My Mum Wants To Sue?

[Laurarose]

I also recently ate out in a restaurant where the menu had 'gluten-free" by things that were allegedly gluten free. Since this is still very new to me I am very aware of everything that passes my lips. I ordered a steak which came out too rare for my liking so I sent it back and my friend didnt like her ribs and got something else. the owner came out to check on us and I mentioned my celiac disease and that I was thankful that she included this info on the menu, but I did ask that she double check some of the things she used as ingredients and condiments. She thought if there was no bread or pasta if was gluten free. So the maple, soy glazed salmon would have been a bad choice. I told her there are some maple syrups with out gluten as well as soy sauce, but not all. She looked quite surprised. I can tell this is going to be very long road.

[FooGirlsMom]

I'm just SUPER careful when I eat out. I ask a lot of questions in my nicest voice, smile a lot, thank people for being patient with me, etc. If I see anything that doesn't look quite right, I ask more questions. So far I have not been glutened that I am aware of and I've eaten now in about 10 restaurants since going gluten-free. I avoid like the plague any place that does not advertise gluten-free foods because it means they have zero understanding of the problem. My thought is that while mistakes can happen anywhere, the odds are lower when they understand cross-contamination etc.

I hope you are feeling better. I sure feel for you.

FooGirlsMom

[anabananakins]

These posts are very heart-warming, and I take all the above comments very seriously. I had absolutely no intention to sue any business as such, I just believed exposing the fact that they were breaching a common law would gain better understanding of the strict 'gluten free' regulations that apply to all products sold in Australia (this includes food service/restaurant products).

I was recently "glutened" by a restaurant here in Australia and was VERY disappointed about the service I received.

First off, I asked whether the Hash Browns were gluten free. They said yes. I then asked if they were cooked in the same fryer as their breaded items. I found the manager to be quite a typical Aussie hick in his nature and he made an expression like "hmmm... well, look. There's a very little bit of gluten in there. I mean... er, that very little bit of gluten... I guess you have to decide but I really don't think it's a problem. Just about every celiac who comes through the door orders them with no questions or concerns at all. Avoid it if you must, but really, I think it's a bit of an overkill thing to worry about."

This restaurant offers gluten free bread baked on premises every day. Unfortunately, however, they use the same condiment/butter pots for *everything* and I ordered an omelette with toast. During the course of eating my omelette, I suddenly found some buried croutons (they must have dropped in it) which were smashed in it! As soon as I discovered this, I immediately informed the manager. He said that the omelette was baked in an oven that a soup was being warmed in, and something must have fallen off. I think he was telling a fib

In the end, I left the restaurant and there were two others who dined with me. Their meals were charged but mine wasn't. Mind you this was in a very BACKWARD area of the country. Had I been manager, I would have made the meal for the whole table an 'on the house' event and would have given each participant with the person a $20 complimentary meal voucher. This was VERY poor service when it was NOT busy and as a result, I shall NEVER return.

I understand that you were very angry at the service you received, but it makes me very angry to read your choice of wording. The man wasn't knowledgeable and he ummed and ahhed a bit. Bad service, but what do you mean by "quite a typical aussie hick"? Or for that matter, "a very BACKWARD area of the country."? Way to insult me and everyone else in this country, thanks. Be as angry as you like about a person's behaviour, but don't bring their race, nationality, etc into it. It's irrelevant and insulting.

[psawyer]

Not wanting to point any fingers at anyone, but personal attacks are not what we are here for. Let's all keep to matters about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

[come dance with me]

Can you call them to let them know? However I'm not one to normally think to sue anyway.

[shadowicewolf]

Sueing is over the top imo. Accidents can happen, and also there is a disclaimer at the bottom of most resturant's menus (that i noticed before i went gluten free) that stated that they couldn't be held responcable for allergens or something to that extent.

I will say that i will only go out to my local steak house, when it first opens for the day. The people there are really nice and accomidating even though they do not have a gluten free menu.

It is what you make of it.

[cap6]

I agree that suing isn't going to help. One of my fav restaurants removed their gluten-free menu for just that reason. Any time we eat outside of our own kitchen we take a chance.

[Juliebove]

First off... Who would you sue? The server? The cook? The restaurant? The maker of the buns? And how would you prove anything? Yes you got sick but you can't say why. Saying that something tasted too good isn't enough. If you had saved some of that meal and could take it to a lab for testing, then perhaps you would have proof. But even then there is no way of knowing whether or not you tampered with it.

I would just make it known to the manager that the meal didn't taste right to you and that you got sick afterwards.

If I see anything that doesn't look right with my food or my daughter's food, I always ask about it right away.

[Nor-TX]

Another silly suit.... who can we sue because of the hot weather? Who can I sue because my sweet red pepper was rotten inside? Who can I sue because my coffe was cold or because my coffee was hot and I spilled it?

If you choose to go out to an establishment to eat, you are doing it on your own free will. If you eat at a burger place and get ill so what? It was your choice to go out and eat there. Yes they may have a gluten-free menu but maybe somehow some gluten fairy dust accidently got sprinkled on your burger. Ok... Life happens. If you want complete control over your burger, buy your own meat and cook it yourself.

Who knows what happens in a restaurant? Did they intentionally stick a big old piece of bread into your burger... I think not. You could have gotten sick when you were out shopping and pushing the cart just after a kid had been riding in it eating cookies. It is not always the last thing you ate. It might have been the croissant crumbs on the pages of the latest novel you are reading. It might be from the door to the department store where a lady shoved the last bites of her everything bagel into her mouth and then opened it and while you were deciding to buy that shirt on sale you put your finger into your mouth. It might be from the money you were counting out to pay for the shirt and you licked your finger to count the bills.

Suing over this is silly. Wait until the guy who had a liquid lunch doesn't quite stop in time at the red light behind you because he was busy texting, then give it to him with both barrels!

That's life kid.