AIBU to not choose a gluten free cafe for lunch if I’m not gluten free?

[TenuousTed]

This was prompted by a post I saw on social media where someone who has coeliac disease complained about overhearing someone say that they walked into a cafe and when they realised that it was gluten free, they left.

Personally I fail to see the problem with them choosing another cafe, though I appreciate that it’s not so good for the gluten free cafe owners.

I appreciate that I eat plenty of naturally gluten free dishes and some like tempura chicken, work well gluten free but if I’m looking for a sandwich and cake I wouldn’t actively choose gluten free bread and cakes because gluten free bread isn’t nearly so nice.

I am very happy that gluten free cafes exist for people with coeliac disease and gluten intolerance but if you have no such issues, is it really so unreasonable to choose to go elsewhere?

People can do what they want but I find walking in and out a bit weird. When I choose a cafe it's usually because I've either looked at the menu (often from outside the cafe) and liked the ambience so I'd give it a crack.

If you are not gluten intolerant then eating gluten free will not harm you. If you are gluten intolerant than gluten may cause unpleasant side effects.

Or are you concerned that as a gluten tolerant person you are taking the seat of a potential gluten intolerant person? I've never seen queues of gluten intolerant people being turned away as all seats taken, but there's a first for everyone.

If i walked in off the street, and realised it was gluten free, I'd leave, but no one would know that was why as I wouldn't have said anything, I'd just go and find somewhere else with edible bread.

How is this even a question?

It's like there's some sort of weird competition going on to start threads with blindingly obvious YABUs or YANBUs.

I've gone into cafés, had a look at the menu and left because I didn't fancy it. It might be because it's gluten free, (crap bread and cakes) or vegan when I want cheese, or too meat-heavy for a pescatarian.

There's nothing wrong with not fancying somewhere for lunch.

YANBU and I say this as a coeliac. Yes, lots of options for gluten free food and things have improved so much over the last couple of decades but to be honest GF bread is fine but it's not always the best.

What irritates me is when a cafe has one GF cake option and they lump it with the vegan and wacky variety. So, no I don't fancy a courgette cake when everyone is tucking into lemon/carrot/raspberry/almond option!

Lots of lovely GF bakeries popping up, whilst expensive, are great for us coeliacs.

If I walked into a cafe and on looking at the menu realised it was gluten free but serving sandwiches and cake I would leave because gluten free bread is not good, if they sold baked potatoes I’d happily order that though and no cake. I appreciate that some people cannot tolerate gluten (there are more than one reason) but I can so don’t want to eat bread and cake with all the additives required to make them act as if there was gluten in them. There’s a gluten free Indian restaurant near me that I quite often choose, but most dishes never contained gluten in the first place and the naan is made with chickpea flour

I am glad gluten free cafes are available for those that need to or prefer to eat g/f, or are simply happy to eat g/f .

I would not choose to eat g/f cake or bread unless it is a recipe that is actually intended to be g/f - there is a fantastic ground almond cake, for e.g that has no flour. Or meringue for e.g.

But most g/f bread and cake is not what I would choose to spend my money on. Ditto Vegan Cake when it is a vegan version of a cake that usually has butter and eggs. And I would avoid at all costs vegan cheese.

Great for those that enjoy these things - but some of us prefer the original.

What is the problem with that?

I've walked out of a vegan cafe when I went in for a cup of tea, not realising it was vegan. The staff were a bit shirty with me (I just went in and out and didnt mess them around) which ended up being an even better reason to leave.

A gluten free cafe seems oddly specific! Must be in a very high footfall place to get enough custom? Can't see it working in e.g. rural Lincolnshire . . .

@Jellycatrabbit 1 in 100 people have coeliac disease, although only around 36% of people have been diagnosed, but the rate of diagnosis is rising. So whilst it is slightly niche, it's not quite as niche as you think it is.

DS was diagnosed around 2 years ago and I've been really surprised at the number of people I've met who are either coeliac or have someone in their family who is.

@Dobbyismyabsolutefav completely agree, my teenage coeliac is not interested in those random GF options and would really just prefer that restaurants had a separate frier for chips and gluten coated chicken nuggets.

TBF, if I was just after tea then I would do the same. I don't like non-dairy milk in tea.
Not a problem with anything else vegan, although DM refuses to have vegan cakes out of some weird principle.

Missing the point somewhat but I don’t believe you found a cafe/cake shop that was totally gluten free.
There only about three in the country

There's a gluten free cafe in my nearest small town.

It's not even an upmarket part of the country but it's always heaving and it can be hard to get a table. It's popular with gluten free and non gluten free people alike. There are also several other cafe options in the town so it's definitely a choice.

And for the sceptic above me -here is the link

https://www.zenrebelyoga.co.uk/zenglutenfreecafe

As a vegan I feel exactly the same way! A pub near me has a vegan lasagne with GF pasta. I am tempted to try that particular thing, but why?

Same as the GF cake/pastries thing. They lump vegans and GF in together.

I don't know why people get it confused, too? I've had people say 'We'll go to this place, Quarterly can eat there It's GF, or tell me when they learn a new restaurant does GF pizza.

Also, no vegan wants a courgette cake.

I'd eat there if they sold naturally gluten free food like omelette or flapjack

I wouldn't eat gluten free bread because its not nice if you have a choice about these things.

My local GF cafe is amazing. Never had anything that isn't delicious. I'm not HF, but mum is. I probably wouldn't go there if i wasn't with her though.

We also have a GF coffee/cake takeaway van here. I did feel momentary pang of guilt when I bought the last 2 cheese things (can't remember what they were called) The other day. One for mum, one for me. But they had plenty of other things and usually sell out of these really fast so grabbed one whilst I could.

I'm coeliac and will walk out of places where nothing is gf, obviously, as I can't eat anything!

Like previous posters I wouldn't blame them if they were looking for cake/sandwiches and therefore decided to go elsewhere. If there's lots of naturally gf stuff on the menu it's a shame but comes down to personal preference.

If they made a huge show out of leaving as they didn't want gf, that's a bit unnecessary. It's annoying when people go on about how rubbish some gf food is, I know-I don't need to hear it and sometimes I do want a peice of cake!

As long as it's not GF bread then I'd eat there!

Walking out is just silly. But some people really are silly!

I didn’t find the cafe, only the discussion/debate on Facebook but according to the owner of the Coeliac group there are at least 99 entirely gluten free cafes/restaurants in the UK.

It is gluten free bread because it’s an entirely gluten free establishment.

It is harmless.
I have left cafes/restaurants after sitting and realising what looked like a good menu either wasn’t on closer inspection or the smells inside started to smell off.

I've done this, it was all cakes and pastries. Maybe if I was after a nice salad it would be fine.
Dd once ordered a lovely looking chocolate cake in a posh cafe. Tasted inedible. When I looked in counter on way out I noticed small symbols, gf and veg. 😵‍💫

If it tastes ok does it matter? I went to a vegan restaurant and I’m not even a vegetarian. The food was really good.

There are several fully gluten free places near me. They do exist and are useful for my gf visitors

It’s a question because it’s a discussion on a coeliac FB group. And the owner of said group seems very angry that someone decided to walk out because they didn’t want to eat gluten free food. And I was curious to know if it’d dissuade people who don’t have to avoid gluten.