Restaurant/pub menus

[Crazyfrog007]

I am celiac and really struggle when looking for pubs/restaurants to eat out at because the majority don't bother putting whether their food is gluten free or not on their menus.

Every single pub or restaurant makes it clear, however, whether their food is vegetarian and it's becoming increasingly common that they also label the food which is vegan.

Whilst I understand that there are lots of good reasons for becoming vegetarian or vegan, and demand for this kind of food is likely to be higher than for gf, at the end of the day it is a life choice, not a requirement.

AIBU to be frustrated that restaurants/pubs cater for a life choice but not a very serious dietary requirement?

Please note--this is NOT a thread bashing vegetarians/vegans. I am simply frustrated at constantly seeing v/ve on menus but not gf/gfo.

[Bigonesmallone3]

By law any pub/restaurant/cafe etc must have an allergens list for the public to read when asked, it doesn't have to be on display but must be provided when asked..

It should contain everything on the menu

[Pachyderm1]

Whether it’s a lifestyle choice or not, vegetarians and vegans are still entitled to know what they can eat

That said, YANBU about things not being labelled GF - they should be, and it’s annoying if they aren’t. you could have said that without being snitty about vegetarians though

[Crazyfrog007]

Hammerhorror- special treatment?? I just want to be able to look online and see where I can and can't eat like everyone else. That isn't special treatment by any stretch!

And I'm not sure where I said in my OP that it was more important. Actually, in another of my posts I believe I mentioned where a PP had said about nut allergies.

I understand that's why there's an allergy book but as this isn't available online, I have to make a phone call for everywhere I want to eat (as, I imagine, do other allergy sufferers). It's a ball ache and, frankly, not always possible as whydontyou has pointed out! Even a 'we are able to cater for x allergies' online would make life easier.

[Crazyfrog007]

Pachyderm- apologies. I'm not meaning to be snitty (and as I've said many times and has been recognised by others poster's, it's not meant as a dig).

I'm using it to point out the disparity in provision. As you have pointed out, everyone deserves to know what's in their food so why is it that it's only available to some!

[BitOutOfPractice]

I see GF on menus all the time

[Pachyderm1]

Sorry, I’m just overly sensitive because every time I’ve ever seen anyone describe being vegan or vegetarian as a ‘lifestyle choice’, they’re trying to deliberately minimise it and make out that the vegan / veggie is an entitled snowflake seeking special treatment they don’t deserve. But I appreciate that wasn't your intention!

[Crazyfrog007]

Goodness me. I feel your pain. I often get the same for gluten free.

My favourite moment so far has to be when I went to a pizza place by the O2 (was there for a gig), asked if they had anything gf and was promptly told 'no... Do we look like a dominos?' 🤦‍♀️

Cheers like...

[Bigonesmallone3]

I think for independent places ur always best to just phone up and speak to a person, surely u would have to phone to book anyway?

[BigMosquito]

Where do you live, OP? It just seems a bit odd that this is such a hassle for you. I'm coeliac myself. I live in a rural area and so don't have the choice available in cities, but I've never had to ring anywhere in advance because there will always be at least one thing on the menu that I can have.

And I always have to explain anyway that it's coeliac and not a choice, so labelling doesn't make a difference as I still need to have that conversation - as you will too, I'm sure.

[JuniperBeer]

Pubs and restaurants can’t call it gluten free by law unless it has come in prepared in an actual gluten free environment or ha seven specially produced in a seperate kitchen in the building.

Allergen sheets are done by what it contains, not by what it doesn’t.

HOWEVER what prevents the dish having gluten in is cross contamination.

If you choose for example jacket potato and beans (simple) it might not have a tick on the allergen sheet for gluten but always tell your server you are gluten free so they can use a brand new clean chopping board/utensils etc when preparing your food to avoid cross contamination.

Ask for the Allergen sheet when you first sit down. Ring the restaurant before and get them to email a copy if you need to decide before hand.

The bigger the menu, the more likely it is everything is bought in and orepacked and microwaved. itll have allergens already printed on it.
However smaller fresh food kitchens have more co from over ingredients and can adapt dishes more easily. Swings and roundabouts. Both should have info readily available.

The biggest thing I used to get questioned about was chips. Bought in chips sometimes have a coating on them to stop them sticking together in the frozen bag. Not gluten free.
Some chips are fried in the same fryer as onion rings. Which then contaminate.

However what really used to frustrate me was people asking for gluten free saying they were allergic/intolerant so we’d go the extra lengths but then see them nicking onion rings etc of their husbands plates (because they actually just don’t eat gluten for a fad diet)

Most pubs nowadays will be extremely helpful.

[JuniperBeer]

“No gluten containing ingredients” is the term you might see.

But I’m still not sure why you’ve had so much trouble. It’s the been the law for several years now to have allergen info available.

[CiderBrains]

Like someone else said, there are 14 other common food allergies so I guess the restaurants would rather just have an allergy book with the information in rather than labelling the 15 common allergies on their menu. They would probably prefer to be made aware of an allergy via conversation rather than not.

[Crazyfrog007]

It's not that the information isn't available, it's the convenience of it being available, particularly online (which I know is something of a non problem but is just frustrating.)

