Cafe humiliation

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Took my DD (hardworking mum to my 2 DGC) for lunch in a very nice local cafe (pink tea pots, fresh roses on the tables) as a treat.
Lunch menu looked nice. We ordered and I asked if I could just check if my salad could be gluten free. At this the waitress asked if I was choosing or actually coeliac. I am in fact, coeliac and she said then informed me that I would need to sign something first. Honestly, I thought it was a joke but she came back with a large clipboard and an A4 sheet of paper and pen and asked me to have it signed by the time she returned; she was not going to take the order until this was done.
I sat staring at the paperwork wondering of this was for real. The paperwork was a disclaimer that if the cafe should inadvertantly slip me anything gluten laden then they would keep this piece of paper with my "consent" at the risks therein.
Several ladies having tea and lunches were staring at me and DD when the waitress came back; she was astonished that I hadn't signed their form yet. I just wanted to have a nice salad lunch with my daughter to treat her without having some jobsworth make me out to be some sort of liability to them. DD said it had sucked the good vibe right out and she was absolutely right.
So the waitress then asked why I wouldn't sign. I had to explain (calmly but upset) that I had hoped for kinder and far more inclusive customer service instead of singling me out and making me "other" whilst their diners looked on wondering why I was having to sign their paperwork before anyone was willing to serve us. She said, no, it's not like that - but I had to explain again that their paperwork was not to caring for the customer it was them covering their back against me if they were to make a mistake. Although I previously liked the cafe very much, DD and I left.
I'm a woman of the world and a solo traveller too. I have a happy go lucky nature but today...I really felt humiliated. AIBU?

Even wagamamas say they can’t guarantee that their gluten free meals are 100% gluten free on their website. I think it’s impossible unless a 100% gluten free kitchen.

Look, I can’t guarantee anything I make in my kitchen is gluten free. I won’t make my family go GF as my children still eat bread, biscuits m, cake and pasta, and a) I wouldn’t be able to afford to buy those gf versions (I dont eat them at all) and b) I wouldn’t subject them to the utter shit that is in gluten free processed foods.

I make them a sandwich next to food that I am preparing for myself. I have a different chopping board for me, never share utensils, have my own butter, cooking trays etc.

You just have to be careful. I have yearly bloods done for antibodies and my levels are all rock bottom each time, so I’m doing okay. I’ve never become ill at home.

Would I eat a friend or family member’s house? Never. Becuase being careful to me and dh is second nature now, swapping that chopping board anmd cutlery etc is second nature. I would trust anyone else to do it.

I have eaten at Wagamama. I’ve only eaten out a handful of times, I don’t tent to take the risk. But I feel safe there, I wasn’t going to eat, as usual, I usually just sit and not eat while eveyone else does. But the manager came over and showed me the separate area they prepare the food and went through what the chef does. It was better than in my kitchen, so I felt safe.

I have eaten at Wagamama...the manager came over and showed me the separate area they prepare the food and went through what the chef does. It was better than in my kitchen, so I felt safe.

Good to know.

Report it to trading standards. The cafe can't escape its duty of care by asking customers to sign a waiver, and ensuring they know what is in the food they are serving is very much part of that duty. Coeliac isn't like the more extreme nut allergies, you wouldn't go into anaphylactic shock because your salad had been on the same shelf as a loaf of bread, so making reasonable adjustments should be well within their scope.

The requirement to sign papers or go through extra steps can create barriers that are both unnecessary and exclusionary, particularly for individuals with autism or mental health challenges who may already face difficulties in such situations.
That is the point im getting across here

They should be insured against this, surely? I wouldn’t sign a disclaimer in a restaurant.

