diff --git a/packages/mdc-menu/README.md b/packages/mdc-menu/README.md
index d4380b438cd..00d558a0d07 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-menu/README.md
+++ b/packages/mdc-menu/README.md
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ Method Signature | Description
 `hasClass(className: string) => boolean` | Returns a boolean indicating whether the root element has a given class.
 `hasNecessaryDom() => boolean` | Returns boolean indicating whether the necessary DOM is present (namely, the `mdc-menu__items` container).
 `getAttributeForEventTarget(target: EventTarget, attributeName: string) => string` | Returns the value of a given attribute on an event target.
-`eventTargetHasClass: (target: EventTarget, className: string) => boolean` | Returns true if the event target has a given class.
 `getInnerDimensions() => {width: number, height: number}` | Returns an object with the items container width and height.
 `hasAnchor: () => boolean` | Returns whether the menu has an anchor for positioning.
 `getAnchorDimensions() => {width: number, height: number, top: number, right: number, bottom: number, left: number}` | Returns an object with the dimensions and position of the anchor (same semantics as `DOMRect`).
diff --git a/packages/mdc-menu/adapter.js b/packages/mdc-menu/adapter.js
index 140bd44248b..eba6ab4214d 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-menu/adapter.js
+++ b/packages/mdc-menu/adapter.js
@@ -59,13 +59,6 @@ class MDCMenuAdapter {
    */
   getAttributeForEventTarget(target, attributeName) {}
 
-  /**
-   * @param {EventTarget} target
-   * @param {string} className
-   * @return {boolean}
-   */
-  eventTargetHasClass(target, className) {}
-
   /** @return {{ width: number, height: number }} */
   getInnerDimensions() {}
 
diff --git a/packages/mdc-menu/constants.js b/packages/mdc-menu/constants.js
index 0332e2f7232..31f11874cf9 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-menu/constants.js
+++ b/packages/mdc-menu/constants.js
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ const cssClasses = {
   OPEN: 'mdc-menu--open',
   ANIMATING_OPEN: 'mdc-menu--animating-open',
   ANIMATING_CLOSED: 'mdc-menu--animating-closed',
-  LIST_ITEM: 'mdc-list-item',
   SELECTED_LIST_ITEM: 'mdc-list-item--selected',
 };
 
diff --git a/packages/mdc-menu/foundation.js b/packages/mdc-menu/foundation.js
index a80b2daefbe..0266e7a5eb2 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-menu/foundation.js
+++ b/packages/mdc-menu/foundation.js
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ class MDCMenuFoundation extends MDCFoundation {
       hasClass: () => false,
       hasNecessaryDom: () => false,
       getAttributeForEventTarget: () => {},
-      eventTargetHasClass: () => {},
       getInnerDimensions: () => ({}),
       hasAnchor: () => false,
       getAnchorDimensions: () => ({}),
@@ -239,7 +238,7 @@ class MDCMenuFoundation extends MDCFoundation {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Handle clicks and cancel the menu if not a list item
+   * Handle clicks and cancel the menu if not a child list-item
    * @param {!Event} evt
    * @private
    */
@@ -247,7 +246,7 @@ class MDCMenuFoundation extends MDCFoundation {
     let el = evt.target;
 
     while (el && el !== document.documentElement) {
-      if (this.adapter_.eventTargetHasClass(el, cssClasses.LIST_ITEM)) {
+      if (this.adapter_.getIndexForEventTarget(el) !== -1) {
         return;
       }
       el = el.parentNode;
diff --git a/packages/mdc-menu/index.js b/packages/mdc-menu/index.js
index 83ac949ffe2..f250e646ff8 100644
--- a/packages/mdc-menu/index.js
+++ b/packages/mdc-menu/index.js
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ class MDCMenu extends MDCComponent {
       hasClass: (className) => this.root_.classList.contains(className),
       hasNecessaryDom: () => Boolean(this.itemsContainer_),
       getAttributeForEventTarget: (target, attributeName) => target.getAttribute(attributeName),
-      eventTargetHasClass: (target, className) => target.classList.contains(className),
       getInnerDimensions: () => {
         const {itemsContainer_: itemsContainer} = this;
         return {width: itemsContainer.offsetWidth, height: itemsContainer.offsetHeight};
diff --git a/test/unit/mdc-menu/mdc-simple-menu.test.js b/test/unit/mdc-menu/mdc-simple-menu.test.js
index 1650636c269..7162d82fcb4 100644
--- a/test/unit/mdc-menu/mdc-simple-menu.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/mdc-menu/mdc-simple-menu.test.js
@@ -37,9 +37,8 @@ function getFixture(open) {
 
