Time to be a difficult patron :(

[f_else]

I have always tried to avoid being one of those people who go out to eat and is super picky about their food. I work as a waitress myself, and although I am now far more understanding, I know how much people can get annoyed when you order a really difficult meal, or something that has to be specially created.

But tonight I think I have finally gotten over it. I went out for my sisters birthday with some of her friends tonight and ordered a lemongrass vermicelli salad with prawns. I knew it had a fair bit of vegies in it, but I thought that's fine, I will just eat around and eat the rice noodles and prawns. However, when it came out, it had chilli throughout the entire thing, even though it didn't say it on the menu. I was so annoyed, because I had to carefully eat around it, only ended up eating half and spent the whole time paranoid I was about to get really bad cramps and D. It ruined the night for me.
But the thing is, I think I am more annoyed with myself than anyone else. I should have just said 'can I get just rice noodles and prawns with a little sauce, no chilli'. I could have saved myself the whole ordeal, just by dealing with the fact they might think I'm a difficult or picky customer.
So I've decided, time to grow up. I can only eat certain things and they will just have to deal with it, and so will I.
Do any of you ever have problems with being a picky customer? Or do you find people are understanding?

 

[__JK__]

I have this problem. Everyone who doesn't know me well thinks i'm fussy, even those who do know me well sometimes tutt or roll their eyes.

I really fell out with my girlfriends mother once, she knows full well that I have serious problems with food, so we went there for dinner and she made some herb & spice packed veg kebab thing. I didn't make a fuss at all. I just ate around it, ate what I could and said that was lovely, thank you. She said "I don't know how you can say that, you've hardly touched it. If you're not going to eat it i'm certainly not going to waste it. The rest of us can have it for lunch tomorrow!" I went berzerk at her. I was fed up of biting my lip every time she made some snide remark. I let her have it with both barrells! Now i'm just Claire's rude boyfriend. Suits me. Stupid woman :lol:

but yeah, it's annoying. I love veg, it's not that i don't want it, I CAN'T eat it. Nobody understands.

 

[DustyKat]

Sarah is vegan and also can't tolerate oil of any description lest it send her racing to the loo!

I know she orders her food very specifically and being in the inner city she doesn't have much trouble finding suitable eating places. Having said that I know there are times when she is brought her ordered dish with unsuitable ingredients because I have been with her. She doesn't always like to make a fuss but I don't give a toss to be honest, she asked for something in particular so that is what she should get, she is paying for it after all.

One time when she was home we went out for lunch and she ordered a vegetarian sandwich from the menu minus the cheese. Well out it came with no onion but cheese on the sandwich. I said something to the waitress and she rolled her eyes and said she ordered with no onion not cheese and went off in a huff. I didn't make a scene in front of the other patrons but I did follow her back to the kitchen and gave her a piece of my mind there and than and strongly suggested she needed an attitude adjustment and a lesson in what a vegan is. :eek2:

Luckily Sarah is surrounded by great friends and family that don't question her eating habits. They accept her for who she is.

You aren't being difficult hun, you aren't choosing to be that way. If you want to go out and enjoy a meal like your friends and family do then you have no choice but to be particular about what you eat.

Dusty. xxx

 

[f_else]

I know! You have to hate the looks people give you when you buy a sandwich or roll and systematically pull all the salad or vegies out of it. I miss my vegies sooo much. It can be so hard as well eating at someone else's house and trying not to insult them.
What upsets me is when you tell someone you can't eat something they have offered you and then they give you dirty looks when you eat something else as if to say 'well you must be lying, because you can eat that' - people just don't understand the way that we have to eat and the sort of diets we have to endure.

 

[f_else]

Thanks DustyKat, you sound like an awesome mum to have on your side.

 

[rygon]

If youre paying for the food then you should be getting it as you like it. Its a bit hard for them if its premade. But for most things its just a matter of leaving the food out. I find good restruants will bend over backwards to help you, the ones that make a fuss arent worth bothering about.

