Wagamama Kids Bento Box: What Is In It and What to Order
Independent guide. WagamamaMenu.com is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Wagamama Ltd. Prices and menu items vary by restaurant and change without notice — confirm on the official Wagamama kids page before ordering. Last checked: September 2026.
The Wagamama kids’ bento box is a compartment tray that lets a child pick a main, sides, vegetables and a dipping sauce, with everything kept separate rather than plated together. It costs £7.90. That separation is the whole point of it, and it is why the bento box works for children who reject most restaurant food.
This guide explains what a bento box actually is, what Wagamama puts in theirs, and — more usefully — how to choose the combination that a specific type of eater will finish.
What is in the Wagamama kids’ bento box
Wagamama describes the box as giving children the power to choose food that matches their mood. In practice, the build is:
| Component | Options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main | Katsu chicken, or fish bites | Both are breaded and fried. Fish bites are white fish, not chicken — worth knowing if you are avoiding one or the other. |
| Sides | Rotate by restaurant | Typically rice or noodles, plus a small extra such as crackers or a dumpling. |
| Vegetables | Fresh, served plain | Uncooked or lightly steamed and unsauced, so they can be eaten or ignored without affecting the rest. |
| Sauce | Served on the side | The single most important detail. Nothing arrives pre-coated. |
Exact side and sauce options rotate between restaurants and menu updates, so treat the middle two rows as a shape rather than a fixed list.
Why the sauce-on-the-side detail matters
Most children’s restaurant meals arrive assembled. Curry sauce is already on the rice, noodles are already dressed. For a child who is fine with the components but not the combination, that one decision makes the plate inedible, and there is no way back from it.
A bento box removes that risk entirely. The child can eat breaded chicken dry, dip one piece to test the sauce, ignore the vegetables, and still have eaten a meal. For parents of selective eaters this is the difference between ordering confidently and gambling £7 on whether the plate comes back untouched.
It also makes portion size visible. A tray of separated items is easier for a child to work through than a full bowl, which can look overwhelming before they have started.
Which combination to order
| If your child… | Order |
|---|---|
| Is a genuinely fussy eater | Katsu chicken, plain rice, sauce untouched on the side. Closest thing on the menu to breaded chicken and rice. |
| Likes fish fingers at home | Fish bites. Same format, different fish, and usually accepted without comment. |
| Will try new things | Katsu chicken with the curry sauce, and let them dip rather than pour. |
| Is very young (2–4) | Rice over noodles. Noodles are harder to manage and end up on the floor. |
| Eats a lot | Add a shared side such as edamame rather than upgrading to an adult main. |
Bento box or a standard kids’ main?
The rest of the kids’ menu is built from mini versions of the adult dishes — katsu curry, ramen, yaki soba and cha han rice. Those arrive plated in the normal way.
- Choose the bento box if your child is selective, dislikes foods touching, is eating at Wagamama for the first time, or you want the meal to include vegetables without a negotiation.
- Choose a mini main if your child already has a favourite dish, or genuinely prefers a bowl of ramen or noodles. It is usually a little cheaper.
Our family dining guide covers the wider practicalities — high chairs, booth seating, and how Wagamama’s dish-by-dish service affects a table with children.
What a bento box is, traditionally
A bento is a Japanese single-portion meal served in a compartmented box. The divisions are not decorative — they exist so that rice stays dry, pickles do not bleed into other items, and a balanced meal of carbohydrate, protein and vegetables travels without turning into one thing.
In Japan the format spans everything from home-packed school lunches to ekiben, the regional boxes sold at railway stations. Presentation carries real weight: colour balance and arrangement are part of the craft, and a well-made bento is understood as an act of care.
Wagamama’s kids’ box borrows the structure rather than the tradition. It is not a Japanese bento in any strict sense, and it does not claim to be. What it takes from the format is the useful part: separated compartments, controlled portions, and a meal a child can navigate on their own terms.
Allergies and the bento box
Both bento mains are breaded and fried, so gluten is present unless stated otherwise, and shared fryers make cross-contamination a real consideration.
Wagamama’s stated policy is that only managers take allergy orders, and that allergy orders cannot be placed online — you are asked to order in person so a team member can guide you. If your child has a diagnosed allergy, do not order a bento box through delivery or click and collect. Speak to a manager in the restaurant and check the current official allergen information, which is the only source that reflects the recipe as it stands today.
Our allergen guide explains how the main dish families break down, but it supplements the official guidance rather than replacing it.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Wagamama kids’ bento box?
£7.90 at the time of writing, per Wagamama’s own kids and families page. Airport branches price separately.
What age is the bento box for?
It sits on the kids’ menu, so it is portioned for children rather than teenagers. Very young toddlers may do better sharing an adult’s rice, since the portion assumes a child who can eat a full meal.
Are the fish bites actually fish?
Yes — breaded white fish pieces, not chicken. The two mains are distinct choices.
Is there a vegetarian or vegan bento box?
The two headline mains are chicken and fish. Meat-free options on the kids’ menu run through the yasai (vegetable) versions of the mini mains instead. Ask in restaurant, as options rotate.
Can I order a bento box for an adult?
It is a kids’ menu item and portioned accordingly. Adults wanting the same variety are better served ordering two or three small plates to share.
Is the bento box included in kids’ menu discounts?
Wagamama has periodically run percentage discounts on the kids’ menu for members of its free Soul Club scheme, dine-in only and excluding airports. Terms change, so check what is current before relying on it.
Worth ordering?
For a selective eater, yes — it is the most reliable order on the kids’ menu, and the sauce-on-the-side format solves a problem most restaurants ignore. For a child who already happily eats katsu curry or ramen, a mini main is simpler and slightly cheaper.
Sources and last update
- Wagamama — families and kids (bento box composition and price, allergy policy)
- Wagamama — allergen information
Verified against Wagamama’s official UK website in September 2026. Menu composition, pricing and availability change without notice and vary by restaurant.
