult purchases the item.

[Robin Garr]

What Steve said: Mostly because I get to eat for a living, but also because, like Steve, my metabolism isn't what it used to be, I've learned a lesson that many restaurant critics fail to grasp: you've got to count your calories and exercise a lot if you don't want to look like the Goodyear blimp, I appreciate the opportunity to buy a smaller portion. This is particularly true of ice-cream shops, and I am REALLY appreciative of the Comfy Cow, which offered only very large portions at first, listening to my request and offering a SMALL child's portion and letting people of all ages choose it.

It has never occurred to me to order a child's portion in a restaurant, and normally I'd have no interest in a chicken fingers, mac'n'cheese or burger choice. But now that you mention it, Kathy, I would LOVE to be able to order a child-size burger at Home Run, and if I could, I would come there more often when I'm not reviewing. I wouldn't do it to cheat you, and I would not object to paying a premium for it - 3/4 of the adult price for 1/2 the burger, even.

But as others in this thread have said, first, I don't think you should be too quick to assume that these people are trying to chisel you. It may very well be simply that they prefer (or need) a smaller portion. And frankly, let's say they are trying to save money. In these economic times, wouldn't you rather have a little of their business than none of their business?

In these economic times, wouldn't you rather have a little of their business than none of their business?

Robin, if a lot of adults ordered the child's portion (for whatever reason, economics or small appetite) and if, as Will said, a child's portion is priced at "break-even", how would a place stay in business?

Just raise the price of the "kids" meal to a reasonable level, and then offer a discount if purchased with an adult meal.

Otherwise, don't blame people for ordering what's on your menu.

As others have pointed out, what most places sell as a "kids" portion was an adult portion when I was a kid, so I know where they are coming from. The FDA and many health insurers have been putting a lot of time and money into teaching American's to get back to more normal portion sizes. It would be nice to see restaurants following suite (and adjusting prices accordingly).

I remember when a Quarter Pounder from McDonald's was considered massive, a small fry was actually small and a large Coke wasn't a 2 liter.

To be honest, I struggle with Home Run Burger. The food is great, but your bun is sized for the double patty burger, and it swallows the single patty to the point of not being very good.... but I don't want the double patty burger. I also don't want to eat a bread sandwich with a dollop of meat in the middle.

I've stopped going for that very reason... though I will definitely be stopping in to try the grilled chicken.

[Robin Garr]

In these economic times, wouldn't you rather have a little of their business than none of their business?

Robin, if a lot of adults ordered the child's portion (for whatever reason, economics or small appetite) and if, as Will said, a child's portion is priced at "break-even", how would a place stay in business?

You may have skimmed over my comment about willingly paying an upcharge and about how it's not chiseling but an effort to eat moderately for me.

I'm not going to second-guess Kathy and Bob's (or Will's) decision to sell a child's menu at cost, but again, I'm talking about selling adults a sane-size portion on the assumption that it would be priced for a sane-size profit.

I should have asked this before I responded.

Do you list an age limit for the kid's meal on the menu?

If so, then disregard my comments about people ordering whats on the menu. If it says "kids X and under only" and adults order it, then yeah... you have every right to be irritated.

I think that stating the age requirement for a children's meal would be a good place to start, make it something like 10 or 12 years old. I'm sure that would greatly reduce the number of adults ordering just out of the sense of embarrassment. After that if it still occurred you could mention firmly to customers without children that order a children's that they couldn't be doing that. Just shoot repeat offenders!

Maybe Robin's is also something else you should consider if you get a lot of push back from customers to the above policy.

But like she said..people can be ordering it for their kids..so you never know. And if you see them then eating it in the restaurant..it's not like you can go and back charge them.

For some people whom are dieting they may see this as a way of portion control. Maybe when you see this coming try to accommodate with a healthy option, if you have one, I know it's a buger joint.