The 6 Best And 6 Worst Fast-Food Kids Meals For Hungry Adults

Customers that grew up in the '80s and '90s probably remember a different era of fast food. On any given day, you'd drive past multiple Pizza Huts topped with signature red roofs, a Wendy's sunroom filled with happy patrons, and a McDonald's play place teeming with children. Today, those quirky design features, even those that lingered into the 2010s, have been phased out in favor of sleek, monochrome buildings. The ones that remember fast food's past life are now working adults. But even if your days of climbing through colorful plastic tunnels are over, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little dose of nostalgia. And why not a side of discounted prices while you're at it?

Many fast food kids' menus offer options that are cheaper than the standard adult fare. This is part of the reason why more adults are ordering kids' meals. Why pay full price when you could order a similar meal for less? Others find the smaller portions appealing. 

Whether you're an adult with a small appetite, craving a snack, or looking to save your wallet, ordering off the children's menu can be a useful hack. But not all kids' meals stack up. That's why we compared 12 fast food kids' meals to find the six best and six worst options for adults. By looking at prices, food options, and customer reviews on quality and freshness, we decided which are worth the trip down memory lane and which should be saved for the real kids.

Since 1984, Culver's has been a shining star in Wisconsin's fast food scene. The chain has since expanded to serve up a taste of the Midwest in 26 different states. But despite branching out, quality hasn't suffered. In fact, what sets Culver's burgers apart from its competitors is a commitment to fresh and high-quality ingredients, from the meat to the bun and everything in between. This extends to the kids' menu. Whereas kids' meals at other restaurants can amount to nothing more than a second thought, Culver's offers something just as good as what the adults are eating.

The kids' meal offers six entrée options: a corn dog, grilled cheese, two-piece buffalo chicken tenders, two-piece original tenders, or a single ButterBurger with or without cheese. The option with the best value for hungry adults is the single ButterBurger, which is the same as the normal burger, minus one patty. You can add a number of toppings at no extra charge to the burger. As for sides, choose between crinkle-cut fries or applesauce.

Add a drink, which can include a fountain drink or iced tea, and finally, the pièce de résistance: a scoop of custard. Chocolate and vanilla are always available but you can also opt for the flavor of the day and add one topping to your creamy creation. Starting at $6.49, customers agree this meal is one of the best deals around. The portions are large, the options are endless, and who can pass up free custard?

If this were a popularity contest, Chick-fil-A would fly straight to the top. As of 2025, the chain claimed the number one spot in the American Consumer Satisfaction Index ranking. That marked 11 straight years of the chicken giant beating out competitors for the win. People flock to their local Chick-fil-A stores to indulge in consistently good food, top-quality customer service, and, of course, the famed Chick-fil-A sauce . However, for all its star quality, the chain does have its downsides. You'll find one if you let your eyes wander to the kids' menu.

The meal can start at around $6 but, depending on location can hit around $8. The choices are fairly limited with customers having the option of five-count fried nuggets, five-count grilled nuggets, or two-count chicken strips for the entrée. Side options include small fries, a fruit cup, a small mac and cheese, apple sauce, or chips. 

Unlike Culver's, where the drink options include fountain drinks and iced teas, Chick-fil-A offers milk, juice, or water. While these are great options for kids, adults might be left itching for something else to quench their thirst. The saving grace of Chick-fil-A's kids' meal is the option to swap a toy for ice cream. However, some customers may feel the price doesn't match the portions, even with a sweet treat to soften the blow. 

If you're out and about when the hankering for something quick and easy hits, you might find yourself lost in a sea of endless burger chains. Luckily, Panda Express offers a small bit of respite from the monotony of the fast food game. There's nothing like a little Americanized Chinese food to lift the spirits. Plus, you'll find a few more vegetables on the menu here than at most other fast food chains. The Panda Cub Meal, Panda Express's own take on a kids' meal, also offers a variety of options beyond the usual chicken fingers and grilled cheese, something many adult diners will appreciate.

Customers can choose from three entrée options or build their own meal. The build-your-own meal includes one side, one entrée, apple chips, and a drink. All the usual adult options are up for grabs, with the exception of a couple premium items that come with a dollar upcharge. For the side, choose from white rice, fried rice, chow mein, and super greens, or choose half portions of two. Pair that with a protein-packed entrée and you have something pretty substantial. While this kids' meal is pricier, coming in at around $7, customers find the portions generous – and some even attest to having leftovers.. Overall, this meal is more than enough to satisfy all the kids — or cubs — at heart.

