NEARLY half of American adults are now taking advantage of a little-known loophole with kids’ meals – budget-savvy and arguably “healthier” meals that were originally intended for little ones.
Praised as a smart move by experts, more and more adults in the US are ordering off the kiddie menu as inflation and financial stress weigh down on grown-ups.
Adults have been increasingly ordering off of the children’s menu[/caption]
The U.S. Sun spoke with two restaurant experts on the reasons behind the trend, including an emotional factor at play[/caption]
While kids’ meals were originally intended for children, an increasing number of adults are ordering them off the menu, per a new survey by Lightspeed Commerce, a company that provides payment systems to the hospitality industry.
The survey uncovered that 44% of American diners have ordered kiddie meals to indulge in themselves at restaurants, with participants mainly citing smaller portion sizes, more affordable prices, and simpler choices.
“Whether it’s a mini burger or mac and cheese, the kids’ menu is becoming a smart option,” Lightspeed Commerce said of the results.
The trend is also seen in a MarketWatch poll revealing that 33.8% of the 1,400 respondents admitted to ordering kids’ meals.
Data from market researcher Circana likewise shows that grown-ups are fond of kiddie meals, finding that orders for children’s meals by adults spiked 30% from 2019 to 2025.
This trend can be considered somewhat of a loophole when eating out, saving diners a few dollars on reduced-portion meals.
Kids’ meals are generally a few bucks cheaper than a normal portion item, running around $4 to $6 at fast food chains and about $6 to $9 at sit-down restaurants.
However, diners’ ability to take advantage of the loophole varies depending on where you go, fast food expert and influencer Bill Oakley (@thatbilloakley) exclusively told The U.S. Sun.
While some restaurants may shrug when an adult orders a kids’ meal, others may refuse the request.
This is explained by two very different business models, according to Oakley.
While traditional sit-down joints may only allow grown-ups ordering via takeaway to take advantage of this secret method, fast food spots “could not care less,” according to Oakley.
This is because fast food chains’ bottom lines are not significantly impacted when adults order a kiddie meal because it is not much cheaper than options on the regular menu, unlike the deeper discounts at traditional restaurants.
The kids’ menu is more of a loss leader aimed at attracting families for these sit-down spots, so management may be angry if an adult were to order a child’s meal to save money, per Oakley.
While a non-chain restaurant is not likely to permit a grown-up to order a kiddie meal for dine-in, customers who hack the system and order takeout are less likely to run into issues.
Adults ordering kids’ meals: how do restaurants feel about it?
Fast food expert and influencer Bill Oakley shared his take with The U.S. Sun.
The Traditional Restaurant:
For most independently owned or traditional sit-down restaurants, the kids’ menu is more of a loss leader, designed to attract families.
These establishments offer “cheap, small kids’ meals so that adults can eat and bring their kids along,” according to Oakley.
Because of this, “the management might be angry that an adult is ordering a child’s meal in order to spend less money.”
He noted that a non-chain restaurant would likely not allow an adult to order a kids’ meal for dine-in service, whereas for takeout, they probably would not know who the meal is for and would fulfill the order.
The Fast Food Chain:
On the other hand, the strategy of fast food chains is to market directly to the youngest consumers.
“Fast food chains want kids to demand that their parents take them to get the special meal or the special toy,” said Oakley.
When an adult chooses to purchase a kids’ meal, a fast food chain’s bottom line is not significantly impacted.
He explained that the food in a fast food kids’ meal is not substantially cheaper than the food on the regular menu, unlike the deep discounts at a traditional restaurant.
For this reason, “a fast food chain could not care less,” according to Oakley.
COST AND CALORIES
The rising cost of eating out is one of the key factors pushing the trend, according to experts, with the price of “food away from home” increasing nearly 4% since last year, outpacing the overall inflation rate of 2.7%.
High costs across the board have resulted in a more budget-conscious consumer, which heightens the appeal of kids’ meals.
“The growing trend of adults ordering kids’ meals ultimately boils down to the perception of value,” Michael Della Penna, chief strategy officer at InMarket, a real-time measurement platform with a pulse on consumer trends, told The U.S. Sun.
Price, as well as product quality and value, are the most important factors for Americans when making a purchase in the food and beverage sector, according to a recent InMarket survey.
“Happy Meals offer adult diners a portion-controlled, lower-cost meal that still feels like a treat,” said Penna.
