When Did You Feel Comfortable With Restaurants?

[jennifer47]

I'm newly diagnosed and have had friends and family offer advice on where they have seen gluten free options in restaurants. Most of these are fast-food/chains. I have to admit, after all I've learned about cross contamination, I would NOT trust a worker at these places to keep my food safe! After the way I had to rip apart my kitchen to get it safe, how could I feel that a restaurant would be safe? At the same time, restaurants are pretty much a fact of life if you want to be social and involved in my family.

When did you feel confident in going to a restaurant? Is it just something where you get to the point you are willing to take a chance?

[sunnybabi1986]

My husband's grandmother took us to IHOP last week and I was SO stressed out, but the waitress who served us was awesome! I told her I had a wheat allergy and asked if my food could be made separate to avoid cross-contamination. She told me she completely understood, that her son has the same problem. She spoke with the manager, who personally spoke to the cooks in the back who made my omelet. When they brought the food out to me, they assured me that it had been double-checked and assured me it did not contain any wheat, yay! I didn't get sick at all, so they must have done a good job!

These are the kind of experiences that make me feel so much better about eating out. You can tell by the way a waiter/waitress handles the situation, whether or not the restaurant actually cares about taking customer requests seriously and I'm very happy with IHOP right now

Another thing that helps to make you more confident is to *really* stick up for yourself and make sure that they are treating you right and understanding what you're asking of them.

[Emilushka]

The easiest places for me to eat out are family-owned restaurants where everyone speaks English, fast food chains, and swanky places. I've had trouble at mid-level restaurants and bars.

I did find a less-swanky place where I'm trying to build a personal connection. My first visit, the store manager did a great job of taking care of me. Since then I've promised more business, and the second time I went back they again did a great job. I've emailed the regional manager and called back to compliment my server and anyone else whose name I got who helped take care of me. Basically, my goal is to give them positive feedback every time, and then it helps THEM to help me. They've done a great job of serving me even though they're in Italian restaurant and I can't eat wheat or dairy (which is EVERYTHING).

So. Build personal connections, call the day before and the day of, and explain to the server what your needs are. People do want to help, if you give them a chance to take care of you.

[cap6]

I am pretty picky about where I will eat. If the restaurant is approved by the Gluten Intolerance Group then I am ok. Fast food - nope.

[Emilushka]

I am pretty picky about where I will eat. If the restaurant is approved by the Gluten Intolerance Group then I am ok. Fast food - nope.

I actually find it really easy to eat in fast food restaurants! You just have to ask them to change gloves, explain about your food "allergy" and they are great about giving you your food in a little plastic bowl without a bun. I have NEVER had a problem with fast food because I always watch, and the manager or cashier will go back to the person making the burger and talk to them directly. This has happened every time, and the one time the person making the burger didn't speak English the manager walked her through every single step so my food was safe.

Burger King also now has a company policy to always have separated oil for fries and other things, so that their fries won't be cross-contaminated by onion rings or anything else. I still double-check at each location, though.

[Juliebove]

I felt comfortable right away but only because I was blissfully unaware of things like cross contamination. I remember getting a hamburger patty to go at a drive in near here. Got it home and it had a bun on it. I removed the bun, rinsed the burger off, reheated it, put it on a gluten-free bun and gave it to my daughter. I then felt horrible not long after when she was doubled over in pain. I learned quickly!

Now we are much more careful. The only two places we eat with an actual gluten-free menu are Old Spaghetti Factory and Olive Garden. There are other places around here but given our other food allergies, these are not an option.

We tend to dine at the same places again and again. That way they get to know us. We tend to order the same things over and over. Often these are side dishes. Like canned fruit or applesauce. Bacon. Plain baked potato. Plain hamburger patty.

[Skylark]

I have gradually gotten LESS comfortable with restaurants. Bad experiences have gotten me to the point where I only eat at chains like P.F. Chang's or Outback that have gluten-free menus and procedures for avoiding CC.

[Michelle1234]

I got comfortable with a certain set of restaurants. The best were the small locally owned ethinic places that make their own recipes from fresh ingredients and don't have things shipped in pre-made. Also you have to get a sense from any restaurant whether they are comfortable offering a gluten free meal. If they aren't no biggie, just try someplace else. Same things with the big chains that you may have luck with in one location. Some know exactly what your asking for and some seem confused about it. If there is confusion best to try some place else. I also take GlutenEase if I'm eating someplace for the first time as that will help me with cross contamination.

[Bananas]

I feel comfortable when the wait staff seem knowledgeable and are aware of what gluten is, and what is in each recipe. Extra bonus points are added when they can confidently offer alternative meal options or tell me how the chef can alter the meal so that it is completely gluten free. One trillion points when they say that someone in their family or close friends is celiac and they are very comfortable with the condition.

However, having worked in a very upmarket fish and chips cafe, with the boss from hell, I'm kind of scared of what chefs say about me behind my back. My former evil boss was furious that anyone would dare request 'gluten free' in his store, even though it really wasn't a problem for the chef. I've also heard chefs say that they believe that Celiac is French word for 'pretentious a****'. My sister has also been glutened, but when she complained to the chef, he told her that he gave her meal with gluten in it and that if she was really allergic, she'd be dead on the floor.

