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I originally was responding to some comments about Applebee's and had a
note from the company's Director of Food Science, Mr. Dixon, stating,
basically, to trust nothing in their restaurants. They just wouldn't
guarantee anything. Below are the responses I received. I just cut and
pasted all for "exact quotes". If you don't read any others, please go
to #5. This is still bothering me.
(1) I wonder, Bev, if Mr. Dixon would change his mind if he knew how
many people actually had CD. I think his note may have been honest, but
the corporation is lazy to not take any trouble whatsoever and then
disguise it with "how they would never forgive themselves if you got
sick." Plenty of other eating establishments manage. Thanks for
passing this on. I think I will write to Mr. Dixon myself and mention
perhaps none of my friends should dine there as their food sounds just
plain too dangerous changing all the time like that.
Sorry, I think perhaps I just got up on the wrong side of the bed this
morning. I promise to be more diplomatic.
Have a nice day and take a permanent pass on Applebees.
(a short while later, the same writer again comments.....)
I guess I am really on the warpath today. I just wrote Applebees via
the comment card on their website inquiring specifically what menu items
in their Gurnee, IL restaurant are gluten free. I will then respond to
whatever they write back. If nothing else at least they will know they
are getting comments and inquiries about gluten free items; by not
providing a few key items they are perhaps missing out on business.
(2) this translates to, "We don't need or want your business, and we
don't want to be sued. Go away." What a marketing approach. I suspect
many fast food places don' want any customers that are curious to know
what they are really eating.
(3) Just yesterday I was looking at this website that supposedly lists
the GF items at various restaurants, one of which was Applebee's.
http://geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/4003/gf-fastfood.html
They say that the french fries are NOT gf, but when I went into one
Applebees here locally, they went back to the kitchen and checked the
ingredient list on the bag and told me they were fine. Oh well, I'm
beginning to feel like eating out is a crapshoot.
Anyway, I thought the list (though dated) may help.
(4) I would much rather chose off the regular menu and have the
waiter/chef check out what I order than trust a gf menu that would
likely be outdated.I eat out all the time doing careful selection off
the regular menu. No problems!
The following is a glowing report on one Applebee's, but pay close
attention to the next to last paragraph. .....(which I bolded)....
(5) I have eaten at the 3 in Toledo, OH, and 2 of the 3 in Portland, OR,
and I find that if you stay away from the Friday and Saturday night
rushes, both the kitchen managers and the house managers have been most
eager to do their best for me. They won't declare anything gluten-free
because anything initially free might be contaminated in a non-gluten-
free kitchen out of thousands of eating experiences at Applebee's, I
have only had a problem once with bread put on my plate by accident, and
they took the entire dinner back and replaced it. I once had a waitress
try to remove croutons, but they replaced the salad as well.
Ask and they will go read ingredient lables, or even bring them to you
to be sure they are safe for you. You have to be choosey, but they have
substituted corn chips for the tortilla on the veggie pizza appetizer
(and a few waitresses took this up as a favorite snack), they hold the
texas toast, they give me my salad with "just the veggies" and add a
tomato here and a cucumber slice or two there. Get familiar with the
staff, the managers, and the menu, and they will do their utmost best
for you.
I have no interest in Applebee's financially or commercially, but it
is one of my most favorite places to eat and there is one half way
between my son's place and my house, and we meet there to eat a lot.
Both of us are on small meal diets, so we can meet at 4pm any day and
have just a sandwich, or just an appetizer. They will even leave the
bread out of the french onion soup, which is really good on cold days.
If you have trouble locally, write their headquarters, or the
regional manager, if there is one. I cannot say enough good things
about the managers and waitstaff at Applebee's, Alexis Road, Toledo, OH.
(I wrote her back and questioned eating any kind of soup in a
restaurant, and she kindly answered my note...... but I ask....is this
safe???......)
Have had it done that way at 2 different chains, and had no problem, but
then I may be less sensitive than you are. I've been finding my own way
in celiac since 1970, so am sort of a try it and see person.
(6) Yeah, the last time I saw that letter I read it as "too bad for
you, we don't care enough to serve you"
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