Birthday Party Food at Off The Wall Kids: Outside Food, Cakes, Allergies & GF/DF Options

You booked the party room. Pinterest has opinions. Grandma wants to bring her famous dip. Someone just typed "can we swing by with pizza?" into the group chat.

Welcome to birthday party food at Off The Wall Kids in East London (539 First St, Argyle). We are an indoor playground — and yes, we are also a restaurant under our license. That is not a fun fact for a trivia night; it is why our food rules exist. We are even talking about updating our name to "Off The Wall Kids — Restaurant & Indoor Playground" so parents understand why the counter says no to "just a coffee."

Here is the party-food Q&A we wish every host had before party day.

"Why can't we bring outside food? It's ONE birthday."

Food safety and allergies — for real, not as a buzzword.

This policy was built with the Middlesex London Health Unit. Food served to people outside your own family at a party needs to come from an inspected kitchen. Picture a cake for 24 kids: everyone needs to trust where it was made.

Here is the scene that keeps us up at night: a drink or snack left on a table. A child who is not yours grabs it. They are allergic to something in it. Nobody meant harm — but harm does not care about intentions.

If anyone gets sick, the health unit needs to trace where food came from. If a child has allergies, we need to know what is in what they ate. Same rules for everyone protects every allergy in the building.

"Okay but it's JUST my coffee."

We hear this one a lot — and we get the eye roll.

Coffee is not "just coffee" in a building full of littles. We have seen special creamers, we have seen worse. True story: a group of dads took our coffee cups out to the parking lot, filled them with alcohol, and tried to bring them back in. Staff caught it. That is why the rule is the rule.

Our answer when parents are frustrated: we have a restaurant license. We are a restaurant. Outside food and drink (except what is listed below) cannot come in — not for drop-in, and party rules add another layer.

"So my kid can't eat here because of allergies — isn't that YOUR problem?"

Flip it: that is exactly why the rule exists.

There are a lot of allergies out there. We keep one clear policy so every family's allergies are respected in a way that can be tracked and traced under our restaurant license. We do our best to accommodate — email concerns to info@offthewallkids.com — but we do not make one-off exceptions that break traceability for everyone else.

"No exceptions?"

No exceptions.

Formula, water, and baby food are always OK. Anything else medical or unique? Contact us first: info@offthewallkids.com

"Can we bring a CAKE though?"

For a booked party room only — yes, if it is actually cake or cupcakes.

Allowed: cakes and cupcakes from an inspected kitchen (bakery, grocery store, Dine Safe–style places the health unit inspects). Bring your receipt. Outside cake and cupcakes must stay in the party room while you party. After your party, they can go into our kitchen for safe keeping or out to your vehicle.

Not allowed: cake pops, cinnamon buns, donuts, or "it is basically cake" items. If the health unit partnership says cake or cupcakes, we mean cake or cupcakes.

Sorry, Facebook character-cake baker from someone's cousin — if it is not from an inspected kitchen, it cannot come in. We know that one stings.

Candles, sparklers, and helium? Allowed. We sell balloons at the facility too.

We already set the party room with plates, forks, spoons, knives, napkins, cups, and table covers — generic, so bring themed stuff if you want the full aesthetic.

Drop-in visits: no outside cake or cupcakes. Outside food is not permitted for drop-in except formula and water. Inspected bakery cakes and cupcakes are allowed in your **booked party room only** during a reserved birthday party — with a receipt, and they stay in the party room.

"Where do we actually EAT?"

Party food from our kitchen can be enjoyed in the party room or our eating area.

Outside cake or cupcakes? Party room only. Full stop.

Loot bags with candy or snacks? Outside food — so no handing those out inside. Give them to guests as they leave if there is food in the bag.

Adults? Concession coffee and food — all from us.

"What about pizza and platters from YOUR kitchen?"

Most parties pre-order food. Your package food credit applies when the balance of your party is paid.

Pizza is the crowd favourite. Platters are a close second. There is a party food price list — PDF linked from our birthday parties page: offthewallkids.ca/kids-birthday-parties-london-ontario

Full concession menu for the vibe of what we serve: offthewallkids.ca/menu

Request food when you book. Our party coordinator emails you the Monday before your party to confirm. Fruit trays and veggie trays need ordering by the Wednesday before — we bring supplies in just for parties that book them. Everything else can usually be added or removed right up until cooking time (except those pre-ordered tray items). Staff verify your food before you arrive and confirm again at the start of party time before anything hits the oven.

Tanggo's food truck is separate from Off The Wall Kids parties — different operation, different day.

"Gluten-free and dairy-free — can you actually do that?"

Yes — we source Dairy Free / Gluten Free cheese pizza and Dairy Free / Gluten Free cake.

The pizza: cooked in our oven on its own tray, separate from other pizza, with a clean paddle, clean cutter, fresh gloves, and its own box — not touching the regular line.

The cake: arrives sealed from the manufacturer.

We do not bring nuts in or prep with nuts, but we cannot guarantee every ingredient never contacted nuts at a manufacturer. We limit exposure where we can — email info@offthewallkids.com for specific allergy questions before party day.

Order GF/DF party items through info@offthewallkids.com

Book the party itself: bookeo.com/off_the_wall_bookings

Quick party-food rapid-fire

Outside pizza / KFC / platters? No — use our kitchen and party food list.

Outside cake? Booked party room only. Inspected kitchen + receipt. Stays in party room.

Coffee from home? No.

Loot bags with food inside? Hand out as guests leave.

GF/DF pizza and cake? Yes — order by email.

Need an exception? We do not do them — keeps every kid safer.

Questions before the big day? 519-914-0551 or info@offthewallkids.com

We will handle the oven. You handle the candles. The littles will handle sprinting to the volcano slide the second the door opens.