Pizzahut bent over backwards to help us with non-allergic foods :)

[globalmouse]

After reading threads about people eating out with their allergic dc's, I just wanted to post a positive note to say about the experience at my local pizzahut with ds this weekend.
I asked for help choosing something suitable, and they really bent over backwards to help. The cook came out and went through verbally with me what he could eat, then the waiter went through the allergy-information book they have with me to make my choice, then another cook came out to confirm my choices were ok. When I thanked him, the waiter said - It's no problem, we don't want to put ds at any risk of anaphylaxis. Just to hear a waiter say this in a restaurant put my mind at rest!!
I used to put off eating out with ds, or would stick to just chips or a jacket potato, or a carvery, but this really boosted my confidence to do it more often.
Seems we spend so much time worrying and stressing, I thought a positive story would be nice
:)

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Brilliant! Can I ask what allergies?

Have heard same from friends of mine whose dd has life threatening allergies to nuts seeds and dairy (including eggs)

She has pizza without cheese and then veg on top (is vegetarian) And they have always been amazingly helpful as said above.

great to hear that
they must have improved , we had a less than favourable experience about 5 yrs ago at pizza hut

I can although thoroughly recommend p&o cruises for amazing help with allergies.We have always avoided catered holidays because of ds's allergies so were pleased and relieved to see how fab p&o were.

I always find this in Indian restaurants. They do everything possible to give me the information we need and help with suitable choices and actually seem to care.

Our local pub and italian on the other hand are useless and haven't got a clue and what's worse don't seem to care.

That's lovely. It makes such a difference when people are so accommodating.

Mostly our experiences of eating out have been good, but we have had a few shockers!!

I asked a cook if I could look at ketchup ingredients the other week at a party DS was at. Reply was 'well just don't give it if he's allergic'

I said but its certain ingredients and if he can have it when the other 25 are why not allow it? So she said 'so he's not really allergic then' URG

My reply: 'nah, they hand out epi-pens like smarties at the hospital'

Glad pizza express is better - will definatly try that then. (usually avoid places with tomato based (sauce) ingredients.

I had that once BB. They refused to even check the kids menu ingredients, then I asked for a children's portion of plain roast chicken breast off the adult menu and they wouldn't do that as it was prepackaged even though I said we would pay the full price. I was told I should carry food around for DS as it wasn't fair to put restaurants in such a position.

I said I didn't want to eat somewhere that didn't prepare its own food fresh and had such a poor attitude and we left.

In 4.5 years of dealing with allergies and eating out practically every weekend and in many different countries, it's the only place that were not prepared to serve us food.

Same happened to us at Manchester airport, they refused to serve us. Delayed for 4 hours and poor DD got carrot sticks and a fruit bag from Boots

we had a nightmare at the Burger King outlet at the Reading service station on the M4. I had checked their menu online before heading off but wasn't able to print it out to take with me.

Got to the order desk and asked if they had a nutrition/allergy sheet (it was our first trip to a Burger King and knew that McDonalds did one so just assumed the same....) 'no'

Can you tell me if the xxx has dairy in it it? 'no'

Can you go and find out? 'no'

Fortunately the 'manager' arrived so he went off to look. Eventually server also reappeared so I asked 'can you tell me now?' 'no'

Vaguely remembering that the chicken fillet strips were OK we ordered them with the view to checking the website on my phone once we'd got to the table. Opened up her food bag, they'd only gone and put in chicken nuggets which were a no go so I had to go back and get them switched

I have since been to a different Burger King (must be a glutton for punishment) and they produced their nutrition info straight away :)

On a positive note the restaurant in the Natural History Museum have a menu check list right at the order point so they're pretty switched on!

Isn't it illegal for a restaurant/food retailer not to produce a list of ingredients/allergens in their food?

bb at refusing to serve you, that's disgraceful.

You would think that trained chefs would have to understand allergies/cross contamination etc. as part of their training and be fully switched on. Such a shame so many of them don't take their profession seriously.

Burger King once refused to serve DS once because of seseme seed allergy, although other branches have been really helpful.

Wagamamas are really helpful with their allergy book as well.

About two years ago I went to the cafe in the V&A as a treat (the really pretty one in an alcove) and picked up what looked like a normal sponge (not carrot, or passionfruit or anything traditionally with nuts, IYSWIM). It had walnuts in it and no nuts label on the cake counter. Luckily I'm fine but I thought they should have a label (Mum is fatally allergic and would not have spotted the nuts before taking a bite - honestly, the cake looked fine!). Then followed the worst conversation I have ever had. Refusal to get a manager (after they didn't take me seriously), total communication breakdown including 'Well, is your mother having a reaction now?' after I'd been stood there for five minutes. Did they really think I'd be doing anything other than calling an ambulance and grabbing the epipen?! When I said she wasn't there (I used her as an example of why they should be labelling their food) but that it was still dangerous they just gave me blank don't-care faces.

I gave up and vowed never to eat there again.

Oh yeah, and at first they tried to tell me there were no nuts in the cake - I had to ask them to get the wrapping out from under the counter. Idiots. As a waitress I always know if there are nuts in the food!

I was just stunned - a nut allergy is the one most people have heard of and, having worked with food for eight years, I am so aware of the precautions most places take with at least nut labelling. I couldn't believe such a big institution didn't consider it a necessity.

Globalmouse, that's great to hear about Pizza Hut.

Can I ask, did you contact head office to commend the store? I ask as a) we - well I - am always so quick to complain when things are not as they could be; b) Pizza Hut employees have a big focus on service, so it is good to let them know it's working well (and maybe those in question will be congratulated too), and c) if we don't let people know how valuable and appreciated this level of service is, it is more likely to be withdrawn when savings need to me made.

If you haven't already, you can use the contact us section on their website. I know this as I also wrote in after getting amazing help - tho no allergy related in this case - in PH.

I just left feedback for them on their website. Totally agree, when they are doing it right, they need to be thanked!