I would strive to cater to all dietary needs and conditions to ensure a safe and enjoyable dining experience for all the customers.
The menu would be carefully crafted to accommodate a variety of allergies, including gluten, dairy, nut, and soy allergies. I'd offer options for those with dietary restrictions such as vegan, vegetarian, and keto diets.
The kitchen staff would be trained in proper food handling and cross-contamination prevention to provide peace of mind for those with severe allergies.
Any specific dietary requirements or allergies, would be to let the friendly staff know and will do it's best to accommodate their needs.
The importance of transparency when it comes to food ingredients, so customers can feel free to ask for a list of allergens present in our dishes.

Tell me you don't understand severe allergies without telling me that you don't understand severe allergies.

You run a small cafe with a single kitchen. How would you actually ensure the food safety when a party orders the following three meals
1)vegan salad, which includes (amongst others) spinach, nuts and croutons
2) salad for gluten allergic person which includes chicken, spinach and nuts
3)salad for nuts allergic person which includes chicken, spinach and croutons

So you have actually done this yourself and know this is all actually possible? Really?

Have we clarified yet whether it is a 'disclaimer' or just a record that they have discussed your needs?

Surely that puts the customer in a better position to sue if they don't follow their own procedures.

I rhink Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 covers this. They can't contract out of liability for personal injury or death

I’m not sure I’d have felt humiliated (obviously you did though which is fair enough), it’s not like it’s an embarsssing thing to have an allergy or intolerance. I’d have been wary though, it feels like once you sign that, they don’t have to take quite as much care over what they give you and it’s on you if they do end up giving you something with gluten in. Good for you for leaving if that’s how it made you feel.

If you catered for everything, you’d have the smallest, blandest menu going!

Probably just salad leaves and water!

Check out the Coeliac society that lists restaurants that cater for gluten free and also have gluten food on the menu. For other allergies there must be similar information available.

Have you listened to yourself! It’s not discrimination you would need2 kitchens!

That's bonkers and I'm not sure it's even legal.

They have a legal obligation to provide information about allergens.

If they tell you something is gluten free, it had better not contain gluten.

If they can't tell you that something is not gluten free, you can't eat it.

There's no such thing as a halfway house where they get to pretend to be catering for you by telling you something is gluten free but escape any liability by making you sign a waiver so that if it actually turns out to be full of gluten it's your problem and not theirs. Would they do the same if it were peanuts? Because I'm not sure their silly piece of paper would hold any legal weight if someone dropped dead from anaphylactic shock on their premises.

I don't believe it has been, but it's an important distinction, one is simply clarifying that having had it explained to you that they cannot guarantee that the dish does not contain an allergen, you have chosen to order it anyway.

For example a place that only has one fryer and then someone wants something fried, but gluten free, and they have explained that the fryer is used for gluten products as well so there's a risk your food will have some cross contamination but you know that's fine for you, and tell them so, and they ask you to sign to show they've done their due diligence in telling you and you chose to order anyway.

I don't understand why anyone would take issue with that, unless of course they want to take the risk, but then want someone else to have the responsibility for it?

I've had people who have told me they need GF when our GF fryer is down and I have offered an alternative to the chips as cooking them in the other fryer will be cross contamination, for them to tell me that they're fine with that level but couldn't eat something else that comes on the dish and needs swapping for the GF version.

Customer knows their own allergy, who am I to tell them they're not allowed it? Isn't that bad customer service? Yet if they do decide to take the risk of the cross contamination, and I 'let' them, then I'm the one who takes the responsibility? Even having explained the risks?

Sorry if that's the case then I am not taking that risk and take poor customer service accusations over being sued!

YANBU. As soon as you enter an eating establishment you are pounced on and asked "have you any allergies". It's all performative shit obviously.

Really insightful post thank you

@Maverickess That sounds entirely sensible. You are right about individuals knowing their own needs.

I served a man today who wanted two sandwiches. One without butter as his friend was allergic to butter. I said I couldn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be traces of butter in other ingredients due to cross contamination and some flavoured chickens contain butter in the flavouring. He replied it’s ok he’s not really allergic he just doesn’t like butter!

Have you pixle. maybe you should