Anyone Else Get This When Going Out To Eat?

[3kbab]

Me- Yes I would like a Cheeseburger with NO bun

Server 1-Ok..but we have to charge you the same...

Server 2-Ok...that's weird

Server 3- So do you want fries too?---Closely related to-- Oh are you on Atkins too??

Outcome-

I said no bun...I didn't say cheeseburger...no bun, and hey knock off $2.50.

Weird......Like I can control this one right.

Atkins??? Thanks allot. Mr. Atkins.....I am still getting this one...if not the funny look and eyebrow raising.

Anyone else like to share what they have heard??

Kristy

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I think that thanks to Mr. Atkins it is more acceptable to order things without buns and has opened more options for those of use who don't eat gluten.

I can't rememeber hearing anything bad. . .but sometimes people ask a lot of questions.

[lovegrov]

18 months ago I was at Yankee Stadium and when I asked for a hot dog without a bun the woman looked at me like I had three heads. Now, when I ask for the "low carb burger" or no bun at other places, no weird looks. Believe me, two years ago, people at McDonald's and other places were telling customers they COULDN'T give them a burger without the bun. It allegedly wasn't allowed.

I DO tell them this is not an Atkins thing -- they need to avoid any bun or bread contact or I get sick.

richard

[jknnej]

I went skiing twice in Flagstaff in the past month. Both times, the chef at the lunch cafe was VERY rude to me when I asked for a burger with no seasoning. He said he couldn't do it and that even if he could it would take 20 minutes. He walked away and this other chef who was below him said he would have it for me in 7 minutes.

The first time I asked for it, I didn't realize the burgers were seasoned. I had asked for no bun and no cheese. When I came back to see what was in the seasoning he said "Oh great here she is again." What an idiot.

I'm going to call them this week to tell them their chefs are so rude.

I will just bring my own food next time.

[aaascr]

I have learned to cook 'n carry:

My bosses eat out for lunch all the time - I am expected to go with them. One of the owners of a local restaurant we've frequented got mad when I brought my food in. They already knew about my food allergies... the server said she felt sorry for me after learning that I had celiac disease too. But the owner yelled out loud (during lunchtime rush - full restaurant), "what is her problem, that she can't eat our food?" After years of patronage, that was the last time any of us went there.

Ya just never know how people will react.

aa

[LisaP]

You know, I have grown alot personally after having been diagnosed w/celiac disease about a year ago. This disease has taught me alot. It has taught me to fight for my rights as well as for the rights of others. By profession I am an Interior Designer so I deal with all the codes concerning wheelchair and other handicap accessibility. The way I see it, I am no different. I have a handicap and I have a right to access. I have learned to stand my ground in a restaruant, and I have sent many a plate back to the kitchen as politely as I can, but none the less, I sent it back. I have just as much right as the next person to vacate that place and to make a special request...that does not mean they can handle it, so I try to pick my restaraunts carefully, but I have a right to be there. I have tried many a way of saying what is wrong and get the best reaction when I say,"I have a SEVERE allergy to wheat." Usually, I have the severs full attention at that point. Then I can work out the details.

Hang in there. Expect to pay the same price without the bun, because they had to take special care to make yours and the cash register doesn't easily give you a discount in some fast food places. Always say please and thank you and try to make it as easy for the staff as you can. And blow off the idoits that refuse to accommodate you. If they are getting mad at you for politely asking for a burger without a bun imagine what a pain in the neck that person probably is to his family. Be thankful that you are not going home with him! Ha Ha!

Hang in there. It will get easier and you will get stronger. Just know with a ratio of 1:133, you will not be the last person asking for the same thing!!!! This is going to be a big deal in about 10 years for all of the food service market as the population gets diagnosed.

[KaitiUSA]

When I go out places I tell them I have a severe intolerance that can make me very sick. Most places I have been to are pretty nice to me. I went to one place last week with about 50 leaders of our church. I had to bring my own food there. There was nothing I could have. I was fine with it I didn't mind I am used to it. Most people from my church already know even though I felt I was just being stared at. The servers were kind of rude. We told them I had celiac and could not have anything and the one lady was so nice about it. Then another lady comes out of the kitchen and puts down this chocolate pie on my plate and I told her I couldn't have it and she got all snotty with me.

People where I go think I am making a big deal out of something small. They don't realize this can slowly kill me but not only that I can get very sick. They don't realize what alot of us had to and are still going through.

