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

Hi all,
Being a restaurant owner, I want to warn people that taking the restaurant
issue too lightly could be dangerous.
Until last June, I had 1 dining room type restaurant, and 4 fastfood
types.  They had about 300 seats each.
First, I didn't eat in my own fastfood restautants due to too much cross-
contamination issues.  I was bringing my own lunches.  It is almost
impossible to avoid cross-contamination at fastfood restaurants, and I
never eat at any.  The same applies for buffet style:  in the kitchen,
they use the same utensils for filling dishes, etc... at in the buffet,
people use the same utensils also, and there is the drippins issue, etc...

I have a gf menu at my restaurant, the one I still own, and it took a few
months to be able to put it in place:  calling all the companies for
hidden gluten, explain the cross-contamination to the cooks, etc...etc...

So, yes, one can eat "relatively" safely to some restaurants, but it
asways entails a risk.  Remember, there are many that are sick with cross-
contamination in their own kitchens.  The GFRAP association does a very
good job explaining restaurant owners how to serv GF meals.  It is less
risky eating there, but I dont say there is no risk.  One has to be
reasonnably careful and ask questions to the waiter nonetheless, as there
is a lot of staff turnover in restaurants, and there is no way all the
servers will know all about this gluten issue.

Saying that one eats many times a week at restaurants and never had a
cross-contamination reaction could lead people to be less careful and
therefore, harm themself.  No reaction dosn't mean there is no damage to
the intestines.  All the CD specialists and scientists will tell you so.

I have been on this diet for 8 years, and I'm among the hosts of CD Delphi
Forum, and believe I know how to ask questions at restaurants, and in 8
years, I have had gluten reactions 3 times, even if I had asked all the
questions and been careful. I still go out to eat, as I dont want to
become an hermit and dont want to impose my family to stay in the house
for ever, but I choose my restaurants and I try to ask all the good
questions.  It is unfortunate, but we cant lower our guards.

I wouldn't want anyone to harm themselves by taking this issue too
lightly.

Mireille

* Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE *