Tweens/Teenagers meal choice?

stickybookmark · 21-04-2015 03:15PM #1

Anyone have tweens/young teenagers coming to their wedding? We have tweens/young teenagers from 3 different families coming. I was putting together the dining info for the hotel (although we don't have to confirm final dining nos til 2 weeks before the event) and a child's meal costs 15 euro and the full dinner costs 65 euro (per head). So I'm really unsure of whether the tweens/teenagers will eat from the children's menu or adult's menu? We have to pay the final bill 2 weeks in advance of the wedding so I don't want to pay 65 euro for adult dinners then they decide to get the burger and chips!
The mother of 3 of the tweens contacted me yesterday to ask something else about the wedding and I said to her 'while I have you there...' and asked her if she thinks they'd eat child or adult dinner and she said the 14 yo is a plain eater and will eat from the child's menu but the two 11 year olds have a good appetite so will eat the adult's dinner :eek:
My OH was like 'why'd you ask her!!'. Our adult dinner is a 4 course chef tasting plate with meat salad starter, a fish course, a meat course plus dessert I find it hard to think a 11 year old would eat it. So what to do ?! I'm afraid to ask the other parents now in case they say the same thing! I didn't tell her the menu by the way - feels weird telling people the wedding menu before the big day, i think it should be a surprise! - I just said 'child or adult dinner?'

eviltwin · 21-04-2015 03:19PM

Taste aside a teenager will need a full adult meal or they will be starving. A kids meal is for a kid, portion will be small so it probably won't be enough for a 14 yr old.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 21-04-2015 03:21PM

She's having a laugh. 3 children's dinners is what I'd be ordering. If they don't want burgers & chips would it be possible to get a child's portion of the adult main?

MarieOC · 21-04-2015 03:24PM

Our hotel did a child's portion of the adults meal, it was slightly more expensive than the burgers and chips option but a good compromise for the teenagers who didn't want a kids meal

fits · 21-04-2015 03:25PM

I am very much against serving burger and chips at ours. We are giving them half portions of the adult meals as default unless they are fussy. 12 year old girl will get half portion. 15 year old will get full.

stickybookmark · 21-04-2015 03:25PM

The Cunning Linguist wrote: »

She's having a laugh. 3 children's dinners is what I'd be ordering. If they don't want burgers & chips would it be possible to get a child's portion of the adult main?

That's a good idea....I'll ask the hotel. We have our final meeting wiht them next Mon so I'll put that on list of questions.

I know ...I had them down as child's menu, our final bill just went up by 100 euro as a result of that conversation hence am reluctant to ask any of the other parents!

Milly33 · 21-04-2015 03:28PM

MMm I didn't even think of tweens!! love the new name.

Id say to be honest I would go for a kids meal for them and then just sure if they want more then there is going to be things like sides so they could just have more of that.. Or if their parents are that worried about them then they can share some of their main with them.

You can only do so much to accommodate people. I know for one we didn't even think of tweens, slightly different as is it a caterer but the only choices we gave was meat fish, vegetarian dish and kids is chicken Goujons and chips..

stickybookmark · 21-04-2015 03:29PM

MarieOC wrote: »

Our hotel did a child's portion of the adults meal, it was slightly more expensive than the burgers and chips option but a good compromise for the teenagers who didn't want a kids meal

PHEW!! So glad to hear this.....I was starting to envisage that we'd put them all down as kid's menu but then they might all show up on the day demanding adult dinners and the kitchen wouldn't have planned for it and may not have enough food etc...I was getting stressed out!!

stickybookmark · 21-04-2015 03:32PM

fits wrote: »

I am very much against serving burger and chips at ours. We are giving them half portions of the adult meals as default unless they are fussy. 12 year old girl will get half portion. 15 year old will get full.

How are you controlling that out of interest? I mean what if the 12 year old shows up on the day and orders a full? Will you tell her in advance that she's having a half portion, or tell the waiting staff to bring her a half portion or how does it work?

fits · 21-04-2015 05:54PM

Id just tell the parents Id imagine. Havent really thought about it to be honest. We have lots of kids attending but most of them will be sitting at a kids table.

stickybookmark · 21-04-2015 06:09PM

fits wrote: »

Id just tell the parents Id imagine. Havent really thought about it to be honest. We have lots of kids attending but most of them will be sitting at a kids table.

Hmm hadn't thought about a kids table. We also have lots of kids. That might be an idea, I had just assumed they'd all sit with their parents. Did you run the kids table idea past their parents? What's your cut off age for the kids table? We have all ages from babies up to 14 yo. (obviously I know the babies will be in high chairs with their parents ...or else gone by that stage)

fits · 21-04-2015 07:36PM

Most of them are between 5 and 11 and will have their own table... possibly with a minder. Anyone younger or older will sit with their parents.

22-04-2015 10:15AM

I would classify any of national school age a child and any at secondary school an adult.

stickybookmark · 22-04-2015 10:21AM

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

I would classify any of national school age a child and any at secondary school an adult.

that's the problem we've got a couple of shall we say 'junior cycle' i.e 1st years, 2nd year and 3rd year. One of the 1st year guys is on OH's side and i said to OH oh he might have the adult or half portion of adult and OH said 'what? he will not, he'll have the chips!!'
so there seems to be no hard and fast rules for that age group. i think i'm going to have to ask the wedding co-ordinator at the meeting next week, this issue must have come up before. it's just tricky coz we have to commit to and pay for what they're having in advance

Pistachios & cream · 22-04-2015 10:33AM

Check with your venue about the available options. My hotel are providing a kids menu for €20. This is a 3 course meal which will mimic the other guests meals. It also means that tweens/teens will still get plenty of food even if the portions are a bit smaller.

Starters include, Melon, Soup & Garlic Bread.
Mains are half portion of wedding meal, Bangers & Mash, Grilled Chicken breast with mash & Gravy, pasta with a cheese sauce and the usual kids menu options with chips. In fact they get more choice than the adults

Desserts are Strawberries & icecream and a couple more.

I'm considering anyone under 16 to be getting this menu. In fairness we only have one older teenager(who we will give the choice to) and the rest are 14 and under so its easy to put a cutoff on it.

22-04-2015 10:35AM

I don't envy you having kids/young adults at your wedding. Too much added grief!

Put yourself in the shoes of a 14 year old sitting at a table of adults. They all get served their "grown up" meal and then the waitress plonks down a burger and chips in front of you. All eyes at the table will look at your meal, and you. As a 14 year old me, I would feel embarrassed at being treated so differently.

stickybookmark · 22-04-2015 10:47AM

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

I don't envy you having kids/young adults at your wedding. Too much added grief!

Put yourself in the shoes of a 14 year old sitting at a table of adults. They all get served their "grown up" meal and then the waitress plonks down a burger and chips in front of you. All eyes at the table will look at your meal, and you. As a 14 year old me, I would feel embarrassed at being treated so differently.

true, but put yourself in my shoes on teh day of the wedding going around to each table and seeing the 14 year old with a burger and chips in front of her and me thinking 'i flippin paid 65 euro for a 4 course chef's tasting plate menu for you, you little .....' *plaster on a smile*

22-04-2015 10:50AM

Lol

Give them all burger and chips!

stickybookmark · 22-04-2015 10:50AM

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

I don't envy you having kids/young adults at your wedding. Too much added grief!

ah no i think a wedding should be a big family celebration where all ages and all generations get together to celebrate a new person coming into the family. at my sisters wedding the kids made it to be honest, there was a kiddy pile up on teh dance-floor at one stage, soooo cute. and the flower girls/page boys absolutely stole the show. there's nothing cuter than a little person dressed as a big person coming down the aisle before the big entrance :-)

lazygal · 22-04-2015 10:54AM

Kids at a wedding are my worst nightmare! I couldn't imagine bringing mine to a wedding, but if I did I'd want them at the same table as me and I'd want them served a half or full portion (I think over 12 would call for a full portion) of whatever the adult food it. I don't like chips and burgers at a special occasion like a wedding.

22-04-2015 10:56AM

If you can't afford to give ALL guests a full meal, then why invite them? I like the idea of kids being primary school goers and all above adults, but I'd just give them the same choices as adults.

Larbre34 · 22-04-2015 11:26AM

We had a number of relatives between 11-14 years, never occurred to us to offer them anything other than the adult meals. They ate what they wanted from it and enjoyed it.