[CarolinaKip]

I actually find it really easy to eat in fast food restaurants! You just have to ask them to change gloves, explain about your food "allergy" and they are great about giving you your food in a little plastic bowl without a bun. I have NEVER had a problem with fast food because I always watch, and the manager or cashier will go back to the person making the burger and talk to them directly. This has happened every time, and the one time the person making the burger didn't speak English the manager walked her through every single step so my food was safe.

Burger King also now has a company policy to always have separated oil for fries and other things, so that their fries won't be cross-contaminated by onion rings or anything else. I still double-check at each location, though.

I wouldn't eat at my local BK. I got BK for my kids a week ago and my daughter said. "I love BK, it doesn't matter if you get fries or onion rings...you get some fries with the onion your onion rings and you always get some onion rings in your fries" They plays both the onion rings and fries together at my local BKs

[CarolinaKip]

I wouldn't eat at my local BK. I got BK for my kids a week ago and my daughter said. "I love BK, it doesn't matter if you get fries or onion rings...you get some fries with the onion your onion rings and you always get some onion rings in your fries" They plays both the onion rings and fries together at my local BKs

That would be "place" If you find a good fast food, I think that's great! I eat at pfchangs, chic-fil-a. I eat at a restaurant called Harpers(it's a more pricey restaurant) that have a gluten-free menu with no problem so far. I'm thinking of trying Jasons Deli in the near future. I don't eat out much, but have done well everytime at pfChangs. I always ask questions about how it is prepared,watch and tell the server at every restuarant the same things. At Chic-fil-a I always ask to speak to a manager before I order. It's good to call ahead or arrive early if you're dining with someone to ask questions. I go early to lunch or later than the lunch rush. Same with dinner.

[BethJ]

I've always been an adventurous eater but have narrowed my menu choices to the basics. I miss trying out the new chef's specials and the fancy gourmet dishes but it's safer keeping it simple. When I order something for the first time, I ask questions and tell them why I'm asking. If I get good service and don't get sick, I'll stick with that restaurant - and probably that very entree - forever.

Most local restaurants have at least one decent item that's safe and that's what I order when I go there. OTOH, there are some places where I refuse to go. Either nothing is safe or they won't make an effort to accommodate me dietary needs. Those places don't deserve my business anyway.

I'm never comfortable eating at a restaurant for the first time. If possible, I try to locate their menu online ahead of time and try to determine if there's anything available that should be safe. Sometimes I settle for the plain unseasoned hamburger patty and some lettuce.

[Michelle1234]

I'm thinking of trying Jasons Deli in the near future.

Make sure you really grill your Jason's Deli. The one near me is clueless. They make their gluten free meals with the ingredients from the food bar. So you've gotten gluten free ingredients in plastic bins right next to or in front of gluten ingredients. They grab everything with their hand so things can drop from one little bin into another. In many places the ingredients were spilling over the edge of the plastic bins and they just push them back in. When I saw them make my meal I basically said 'no thanks' and got my money back. There was no way that meal was going to be gluten free.

[CarolinaKip]

Make sure you really grill your Jason's Deli. The one near me is clueless. They make their gluten free meals with the ingredients from the food bar. So you've gotten gluten free ingredients in plastic bins right next to or in front of gluten ingredients. They grab everything with their hand so things can drop from one little bin into another. In many places the ingredients were spilling over the edge of the plastic bins and they just push them back in. When I saw them make my meal I basically said 'no thanks' and got my money back. There was no way that meal was going to be gluten free.

Thank you, I may just go and watch one day and see how they handle things. I'm really picky about eating out.

[Alison R]

I think I agree with the comment about the knowledge of the staff.

My lifestyle requires me to go out rather frequently and I feel more singled out if I bring my food with me than when I ask for special food preperation.

I went to On the Border last week and with a print out from Brinker's website of what was and was not ok. I had a bad reaction and GI symptoms that lasted about 5 days. I shouldn't have eaten there when I realized how clueless the staff was, but I did.

This week, my server at Chili's has a child who is autistic and on a Gluten-free Casein-free diet. Even though I did not have the time to print out their acceptable items, I was able to have a wonderful cobb salad with no issues. The cooking staff had no problem cooking my chicken in a separate pan without seasoning and I had oil and red wine vinegar instead of salad dressing. Everything was fabulous and I was still able to have something different.

Sad thing is, both restaurants are owned by the same company.

Having said that, I have had too many friends work in the fast food industry to allow myself to eat at those places anymore. I'm too scared to try most of them. I love going to individually owned restaurants but really don't have many problems with any place that has a variety of non-breaded options that I can play with to make fully gluten free....that is as long as the staff isn't completely clueless.

[hnybny91]

I'm newly diagnosed and have had friends and family offer advice on where they have seen gluten free options in restaurants. Most of these are fast-food/chains. I have to admit, after all I've learned about cross contamination, I would NOT trust a worker at these places to keep my food safe! After the way I had to rip apart my kitchen to get it safe, how could I feel that a restaurant would be safe? At the same time, restaurants are pretty much a fact of life if you want to be social and involved in my family.

When did you feel confident in going to a restaurant? Is it just something where you get to the point you are willing to take a chance?

I am surprised you were able to have the onlette because they put pancake batter in the egg mixture. I assumed that this was premade (make a bunch up at the beginning of the shift - not prepackaged) that way and wondered if I could ask for an omlette w/out pancake batter. Did the waitress mention having to do that?