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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should I tell a restaurant that I've had a dodgy belly after eating there?

29 replies

Wat2do222 · 02/05/2022 21:31

Just that really, ate at a very lovely seafood restaurant. Woke up middle of the night with horrendous stomach cramps followed by the day in bed or on the loo. Should I tell them?

OP posts:
Greensleeves · 02/05/2022 21:34

I would tell them, but it's unlikely they'll accept that their food has anything to do with it.

GoodJanetBadJanet · 02/05/2022 21:35

How do you prove that your dodgy tummy has anything to do with their food though?
Could be due to anything.

Rekorderlig88 · 02/05/2022 21:37

No it could be a virus picked up anywhere and coincidental.
If you were hospitalised or something with bad proven food poisoning then yes
Seafood is notorious for norovirus transmission.
Hop yyou are better soon

Unanananana · 02/05/2022 21:38

It would be impossible to prove. The hoops you would have to jump through to prove it was their food that made you ill are huge.

You might just have a virus or stomach bug.

chisanunian · 02/05/2022 21:39

There's always Environmental Health at your local council. You might not be the only one.

NickiWap · 02/05/2022 21:40

Unless you are hospitalised and can prove it was food poisoning I doubt they will care

bumpertobumper · 02/05/2022 21:41

If you just want to give them the heads up that it happened, let them know what you ate.
It is useful info for them to take steps to reduce chance of it happening again.
Eg if you and another customer both say you felt ill and had the mussels, they can get into their supplier etc.
It doesn't sound like you want any recompense from the op, so proving it isn't an issue.
I would let them know.

timbee2b · 02/05/2022 21:42

chisanunian · 02/05/2022 21:39

There's always Environmental Health at your local council. You might not be the only one.

Yep, tell Environmental Health

UmbilicusProfundus · 02/05/2022 21:43

Absolutely let them know. There is no onus to prove anything. Inform, not complain, and see what happens.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/05/2022 21:45

If it was Loch Fyne, speak to Environmental Health. Literally every single person I know who has eaten iour local one has been ill within 24hours of their visit.

Original poster
Wat2do222 · 02/05/2022 21:47

Thanks all, I don't want any thing from them as such just didn't know if you should advise them? It was a lovely meal (at the time!) I'm not one to post shitty reviews rather than actually speak to someone first. Partner also had a gurgling belly and toilet issues but seems ok now - I'm still gurgling and on the loo 30 hours later 😳

OP posts:
Original poster
Wat2do222 · 02/05/2022 21:48

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz not Loch Fyne but that sounds horrible!

OP posts:
blubberyboo · 02/05/2022 21:49

You need to drop a stool sample into GP and they’ll test for food poisoning bugs. If there is one present public health will ask you about everywhere you ate looking for links with other patrons.

this is the only way to approach it …ie with proof. Otherwise you are wasting your time and breath

Original poster
Wat2do222 · 02/05/2022 21:51

@bumpertobumper funnily enough it was mussles - 2nd time I have been ill from them but 1st was from shop bought cook at home style

OP posts:
Original poster
Wat2do222 · 02/05/2022 21:52

@blubberyboo good to know, if it carries on in to tomorrow I will defo consider it

OP posts:
Scuttlingherbert · 02/05/2022 21:52

There's often a much longer lag between eating and getting ill than people think. It can be easily be 1-2 days.

I had dinner with a friend and we both had mussels on the Monday. We both got food poisoning symptoms late on the Wednesday. We did tell the restaurant and they gave us a free dinner!

Original poster
Wat2do222 · 02/05/2022 21:54

@UmbilicusProfundus this was my thought, prob can't do much about it (bad batch etc)

OP posts:
Original poster
Wat2do222 · 02/05/2022 21:55

@Scuttlingherbert yeah not sure I will be running back there just yet😂

OP posts:
Harp1977 · 02/05/2022 21:58

My DMum gets symptoms like that after eating seafood, it was only when she went to hospital for surgery and she reacted to the iodine that we realised her dodgy tummy was actually a shellfish intolerance, we really used to think it was from eating dodgy fish

Original poster
Wat2do222 · 02/05/2022 22:06

@Harp1977 that's interesting - I did get ill from mussels before so I guess I should consider it

OP posts:
user1471453601 · 02/05/2022 22:07

I wouldnt. There is the world of difference between having a dodgy tummy and diagnosed food poisoning.

I've had dodgy tummys and I put it down to there being something in the meal that disagreed with me.

I've also had food poisoning. A totally different experience. And I believe it can be caught up to 48 hours before you experience a symptom. I think I know what caused mine, undercooked chicken,but I don't know.

given I was abroad, environmental health wasn't an option. So I waited to be tested until I got home.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 02/05/2022 22:10

most times I eat out I have an urgent loo trip not long after. Put it down to different food.

Clymene · 02/05/2022 22:11

I can't eat mussels. They make me ill. If this has happened to you twice in a row, I'd say it's much more likely you've developed a shellfish intolerance than anything else.

I'm fine with scallops and clams but oysters make me really really unwell

skodadoda · 02/05/2022 22:17

You should report this to environmental health and let them investigate

blitzen · 02/05/2022 22:53

I've been ill from mussels twice. I think there's a condition you can develop which is like a severe intolerance to them. I love eating them but won't risk it now. I'll see if I can find the name of it. Hope you feel better soon x