Question:
My husband and I tried a new restaurant last week and they were not very agreeable to making substitutions. I ordered a crabcake sandwich and asked, if instead of the french fries and cole slaw, could I have a small salad. The waiter said no subsitutions, I’d have to pay an extra $4.50 for a salad. I decided not to get the salad, and I told him to leave off the roll, since I wouldn’t eat it anyway. To my suprise and delight, when he brought my meal, the crabcake was on a good size serving of field greens. I asked for some vinegar, and made myself a very tasty salad. And I only ate about 10% of the french fries and none of the cole slaw (forgot to tell them to hold that also). The restaurant would have been better off if they had just made the substitutions I’d asked for. We eat out about once a week mostly at mid-range priced restaurants, and this is the first time in a long time that a restaurant has been this unaccomodating. A $1 or $2 upcharge for a substitution is reasonable, but to have to pay an extra $4.50 is over the line IMHO. Too bad that they weren’t accomodating. We really liked the food and it was very kind to my BG. We’re not planning on going back, since I can’t be sure that the crabcake would be served on a bed of field greens next time. But I’m wondering if it would be worth taking to the manager. — Best wishes Louise Type 2, controlling by diet and exercise
Response:
> My husband and I tried a new restaurant last week and they were not very > agreeable to making substitutions.
I often ask "I’m diabetic. May I have a second salad in lieu of fries?" I’ve never encountered a problem. Maybe it’s just a good opening line — but it seems to work! — Diagnosed Type II Diabetes March 5 2001 Beating it with diet and exercise! 297/215/210 (to be revised lower) 58"/43"(!)/44" (already lower too!) Visit my personal website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/ Visit my CFSRS/CFIOG ONLINE OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/ Irv Finkleman, Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Response:
> Too bad that they weren’t accomodating. We really liked the food and it
was very kind to my BG. We’re not planning on going back, since I can’t be sure that the crabcake would be served on a bed of field greens next time. But I’m wondering if it would be worth taking to the manager. > —
Certainly it’s worth talking to the manager! All s/he can do is say some version of "get lost", which is what you’re planning to do anyway. Learning ways to please the customers is how stores & restaurants make money — and stay in business. Some (don’t ask me where) research has shown that one unhappy customer tells 10 people but a happy customer only tells a couple. Which do you think the manager wants — you telling 10 people how un-nice they were & don’t go there? or make you happy and maybe you’ll generate even a bit more business of happy customers (who tell 1-2 others each,….). If this is a locally owned place, you may even be able to talk to the owner. bj
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My husband and I tried a new restaurant last week and they were not very > agreeable to making substitutions. I ordered a crabcake sandwich and asked, > if instead of the french fries and cole slaw, could I have a small salad. > The waiter said no subsitutions, I’d have to pay an extra $4.50 for a salad. > I decided not to get the salad, and I told him to leave off the roll, since > I wouldn’t eat it anyway. To my suprise and delight, when he brought my > meal, the crabcake was on a good size serving of field greens. I asked for > some vinegar, and made myself a very tasty salad. And I only ate about 10% > of the french fries and none of the cole slaw (forgot to tell them to hold > that also). The restaurant would have been better off if they had just made > the substitutions I’d asked for. > We eat out about once a week mostly at mid-range priced restaurants, and > this is the first time in a long time that a restaurant has been this > unaccomodating. A $1 or $2 upcharge for a substitution is reasonable, but > to have to pay an extra $4.50 is over the line IMHO. > Too bad that they weren’t accomodating. We really liked the food and it was > very kind to my BG. We’re not planning on going back, since I can’t be sure > that the crabcake would be served on a bed of field greens next time. But > I’m wondering if it would be worth taking to the manager.
