Adult Woman Questioned By Hotel Staff For Ordering Room Service Off The Kids Menu
She doesn't think she did anything wrong, and many people agree with her.
Nicoleta Ionescu / Shutterstock For most, ordering room service is a fun treat. It adds to the experience of traveling, discovering a new place, and staying somewhere that is not your home.
Instead of enjoying a pampered hotel stay, one woman was unfortunately left feeling “judged” after she ordered room service from the kids’ menu.
An adult woman was shamed for ordering off the kids’ menu at a hotel.
TikToker Vanessa von Schwarz is a social media influencer who posts videos sharing lifestyle content with her followers. During a trip she took to Japan, she shared the interesting experience she had with hotel staff after ordering room service.
“I’m in Japan right now, and I just ordered room service, and the girl who brought it to my room opens the door, and she’s like, ‘Where’s the kid?’” von Schwarz said.
The adult woman was confused. “I was like, ‘What do you mean?’” she asked.
That was when things got uncomfortable.
“And she was like, ‘You ordered off the kids’ menu.’” she said. “And I was like, ‘And?’”
Von Schwarz was very confused. She had ordered off the kids’ menu, but she didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.
“All the food in Japan, they design it in such a way that it’s like kids would love it,” she explained, “so is it really really that bad if I order some chicken nuggets and, like, a pizza? Like, a kids’ pizza and French fries?”
“Let me enjoy my kids' meal in peace!” von Schwarz insisted.
Is it wrong for adults to order off of the kids' menu?
Von Schwarz’s video could be summed up in her one question: “Is it illegal to order off the kids’ menu as an adult?”
The Washington Post took a look at the phenomenon of adults ordering from the kids’ menu. They pointed out, “Adult diners ordering from the kids’ menu isn’t new, but the pandemic-born ubiquity of online ordering and curbside pickup has made it easier for grown-ups to skirt any side eye they might have gotten from servers skeptical of people ordering food designated for the 12-and-under set when there’s not a kid in the party.”
The Washington Post said that many people prefer to order from the kids’ menu for lower prices and smaller portion sizes. However, not everyone thinks it is a good idea.
Tom Sietsma, a food critic for the Washington Post, said, “It’s a little tacky … Restaurants are businesses, and businesses need to make money … If someone is trying to spend less or eat less, it’s better to order one or two appetizers.”
Most TikTok commenters were on von Schwarz’s side.
The majority of von Schwarz’s fellow TikTok users agreed with her perspective on ordering from the kids’ menu.
“I often order kids’ meals … Portion size is so much better,” one person said.
Another person pointed out, “The portions are smaller, so you’re literally getting the amount you paid for, but [I don’t know] why they think you’re trying to get a discount or something.”
“I’ve experienced so much pushback with ordering off the kids’ menu, but why does it matter?” someone else asked. “It’s my order? I’ll order as much or as little as I want.”
People seem to be in agreement that ordering from the kids’ menu is absolutely fine. Everyone has times when they want less food or a “comfort snack,” as von Schwarz called her pizza.
While some may find it inappropriate to order off the kids’ menu as an adult, it really does no harm to anyone. It’s a good idea for many, and it’s certainly not “illegal.”
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.