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Horrible Experience At A Sub Shop, Daughter Was Refused A Breadless Sub.


Kaylee's Mom

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Kaylee's Mom Newbie

I took my daughter to a sub shop and asked for a small sub with no bread. I was told they couldn't do that. I explained why she needed no bread and again was told they couldn't do that. I asked to speak to a manager, who told me no, as well as the owner's brother. The owners brother started yelling that he didn't know what to charge me and was getting angry. I said charge me the whatever you would normally change for the regular sub and keep the bread. He said it was called a SUB shop and he wouldn't do it. I again explained that my 6 year old daughter couldn't have the bread. They didn't care. She was so upset and crying. She also has type 1 diabetes (also an autoimmune disease) and having to find another restaurant where she could eat played havic with her glucose. I've never ever had this happen! :angry:


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psawyer Proficient

Incredible!

hannahp57 Contributor

wow and there you are offering to let them keep the bread even though you paid the same price. uh hello! its not rocket science. give me the meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato! people are soooo frustrating. i hope your next experience is better.

next time take your own bread and see how much THAT confuses them!!! :lol:

jststric Contributor

I have had ALMOST the same situation in Subway shops. I've never gotten quite the anger factor you did, but so completely clueless and some of the same comments.....can't do that....wouldn't know what to charge.....we simply can't do that! ????? It's NOT rocket science! My hubby and 19 yr old son loves Subway and my hubby WILL NOT let me simply get a bag of chips and soda....he pushes the issue with the sub workers, which is pretty embarrassing. BUT....we did find ONE Subway shop in Kalamazoo, MI that the guy simply said, "Oh, that's known as an Atkins sub and made it like he's made them everyday of the year!! It was so good and I couldn't help but wonder why THIS Subway gets it and no one else does. The next time we went to a Subway I tried ordering an Atkins sub and, sigh, again, they were clueless. It sure would be nice if they all got on the same page!! That's why I've started doing most of MY business at Jimmy John's!!

Aroostook Newbie

I was refused an entire meal at a beautiful Lakeview establishment in St.Agatha Maine! We were attending a retirement dinner and they would not let me order other than what they had for choices on a menu card. I asked for the manager, I explained my illness and asked for a plain hamburger, baked potato, & cottage cheese. She still refused trying to get me to make a choice from the menu card. I said I would go into in the main part of the restraunt and eat and they said I couldn't do that either. So my husband and I left! Another woman who had a food allergy was refused the same as I, but they remained and she went without a meal while her husband ate. Personally I was so upset and humiliated that they treated me like that I vowed never to go back and would let the world know. The next day I emailed them tons of literature on Celiac's and how upset I was and how humiliated it had made me feel. The manager replied that she had tried to help and then tried to get me to accept a $25 gift card. Screw that, they didn't try to help nor do they care! I found out later that another party a week later had the same experience. Deffinately not a place to go in Northern Maine. They use to be fantastic, but the owners daughter is running the show now, and she's running it right into the ground!

Kaylee's Mom Newbie

We do subway all the time, we've never had a problem.. sometimes they'll give me a look because its an odd request, but they do it. This was a small independent sub shop in MA, its called Maria's submarine shop, I'll NEVER go back there again, and either will my relatives. My Grandmother has lived in this yuppity town for a good 65 years.. she'll get the word out :)

Kaylee's Mom Newbie

BTW, It IS against the law and violates the ADA when a restaurant does not accomidate you. They have to omit ingredents if they are asked, and its easy. As long as it doesn't fundamentally alter the business or cause any harm, they have to make the accomidations. You can't go into a chinese restaurant and ask for a breadless turkey sandwhich, because that is fundamentally altering the restaurant, but to ask for a bunless burger or a breadless sub is within the reasonable accomidations that the ADA has defined. Restaurants that do this need to be reported.


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one more mile Contributor

Sounds like they were having a really bad day. But boy I wish i was a lawyer. That behavior was horrible.

Sometimes I have found it is best for me just to turn around and walk away. Sorry you went though that.

chasbari Apprentice

My son works at Blimpie here in town and when we talked about this he said it would be no problem (and a no brainer, he added) to skip the bread. They even have their cash register set up to deduct a dollar if you opt for no bread. He couldn't comprehend being unwilling to take full price and just skip the bread. That's not a bad day, that's just rude. Reminds me of when I flew into Daytona Beach Airport. I went to the one restaurant and asked if the meat was grilled where they toasted the bread and if it were possible to do something a little different ... the guy looked at me and said "nope, looks like you should just change your religion." I quickly responded that I would have to change my disease instead, turned and walked away... not giving my money to that!

MaryJones2 Enthusiast
BTW, It IS against the law and violates the ADA when a restaurant does not accomidate you. They have to omit ingredents if they are asked, and its easy. As long as it doesn't fundamentally alter the business or cause any harm, they have to make the accomidations. You can't go into a chinese restaurant and ask for a breadless turkey sandwhich, because that is fundamentally altering the restaurant, but to ask for a bunless burger or a breadless sub is within the reasonable accomidations that the ADA has defined. Restaurants that do this need to be reported.

Their actions were certainly deplorable. No question about it. But it is not against the law for a restaurant to refuse to service to a person with food allergies or any special diet (school is a different story). The restaurant was quite rude but they weren't violating a law by refusing to modify a dish. The ADA suggests the request should be accomodated when possible but a restaurant is not in violation if they choose not to accomodate us.

Ahorsesoul Enthusiast

I would file a report about them with the BBB. The more complaints places get the happier resturants will be to alter how they serve their food.

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