Unfortunately, I’ve found this sort of thing is pretty common. Or they tell you they WILL make the changes, but then they don’t. I’ve had to send orders back 2-3 times before they got them right. I’ve also run into a problem in asking for side orders of things that I know are on the menu. I once wanted a side order of a vegetable for my daughter. The waitress said she *could* do that, but would have to charge me $6.00 for the dish of beans, and she knew I didn’t want to pay that. I then asked if it would be possible to get a small dish of corn from the salad bar? Again, no. If I wanted that, I would have to pay the full price of the salad bar. This was at a restaurant from one of the large chains too! Now, I will not set foot into a restaurant unless I know I can get something suitable to eat without having to jump through hoops. Luckily in this area that’s pretty easy to do. There are plenty of Italian restaurants and many of them offer a variety of soups, salads, vegetables, and other side dishes. So I can get exactly what I want. — Type 2 http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/ Julie Bove, posting from new account
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My husband and I tried a new restaurant last week and they were not very > agreeable to making substitutions. I ordered a crabcake sandwich and > asked, > if instead of the french fries and cole slaw, could I have a small salad. > The waiter said no subsitutions, I’d have to pay an extra $4.50 for a > salad. > I decided not to get the salad, and I told him to leave off the roll, > since > I wouldn’t eat it anyway. To my suprise and delight, when he brought my > meal, the crabcake was on a good size serving of field greens. I asked > for > some vinegar, and made myself a very tasty salad. And I only ate about > 10% > of the french fries and none of the cole slaw (forgot to tell them to hold > that also). The restaurant would have been better off if they had just > made > the substitutions I’d asked for. > We eat out about once a week mostly at mid-range priced restaurants, and > this is the first time in a long time that a restaurant has been this > unaccomodating. A $1 or $2 upcharge for a substitution is reasonable, but > to have to pay an extra $4.50 is over the line IMHO. > Too bad that they weren’t accomodating. We really liked the food and it > was > very kind to my BG. We’re not planning on going back, since I can’t be > sure > that the crabcake would be served on a bed of field greens next time. But > I’m wondering if it would be worth taking to the manager. > Unfortunately, I’ve found this sort of thing is pretty common. Or they tell > you they WILL make the changes, but then they don’t. I’ve had to send > orders back 2-3 times before they got them right. I’ve also run into a > problem in asking for side orders of things that I know are on the menu. I > once wanted a side order of a vegetable for my daughter. The waitress said > she *could* do that, but would have to charge me $6.00 for the dish of > beans, and she knew I didn’t want to pay that. I then asked if it would be > possible to get a small dish of corn from the salad bar? Again, no. If I > wanted that, I would have to pay the full price of the salad bar. This was > at a restaurant from one of the large chains too!
I am not a lawyer and I don’t play one on the television, but would this be grounds for a class action suit based on the Americans With Disabilities law? After all, if they refuse to give food substitutions for unwise foods to we diabetics it "looks" as if they are in violation. I wonder what would have happened if you had asked to speak to the manager and explained the situation, and possibly even mentioned the law. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Now, I will not set foot into a restaurant unless I know I can get something > suitable to eat without having to jump through hoops. Luckily in this area > that’s pretty easy to do. There are plenty of Italian restaurants and many > of them offer a variety of soups, salads, vegetables, and other side dishes. > So I can get exactly what I want. > — > Type 2 > http://users.bestweb.net/~jbove/ > Julie Bove, posting from new account
Response:
> My husband and I tried a new restaurant last week and they were not very > agreeable to making substitutions.
I started working in a local cafe last March, it has a small, coffee shop atmosphere. I do substitutions all the time, whether it’s for an allergy, diabetic, or small child, free if it’s possible. Some of the guidelines are set out by management make it impossible to substiute straight across. I was at a different restaurant the other night that charged a dollar for salad instead of fries. Their salad is awesome, so there is no problem paying the extra as far as I can see. I worked in one restaurant that charged 75 cents for a cup of hot water, so you never know what you are going to end up getting charged on the bill. A lot of restaurants have allergy alerts on their computers so it goes right on the bill and the cooks know. I have read boxes for ingredients with a list of ‘have nots’ in my hand for a severe peanut allergy, so don’t be afraid to ask for anything. If they won’t accomodate you, don’t go back. That is how I met Chris actually, by him coming into the restaurant, saying that he was diabetic, low, and needed food as fast as possible. What a great conversation starter!!!! I did watch out for what he ordered and ate after that and made sure the cooks knew who it was for. (no croutons on his salad, no hash browns, etc.) In fact, since he has started having fried tomatoes instead of hash browns, the idea has caught on for other people watching their food intake for whatever reason. (I have Chris; a low carb dieter; a cholesterol watcher; and a guy who suffers from heartburn-after-drinking-the-night-before all on Saturday mornings for breakfast, all at the same time) People are so food conscious now that restaurants realize that and all make concessions. I would phone the manager and explain to him the situation, ask his policy, and if he says there is nothing he can do, don’t go back. A $4.50 charge for a salad instead of fries is outrageous, even in late winter when veggies are high priced. Lori
Response:
> I am not a lawyer and I don’t play one on the television, but would > this be grounds for a class action suit based on the Americans With > Disabilities law? After all, if they refuse to give food substitutions > for unwise foods to we diabetics it "looks" as if they are in > violation. I wonder what would have happened if you had asked to speak > to the manager and explained the situation, and possibly even > mentioned the law.
