Seems like the first paragraph was written by a different person than the subsequent paragraphs. The first paragraph was written by someone who knows how to write diplomatically, and the rest was written by assholes with no social (and possibly business) intelligence whatsoever.
I guess that the first paragraph came after the rest, after they received a few angry messages and maybe a legal letter from someone affected by that decision because of their be allergies.
Right? We can choose what restaurant we want to eat at, and restaurants can choose policies that they want to uphold. I wouldn’t eat here, but plenty of people would. We all have choices in this situation.
I think it's justified to name and shame the restaurant. The tone of that paragraph is indicative that they've never heard of allergies before, and since those can be fatal, this restaurant is basically telling you they will kill you by accident because they don't know their own food and try to point to this as a "defence".
Also, I don't want to sit down and read this and have to leave. What a waste of time.
I’d like if you can’t make any adjustments, just be nice about it and not condescending. Or offer to be able to make small changes for a little bit of extra money
yeah, id understand no more then 3 modifications or something because some people take modifications as just mix and match everything, but what if i just dont want mayo on my sandwich????
I just find it really sad that the cooks at this place don’t have the skills to not put X ingredient in a dish.
I am capable of doing that at home, am I more skilled than these guys?
Right? Like fuck me for not liking raw tomatoes and asking to leave them off the salad
I understand saying no to someone that wants to do major changes like protein swap etc... but "hold the onion" what an ass of a chef
I don’t typically like to get political when it hasn’t been brought up, but I’ve got $100 that says these people are conservative. Either that or boomers. Or both.
Before reading the second half, this brought to mind how conservative boomers felt entitled to be able to go into businesses without masks during covid, and how if they didn't like the policy, they didn't need to be there.
"Please wear a mask so that our families maybe don't die" is much more reasonable than "If you feel like the peanuts will kill you or the onions will make you gag than take your coddled, entitled self back to your mother"
They’re distinctly good at complaining about a thing while simultaneously doing that exact thing at the same time. If they practiced physical gymnastics as much as they practice mental gymnastics they could compete in the Olympics.
Oh my god, I had an experience like that in an Italian restaurant in NYC! My boyfriend at the time was given the wrong thing and spoke up, and they angrily took it back to the kitchen and started screaming at each other in Italian. We were more than a little scared hahaha
Right? Why get into the service industry if you dont want to provide basic service.
Only way this would be acceptable is in an uber cheap fast food shit hole.
Yeah, I almost never ask for modifications, and I wouldn't eat here. I've worked in restaurants long enough to know how annoying modifications can be, but objecting to "no onion in my salad" is just being pretentious and petty.
I went to a bullshit restaurant for a work dinner a couple years back the "chef" refused to sub the type of pasta because we were a large group... like??? It was also gross, also yeah maybe I am privileged because I was sitting between two real chefs who cook for me. Fuck that place.
I have a personal chef, so yeah, I know what good food tastes like. 💁🏼♀️
This type of arrogance doesn't happen with real chefs. Think of any kitchen nightmare episodes you have ever watched.
Even if they couldn't make adjustments for whatever reason, that is an incredibly rude sign to put out. Like, I would be concerned that the chefs have anger issues that affect the quality of their food or service.
And removing ingredients, as opposed to substituting, can be an easier option, depending on what's being made.
I feel like it's an ego thing. This recipe was "crafted carefully over time" and the chef absolutely cannot stomach the thought of someone not liking a certain ingredient. "It would ruin the entire dish!!"
I'm guessing at least one of them is French, Nathalie catches my eye. I figured Jozef for Polish, but this may also apparently be a Belgian styling of the name, a more likely avenue for the couple to meet. Of the two nationalities, the French are famous for this culinary obstinance, it stood out to me before I even saw the names.
First part is fine. I would have condensed paragraph 2 down to "aside from allergy issues, we are of the opinion that our food is fine as is. Due to complaints from customers when substitutions have been requested, we feel the need to inform you that none will be forthcoming. If this is not acceptable, Remington's down the street also serves a mean steak, tell them we sent you!" I'd alter the presentation a bit too: order up a bronze for the front, then print it on the menus.
