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

At 10:02 AM -0500 3/10/04, Ann Sokolowski wrote:

>Interesting responses....most said "right on" but I did get some whiny
>responses saying, in effect, that they don't get "any respect" in
>restaurants.   Well, in plain English, if you aren't getting
>respect....IT'S YOUR FAULT.  You aren't coming across as someone who
>needs to be taken seriously.  It's time to get some back bone and stand
>up for your rights. Perhaps some assertiveness training would be a good
>thing.

I wanted to address my comments to the group, regarding the above subject.

I just spent the last 2 hours with a local restaurant owner -- who
will be joining a group of local restaurants here, as part of the
Gluten Free Restaurants Awareness Program.

I had an opportunity to talk with her about the details of what
ingredients go into their food, and what foods she can sort out to be
gluten-free, and what foods she would have no idea about, due to lack
of information on the labeling.  In others words, she will need to do
what I do practically every day -- track down the original
manufacturer, call them, wait on hold for the right person, then ask
and hope they will know the answer!  I also got some one-on-one
insights into how difficult it is for someone to really grasp what
the needs are of a person with CD.  The information, as laid out by
the GFRAP, is very well done, professional and easy to follow (and
this restaurateur told me as much -- she was exceedingly impressed).
Nonetheless, she was clearly overwhelmed, with her eyes popping wide,
as she looked into our world and how difficult it is to eat this way.

I believe that eating gluten-free, when dining out, is a very
complicated thing -- even quite risky.  I do go into restaurants, and
work with them to give me foods that I can safely eat.  I do not need
"assertiveness training" in this regard.  Having to deal with this
stupid disease is "assertiveness training" all on its own, just
within the walls of my own home!

But I believe anyone who thinks they are getting a truly safe meal
from ANY restaurant where the chef and staff don't understand the
complexities of a GF meal ... well, you are kidding yourself.  Take a
walk back into a restaurant kitchen one day ... look at where foods
are prepared, take a look at the labels on foods most any chef would
ASSUME are safe.  It is a shocker -- I promise you.

I eat out anyway, because I refuse to become a hermit.  But I do it
with my eyes wide open, and know that it is something of a crap
shoot.  I choose to take the risk, while working hard at
communicating my needs to be as safe as possible.

I am, however, so looking forward to a few local restaurants in our
city that will be schooled in how to provide a totally GF meal.  I
don't enjoy having to "negotiate" my meals everywhere I go.  I would
just like to pick up a darned menu and be able to say, "Yes, I'll
have that," without a long explanation.  I might also add that I
would really like to be able to order something in a restaurant that
isn't "plain" -- if that's all we can get when eating out, why
bother??

I hope that more and more restaurants will choose to become seriously
educated about our food needs.  Thank you for allowing me to rant for
a few moments about this.

-Suzanne

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