I see a lot of posts here regarding customer allergies, was curious how you would react in this type situation. I think the waiter did well.
I see a lot of posts here regarding customer allergies, was curious how you would react in this type situation. I think the waiter did well.
byu/MonsterDrinker69 inKitchenConfidential
by MonsterDrinker69
39 Comments
Must suck to have all these allergies but why not call in advance before going to the restaurant? She will always be setting herself up for failure basically
Fish, gluten allergens. I’ve met some of my Airbnb guests who say they can’t have citrus juice or raspberries bc of intestinal discomfort and recommendations from doctors. I’d just say boil the fucker and give her a wet slab of meat.
I’d refuse service. The vast majority of kitchens cannot accommodate that many allergens without substantial risk of cross-contamination, least of all at the drop of a dime. If you have that many issues with food and you want that kind of quality and you can’t recreate at home yourself, you need to hire a caterer or private chef.
“I know I have bad food allergies so instead of calling ahead and asking questions I can make a TikTok and get a million bot views!!”
We cannot accommodate your allergies due to potential cross contamination. Have a nice day.
I have a few family members that have diet restrictions. We go online and check the menu FIRST. Then I will call the restaurant if i need further assistance or clarification, BEFORE we go out to eat. Worked in restaurants for many years. I don’t like having to do this to a server.
I’m now a server, and when I get customers like this it bewilders me that they even come out at all.
That’s gotta suck, but seconding the folks asking why they didn’t check the menu first. I check out menus for friends with allergies just in case, and actually call to discuss cross contact for loved ones with life-threatening allergies. I really appreciate the folks who straight up say “Sorry, we just can’t accommodate that.” At least I know in advance!
We cannot safely accommodate. Done.
We do what we can but guests with difficult allergy panels who highlight this in their reservation always get the best option we can offer. Allergy attention is #1 priority for our servers.
*Real* people with these dietary restrictions are usually incapable of even eating what most of us would call a properly balanced dish. Most of the time anything nicely prepared by professionals is an absolute treat since the market for their diet at home is either ludicrously expensive or completely unappetizing.
All that being said, people with hyper aggressive allergies who walk in unprepared definitely do not get the best experience.
Refuse service. “Sorry but due to your allergies and the risk of cross contamination, we will not be able to serve you tonight”
👋
I refuse service. Like, its simply in the best interest of everyone here, that a person like this not eat in a restaurant.
If you have 100+ allergies, the professional kitchen is not a place you should be eating from.
Helps if they make a reservation or call ahead to notify about allergies. Gives you time to mark up a special menu for them or talk with the chef about what they can do before the guest arrives. That way, if you can’t accommodate, you can let them know ahead of time. These situations are super stressful because restaurant staff aren’t doctors or dietitians, however, we’d love to be able to safely feed everyone.
I mean, as annoying as it is, I feel bad for these folks and always do my best to accommodate them. They want plain white fish, I’ll do plain white fish. I would rather they not make a whole video about it though, don’t need the whole world knowing “hey, this is the restaurant to go to if you want a bunch of weird special instructions” lol
That being said I fully agree with the people who say they should have checked the menu ahead of time, and there has been times we had to refuse service because we couldn’t avoid cross-contamination with things like oils
My friend is similar, when we go out to eat he basically has a speech prepared of his allergies incl. what is life threatening and not. & He always orders a plain hamburger with a bun. Usually without fries because they mix oils and can’t guarantee it hasn’t touched seafood.
Despite his severe allergies he still wants to come out with us and he’s a very social guy. It is nice when places accommodate him! And he’s very appreciative and kind about it when he orders.
Note: after hosting him and making sure he had special and safe meals/snacks/ desserts I almost killed him with coffee in the morning because it was hazelnut flavoured 🙃
I have to live this way to some extent after food poisoning and an extreme infection from antibiotics. I don’t eat out anymore, impossible to date, pain in the ass at social gatherings… hanging in and hanging on.
Cross contamination is almost inevitable. If your health is in severe jeopardy because of an allergy I would not suggest going out to eat at a restaurant, especially a high volume one. Just my two cents and 30+ yrs experience. I know, it sucks.
