Why do children bring western fast food into Chinese/Asian restaurants while their parents eat Chinese/Asian?

Question

The children I refer to are both Asian and non-Asian. This situation can occur in non-Asian and even Asian countries. What it is about children wanting to eat western fast food and the parents/adults eating Chinese/Asian food?

Answer 1

I have noticed this at a lot of different types of restaurants and fast food dining places across the U.S.

My thought is that they don't dine out much........and when they do the adults want one type of food and the children want another type of food that isn't offered on the restaurant menu where the parents decided to eat at.  So the parent quickly drives through a drive thru window and the kids order their favorite.

More restaurants should have a limited child's menu with kid pleasing stuff, at a reasonable fee, then this would not happen.

1.  Cheeseburger

2.  Macaroni and Cheese

3.  Hot dog

4.  Chicken or Chicken Nuggets.

When I ate Oriental Food........I ordered my son meat only egg rolls.........I told him they were Chinese Burritos...we always went to the same Oriental restaurants so the waitress's knew what he wanted when he ordered his Chinese Burrito.  

Most restaurants won't complain as they want the higher dollar they make off of the parents.

Answer 2

I was watching my godson (7 at the time) and after taking him kayaking in the morning and talking about how Bruce (from Finding Nemo) was probably under the pier and if we flipped would he eat us etc...

We went to get some Chinese food.  I got him those spare rib things in the red sweet sauce, you know what I'm talking about, very generic, and a couple of other "easy" foods.  I was chowing down and enjoying my food and he was just staring at it playing w it a little but not eating.  I tried bribing him to eat.  Usually that works, but not this time.  

Finally I told him...

You see that red sauce?  Kind of like the color of Spiderman's suit isnt it...  You know thats how he got about half of his powers.  Sure some of it came from getting bit by the spider but the rest comes from red Chinese Spare rib sauce...

Then I hit him up with Batman too.  I told him Batman eats this stuff too because you know underneath his suit hes really just a regular person.  How do you think he stays so strong and he can do all those flips and beat up the bad guys etc.  Chinese food.  Its a secret though you know you cant go around telling people these things...  I know but if you tell they'll know it was me who let it the secret out and you don't want me to get in trouble right??

He was mowing through it, had red sauce all over his face.  The two women at the table next to us were hysterical over it.  He loves Chinese food now, I even got him some of those chopstick holders.  He is trying to learn so he can eat like I do but he still needs to use the holders a lot.

You just have to be creative with kids.  Use what they are interested in.  I knew he would like what I ordered him if he just tried it with an open mind.  I just had to motivate him.  Too many people let their kids make all the decisions.  At 7 yrs old they need to do what you say not what they want.  You as a parent or guardian / adult babysitter need to convince them that they want to do what you say though not just demand it.

I used to take him to those exercise walking tracks where they have stations for different activities as you go around.  I would "read" him the instructions at each spot.  OK now you have to do it backwards... Now run around this one 7 times.  Now backwards, no faster than that.  Start over...  His Mom could never figure out why he was so good for me and why he always came home and napped.  Hes on meds for hyperactivity and ADD and such but he never needs them when I take him.  Why?  I give him enough activity and take him to museums and do things that interest him and make them interesting by talking to him about them.  He has a little water cockroach encased in an acrylic cube, he tells every one "This is the bug that Tingbudong ate in China!" they are like who's Tingbudong? and what??? but hes excited about it and learning about China AND insects LOL.

I had great parents and I learned a lot about how to parent from them.  Unfortunately too many people these days didn't get that kind of training and they don't know how to raise kids or don't want to take the time or interact with them.  Its sad but I see it every where I go.  Kids either running rampant w no discipline or dragged around on leashes with no one really trying to get them interested in everything thats out there in the world.  Same kids will be shut ins later that night playing Xbox or Wii instead of reading or learning.

A lot of kids go into a restrnt with foreign food and it just seems weird so they wont try it.  Its easier for the parents to just bring them their happy meal.  Most of the time I see it the people at the restrnt dont care though.  They are getting the parents as customers.  Often they are regular customers too.  So what if their little kid brings a long a cheeseburger.  The average kids meal is cheap and not so profitable or else the child just picks at the parents food and doesn't order an entree anyway.  I just think its sad that the parents don't try to get their kids more excited about trying new things or exploring other cultures.  Mine moved me to Holland when I was two so Ive always been pushed to try new things and explore my world.   I have grown up with a very curious and open mind as a result.

Answer 3

Because of bad parenting.  I've had parents bring McDonalds into my American style restaurant before and I just srug, grin, and bear it.  Anything they get at a fast food joint around the area they can also get from us, not to mention we'll make it better and healthier.  There are always going to be idiots out there with no common sense and an inability to discipline a child that demands to eat mcnuggets for the 5th time in a week.

Answer 4

when i was little and had to go with my parents to asian food places i would have something from a western food palce because i have and to this very day disliked asian food

Answer 5

It comes down to two things, one being restaurant etiquette, the other being passive parents.  Yep.

Answer 6

Are you kidding me? This is really happening?

I hate to see people let their kids walk all over them like that. My daughter has always gone along with what we're eating and I believe she's better off for doing it too! Kids should be encouraged to explore their world and discover new things!

Or maybe I'M the bad parent by not submitting to every whim of my kid?

Lord help us when these kids grow up and find out life's not going to give them what they want.

Answer 7

I've never seen that nor would I allow my kids to do that. It's rude to bring outside food into an establishment. If the kids want something different and the parents are willing to get it, take it home to eat.