I promise I'll try and keep the sarcasm to a minimum. It's gonna be hard, but I actually have been asked to provide some information about eating out with allergies. It can be difficult. My mother is a gluten free diner. I have a yeast allergy. I ignore it and stuff myself with pizza and beer. Even a friend recently discovered that the stuff he's allergic to (artificial sweetener ) is in common table salt. But if you or someone you know has food allergies, here are some helpful tips to make your dining experience easier on you and your server.
1. Be Upfront
Let your server know immediately that you have a food allergy. Even though the dish you order may not have the allergen in it, there could be cross contamination. Gloves need to be changed, surfaces may need to be cleaned. Not every ingredient is listed on the menu. There is nothing worse the delivering food to a table to find out that the guest is allergic to an item that's hidden in the sauce or salad dressing.
And be honest. If you just don't like mushrooms, don't lie to the service staff and tell them you're allergic to them. A lot of time and energy go into preparing a meal for a guest with an allergy. You're only slowing down your meals arrival to the table.
2. Be patient
Working with a guest with allergies can be time consuming. Understand that your server has other guests. It's not fair to your server or other tables for you to monopolize 20 minutes of their time. After a few minutes of Q & A ask your server if they need to check on their other guests. Your server isn't a dietitian. Although they may know the base ingredients in the dishes, they may not know or understand certain questions or terms. Which leads me to this...
3. Be preemptive.
It's not just military strategy. Most restaurants have websites with their menus available online. You are the one with the allergy. Do your research. Call ahead of time and ask questions to the manager on duty. Or when you arrive, ask to be sat with a veteran server. The host may be able to seat you with someone that is a little more versed instead of a new server who has only been at the restaurant for two weeks.
4. Be smart
Think about when you are dining out. Sometimes you have to know your limits. You are likely to have a better experience at 5pm on a Tuesday night rather than at 630pm on a Saturday night. Your server can take more time with you when they aren't trying to accommodate a full section with hungry angry guests that have been waiting for an extended time period for a table. If you have an allergy that requires the chefs to prepare a clean cooking surface, that is also easier to do when they aren't knee deep in tickets.
And lastly...
5. Be reasonable
Depending on your allergy, your food may take longer. Your server may have to ask the chef questions to honestly answer your questions. Don't give them attitude or grief because they don't know. Your server wants you to have an enjoyable experience. They want to make money. It helps if you are just as nice and patient as you want the person serving you to be.
Also think about your allergy and where you are eating. If your allergic to gluten and can't have pasta, you probably shouldn't be dining at a place called "Pasta Planet". It's sounds amusing, but I worked at several Italian places and folks would often ask what didn't have garlic in it. Seriously. That's like eating at a Mexican restaurant and trying to order a dish that doesn't end in a vowel.
Follow these five easy "Be"s and you should have a great night out that won't result in a trip to the hospital. I can't believe it! I wrote a whole blog without saying something snarky or rude. But I sincerely hope this helps those diners with allergies. Happy sinning!
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