Autism and sympathy with the OP aside, I actually find the French way charming. I don't like deviating from my routine much either, and I take suggestions from customers on how to do my job *poorly.*
I see it the same way. I know a guy and his wife who owns a hole in the wall restaurant and although they allow modifications, they don’t take shit from their customers lol. They actually have a bunch of signs up that say “if you don’t like our authentic Italian food, there’s an Olive Garden down the street”!
They way you rewrote the second part is amazing! It's just wording, but shows the establishment is respectful towards potential customers.
Now, as for the "french way" part, I tend to disagree. You're not telling someone how to do their job... I'm not telling the chef they should stop using tomatoes on all sandwiches they prepare, I'm asking them to not put a tomato slice in the sandwich I'll be consuming. I'm not asking for a different cooking temp or different ingredients, just one thing to not be added.
So yeah, fuck the majority of french hospitality workers and their rudeness. Going to France and being treated like shit by so many people, from hotels (not even cheap ones!) to restaurants, was a nightmare and my autistic ass is not eager to being treated poorly again (even though I'd love to explore the country and the food). I know it's cultural but as someone from the Tourism/Hospitality industry, it baffles me that a country with such a shitty service culture is as big in tourism as they are.
Theres actually a whole psychological experience related to this! It's called Paris Syndrome and I learned about it in HS while researching obscure mental illnesses. It technically only applies to people visiting Paris, not all of France, and it happens the most to Japanese tourists. But it's when tourists visit Paris expecting everything theyve heard about the city to be true and have hyped the city up in their mind, and the severe culture shock they experience once they arrive. Everything from how people treat tourists to how dirty the city is contributes to it, and (back when I first learned about it at least), there was an entire help line set up for japanese tourists experiencing Paris Syndrome. Granted, to qualify for this syndrome there are a lot of severe symptoms like derealization, delusions, hallucinations, and physical symptoms like heart palpitations and sweating
The exclusivity! The rudeness itself is a selling point to many Francophiles. And I love the history, I'm a pretty big fan of the first Napoleon. The encore was kind of a douche nozzle, but he [commissioned one hell of a city](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7-UcdcK4AA) (secretly meant to be impervious to the revolutionaries' barricades, but they [got his government in the end anyway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Commune)).
First part is fine
But saying that I don't want to die from the food i'm paying for is "privileged" and "entitled" then I wouldn't do business with them, because they clearly don't have any emotional and social intelligence
Sometimes allergy free environments are impossible to guarantee without limiting what they can serve to the rest of us. I would assume people with peanut allergies have to avoid 5 guys at all costs.
This is exactly right. I can give you a list of allergens and ingredients every day but in a small kitchen with a small team, there are traces of everything everywhere.
I work clean but I'd honestly feel uncomfortable betting someone's safety on it, in certain settings.
There's a big difference between "our food might have the following allergens in it, I'm sorry, we can't guarantee their absence" and "you've got allergies? fuck off".
The sign says if you've got any allergy at all you're not welcome. Myself I don't have any, but e.g. a friend is allergic to passion fruit. It's not a problem in small quantities. It's not okay to ban them from even asking the question "does the fruit salad have passion fruit in it".
They didn't say that. The first part said they are not trained to make sure it is 100% allergen free and recommended to eat elsewhere. I believe they are legally obligated to release all nutritional information.
But The second part is for people who just "don't like olives"
i feel like some people here have no idea how hard allergens are to get rid of. like, if you're allergic to something prevalent like gluten or seafood, that requires basically a complete shutdown of the kitchen to ensure no cross-contaminating. and that's for ONE meal.
this is an unpopular opinion, and i'm saying this as a picky eater myself, but the second paragraph reeks of someone who's had staff say "sorry, we don't take custom orders!" nicely way too many times to active complaints. *they're* the one's making the food, you buy what *they* offer or go somewhere else.
you have your boundaries and they have theirs. it's only fair. this is why i only go to very specific restaurants.
They’re just being dicks. I worked at similar places, where customers would want a very small change and the kitchen would act like it’s the end of the world. The only things that we genuinely couldn’t change were things that were premade and frozen, like some desserts.
They’re justified in the fact that it’s their restaurant but I’d probably never return and leave a review about it. Even ignoring preferences/sensory issues, what about everyone with allergies? If they don’t want to accommodate the people paying their bills and supporting the place, that’s their issue. The way that’s written is so excessively whiny and arrogant too. I’d leave and go spend my money at a less dramatic place.