 function setupTest(open = false) {
   const root = getFixture(open);
-  const listItem = root.querySelector('.mdc-list-item');
   const component = new MDCMenu(root);
-  return {root, listItem, component};
+  return {root, component};
 }
 
 suite('MDCMenu');
@@ -151,13 +150,6 @@ test('adapter#getAttributeForEventTarget returns the value of an attribute for a
   assert.equal(component.getDefaultFoundation().adapter_.getAttributeForEventTarget(target, attrName), attrVal);
 });
 
-test('adapter#eventTargetHasClass returns true if a target has a given classname', () => {
-  const {listItem, component} = setupTest();
-  listItem.classList.add('foo');
-
-  assert.isTrue(component.getDefaultFoundation().adapter_.eventTargetHasClass(listItem, 'foo'));
-});
-
 test('adapter#hasNecessaryDom returns false if the DOM does not include the items container', () => {
   const {root, component} = setupTest();
   const items = root.querySelector(strings.ITEMS_SELECTOR);
diff --git a/test/unit/mdc-menu/simple.foundation.test.js b/test/unit/mdc-menu/simple.foundation.test.js
index 459427677e8..3ebb65e1919 100644
--- a/test/unit/mdc-menu/simple.foundation.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/mdc-menu/simple.foundation.test.js
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ test('exports numbers', () => {
 
 test('defaultAdapter returns a complete adapter implementation', () => {
   verifyDefaultAdapter(MDCMenuFoundation, [
-    'addClass', 'removeClass', 'hasClass', 'hasNecessaryDom', 'getAttributeForEventTarget', 'eventTargetHasClass',
+    'addClass', 'removeClass', 'hasClass', 'hasNecessaryDom', 'getAttributeForEventTarget',
     'getInnerDimensions', 'hasAnchor', 'getAnchorDimensions', 'getWindowDimensions',
     'getNumberOfItems', 'registerInteractionHandler', 'deregisterInteractionHandler', 'registerBodyClickHandler',
     'deregisterBodyClickHandler', 'getIndexForEventTarget', 'notifySelected', 'notifyCancel', 'saveFocus',
@@ -1058,8 +1058,7 @@ test('on document click cancels and closes the menu', () => {
   td.when(mockAdapter.registerBodyClickHandler(td.matchers.isA(Function))).thenDo((handler) => {
     documentClickHandler = handler;
   });
-  td.when(mockAdapter.eventTargetHasClass(td.matchers.anything(), cssClasses.LIST_ITEM))
-    .thenReturn(false);
+  td.when(mockAdapter.getIndexForEventTarget(td.matchers.anything())).thenReturn(-1);
 
   td.when(mockAdapter.hasClass(MDCMenuFoundation.cssClasses.OPEN)).thenReturn(true);
 
@@ -1086,8 +1085,7 @@ test('on menu item click does not emit cancel', () => {
   td.when(mockAdapter.registerBodyClickHandler(td.matchers.isA(Function))).thenDo((handler) => {
     documentClickHandler = handler;
   });
-  td.when(mockAdapter.eventTargetHasClass(td.matchers.anything(), cssClasses.LIST_ITEM))
-    .thenReturn(true);
+  td.when(mockAdapter.getIndexForEventTarget(td.matchers.anything())).thenReturn(0);
 
   foundation.init();
   foundation.open();