To think that sainsburys restuarant should substitute salad and garlic bread with chips if asked?

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

An example:

Beef Lasagne - choice of salad or chips (a few more items with salad or chips).
Spinach Cannelloni - salad and garlic bread.

I am not able to eat garlic, or rather, anything that smells of garlic as it makes me vomit (hyperemesis)

Sometimes, when I go to the restuarant for a bite to eat after shopping, I am allowed to order the cannelloni and substitute the salad and garlic bread, with just chips. So, not salad, no garlic bread, but chips.

The last time i went - this was refused. Head office rules. I was able to order chips, but would have to pay an additional £1 or however much the chips cost. Even though the salad would go untouched, and therefore be thrown out.

I called them today before going again to ask if I will be refused again, before embarrassing myself and them by asking and being refused. I was told that yes, they will substitute as I am pregnant.

AIBU to think that they should just substitute regardless of me being pregnant or not? Seeing as I am paying for it, and the options to choice one or the other are available on other very similar meal options?

eat elsewhere?

I am just popping out for said food and chips substitute, so please do not think I am being rude and ignoring if I do not reply for a while

of course I could do that! I am just wondering what people think on the whole substitutions of food situation for a meal bought in a restuarant.

I think it would be sensible of them to accommodate such a reasonable request, am not sure I would be in such a hurry to hand over money to people who don't value my custom enough to make straightforward substitutions.

Am sure a scoop of chips costs them no more or less than some garlic bread. YANBU.

I don't see any problem with substitution at all. It's not as if you're asking for something that doesn't appear on the menu at all.

lucky for them I had something that came with chips .

I agree, we are questioning whether we should bother, its not like we have to eat there, or the cuisine is special, its just convenient and its great for DD to be a terror run a little without getting into trouble with other customers. But we have said maybe we just might not bother in future.

mary thats what I said to DH, and its not like I am asking them to make my food without an item in which is unrealistic given that its pre-made, or to unpackage food already packed onto a plate.

I have no issues with this elsewhere, all other places, posh eateries and cheapo cafes alike have no issues with simple food requests.

YABU
Having worked in a place like this , the staff are not allowed to do it. Head office rules.
As ridiculous as it sounds I know a member of staff who was given a warning for doing something similar !

but sometimes I am 'allowed' and sometimes I am not allowed. Today I was 'allowed', or would have been if I had chosen that dish. Last time I was not. The time before I was 'allowed

And, I guess I am questioning the head office rules. I accept that people just do their jobs, that is what people are programmed to do, what they are told without question, risking a job is not worth bucking the trend fair enough. But what a stupid rule in the first place! I mean its not like they do not have the stock to cope with the fewer available chips for other customers!

You would be fecked here because the cannelloni would also have garlic in it and I can;t believe that theirs doesn't?

God just eat somewhere else - YOU ARE PREGNANT NOT ILL!

I have had this with Sainsburys and breakfast. Ds is egg allergic, but all their cooked breakfasts have egg. They will serve it without egg and charge me the same price as for the full meal, but if I want an additional item instead of the egg (eg a hash brown) then I have to pay extra. I think this is stupid and poor customer service, but underderstand that it is down to head office not the local staff.

To the person who said the OP is pregnant not ill -do you have any idea what hyperemesis is or is like? It is definitely ill!

Its not garlic I can't eat, its the smell of it. If its in the food and I can't smell it its fine.

That was my point Madam - that as a pregnant woman I should not get preferential treatment, that they should just do it anyway!

Why are you even bothering to give this place your custom and in effect begging to be 'allowed' to do something.
Madness!
If a place doesn't do exactly what I want when I am paying, I get up and find somewhere else.

grendle I thank you. I have controlled it mostly with medication, but for some reason garlic is a no-no, makes me phsyically vomit if I smell it. And sainsburys provides rather bland food - which is all I can eat

Moondog - you are right. You are absolutely right. And DH and I came to the same conculsion pretty much today as we sat there, thinking, what are we doing?!! We are indeed mad. And also DH loves their brunch as they use decent sausages and bacon as opposed to pink sausages found in greasy spoons

Fuck 'em.
That's my opinion.

what I don't understand is why they serve scampi with bread and chips WTF? I would like some peas or salad thanks, I don't need bread I already have my chips.

what i don't understand is why anyone would voluntarily eat in a sainsbury's.

pipsy - I would not even ask for the salad if I were you. You must have the bread and chips, even if you have no intention of eating them. End. Of.

I have told DH that I will cook him a nice brekky in future!

Indeed Expat.
If I ever found myself eating there by choice,I would have to go home and shoot myself.

I have sunk very low on many occasions but not as low as that.

Pavlov, get with it!

expat - bland food, ideal for my current situation, DD can run around and I do not worry about her making a noise, its convenient as the sainsbury's we go to is on the way out of town, so we usually go for a quick bite to fill a hole after shopping, DH likes a greasy fry up.

I agree, its not a gourmet meal

you are both right of course. Its not the best way to bring a child is it

i agree, moony.

i'd rather pack my own and go in there and just buy a pot of tea so at least i got something decent to eat.

because after you've done a shop with kids in tow, and you are thinking that by the time you get home, schlep the shopping from car to house, put it away, make the kids something to eat, it's probably easier/faster for them to have something in the cafe.

But am not very organized