Anyone here with a food intolerance or allergy had issue with restaurants?

[Fastpedaller]

As title........ I have an intolerance to cheese. I always liked pizzas (along with other cheesy things) and about 12 years ago my body became unable to cope with cheese. Our Daughter has (after some problems) established she is unable to eat soya and soya lecithin, which are increasingly used in lots of food (especially vegetarian).
Anyway, to the 'point' of my posting....... What have others experienced with regard to restaurants/cafe's being able to cater (no pun intended) to intolerances and allergies?
A couple of experiences we've had:-
A large chain restaurant which wouldn't allow me to choose from the self-serve salad counter, but I could have an 'allergy specialist' deliver the items from the kitchen after I selected from a list. Fair enough, but he delivered the items and told me I wasn't allowed one item (clearly not cheesy) because it contained gluten, since when has gluten been a cheese? My Wife collected the item for me when she self-served, and of course, I suffered no ill effects. Allergy Specialist needs more training. When my main meal was delivered there was an 'allergy escort' in front of the waiter and an announcement made (rather loudly we thought) before the meal was placed on the table!! Trumpet fanfare was avoided, fortunately.
Worse than that......
At a restaurant for Mother's day, my daughter asked to see the allergy list, and when the staff member returned a few minutes later, she said to my Daughter "The kitchen have asked how bad is your allergy? are you likely to die?"
This took us aback a bit, but our Daughter felt obliged to describe in graphic detail the sickness that could occur a few hours after eating. She had already said it's only a problem if the food contains soya, not merely may contain (ie trace amount from factory). The way some staff deal with allergies/intollerances suggests they are untrained and have little empathy.
Fortunately we saw the funny side of this, but someonewith a more severe allergy may not.
The other extreme is the places that say "there is nothing you can eat on our menu please leave" presumably because they are so freaked out, panicky, or fearful of being sued.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

I don’t have any food intolerances that I know of but have noticed a growing number of restaurants asking the question right up front before even handing you the menu. My usual, and honest, “none that I know of” often confuses them!

Whilst my wife also doesn't have any known intolerances either she is a fussy eater and will often ask for the vegitarian menu as that feels “safe”. A surprisingly high number of establishments include fish and seafood in their vegetarian menus!

 

[Punkawallah]

If I had a food intolerance, I’d be checking with the local eateries before I even arrange a meal out about which ones could cater to my needs, and check on the day that all was as previously determined.
Simply turning up unannounced, as a guest, and expecting someone to be able to cater to dietary requirements is unreasonable. And I am the least reasonable person I know.

 

[PeteXXX]

I am allergic to cashew nuts.
They cause a violent projectile vomiting.. Other nuts make my mouth tingle but at least they don't pebbledash the wall opposite..
🤮

 

[Jotheboat]

I have an intolerance to bad food, a phenomena that seems to be increasing. One exception, Indian restaurants, round here we're blessed with at least 3 superb ones. But £20 - £35 for an indifferent steak is taking the michael.

 

[Electric_Andy]

My colleague is coeliac and ordered a gf burger in a big London chain. They gave her a normal bun and she was hospitalized.

I used to be intolerant (not allergic) to gluten. I've been in more than one place where I've asked for a gf bun or toast, and even though I explained it's not going to kill me (it just bloats me a bit) and I don't need gf sausage etc, they've refused to serve me gf bread with "normal" food. I've also had to sign a gf form. Their procedures seem to be very good but it only takes one shite member of staff to complicate the whole issue.

Another time I asked on someone else's behalf of they do gf pasta. The waitress said "is that allergies?" So she came back with an ingredients list of all the dishes on the menu which wasn't helpful. There are still places out there who don't know about allergens let alone cater for anyone who has them

 

[raleighnut]

I very, very, very*, seldom go to eateries........................I can cook way better food at home.

* We used to have a Christmas 'get together' lunch for the large family (Aunt/Uncles Cousins etc about 30 people in all) but nothing since Covid)

 

[ianrauk]

This has been on the news a lot recently due to the high profile death of Owen Carey in 2017
The family are trying to get the law changed so that all eateries publish allergy information on menus.

