Dealing With Waiters

[maryb]

I have encountered waiters who are not willing to help find out content of ingredients in foods in question. Any advice?????

[mytummyhurts]

Ask to speak to the manager?

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

1. Bring your "Celiac Card" with you to give to the chef.

2. When the hostess seats you, ask her to bring the manager before the waiter gets there.

3. E-mail a restaurants HQ before you go (I try to e-mail one or two a week -- even if I am not planning to go -- for later use)

4. Order a salad with no croutons, oil and vinegar dressing on the side and grilled (or pan-fried in a clean pan) plain chicken on top (Bronco's gluten-free dish that 99% of places have)

Hope this helps

[KaitiUSA]

I have encountered waiters who are not willing to help find out content of ingredients in foods in question. Any advice?????

Ask to speak to the manager...that usually will scare them enough to help

I like the idea of calling before you go and talk with the manager and see what can be done to ensure you get gluten free food.

Go to places with gluten free menus like Outback.

Definitey bring the celiac card...tell them its very serious and you will get extremely sick if they do not prepare it right

[mytummyhurts]

Yes, I should have thought about calling ahead because I've done that before and it worked really well. I spoke to the manager and she hadn't heard of celiac disease, so I explained it and asked ?s about how they cooked things. She then advised me on what I should ask to be left off like seasonings and such and which menu items wouldn't work. I asked if I could bring my own BBQ sauce and they let me, no problem. So, a lot of people can be nice and helpful about it. That was at Black Angus in case anybody in WA state wants to go there.

[mytummyhurts]

Oops! They are in a lot more places than just WA. I went to their website. They are in: Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, Alaska, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Hawaii. It is also called Stuart Anderson's. Of course, not everybody may have the same good experience I did.

[Guest MDBookie]

Another way to get results is to tell them that you get very sick if you have any gluten even touch your food! Because of severe allergic reactions, retaurants are somewhat nervous about anyone having an immediate reaction happen in their restaurant. They don't have to know that our reactions are not as immediately dramatic as some allergins are, but ours can be just as deadly in the long term.

[Guest gliX]

If it's fast food, repeat your order until they acknowledge you. So..if you're getting a chicken sandwich and don't want a bun, repeat it because they might think you mean plain.

[lucky28]

I would call ahead and speak to the manager. Having worked in restaurants all my life (40+), I do know some kitchens (ie: cooks) make it very hard for servers to order for a patron with needs like we have. Plus most servers and or cooks don't really understand what gluten can be found in. (I have been glutenized a few times this way at work). All in all the safest is to call and talk to manager who can explain your needs to the Kitchen. Ps. it wouldn't hurt to play up the food allergy thing too- it does make the server and manager much more vigilent when dealing with the kitchen.

[Boojca]

On another message board I am on a woman was saying that she goes through her spiel about having an allergy to wheat, barley, oats and malt (we know it's not an allergy, but that is scarier to people than disease...anaphylactic shock and all....) and just to make her point, she will stop and say, "You can dial 911, right?"

:-)

[celiac3270]

LOL

[jenvan]

Funny about 911 !

I have to say at one restaurant--who has a gluten-free menu online--it took me 3 people to get to someone who finally understood. But the 2nd person--the manager came out and said to me "Everything on our menu is gluten free." And I was like..."huh, that's funny, because I'm looking at bread, and beer, and breading and croutons.... No offense! But it ain't gluten free !"

[Emme999]

I have to say at one restaurant--who has a gluten-free menu online--it took me 3 people to get to someone who finally understood.  But the 2nd person--the manager came out and said to me "Everything on our menu is gluten free."  And I was like..."huh, that's funny, because I'm looking at bread, and beer, and breading and croutons....  No offense!  But it ain't gluten free !" 

YIKES!!

One of these days I'm going to learn to fake anaphylactic shock just to get these guys

Maybe we should all learn!! Here is a list of symptoms:

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include:

• feeling faint

• rapid pulse

• difficulty breathing, including wheezing

• nausea and vomiting

• stomach pain

• swelling of lips, tongue, or throat (including the soft palate and uvula, the soft structure hanging from the palate)

• itchy, blotchy, raised rash called hives

• pale, cool, damp skin

• drowsiness, confusion, or loss of consciousness

• heart may stop beating.

Don't think I can pull off the loss of consciousness though

BUT! Maybe if we start doing this they will take us seriously! Practice everyone!

- Michelle

Disclaimer: I am in no way thinking or insinuating that anaphylaxis is a laughing matter. I have a dear friend who has to carry his epi-pen everywhere and I know it would be terrifying to have this happen.

I bet he would teach me to look like I'm doing it though As a man who understands waiters and their moronic capabilities!

[KaitiUSA]

On another message board I am on a woman was saying that she goes through her spiel about having an allergy to wheat, barley, oats and malt (we know it's not an allergy, but that is scarier to people than disease...anaphylactic shock and all....) and just to make her point, she will stop and say, "You can dial 911, right?"

:-)

HAHA...I should try that sometime and see the response I get.

[egardner]

My mom is allergic to eggs and peanuts and often uses that line with obnoxious waiters. She loves to say, "You have a phone handy, right? Because if you mess this up you will get to practice calling 911." They usually get serious after that! I've never tried it, but I will if I have to! It's my day that will be ruined, not thiers!

[Guest Eloisa]

First off go to Restaurants that advertise gluten-free menus like: Outback Steakhouse, PF Changs, Pei Wei, and if you go to any of the Pappas Brothers restaurants (Pappas, Pappadeaux, Pappasitos, Pappas Brothers) they are very accomodating and are willing to make special meals for you. Remember they are there to serve you that is what you pay for and if they can't get you what you and don't say what you want to hear then kick 'em to the curve. There are always places that will make you what you need to eat because they want your business.

[Carriefaith]

I have encountered waiters who are not willing to help find out content of ingredients in foods in question. Any advice?????

Some restaurants may not want to give away their "secret" ingredients. I'd just say, 'well I'm sorry, I guess I can't eat here then!" They are the ones losing out on the $$$$

There is a place that I want to go back to (it used to be my favorite restaurant before celiac), and I've heard that they are like that, so I'm not too excited to go and ask

[connole1056]

My husband never asks for gluten-free food. He demands it, with a big smile on his face! Sometimes it really is not the waiters, but the cooks who do not want to deal with menu changes. When a waiter is" trouble" in the kitchen a chef can make it very difficult for him-taking a long time to get orders out, etc which will obviously hurt the waiter's tips. So sometimes it really is not the waiter. However, this does not mean someone should be served food with gluten. It just makes it a little harder to get! If someone has problems in a restaurant I think he should make a scene and/or leave if there is no other choice. If you are not being treted respectfully, no matter what the sitution, you should feel no qualms about leaving.

[lucky28]

Oops. I meant to say I've been working in restaurants 20+ years- not 40!!! that would be unthinkable LOL!!!

[printmaker81]

Just to add a thought. If you don't want to or can't call ahead, it's best to try to go out before or after the lunch/dinner rushes (i.e. go at 5:00 or 8:00, not 6:30). When a kitchen is slammed, it may be hard for them to get your order straight even if they are really trying to comply with your eating needs. On the flip side, if the kitchen is slower, the chef may even be able to come out and talk to you himself.

If you get annoyed, try to remind yourself how little you knew about Celiac Disease before you started feeling bad. Most of the time I bet the waiters just don't understand how we feel or what makes us sick.

Also, be patient, it may take longer to get your food, especially if the chef is trying to be careful (or if the chef makes it wrong and the server catches it and makes him start over)