I dont think childrens portions should really arise unless we're talking 8yo or younger

22-04-2015 11:42AM

How many "young adults" are we talking about? Before you asked the mother, what had you classed the 14 year olds (and the others) meal as?

If you had her down as a full meal originally, you may find it cost effective now to ask all of them. With a NO BACKSIES rule.

But leave the NS kids as kids meals.

PhoenixParker · 22-04-2015 11:48AM

Does your venue not have a rule on this?
Many restaurants and venues say no kids meals for over 10s.
I'd definitely double check if you're serving a kids meal to a teenager.

solerina · 22-04-2015 12:03PM

We had 10 tweens (10-15 yrs) at our wedding, their dinner cost 20 per head. They had same starter & soup as adults then a choice of sausages/chicken goujons/fish goujons + chips/potatoes + veg or they could have a half portion of adult dinner + either adult dessert or ice-cream.....most took the childs dinner option rather than the half adults.

They sat at their own table next to their parents...they loved being on their own !!

stickybookmark · 22-04-2015 12:05PM

Hmm we've got 15 yo, 14yo, 12yo, 11yo x 3 from three diff families. I know it's mad the 14 yo girl's mother said she'd have the child's menu isn't it? I knew they had issues with that girl and eating though. I've seen fights going on at mealtimes before

stickybookmark · 22-04-2015 12:16PM

solerina wrote: »

We had 10 tweens (10-15 yrs)...most took the childs dinner option rather than the half adults.

Yep this is what the head chef (he's ex Chapter One) told us at the food tasting. He said parents like the idea of their children getting little mini gourmet meals etc.....that's not what they want, 'just give them chips!!' were his exact words :-D

stickybookmark · 22-04-2015 12:21PM

ahayes84 wrote: »

Check with your venue about the available options. My hotel are providing a kids menu for €20. This is a 3 course meal which will mimic the other guests meals. It also means that tweens/teens will still get plenty of food even if the portions are a bit smaller.

Starters include, Melon, Soup & Garlic Bread.
Mains are half portion of wedding meal, Bangers & Mash, Grilled Chicken breast with mash & Gravy, pasta with a cheese sauce and the usual kids menu options with chips. In fact they get more choice than the adults

Desserts are Strawberries & icecream and a couple more.

I'm considering anyone under 16 to be getting this menu. In fairness we only have one older teenager(who we will give the choice to) and the rest are 14 and under so its easy to put a cutoff on it.

solerina wrote: »

We had 10 tweens (10-15 yrs) at our wedding, their dinner cost 20 per head. They had same starter & soup as adults then a choice of sausages/chicken goujons/fish goujons + chips/potatoes + veg or they could have a half portion of adult dinner + either adult dessert or ice-cream.....most took the childs dinner option rather than the half adults.

They sat at their own table next to their parents...they loved being on their own !!

Fantastic guys......thanks so much. This is the solution I think. A more elaborate children's menu which includes half portion of the adult menu. And I agree Ahayes anyone under 16 gets offered that menu. Will talk to the hotel about this, cheers lads :-)

Milly33 · 22-04-2015 12:57PM

Was chatting to himself about this he was like what is a tween!! I honestly wouldn't be stressing too much about it and just offer whatever ye feel like. They are either going to be hunger and eat it or fussy and not eat it

skallywag · 22-04-2015 01:14PM

stickybookmark wrote: »

Yep this is what the head chef (he's ex Chapter One) told us at the food tasting. He said parents like the idea of their children getting little mini gourmet meals etc.....that's not what they want, 'just give them chips!!' were his exact words :-D

Could not agree more with this. I think it's pretty selfish of any B&G who won't offer a burger & chip style option for the kids.

Pistachios & cream · 22-04-2015 01:17PM

stickybookmark wrote: »

Fantastic guys......thanks so much. This is the solution I think. A more elaborate children's menu which includes half portion of the adult menu. And I agree Ahayes anyone under 16 gets offered that menu. Will talk to the hotel about this, cheers lads :-)

Remember also its not just the meal you are paying for. When it comes to adults you are also paying for alcohol. I know there are always some nondrinkers but they are usually balanced out by the heavy drinkers. Paying full whack for a child just doesn't seem right.

Tweens/Teenagers meal choice?

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