How to write a kids menu parents are happy to order from.

Keep it short and familiar

Most kids menus need four to six main dishes. That's enough choice for a child, and short enough for a tired parent to read at a glance. For more on menu length, see how many items a menu should have.

Build the dishes from ingredients you already stock. A smaller version of an adult dish wastes less than a separate box of frozen nuggets. Good places to start:

• Pasta with butter and cheese, or with tomato sauce
• Grilled chicken with rice
• A small burger
• Baked or grilled fish
• A cheese quesadilla or toasted sandwich

Keep at least one dish that isn't fried. Parents notice when every plate comes with fries. Mary Wanjiku, a mother of two, told Business Daily: "Everywhere you go, it's chips, chips, and more chips." In the same article, chef Wayne Walkinshaw explained why kitchens do it: "Deep-fried dishes are quick to prepare and appeal to most children's palates."

Make the better side the default

In 2012, the Silver Diner restaurant chain rewrote its kids menu. It took fries and soda off the menu, though parents could still ask for them. Fruit and salad became the standard sides. Researchers then compared kids meal orders from before and after the change, and published the results in the journal Obesity in 2015.

NPR reported the numbers. Before the change, about 3% of kids meals met the healthy standard the researchers used. Afterward, 46% did. Orders of fries for kids fell from 57% to 22%, and the chain's revenue kept growing during the study.

The lesson is about defaults, not bans. Most families take what the menu offers first, so:

• Make the standard side fruit, vegetables or salad.
• Make the standard drink water or milk.
• Let parents swap to fries or soda if they ask.

Ype Von Hengst, a co-founder of Silver Diner, put it this way to NPR: "We tempt them with the stuff they like, but we make sure it's also good for them."

Set portions and an age limit

A kids portion is usually about half of an adult one. That's a rule of thumb, not a standard, so say it on the menu. A parent can then decide whether a hungry ten-year-old needs a regular plate instead.

Pick an age limit and put it in the section title, like "Kids menu (12 and under)". Olive Garden, for example, offers its kids dishes to children under 12.

Expect adults to ask for kids meals too. In a 2025 survey of 1,000 US consumers by the point-of-sale company Lightspeed, 44% said they had ordered meals meant for children. They wanted smaller portions (38%), simpler choices (37%) and lower prices (31%).

Decide your rule before a server has to decide it at the table. Servers in a Reddit thread reported by Chowhound mostly say yes when the request is fair. One wrote: "I usually do it for folks as long as it's reasonable [and] not like four adults getting kids meals." If adults ask often, add a few smaller adult portions at a fair price. That keeps the kids prices for kids.

Price it so it still pays

Kids meals sell for less than adult plates on purpose. Kendall Goodrich, who chaired the marketing department at Wright State University's business school, explained the idea to Marketplace: "If everyone ordered off of this kids menu, then they wouldn't make any money." The kids meal brings the family in, and the adult plates carry the profit.

That doesn't mean selling it at a loss. Add up what the plate costs you, then set the price. Here's an example for one meal:

If you aim for food costs of about 30% of the price, divide $2.10 by 0.30. That gives a price of about $7. One price for the main, side and drink makes the choice easy and the bill predictable. For the full method, see how to price a menu item.

Remember who is placing the order

It's usually the parents who place the order for their children, so write the menu for them. Use straightforward dish names and mention what's included. "Penne with butter and parmesan" is more useful than a playful or alternative name. Put allergy information where parents can easily see it before ordering.

• Say how it's cooked, and offer sauce on the side.
• Mark dietary labels such as V and GF. Our list of menu symbols and abbreviations shows the common ones.
• Don't call a dish allergen-free unless your kitchen can keep it that way every time.

Our guide to allergens on your menu explains what information to show.

A sample kids menu

In Menupresso, the kids menu can be a section of the main menu or a separate menu with its own link and QR code. Dietary labels sit beside the dish, and two labeled prices—"Kids" and "Regular", for example—can share one item. If the kitchen runs out, hide the dish until it is back rather than leaving parents to discover that after ordering.