I’m not a lawyer either, but my understanding of the ADA and its implementing regulations is that it does not obligate any business to provide any particular product or service as long as the decisions as to which products and services to provide are not made in a discriminatory manner. The usual example is that a car-rental agency would not normally be obligated to rent cars with hand controls but if (rather unlikely) they advertised that their rental cars were available with any customization the customer desired, they could not make an exception and refuse to provide hand controls while providing all other customizations of similar cost. So there might be a case if a restaurant refused to provide diabetic- friendly substitutions for free while providing all kinds of other substitutions for free. But if the pricing policy applied to all substitutions, I doubt there would be any grounds for action.
Response:
Louise I live in New York and except for one restaurant , I dont have any problem wit any restaurant making substitutions,. I feel if they want my business, they will be accommodating to my needs, I do mention I have diabetes if I have any problems, and then they are very accomodting I try to visit restaurants that know me and my peuliaritiesl I drive everyone ntws, with this on the side, and that on the side and dont use this and make it this way, But hey I figure for my money I can get honey. Loretta In tribute to the United States of America and the State of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and terrorism.
Response:
> I was at a different restaurant the other night that charged a dollar for > salad instead of fries. Their salad is awesome, so there is no problem > paying the extra as far as I can see.
Yeah, a small additional charge for their trouble and extra expense I understand, but you shouldn’t have to pay for the food you don’t want as well as the substitution. > I worked in one restaurant that charged 75 cents for a cup of hot water, so > you never know what you are going to end up getting charged on the bill.
I carry lowcarb hot chocolate in my purse in the winter and so far no restaurant has charged me for hot water, although I’d have no problem with a reasonable charge. > In fact, since he has started having fried tomatoes > instead of hash browns, the idea has caught on for other people watching > their food intake for whatever reason
Please tell me, what is your recipe for fried tomatoes? I’ve never made them and that sounds good. Tomatoes are my all-time favorite food. — Best wishes Louise Type 2, controlling by diet and exercise
Response:
Louise posted this… > Please tell me, what is your recipe for fried tomatoes? I’ve never made > them and that sounds good. Tomatoes are my all-time favorite food.
I do them grilled in quarters, or on my George Foreman griddle. It seals in all the goodness, and no added fat. Ratty — "I am not ugly. I’m facially challenged" ratty at flyingrat dot net
Response:
> Louise I live in New York and except for one restaurant , I dont have > any problem wit any restaurant making substitutions,. I feel if they > want my business, they will be accommodating to my needs, I do mention I > have diabetes if I have any problems, and then they are very accomodting > I try to visit restaurants that know me and my peuliaritiesl I drive > everyone ntws, with this on the side, and that on the side and dont use > this and make it this way, But hey I figure for my money I can get > honey.
I suppose in the future I’ll mention that my diabetes is the reason I have to substitute and see what happens. I’ve never done that before, because although I don’t hide my diabetes from anyone who matters, I don’t feel comfortable sharing that with even casual aquaintances, not to mention people I don’t even know, such as waiters. But you’re right, it’s our money supporting their business and jobs. There are a lot of restaurants around here and I’m not one to make a fuss if I can avoid it, because it will raise my BG. So we’ll just go somewhere else next week! — Best wishes Louise Type 2, controlling by diet and exercise
Response:
I wear a diabetic bracelet. When I go into a restaurant I show it to the waitress and tell her I have diabetes. Then I tell her I can’t eat the rice, or potatoes, or whatever. I ask her if she could help me out by instead giving me two salads, or extra veggies, etc. I’ve not yet ever had a refusal. Most are happy to help me, because almost all of them have someone in their family who also has diabetes. If you don’t ask you don’t get. Also, if you don’t ask, then the answer 100% of the time is no. Arnie
Response:
Different people treat things differently,. *If I had genital herpes, I wouldnt be adviertisiing it, but diabete to ke is not a matter of secrets, It gets me what I want,. If I go to a buffet and perhaps I feel a little lightheaded, I take out my ADA card and I am seated immediately or at least given sometyhing to eat. Since I have this this wonderful disease, I use it to my advantage so I feel there is something positive about it, I am a cancer survivor and now I am retired because of it, So out of those ashes came this life which I much prefer, We can look and find something positive with out disease. This is how I feel. I stopped caringt about makikng a fuss when I realized that people I pay work for me in some sense. Loretta Also the way one speaks is very important In tribute to the United States of America and the State of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and terrorism.