[Rosalise]

I'm with you OP, but, we normally look for the vegan options because of lactose intolerance and quite honestly most pubs and restaurants just pay lip service (see what I did there?) to including a gf or ve option so they will still get group bookings.

The options are overpriced and usually unimaginative and seldom well done. Yesterday I noticed a Christmas menu with one option for each course - beetroot hummus with beetroot chips, roast butternut squash main (none of the veggie sides were vegan) and chocolate ice cream for dessert. £75.

They aren't offering real options with tasty original recipes. It's a nightmare travelling without cooking facilities for anyone with a food allergy.

[AntiHop]

You are right to be annoyed OP.

I have a couple of friends who have horrible reactions to gluten. I have been with them eating out, when they have explained their needs in person, and there has been a lack of understanding from the staff. A recent example was her full English arriving with normal toast, on the same plate. Even though she had made it clear she can't eat gluten.

I have eaten out when (by choice) I have been eating with restrictions. I asked for an omelette, and made it clear I wanted nothing but eggs in it. It arrived with chillies. So they had not listened to my request, and it made me wonder what other unknown ingredients there were.

What are you asking for it not unreasonable, and totally achievable with a bit of thought.

[45redballoons]

I wonder if you notice the veggie/vegan thing more because you see it when you’re looking for gf as I find I see more gf than vegan especially in free from sections although I realise that isn’t your point.

Is it maybe because so much is gf by the very nature of what it is? You wouldn’t expect them to say a steak was gf for example but a separate sauce would require labelling if it were.

[Rosalise]

The thing is, allergen information is useful, but once you've perused it in the restaurant, found nothing suitable, left to try somewhere else and repeated this several times, all the restaurants are likely to be full, and you're starving and more likely to make a bad choice.

Being able to research online would make eating out so much easier. It's fine for people who have the choice of the full menu in front of them to explain the problems faced by the restaurant. But you could also put yourself in the place of those who are already limited in what they can eat.

As an aside, I sometimes pre-eat vegetables so I'm not starving but not full either, or take my own snacks with me in case of emergency.

[CiderBrains]

I agree they could have something online but labelling a menu on the table with 15 different common food allergies would be difficult when the person could just ask for the food allergies book.

[sar302]

If you're on Facebook, there's a group called "coeliacs eat out too". I strongly recommend you have a look. It's not only UK based, but covers the world. You're not being grouchy, it's a very valid complaint. And even some restaurants that do say GF have cross contamination issues, making it a bit of a minefield.
And yes, there has been a noticeable rise in places catering to vegans - such as coffee shops now regularly using oat milk, making CC a nightmare for coeliacs. It's the new way for people to eat. But then being GF was the previous trend, which at least gave rise to more GF food being available in shops etc. So, I suppose it's fair in a way!

Eating out is frustrating! And the worst part for me about being GF.

[Crazyfrog007]

45redballoons- yes, I think you have a good point there regarding the noticing of v/ve because I'm searching for gf.

The problem is that many things that one would think would be absolutely fine, aren't. And often it's the sides that accompany a dish or, indeed, the sauce that make it not gf.

And thank you to the last three posters who have managed to convey my point much better than I did 😂😂 Sundays are clearly not my day for thinking...

[Figgygal]

My husband is coeliac too diagnosed last year and we've not found it hard to eat out and are grateful that information is as good as it is. It'll only get better as more and places Become more aware.

I think the biggest risk is contamination in March he was glutened at an Indian restaurant after being told their bhaji's were gf he fainted and ended up in an ambulance and hospital (was out with his friends who panicked).

We also on coeliacs eat out too on fb and find it useful

[Cleo18]

This won't go down well - but many restaurants are chains. Others are operating at pretty low profit margins.

It would be impossible to provide imaginative, reasonably priced, non-cross-contaminated dishes to meet every dietary requirement.

If you label something GF you have to be absolutely sure that no cross contamination has occurred. You therefore need a dedicated prep area. You also need to provide several options regularly - and hope that they sell. (Same for nut-free, dairy-free etc).

Most will try to provide what they can and you should speak to them.

You seem very set on your own problem but I am sure that you would not be pleased to find that all the food catered to everyone's needs. I also doubt in whatever employment role that you are in you cater to everyone;s individual needs. Not possible.

So YABU

[Crazyfrog007]

Just joined the fb group--thank you both for the recommendation.

[Crazyfrog007]

Cleo- gf is the thing that directly affects me so is my focus but as you'll see from a number of my posts I have conceded to PPs that my allergy is no more important than others and I realise there are many more out there.

I have not asked to be supplied with a variety of tasty food by everywhere. I have suggested that the ease of availability of information regarding allergies, particularly online, isn't great and could do with improvement.

As a teacher, no I don't hit everyone's individual needs all of the time, but I try my damndest to. If I don't, I get raked over the coles for it!

[StrawberrySquash]

I think one of the awkward things with g/f is that some people are coeliac so cross contamination is an issue and others are just can't eat a bread roll, but crumbs are okay. So what's suitable for one isn't suitable for the other. Still think that menus should have a 'Can be made g/f, please talk to us' label/explanation.