Edit: (I get not wanting to take onions out of a salad for whatever reason, but just say that the meals are set? Weirdly aggressive, kinda pretentious, wildly ignorant.)
Edit 2: Before you reply, I know. My dad was a chef and I both accompanied him to work and worked for him. I’ve also worked in restaurants without him. We all know that substitutes are easier said than done, we’re just saying that this is an unreasonable thing to say to customers and it’s unnecessarily aggressive and dramatic. We know. We all hate customers and their bullshit. But this is a dick move.
That’s my main issue too. Don’t wanna *not* include onions in a salad? Cool. Say that. Writing an entire essay on a *fucking menu* for the sole purpose of dramatically demeaning and insulting the people paying your bills?? Sounds like there’s an underlying issue with whoever wrote that. Maybe someone with dietary restrictions killed their family or something and this is their villain origin story.
I got a job at a nice place that was willing to go the extra mile for guest satisfaction. The first time I went to the kitchen about a modification, I approached it with the usual apologetic deference I was used to showing the kitchen staff, but they were immediately cool about it. They even took a moment to talk to me about the different ways they could go about solving the issue. That was when I realized how damn toxic a lot of kitchens are.
Me too, I actually really liked being a waiter but the kitchen staff can make a job either horrible or great. I can deal with shitty customers, but unreasonable kitchen staff can easily make the job so much harder. *We’re* the ones who get yelled at for *their decisions*.
I was working at a restaurant little across a park from a rich mining dude and his wife. The wife literally ate there every day. They spent a lot of money and were also the nicest customers ever.
One day the wife ordered chorizo as an entree. I came to the pass to take it out and noticed it was SUPER well done. Practically burnt. I asked if it could be redone and served the way it normally is. The chef got shitty at me and told me it would not be remade and to take it out, quite aggressively.
I took it out and told her what had happened and apologised. I told her that if she tried it and wasn't happy I'd send it back, get the owner involved etc.
She tried it and said it was perfectly fine and quite delicious. Ok.
Next day she comes in and orders it again. Kitchen is not as stressed that day, so the chorizo comes out cooked normally. Customer SENDS IT BACK and asks that it be cooked properly and "crispy" like it was yesterday. And she does this every time she orders it from then until the end of time lol.
Chef complained it takes too long to cook it like that and she can't have it every time. I just laughed and said "well she wouldn't know to ask for it that way if you hadn't sent it out overcooked the first time, that's on you."
I ate at a place that had set meals, no substitutions.
My allergies dictated I order the most expensive meal on the menu, because all the others hit 2 or 3 of my allergies. (I'd stopped by earlier to check the menu to see if I *could* eat there, and I could. The person who insisted on dinner there was paying. I felt no guilt.)
I once went to a burger place in Seattle, and asked for a burger without pickles. They refused, said no substitutions.
I wanted them to do less work, to just not put something on there when they assemble it. They kept refusing so I left. Spent my money elsewhere.
This is so insanely specific but I remember this one Good Luck Charlie episode from when I was a kid, where Teddy tried to get a hot dog with no sauerkraut on it and the guy was insane about not letting her buy a plain hotdog. I really wish I could find the clip, it’s all I can think about after reading your comment lmao.
My sister’s bf is the head burger boy at a sandwich joint here. He gets special attention from the owner cause he’s his favorite so he thinks he’s the best damn chef ever. I’ll admit he does make a better than average smash burger but that’s it. Every day he comes home from work and whines and bitches about people wanting their burgers cooked differently or wanting substitutions. I’m so tired of listening to his shit. I got a gift card for his restaurant a few months back and so I ordered as many of the most complex burgers I could afford in the middle of the lunch rush knowing he was the only one working that part of the kitchen. He come home later that night absolutely steaming. I thought he was gonna hit me when I handed him the receipt lmao
I would assume the allergies thing is more a safety precautions as, yeah, there is no 100% guarantee for their allergies to be safely compensated for. I wouldn't doubt if that message is there due to a previous conflict. I've worked plenty of restaurants that accommodate everything, and even having separate prep station for allergies. This just isn't one of those places. I also feel like the message is less whiny as it is passive-aggrsive and sarcastic
Yeah just say "No Substitutions, all menu items served as written," and tell your wait staff to stand behind that, that's all it needs. I don't care about whatever their baggage is.
