BY JULIA SAFRIN
While some children might want to feel like adults when ordering off the regular menu at a restaurant, there are adults who wish they could order off of the kids’ menu. Chicken nuggets and mac and cheese may not sound like appealing meals for adults, but they are appealing to those who are very much a kid at heart.
A kids’ menu at a restaurant usually goes up to 12 years old and everyone over 12 gets a regular menu, besides the kids who look younger than they actually are. What if there was an “adult” menu with kid-sized portions? Or kids’ menu items on the “adult” menu served in a larger portion size? Or one with kids’ items and portion sizes on a regular menu?
There can be a stigma when an adult orders off of the kids’ menu. The restaurant loses money, the adult seems childish and it’s an overall awkward situation. To avoid the stigma, the kids’ menu items should be normalized and implemented into the regular menu. A positive effect of having kids sized portions on the regular menu would be the obesity rate in the United States decreasing.
For the adults who can’t seem to leave their childhood favorites behind and want to eat kids’ food every once in a while, the option should be available on the regular menu.
Large restaurant portions contribute to obesity in the United States by distorting what Americans think of as a normal-sized portion, which can affect their eating habits at home. Women should consume 600-700 calories per meal for the recommended 2,000 calorie intake per day for females. Men should consume 800-850 calories per meal for the recommended 2,500 calorie intake per day for males.
Currently, the average meal in a U.S. restaurant consists of 1,495 calories. In 2018, around 40 percent of Americans were obese. By making smaller portions available outside of the home, eating habits may begin to change within American households. Offering a variety of portion sizes can also give adults an opportunity to choose how much food arrives at their table.
Not everyone can or wants to consume the large portions currently served in restaurants. Providing options when it comes to portion sizes can help consumers save money, take care of their health and watch their weight. This can also prevent food from going to waste. Whether it’s thrown out in the restaurant or taken home in a to-go container and never eaten, restaurants’ large portion sizes contribute to a significant amount of food waste. If consumers get to decide the amount of food they order, food and money won’t be thrown away.
Adults ordering kids’ food should be normalized. Not every adult enjoys what is considered to be adult food and may opt for something simpler.
For the adults who can’t seem to leave their childhood favorites behind and want to eat kids’ food every once in a while, the option should be available on the regular menu. If kids’ items are listed in the usual menu and adults respond well to the option, restaurants can increase their profit. It’s a win-win situation for restaurants and their customers.
Having options for adults when it comes to portion sizes and kids’ items on the usual menu can benefit both consumers and the restaurants they frequent. Adults ordering kids’ food should be normalized. Not every adult enjoys what is considered to be adult food and may opt for something simpler. The kids’ menu doesn’t have to be for just the 12 and under.
Photo by Genna Nordling
