<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Just sharing my frustration of the worst "eating out" experience I have
had in my year since diagnosis...

We have a fairly new Applebee's that opened near our house and now that
the out-the-door lines have subsided, we decided to venture there for
dinner last night.  I am one of those on the list who got the canned
form letter response when I e-mailed Applebee's inquiring as to
gluten-free items.  Anyway, we thought on a Monday night when business
is slower would be the time to go in and be able to talk with the cook
or manager and have a safe meal.  Guess again!!

The manager had no idea what gluten is, apparently even after
explaining several times.  He seem to finally be catching on to at
least the idea of wheat starch or flour, but could not tell us if the
bourbon street steak was gluten free because the steaks come
pre-seasoned and there was no list of ingredients.  What company can
sell foods, even to commercial kitchens, and not have to list the
ingredients??  After much discussion, I decided on the house steak and
salmon combo with double veggies because he didn't know the ingredients
of the potato mix used in the garlic mashed potatoes (except to tell me
that it is white).  My meal arrived and it looked great, until I took a
large bite of the salmon and realized that there was teriyaki sauce in
the glaze.  The menu calls it a spicy honey glaze, and after discussing
that I could not have soy sauce or teriyaki sauce in other menu items,
he said the salmon would be safe for me.  We called the waitress over
and asked her to check with the cook about the glaze content and the
manager was back at our table.  He apologized for "not thinking about
the spicy teriyaki honey glaze...".  He brought out a piece of unglazed
salmon to replace it with.  Since restaurant management does not know
the ingredients in their offerings at Applebee's, the menu should state
things like 'spicy teriyaki honey glaze' instead of just 'spicy honey
glaze'.  Even though I asked several times, I as not allowed to speak
with a cook or kitchen manager.  That might have made a difference, but
I will never know because we will never return!

We'll stick with making the 2 hour drive to Outback to enjoy their
gluten-free menu or Red Lobster whose management knows their menu
ingredients when we have a special occasion to celebrate.  I was very
disappointed last night to not be able to safely eat a mainstream meal
right in my neighborhood and I have been ill all day today.  I hope
that this contamination illness doesn't last as long as my last bout
with surprise gluten - 3 1/2 weeks.  Uggg!

Thanks for letting me vent!

Michelle Forsman
"DEAC cat"
Sequim, Washington

Diabetes
Epilepsy
Asthma
Celiac

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List*