Panera's downfall has been well documented. At one point in time, the name Panera Bread meant a commitment to using clean ingredients and making food fresh, in-house for customers to enjoy. If you were looking for a healthier alternative to the normal fast food options at reasonable prices, Panera was a go-to. However, as the chain fell back on its clean ingredient mission, closed down its fresh dough facilities, and whittled down its menu, customers began to look elsewhere.

Some customers have complained the quality has slipped into the realm of subpar hospital food, and the kids' meal doesn't have any better of a reputation. Entrée choices include a turkey and cheese or ham and cheese sandwich, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, or broccoli cheddar soup. The cheapest option, the grilled cheese, comes in at a little under $6, while some of the others are above $7. 

The older version of Panera's kids' menu offered half portions but with a greater number of sandwich options, similar to the adult menu. Now, the sandwiches are full-sized but options are limited. Sides include a choice of baguette, apple, or chips. Even a fruit cup costs an extra $2.39 and a drink is an extra $0.89. Customers question the purpose of having a kids' menu and suggest ordering the standard meals or adult half-sizes for more options.

Of all the fast food options available today, build-your-own concepts like that of Chipotle reign supreme when it comes to offering customers real variety and customization. With an assembly line of choices laid out in front of you, it's a lot easier to find something you'll not only like, but love. Plus, customers love that they can find fresh, healthier food options on-the-go that leave them feeling satisfied for longer. So if you're looking for a kid's meal that feels a little more substantial and nutritious than the usual fare, look no further than Chipotle's menu.

Chipotle offers a kid's quesadilla, which comes with a side of rice, beans, chips or fruit, and a drink. The plain quesadilla with cheese starts at $4.40, but you can add protein for only $4.95. If a quesadilla isn't in your cravings, however, Chipotle's build-your-own concept extends to the kiddos too. With this option you can build two soft or hard-shell tacos for $5.60 with a choice of protein or veggie and two other toppings, plus a side and drink. Another great part of Chipotle's kids' meal is that it's easily customizable for plant-based diners, with options like sofritas, beans, and fajita veggies. Customers rave about the value of this meal, saying it's just the right amount of food at a great price.

If you've ever taken a cross-country road trip, you might have been surprised to see two fast food restaurants operating under the same happy-go-lucky star logo. This isn't a case of large-scale plagiarism but rather two restaurants operating under the same parent company. Hardee's and Carl's Jr. have different names because the two restaurants have distinctive features and customer bases.

Similarly, the kids' menus have their differences. Hardee's offers a couple larger options, like a grilled cheese and a hot dog, which Carl's Jr. does not carry. Carl's Jr.'s hamburger and cheeseburger meal are the best bet for adults, especially when compared with the two-piece chicken tenders or four-piece chicken stars which seem unlikely to fulfill an adult diner. Customers on Reddit have questioned why anyone would pay around $8 for a meal with only two tenders. Some note that even their children would be left hungry after this meal.

Even with the burger options, however, the meal still leaves much to be desired. The only side option is a small fry and the only drink option is milk, since bottled water or fountain drinks come with an upcharge. Of course, you can end your meal with a chocolate chip cookie, included in the total price, but even a hit of sugar isn't enough to make up for Carl's Jr.'s meager choices.

Burger King is one of the big names in fast food, right up there with giants like McDonald's and Wendy's. From the restaurant name sandwiched between a burger bun logo to the cardboard crowns adorning the heads of patrons, pretty much everyone recognizes it. Customers are also drawn to Burger King's staple menu items, especially the classic Whopper, with a flame-broiled char that sets it apart from other burger patties on the market. The kids' meal has that same classic Burger King appeal at an even more reasonable price.

The King Jr. meal offers the choice of a hamburger, cheeseburger, four-piece chicken nuggets, or six-piece chicken nuggets as a main. Side options include applesauce, fries, onion rings, or half-and-half onion rings and fries. Wash everything down with juice or milk, or upgrade to a soft drink for only $0.20. 

Finally, adults can swap the toy for a chocolate chip cookie as dessert or keep the toy for their collection. As of February 2026, Burger King is offering kids' meals starting at only $3.99 as part of a promotion with "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." But even without the radioactive turtles backing it up, customers will still find this meal a worthwhile deal.

