Outback

[seeking-wholeness]

I don't know if others have had this problem, but I failed to notice the recent change in the (very) fine print of Outback's gluten-free menu and got sick after eating a salad with their house dressing, mustard vinaigrette.

I'm actually really ticked off at them, because this dressing used to be gluten-free, and it's the only one of theirs I can eat that I also like! I suppose I should pop on over to their website and complain now, while I'm thinking about it.

--Sarah

[terri]

If people start complaining, they may do away with their gluten-free menu altogether. That's what happened with Bennigans. So, please, think it through before you do.

[astyanax]

it is pretty clear on their menu that that salad dressing isn't gluten free. i'm literally looking at it right now. i don't think it's fair to complain if it's listed on the menu, unless i'm missing something?

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Even things listed gluten-free that I have ordered there before I always ask about again and confirm just in case.

Sorry to hear about the change and you eing sick, S_W.

[seeking-wholeness]

Their gluten-free menu definitely changed recently. I clearly remember a six- or seven-page menu on which it was stated (repeatedly, if I recall correctly) that ALL salad dressings were gluten-free, but now the menu is two pages long, the print is absolutely tiny, and no attention is drawn to this significant change in gluten-free status.

I asked what was up with the mustard vinaigrette and they responded that the recipe has not changed; they just now discovered that the tarragon vinegar in the dressing is not gluten-free.

So the dressing has always been a problem, but I most likely didn't notice it half the time because 1.) the amount of gluten I consumed was tiny, especially since I always order the dressing on the side and use less than half of it, and 2.) the lingering effects of other gluten "accidents" obscured what reaction I may have had.

So I'm still upset, but it's good to know that the Outback cares enough to recheck all its ingredients periodically (and that this wasn't a deliberate change made without celiacs in mind).

--Sarah

[pixiegirl]

I went to our local Outback last night... I've only been gluten-free one month but I had a nice time, they seemed to know what they were doing and I'm sure I didn't get any cross contamination because I felt great last night and this morning. I'm so glad to have somewhere to go!

Susan

[debmidge]

RE: Change in ingredients in salad dressing by Outback

To SeekingWholeness:

Sometimes it's how you say it, and not what you say. You can try this method as it's worked for me; as there is no sense in letting the other person knowing how mad I am because mad won't change things for the better, but I am getting my point across without stepping on toes:

Thank Outback for finding out that the salad dressing you like is not gluten-free, that perhaps in the future, if they have an opportunity to replace that gluteny salad dressing with a gluten-free one, to please do that. Then praise them when you contact them for the things that they are doing good and that you absolutely appreciate the gluten-free menu.

[terri]

We went to Outback yesterday and I asked for their gluten free menu and was told it wasn't a menu, but a guide. It was long and I checked the salad dressings and they said on the menu all were gluten free. Then on the bottom I noticed that the date from the printout was 2003. The printout was the same that I had gotten a long time ago from the internet. I ordered the tangy tomato dressing on the side and didn't get sick. I did have to watch everyone chow down on a bloomin onion though, and that was hard! I'm definitely going to have to get a deep fat fryer. But, I made sure not to order the mustard vinegrette, thanks to Seeking Wholeness, because I wouldn't have known it wasn't gluten-free. They were nice though, and it's great to have somewhere to eat where they don't make you feel like the biggest pain in the neck in the world! In fact quite the opposite! My food almost got cold as the waiter had to tell me all about his peanut allergy. Guess he felt we were "kindred spirits'! Lol

[astyanax]

check out the menu on www.outback.com it's got the salad dressing clearly listed (in normal font!) i don't even know if my local outback has a gluten-free menu, i just use the one off the internet. it was updated 11/04