Response:
Loretta, I like your outlook! — Best wishes Louise Type 2, controlling by diet and exercise
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Different people treat things differently,. *If I had genital herpes, I > wouldnt be adviertisiing it, but diabete to ke is not a matter of > secrets, It gets me what I want,. If I go to a buffet and perhaps I > feel a little lightheaded, I take out my ADA card and I am seated > immediately or at least given sometyhing to eat. Since I have this this > wonderful disease, I use it to my advantage so I feel there is something > positive about it, I am a cancer survivor and now I am retired because > of it, So out of those ashes came this life which I much prefer, We can > look and find something positive with out disease. This is how I feel. > I stopped caringt about makikng a fuss when I realized that people I pay > work for me in some sense. > Loretta > Also the way one speaks is very important > In tribute to the United States of America and the State > of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and > terrorism.
Response:
Please tell me, what is your recipe for fried tomatoes? I’ve never made > them and that sounds good. Tomatoes are my all-time favorite food.
I just slice them about a half inch thick and fry them up, no butter, not a thing. The restaurant puts a seasoned salt on top of them. They don’t take long to cook because if you leave them too long they go really mushy. Lori – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> — > Best wishes > Louise > Type 2, controlling by diet and exercise
Response:
> The waiter said no subsitutions, I’d have to pay an extra $4.50 for a salad. > I decided not to get the salad, and I told him to leave off the roll, since > I wouldn’t eat it anyway.
I never have had a problem with that sort of thing when I tell them I’m a diabetic. I tell them "I’m a diabetic and I can’t eat X right now." "I don’t want it on the plate because I won’t eat it, and you’ll have to throw it out. Its such a waste of good food." Usually works. And once that’s discussed they will usually substitute for me. Or if I have to order the salad extra as in this example, usually there’s some sort of adjustment on the bill. But then I live in a rather small town. Okay its a quarter million but its isolated and feels like a small town. Businesses here know they need to court the customers because we’re the same ones that will be coming in next week or next month and every month, every year. 
Carol
Response:
I’ve also run into a > problem in asking for side orders of things that I know are on the menu. I > once wanted a side order of a vegetable for my daughter. The waitress said > she *could* do that, but would have to charge me $6.00 for the dish of > beans, and she knew I didn’t want to pay that. I then asked if it would be > possible to get a small dish of corn from the salad bar? Again, no. If I > wanted that, I would have to pay the full price of the salad bar.
Although we rarely experience this problem because we are in a "small town" environment and we frequent the same restaurants for years, are "known" and we tip well if we have that sort of thing crop up sometimes DH and I just order a combination so that he gets what he wants (some of it off my plate) and I get something from his. Cheaper. And our serving person will often provide a nice small empty plate to assist. Carol
Response:
> So there might be a case if a restaurant refused to provide diabetic- > friendly substitutions for free while providing all kinds of other > substitutions for free. But if the pricing policy applied to all > substitutions, I doubt there would be any grounds for action.
This is pretty much the way ADA works unless the law specifically says an accomodation is required. And it doesn’t require equal pricing, just availability of access and certain services. If the salad is available but you have to pay extra, its not a violation. Carol spent a lot of time battling for ADA benefits
Response:
> But then I live in a rather small town. Okay its a quarter million but > its isolated and feels like a small town. Businesses here know they need > to court the customers because we’re the same ones that will be coming > in next week or next month and every month, every year.
AND telling all your friends. Even in a limited ("small town"ish) area, there’s probably some competition. And the business that serves its customers well does better, generally, than one that doesn’t bother. bj
Response:
most of the symptoms related to acidity are caused by indigestion.. search the web for ayurvedic remedies. The ones for reflux/acidity are based on changes in diet ie., moving towards fresh fruits/vegetables. and avioding frozen/microwable/junk food. Generally food which is easily digestable. buttermilk aids digestion. so does lemon juice mixed in warm water taken three times a day GK – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> this might be useful to some folks in here. > I was getting heartburn till recently.. with symptons like relfux when I > go to sleep.. and pain in the chest. But for the last month I have > started > taking buttermilk after every meal.. and heartburn doesnt bother me > anymore.. > here’s how you do it: > use about 1/4 buttermilk in a glass with 3/4 water. add a pinch of salt. > hope this helps. > G > I believed you until you advised us to take it with a pinch of salt. > Derek. 