Customers may love that chicken from Popeyes but what the chain is serving up for the kids is a whole other story. It seems hard to go wrong with a kids' menu that highlights fried chicken, being that it's such a crowd-pleasing food for people young and old. But while Popeyes' adult menu satisfies, the limited options and scant portions available for the kids' items makes it a skip for adults looking to hack the menu.

There are a few entrées to choose from: mac and cheese, a one-piece chicken leg, a one-piece chicken tender, and at some locations, a four-piece boneless chicken meal. Each entrée comes with a drink and an applesauce pouch. The total meal ranges in price from around $5 to $7, depending on location. Customers on Reddit complain that the kids' meals are majorly overpriced for the amount of food you get. Many suggest getting a normal entrée even for actual children. After all, the applesauce and small drink are nothing that can't be easily replaced for cheaper at home.

A conversation about fast food kids' meals certainly isn't complete without mentioning one of the titans of the kids' menu world: the Happy Meal. The iconic red box with a yellow smile plastered to the front and the signature golden arches as handles has been a staple of many customers' childhoods. This one little meal caused a big shift in fast food marketing. It led to a surge of ad campaigns aimed at getting children, and their sometimes-less-than-willing parents, through the doors of fast food restaurants across the U.S. But McDonald's still hasn't let go of that top spot. The Happy Meal even has its own website, complete with downloadable coloring sheets and a place to check out the latest memorable Happy Meal toys being offered in restaurants.

For adults, customers are looking toward the kids' meal as "the new dollar menu." And many don't stop at just one. The Happy Meal comes with a choice between a hamburger, four-piece McNuggets, or six-piece McNuggets as an entrée, and each meal comes with fries, apple slices, a drink, and a signature toy. The prices range from a little under $5 to around $6 or $7 in some areas, but the meal's popularity is consistent across the board.

Many customers have their Raising Cane's orders down to a science. Popular tips include swapping out the coleslaw for an extra piece of that thick Texas toast, buttered on both sides, and don't forget to get extra Cane's sauce to slather everything in. With the perfect meal right there, is the kids' meal still a better option? Turns out, the answer is no. In fact, Raising Cane's kids combo has customers online raising their eyebrows, but not in a good way.

Cane's only has one option when it comes to the kids' menu. The combo comes with two chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, a drink, and a side of Cane's sauce. The only variety this meal offers is in drink options, which isn't exactly an impressive feat. And with only two chicken fingers, there won't be much to wash down anyways. With a kids' meal coming in at around $7, customers suggest opting for items off the adult menu instead, like the three finger combo. Fans cite fewer fries and smaller tenders as just a few of the reasons adults should look away from the kids' menu when searching for a cheap meal.

Cava is another one of those build-your-own restaurants that offers a little something different for people craving a quick meal. The menu is Mediterranean-inspired, allowing customers to build up bowls or pitas filled with greens, grains, protein, and toppings like Harissa and Crazy Feta. It makes it easy for customers to put together a more balanced meal. And the kids' meal is no different.

The standard kids' meal comes with a grain, one main, a dip, two toppings, two dressings, and a side of a quarter pita or pita chips. Some locations have begun rolling out a new version of the kids' meal in a bowl-style instead. Add a drink to the meal and you're set. With options like falafel, sweet potatoes, lamb meatballs, and lentils, there's something for every adult diner to be satisfied with. At around $7 to $8 compared to the $12 and up adult bowls, customers say the portions are filling enough that they can't even tell they're eating a kids' meal. Cava offers a great option for vegetarians, as well, thanks to the variety of customization options available and makes for a healthier alternative when you're on the run.

While some may knock the idea of a grown adult ordering off the kids' menu, the truth of the matter is this: In a world where eating out is increasingly expensive, most customers are just looking for a way to save a few bucks and enjoy an easy meal while they're at it. Others find adult portion sizes to be excessive for their own personal appetites, and if half of the meal ends up uneaten, there's really no point in spending the money in the first place. Kids' meals are the simplest alternative, but only when done right.

We compared prices across different fast food joints across the U.S., in different locations, to find the kids' meals that were most worth the money. But the price point wasn't the only factor. We also took into account the range of food options each restaurant offered since many adults have a stronger penchant for variety than kids. Then, we looked into reviews to see what real customers were saying about the quality, freshness, and overall value of these meals. Some restaurants failed the litmus test for an adult-friendly kids' meal, while others excelled, offering quality deals that can't be limited by age.