Here is my TOC usage:
<$macrocall $name=toc-selective-expandable tag="TableOfContents" sort="!is[shadow]sort[section-order]" exclude={{$:/config/cls/mk/menu/hide}} />
When there is a tiddler exclusion that matches a menu item that is the first child item of a parent, the parent does not have the expand control (greater than sign), though it still has children items.
Experienced on 5.3.3
Craig