Benihana - Definitely Not Gluten-free Friendly

[JohnnieHamill]

This is the response I received from Benihana today:

"Thank you for your e-mail. We are aware of this intolerance towards

gluten in the diet, gluten-protein, wheat, rye, oats and barley. I know that soy sauce

contains wheat. Unfortunately, none of our menu items seems to fit your dietary

requirement without modifying the cooking procedures and recipes. All our sauce and

salad dressing contain soy sauce. Onion soup has fried onion which has flour.

As a Japanese restaurant, most of our standard menu items has an ingredient

of soy sauce. We are very sorry that we couldn't meet your important diet

requirement. "

Ummm.....too bad they haven't heard of soy sauce without wheat flour in it....

[jkmunchkin]

I actually go to a Japanese restaurant near my house that like Benihana is a hibachi place and they are extremely helpful and accomodating. Whenever I go, I bring my San-J wheat free soy sauce and they make whatever I order in a clean pan in the back. I use my Triumph dining card just to make sure everything is covered. I can't have the soup, but they will usually bring me oil and vinegar for my salad. I usually get hibachi steak and shrimp, with all the usual veggies, bean sprouts and fried rice. I have never gotten sick - they take great care of me!

Maybe Benihana will do the same for you?

[JohnnieHamill]

I actually go to a Japanese restaurant near my house that like Benihana is a hibachi place and they are extremely helpful and accomodating. Whenever I go, I bring my San-J wheat free soy sauce and they make whatever I order in a clean pan in the back. I use my Triumph dining card just to make sure everything is covered. I can't have the soup, but they will usually bring me oil and vinegar for my salad. I usually get hibachi steak and shrimp, with all the usual veggies, bean sprouts and fried rice. I have never gotten sick - they take great care of me!

Maybe Benihana will do the same for you?

Hi Jillian,

I wish they would. I get so tired of people looking at me funny when I try to explain. Then of course, everyone around me gets uncomfortable, however, my husband has no problem with me asking. I guess I get frustrated when you get a response like that from a chain that basically says...sorry we can't help you. Especially when you have others who say...how can we help you (like PF Changs)?

Sorry to rant, but I love great customer service and to me Benihana screams BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE, and that just really burns me up!!!