Beyond more affordable prices, the Lightspeed Commerce survey suggested that changing eating habits played a major role in the popularity of kids’ meals among adults, with grown-ups favoring the simpler choices and reduced portions.
Many have suggested that the trend of adults turning to kids’ meals is related to the increase in the number of people on appetite-suppressing GLP-1 medications.
They argue that it is natural that many restaurant guests want to order less as Americans shift their attitude towards food.
However, Oakley argued that another factor has played a more important role than either prices or food habits when it comes to why adults are ordering kiddie meals: nostalgia.
THE GOOD OLD DAYS
The concept of a kids’ meal originated from the chain Burger Chef in the early 1970s and was later copied by McDonald’s in 1979, with its original purpose being to attract children to a restaurant.
By advertising kiddie meals in children’s media, restaurant chains hope to get young kids to beg their parents to take them to that particular chain, said Oakely.
The concept was allegedly inspired by kids’ fascination with cereal boxes that had prizes inside, he explained.
“A kids’ meal or Happy Meal is much the same thing: a brightly colored box with food inside and a toy prize to go along with it,” explained the expert.
McDonald’s is arguably the top seller of kids’ meals in the country, selling a whopping 3.2 million Happy Meals on a daily basis, and is now offering up what some may consider an adult version of the iconic kiddie meal.
Happy Meal History
Launched in the US in 1979, the first McDonald’s Happy Meal theme was the circus.
The kids’ meal boxes were designed to look like circus wagons and the toys included stencils, wallets, puzzles, and erasers.
Since the introduction of the circus-themed Happy Meal, many McDonald’s kids’ meals have been themed.
Over the years, the chain has collaborated with popular movies, TV shows, and characters to create themed kids’ meals that feature specific toys, packaging, and even special menu items.
Fast food fans can score the McDonaldland Meal as of August 12, which includes a Quarter Pounder with Cheese or a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, fries, and a Mt. McDonaldland shake.
The meal comes packaged similar to a Happy Meal and celebrates beloved McDonald’s characters, including Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Birdie, Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and the Fry Friends.
“In the whimsical world of McDonaldland lives a colorful cast of characters who are legendary, timeless and cherished by McDonald’s fans across generations. Now, for the first time in more than 20 years, [they] are officially taking the trip out of the group chat,” the company said in a press release.
Not to mention, like many kids’ meals, the McDonaldland Meal includes a toy, or a “first-of-its-kind collectible souvenir that’s sure to unlock core memories,” as McDonald’s calls it.
The toy that comes in kids’ meals is one of the biggest draws for adults, according to Oakley.
“Generally, when adults order from the kids’ menu or order a Happy Meal, they are there for the collectible toy,” said the expert.
He argued that the food itself, as well as pricing, were just second thoughts when it comes to grown-ups’ attraction to children’s meals, with nostalgia being the largest influencing player.
“The food is hardly a factor at all in McDonald’s adult version of the Happy Meal because it’s not substantially cheaper to buy as a meal than it is to buy each item on its own. The adult Happy Meal is a nostalgia play, pure and simple. The food has almost nothing to do with it,” said Oakley.
Restaurant industry expert Penna agreed, arguing that McDonald’s introduction of the McDonaldland Meal appealed not only to affordability, but also to memory.
“We’re seeing adults increasingly lean into trends that bring about feelings of nostalgia as they battle everyday life stressors amidst tariffs, inflation, and economic uncertainty,” Penna told The U.S. Sun.
The expert said that he believes the trend is a great growth opportunity for restaurant brands.
“It is an opportunity to attract new customers with meals that delight and protect wallets,” he said.
“Instead of simply looking to eliminate adult diners trading down for a kids’ meal, strategize creative ways to bring that experience to the menu, whether it’s a limited-time meal deal that includes a collectible item like a Labubu or creating snack-size versions of fan favorite menu items.”
An example of this is McDonald’s iconic Snack Wrap – and the CEO revealed the final fate of the beloved $2.99 item after nine years of fan pressure put the cult favorite back on menus.
While many fast food giants, are offering meal deals and affordable options, the general trend is that costs are climbing – The U.S. Sun previously spoke with Oakley on the causes behind rising prices.
The concept of a kids’ meal started with the chain Burger Chef in the early 1970s, later copied by McDonald’s in 1979[/caption]
McDonald’s is arguably the top seller of kids’ meals in the US, handing out millions of Happy Meals every day[/caption]
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