Ex Michelin star chef here. I would be glad to cook for her if she called in advance and asked politely if we can accommodate her. People with allergies deserve to go out to eat! But pleaseeee call in advance especially if it’s a serious allergy or you have multiple.
As a former restaurant manager, the thing with pure, unadulterated olive oil makes me very alarmed. I can think of so many ways that another oil could interact with any food in the kitchen. Yikes.
If you have that many allergies, you need to call ahead.
I don’t understand the disdain for the customer here. She is polite the whole time, doesn’t come across as entitled. It doesn’t sound like she would raise a fuss if the restaurant couldn’t accommodate, maybe would have switched to a salad or something simpler if necessary (and possible). She posts a positive review of the food.
No salt and pepper? You can be allergic to fucking salt????
I would not trust anyone to meet my dietary resrictions if there were medically significant impacts. Just way too many things that can go wrong.
I feel for her and the waiter handled it professionally
Guys, in the video, she says she’s telling her dad that it’s ok and she will eat later… she obviously came to the restaurant, expecting they couldn’t feed her properly. It’s amazing that they accommodated her because nobody should be left out of social situations simply based on things that are completely out of their control. Kudos to this restaurant, and wish we had a name.
I have no food allergies what so ever. None. It’s awesome. I can eat whatever the fuck I want and nothing happens. (Allergy wise, spicy food will always do that).
That being said in the kitchen I am 100% sympathetic to those who can’t. I will bend over backwards to try and make you a dish that tastes good with your specific dietary restrictions being upheld. These folks have to eat. It’s not fair to be all “well they can go somewhere else”. How would you like it if you got told that? I bet you’d feel shitty. Like it’s your fault for existing. Nah man, I ain’t about that life. I’m in the hospitality business, it’s my job to give these people good food they can safely eat.
When was it, earlier this year or maybe a few months ago a woman in college went to eat on a first date, She ordered the same dish she always got, restaurant changed the recipe. Said nothing to any of the guests. This woman ordered it and fucking died from an allergic reaction. She even used her EpiPen! 23 years old.
Be sympathetic to those with food allergies in our industry. They’re just trying to get something to eat.
Now if they’re a total walking piece of shit…. Yea still be sympathetic to the food thing, but no it didn’t give them a right to be shitty.
I have allergies (shellfish) and am an extremely picky eater. I always email the restaurant upfront to make sure I can be accommodated. I’ve had restaurants tell me no or cancel reservations when I list out what I can/cannot eat. Would 10x rather be cancelled on than show up and I cannot eat anything.
Both the waiter and the customer were reasonable and polite.
The only thing weird or interesting about the whole exchange is that it was recorded and put on the internet.
I think she was polite and the waiter was polite as well so that they were able to find something she could eat. Some people both customers and wait staff act rude and that makes it harder.
I could not work the front. I don’t think people respect how hard it is to do the job well.
She explained what she wanted and the chef said yes, no issues here
This is what being a professional looks like. Bravo.
I’ve got an insane allergy called alpha gal syndrome look it up, it’s a nightmare. You know what I don’t do? I don’t eat at a fucking restaurant. I make my own meals. If I go to a restaurant with my friends I eat before, or I find something I can have on the menu like a salad with nothing on it. Fuck these people. Servers and kitchen staff don’t get paid enough to micro manage my plate in a sea of tickets during a rush.
I have celiac disease, and I’ve learned that it’s safer to just eat at home or at one of the few places that have a dedicated prep section in the kitchen. I don’t expect any restaurant to cater to my needs, and I definitely wouldn’t walk into a restaurant without advance contact and surprise them with my needs like this. I’m surprised this woman doesn’t get told that they won’t serve her since she had so many allergies and they can be held liable.
Jesus just stay home
“Sorry, we can’t safely accommodate you”
My friend always calls ahead. We usually go to a few local places where she knows the chef. She hands out Tim Hortons or Starbucks gift cards and those nicotine patches gift cards as thank yous. She’s always super polite about it and I think that really helps the staff feel appreciated. I know I would go the extra mile for any customers like that. She doesn’t freak out when there’s a mistake either. She knows it’s a bit of a hassle and she doesn’t expect everyone to be able to always accommodate her strict dietary needs.
My husbands got 30+ allergies. We just don’t eat out.
if you have 100+ allergies why make that everyone elses problem?