My mate has celiac disease, and we have been into a pub before who basically said he was making it hard for them when he said if there was anything that he could eat. We made it easy for them by leaving

 

[Tesscorm]

A good restaurant will certainly try to accommodate a guest!! For weight loss/health reasons, I've often requested changes to menu items and, when my kids were younger, again, often requested changes due to 'pickiness' (much rather deal with a cranky waitress than crying kids! LOL). I've actually never encountered a rude waitress due to my requests (not sure what they've said behind my back, but, then again, didn't hear it! LOL)...

But, a friend is a chef and we once visited his restaurant with another friend who has celiac; he not only was happy to accommodate but actually kept notes on hand re the dietary restrictions of lots of ailments just so that he could accommodate guests!

 

[happy]

f_else,
You are being responsible and looking out for your own health. Good for you!
The strategy that I use is to tell the server that I need their help because I have some health problems. Then I ask detailed questions about a dish that I suspect that I could eat if I know for sure what the ingredients are. I ask the server to check the ingredients with the kitchen. Then if they come back and it is a no go, I ask if I could then please have some plain steamed rice, cooked plain carrots and grilled chicken without any sauce, butter or oil. The server is usually so happy to say yes to something that I can eat by this time that it is no problem at all. I tip well for the extra work.

I find that my attitude of being matter of fact about what my needs are and of expecting that of course the server is there to help me out prevents any fuss.

 

[jack_t_barrowman]

I've had to change the way I eat in restaurants which is hard as I really like different types of food. Most of the time I haven't had a problem, but have to accept that places like McDonalds and Burger King are just not for me (which is handy in a way as I never liked that kind of food to start with).

I have had a couple of occasions where people haven't understood and I have explained the situation to them, and have had to take much more care when looking at menus. It's a challenge but what keeps me focussed is thinking about what could happen if I decided to go of the rails...

I used to work in catering and dealt with a number of people with allergies and special dietary requirements and logistically, it wasn't too much of a problem - it was a matter of being aware of the requirements of the diner and what the options available to them were. I do find it ironic that I'm now in the situation of needing a specific diet, and seeing it from the other side. But if it keeps me healthy, it's worth it

 

[aneimn]

Same problem

Have learned to ask before I order whether item is spicy. Even if they say only a little I will pass and get something else. Once I ordered meat loaf without asking. After all who ever heard of spicy meat loaf!! Took one bite and sent it back for something else.

 

[lookame]

I was just diagnosed and sticking to a low fiber diet no greasy foods very strickly. Well my fiance's dad and new girlfriend didn;t get it and invited us for dinner and repeatedly gave us leftovers which were fried chicken or sausage or spicy spaghetti sauce. I told them several times what I could and could not eat and they kept making it and when we'd go over there I'd watch everyone else eat. Eventually I got tired of it and my fiance and I got into a really bad arguement about it stating they ignor what I tell them and then I get to watch them eat. needless to say we haven't eaten there again

 

[Scifimom]

I order what I want EXACTLY as I want it. I say flat our I cannot eat salad or fruit or spice thank you very much can you bring me an XYZ with rice or potatoes and not much oil please. If they cannot bring me my dish I leave. Tought luck mate I would pay for the food. Same happens with friends and relatives. Last week during a meeting my boss ordered pizzas for the attendees (I was one of them) One was a Mushroom bacon pizza (killer) The other was a white sauce ham and peppers pizza (Double killer). I did not take a slice and he asked me why. I said I am not allowed to eat ingredients from both pizzas. He ordered a small cheese only pizza for me (I can eat it) And told the receptionist next time ask everyone for food restrictions before she orders. Did I mention I have the best boss in the world?

 

[shazz]

Being newly diagnosed with uc and now possibly crohns as well when I do go out to eat, which isnt often, I go to 1 particular resturant where I know they will make me whatever I want exactly the way I want it.
They dont fuss or roll their eyes and are very happy to accomodate me and my fussy eating.
Needless to say on the other occasions where we have gone to other less welcoming places I have tried to order food how it needs to be for me, the waitress/waiter has said I am sorry we cant do food to order, I have got up and walked out. In my opinion, they are there to serve me and my family. I dont go to a resturant to eat food that will make me ill so I am not being awkward for someone else.
My family did have problems to start with but now I just say cook whatever you want, I bring my own food, normally rice/pasta/mashed potato. My mother in law still tuts at me and rolls her eyes but its only because she cant secretly poison me anymore!!