Celiac has definately taught me a lot as well and has helped me to be a better person

[sfortney]

My four year old son loves to eat out so it is inevitable that we have to do it sometimes (usually fast food). We recently went to one of our favorite fast food drive-ins and I ordered my hamburger without the bun and was very rudely told that I "could just pick it off the bun," because the person taking the order couldn't take the time to "yell back at the guy at the grill and have him leave off the bun because we're too busy." When I tried to explain she just cut me off and commented,"whatever." I did get it without the bun but was almost afraid to eat it.

[Guest Viola]

Hello; I have found a couple of ways to deal with rude behaviour at restaurants. With one chain hotel restaurant I sent an email letter to head office. This resulted in getting all of the restaurant staff a week of 'handling customer and allergy' training. I now get super treatment at that establishment! I was also told that their whole chain across western Canada got the same training. Oh, and I also got a meal certificate in the mail

The second way is to explain how things work when a group of people that includes one Celiac goes out to eat. It's the Celiac that picks the restaurant! Now if the Celiac is treated with respect and safe food, and the rest of the group get good service and good food. Everyone will remember that restaurant and bring their family and friends back. For instance, there is a group of 25 of us in the Kennel Club that go out to eat. I pick the restaurant. If all goes well, we will likely all go back there as a group, plus each of us may bring as many as six of our friends and family back throughout the year. That adds up to a lot of business. So when they are rude to a Celiac ... they are really messing themselves up big time, especially in a small town.

Stand up for yourself and let them know that it's in their best interest to cater to diets!

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I wouldn't have eaten that burger, sfortney. That is crazy that she was so rude. You should gone in and spoken to the manager. Drive-through service shouldn't be less than face-to-face service.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

SFortney,

Which chain did that to you???

[Guest Viola]

It was the Sandman Inn chain. We went there for our Kennel Club Christmas party this year. I went in about three weeks ahead and took in my card. Talked with the kitchen manager. Then about a week ahead of the Christmas party, she phoned me and confirmed everything on the card and what I could have. My meal was served without any fuss at the exact time that they opened the buffet for the rest of the club members. The meal was excelent ... steak, baked potato, and three veggies! We have also just stopped in for lunch since the training and have had no problems. And I'm very sensitive to any contamination.

So ... I guess the training worked wonders! At least at the Castlegar Sandman Inn.

[debmidge]

My opinion, for what it's worth

1) All food servers must have a state license to do their job. The training in order to be licensed must be in food prep, sanitary practices and absolutely including knowledge of food allergies and special medical diets (not diets to lose weight), but diets for celiac disease, diabetes, etc. I am in the insurance industry and I have to have more continuing ed credits to keep my license than doctors do. It shows how the govt values people's money over their health!

2) This is a true story: (Keep in mind I do not have celiac disease, my husband does) Several years ago I was on Atkins diet and my food choice when I went to restaurant was tuna salad, no bun. Around that same time I was working with a woman whose family owned various restaurants: from diners to expensive.

She and I were talking about Atkins diet and tuna salad and she told me not to order tuna salad when I was on Atkins because just like her family, most restaurants stretch it out by adding bread crumbs (and bread would run the results on Atkins diet). This was before my husband was diagnosed with celiac disease and I was shocked as I knew that some people were sensitive to wheat. I told her that that was an awful thing to do to unsuspecting people. (she was kind of insensitive herself as money was her god) She shrugged her shoulders and kind of mumbled that well it won't change. So this is a warning about tuna salad at restaurants. I wonder how many diners or restaurants would admit that they are stretching their foods out with bread crumbs?

[debmidge]

correction to above: bread would ruin the results on Atkins (you can't lose weight eating carbs and if you are counting your carbs and didn't know you were eating carbs, you'd gain weight back if you lost it thru low carb. On low carb, once you've lost your weight, you are allowed a certain number of grams of carbs a day to keep the weight off. So if you already had lettuce salad carbs that day and other vegetable or fruit carbs, the last thing you need would be invisible carbs in your tuna salad. )

The more bread crumbs the diner/restaurant can add, the less tuna they have to use and they save money.

[sfortney]

bronco bux,

It was a popular drive-in chain here in the South, Sonic. Usually they're really good about making changes in standard menu items, but whoever took my order that night had a serious attitude. I work with the owner's sister-in-law so I let her know what happened. She was furious and talked to her brother-in-law about it. Haven't been back yet, but hopefully things will be better if I do go back.