BBC Link

 

[Binky]

These days I've noticed it's very rare not to be asked if you have any allergies. I don't have any but if I did I think onus be on myself as well as restaurant to ensure I wasn't served anything that might cause a reaction. If in doubt go to another place to eat.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Interesting to hear this
I was diagnosed with Coeliac about 5 months ago so it is rather new to me
I have however always hated cheese so I am at least used to having a limited menu and asking about changes

ring the restaurent always seems to help as far as I can tell
although I have been fine with "just turning up" and asking nicely
round here at least every place we have tried so far has had a separate menu - or the main menu is clearly labelled

and the worst case has normally been "I'm not sure - I'll go and check with the chef" which I consider a very good response

Only totally negative response I have had was from a chippy near when we were having a take-away at the grand-kids house
They just said a direct "No" when I rang up
the one we normally use was fine with GF - they have a separate small fryer they use - so I was kinda lulled in a false sense of security when I asked another one


anyway - if ti is a large chain then I don;t see a problem with naming the chain - especially if the experience was OK
We went to a Green King place a few days ago and they had a separate menu and were fine

The meal even approved with a small subtle wooden flag saying "Allergy"


Also been OK with Wetherspoons - although their attitude has been more of a "there is the menu -with the allergy stuff on it - sort it yourself" at the one we went to
But it's Spoons - what do you expect
but it was fine so it worked

 

[Electric_Andy]

Generally I've found the large chains better than the small privately owned ones. And also the bigger/more popular they are, the better they are at caring. Probably says a lot about reputation. If they care for their customers then more people will go there. If they don't give a shoot, allergens or otherwise, then I don't go there again and I slag them off to anyone I talk to (which luckily is not many people)

 

[raleighnut]

Generally I've found the large chains better than the small privately owned ones. And also the bigger/more popular they are, the better they are at caring. Probably says a lot about reputation. If they care for their customers then more people will go there. If they don't give a shoot, allergens or otherwise, then I don't go there again and I slag them off to anyone I talk to (which luckily is not many people)

More scared about being sued most likely.

 

[Fastpedaller]

More scared about being sued most likely.

This is the thing - Some are more worried about being sued than whether a customer will be ill. When I say I have a cheese allergy some immediately say I can't eat anything containing milk - that isn't the case, cheese is the problem. Then there are the places that will 'look it up' but don't show the customer the allergen sheet (I understand it's a legal requirement to show). This isn't 'being awkward, but is a case of the customer trying to minimise the risk to themselves (as some have suggested above is a good idea, and I agree), We look at menus online wherever possible before going to a restaurant. An example recently, in a garden centre my Daughter asked if they could check there was no soya in the carrot cake (some have, some don't), the server used his 'phone to check generic 'carrot cake' and said "no soya in it" - Daughter didn't take the chance, we've not returned there since. We're thankful our dietry needs are minor - people with a severe allergy must be almost unable to get ingredients to even cook for themselves at home. Anyone who doesn't have an issue but doubts this - just look at any labels on supermarket products as just about every label says may contain nuts as produced in a factory etc......

 

[Electric_Andy]

Yes totally understand the legal aspect, but when you say you're not allergic and you just prefer not to have a wheat bun or toast, a little common sense should tell you that it's ok. I don't even mind signing a form to say I've asked for normal sausages with traces of gluten in them, but some places it's all or nothing.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Yes totally understand the legal aspect, but when you say you're not allergic and you just prefer not to have a wheat bun or toast, a little common sense should tell you that it's ok. I don't even mind signing a form to say I've asked for normal sausages with traces of gluten in them, but some places it's all or nothing.

Indeed - they either don't take it seriously (if you have an allergy/intollerance), or the slightest hint that you may have .... they show you the door.
Some places (we have been to them) with a reasoned and calm approach, show the allergy charts without being asked and are pleasant to eat at. They are few and far between.