People with complex food needs…..does this sound reasonable?

[Icannotbudget]

Posting as I witnessed something today which gave me pause- it a actually made me quite cross on behalf of the staff and other customers!
Was at a well known tourist location in uk run by a National organisation (charity). There was a lovely but small cafe on site.
A person behind me in q was discussing their dietary needs and complaining that she did not want the choices of gluten free sandwiches. She asked the staff what else GF they had ( fair enough) to which they got out the allergen sheet and tried to identify alternatives- she was so rude to them saying your offering is awful i want X food GF and most places would do that now ( not in my experience they don’t). Then she said don’t show me the allergen sheet I am disabled and cannot cope with it?). Man suggested no fewer than three fresh GF hot meals she said I do not eat beef/ chicken and don’t want soup! By this time about thirty people were in q behind and staff looked stressed and fed up.
surely it can’t be acceptable to be so rude and entitled?

@ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees that's great. But I'd hardly expect random small cafes to offer it as standard.

I don't expect a full menu. In fact we are sadly delighted with any options for our DS2 who cannot have milk.

Eating out at new places is a pain tbh.

@itsgettingweird I must admit I go to the same cafe an awful lot in Bath as the Italian owner guy caters specifically to GF (many non GF options too)

Amazing cakes, cheesecakes, cannoli , arancini, toasted panini, sandwiches, pancakes and fruit , stuff on toast , all GF and they are hot on separating out too

It's an absolute gem if you are local here andGF - very popular place.

This is the attitude that drives coeliacs mad!

It is not an intolerance or an allergy or a choice. It is a disease which for some, even the tiniest crumb of gluten can make them very ill for days. Ultimately the damage caused to their gut can result in cancer.

And no, vegan food is not the same.

I think some people don't realise how serious celiac disease is and lump it in with people who are .gluten free because it causes discomfort.

Some people have allergies, conditions or intolerances that make eating out - especially at places like an isolated, small cafe - difficult to impossible. My brother is one.

He brings food. He goes on self-catering holidays. It's just how it is. If he wants to eat well and eat something he likes, he brings it along. Sometimes this has meant pulling out a container of food at a cafe or restaurant and explaining the situation.

Is this fair? No. But he stays healthy and eats food he enjoys. He often avoids paying over the odds for bland rubbish, or going without entirely.

Not local but ds has trained at bath uni numerous times.

I'm adding that to my list - sounds fab!!!

@itsgettingweird it's called Rosarios - well worth a trip- I recommend the home made fig and apple oat slices and panelle (chick pea fritters) with ham and fried egg - all breakfast type stuff is also available all day. As you can imagine it has a lot of'regulars' -

I can’t eat sour dough either! It seems to be a pretty rare intolerance, so it’s hard to avoid sometimes

As a coeliac it can be frustrating trying to find gf food. Person was well within rights to ask for further options...but absolutely no excuse for rudeness. However my type 1 diabetic daughter can become irrational and argumentative when her blood sugars drop below a certain level. Some type 1s are also coeliac so there may have been other factors.

They should have taken her to one side and continued to serve others. Problem solved.

I am not coeliac (well don't test positive) but strangely post covid even the smallest amount gives me chronic neck pain and awful back of head migraines and a weak wobbly leg. It's like covid really screwed my nervous system and gluten now agitates it- absolutely bizzare but GP says she's heard of other similar cases and it's hugely on the rise in over50s - we had a chat about this and she did say it seems more common in people who had previously eaten a diet with a lot of gluten based carbs (sandwiches, pasta, pies etc) , hence why it was high in Italy and they were very hot on gluten free provision - as you say ref getting glutened --it isn't a bit of 'ooh thats unpleasant' - it genuinely for me causes me intense pain and feeling very very off for 3 or 4 days- but not gut issues in my case. Doctor says it's more likely what they call gluten ataxia.

I wouldn't be rude to staff but my heart sinks when they get out the allergen folder. It sign posts the food is bought in and I hate having to wade through all the information

Fair enough, but establishments really can't win. People want cheap, allergen safe (with separate prep areas etc), 'home made'... pick 2!
Also in this case, it's a tourist site, food isn't the focus. If she didn't want to wade through the info, she could've just had her choice of whatever was on offer!
As a PP said, even those without allergies sometimes don't fancy anything available.

Multiple allergies or requirements are the biggest issue, my friend was already vegan and was Diana's coeliac, gf and vegan can be hard to get in savoury food. She carries suitable energy bars and a banana at all times, and eats a lot of soup

@mitogoshi yep I really couldn't do that combo - I reckon I would have to dial it back to at least vegetarian or pescatarian etc

@Crikeyalmighty Where's that then? Sounds great.

@KTheGrey Rosarios (Bath) - I'm in most days- I've actually met other GF refugees in there and I have no affiliation with them by the way- lol

I have multiple food allergies and a close family member who has Coeliac Disease and I think the lady you describe behaved like a total diva - totally unrealistic.

When eating out I go for the simplest/safest food. I don’t expect to be catered for in the same way as someone with no allergies. I’m thankful that allergy labelling has become standard in recent years and many places don’t use nuts at all anymore. If in doubt I take my own food!

I have absolutely never ever seen a quiche on a GF menu. Batshit!

I had a GF DF quiche the other day and it was awful, even compared to some of the biscuit-textured GF pastry I had to endure 10 years ago. It’s a very specific food to expect at a small cafe imo. I think a selection of sandwiches plus four hot meals is actually a pretty decent amount of choice

Gluten free with diabetes and disabled.

cafe - I ask what do you have that is gf?

Very often that means max choice of 2 options… occasionally only 1 thing and if above 3 choices I feel like I’ve won the lottery!

I’m grateful that there is something I can eat - it’s easy enough to see what they have then make a choice…

it’s not always exciting choices but it means I can eat with my family. If I want an exciting gf meal I check in advance and pick the restaurant carefully - but I find you can usually find something to eat at most places.

if on a menu I see something I fancy that I know can easily be adjusted to make it safe for me - I’ll politely ask - e.g. Caesar salad - ask if they can do it with no croutons - or ask if I can have ham, egg and salad rather than chips (contamination in frier usually with gluten food)

I know that pastry / pasta / pizza dishes are unlikely to be suitable as so wheat based. You learn to pick food that is ‘safe’

it’s no one’s fault that I have eating difficulties and I always try to fit in and be polite. Most places are really accommodating and will try and find something that suits.

If in doubt I won’t eat there and will have a drink . I always carry snacks just in case.

there is no need to be rude to people who are trying to help you not take it out on them because you have a medical problem.

Do you know what celiac disease is? thank you for proving my point though. lots of ignorant people just don't get it.

My kids have severe milk allergy (break out in hives if they touch the stuff) and honestly - most places are fine. If they have stuff, great!! If they don't fill me with confidence, we just don't eat there.

They’re doing plenty, for the most part. They can’t cater to every single person’s whim.

And there’s never an excuse for rudeness.

My celiac friends - most of them won't eat out as they say they can't trust that places don't cross contaminate. They got tired of being unwell

I think very few places realise that gluten can be picked up just by touching another food or surface that isn't of prepared on it.