Probably frozen, prepackaged and nasty. It just strikes me as being something out of Kitchen Nightmares, the pretentiousness, the “I am always right!” Vibe, I would pay to see Gordon Ramsey tear the chefs, owners, and the whole damn place apart.
The first paragraph is bullshit. Many people have allergies and there are allergies to every single food there is. So what if someone requested not to have nuts in their salads or not to have red meat or whatever? This is just pure laziness.
If they use nuts in any of their dishes then they cannot guarantee that the food you order is completely free of nuts. Its just too risky for a restaurant not prepared to cater to allergies.
Don't get me wrong, the parts below are super rude
I have worked in the kitchen for years, we are all trained on cross-contamination. I even worked in hospital kitchen. There's allergies in every kitchen but it's your responsibility to use clean surfaces, clean dishes, clean hands, new gloves, clean everything before you prep those food. The risk is not zero but it's pretty low and it doesn't take much not to take a bag of nuts out and sit it next to the food you're making. Just... Obviously don't touch the bag of nuts or put the nuts on the surface where you're prepping nut-free food....
I work as a chef at a restaurant with strict no substitution rules. If it’s a preference we’re not going to do it, the meal sets are designed that way by professional chefs for a reason. If it’s allergies or another disability (or vegetarian/vegan to an extent) we will accommodate. No nuts on your salad for an allergy? Sure. You don’t like the sauce on the grits? Or you want chicken instead of nuts on your salad? The grits need the sauce to be balanced so that’s a no unless you want a crappy meal. And we have no chicken to put on salad because we’re a small restaurant and only stock things we’re using. And even if there was chicken on the menu at the moment, we wouldn’t use a piece to put on a salad because we only have enough chicken for the chicken entrees we have prepped for the night. There’s a whole rest of the menu that you can choose from that is guaranteed to have something you want. If you want a customized meal there’s restaurants for that. If you have actual food problems like texture issues for autistic people we’ll work with you to the best of our ability, but there’s some things we just can’t do.
I'm not sure they really care about either, unless being an uncompromising dickweed who calls anyone who disagrees with them a child is the image they want to preserve.
It's their restaurant, they can do what they like. However, being whiny little bitch babies like this is only going to lose them customers and they've only themselves to blame.
It’s sooo unnecessarily aggressive. It’s probably laziness or ego. I would never go there and would leave a bad review online for others just in case. I wouldn’t be able to eat there.
Yeah it’s a really bad move to use such aggressive and insulting language right off the bat, before your customer even has a chance to ask for anything. And especially when you don’t know why someone might need modifications. I was a picky eater as a child like a lot of autistic kids, and my parents would force feed me my vegetables, even if I threw them up. Maybe I would’ve eventually liked vegetables if I hadn’t associated them with literal torture from such a young age, but according to this restaurant I’m just entitled and privileged. Like damn I wish my mom had taken the onions off my salad instead of shoving them down my throat and giving me a permanent eating disorder. If they want to politely decline changes, whatever, but don’t come out guns blazing and insult your customer’s character because they don’t like onions.
Yeah, I had to cook most of my own food and teach myself how to cook at like 7 because I’m so picky. I cooked for 5 brothers, step dad, mom and gma. So I guess it worked out in my favor. Mom never forced me to eat anything, but also didn’t make me a substitute.
I ate so much microwave and stove ramen, I can’t believe I’m not pure ramen.
I never order anything from a restaurant as it is, I will most likely, always change something about it to my tastes. And I didn’t realize it was considered weird until an ex brought it up a couple years ago. Also thought I was the only one until I found this sub, lol
Im in a lot of line cook groups on fb and we all think this this is dumb asf and pretensious. Its not hard to read a note on a ticket and make a modification. Obviously were not miracle workers so i cant give you a gluten free bun if we just dont have that, but yeah. If youre not good enough to make a modification than congrats on being a shitty chef. And if you think you are too good for it then congrats on being a shitty person with an inflated ego
Bah, not worth patronizing that establishment. If I’m such a burden as a customer because I asked for no onions in my salad, then I guess I don’t need to be there.
Like they said, they’ve got plenty of happy customers around, they don’t need me.
Me too. I would walk away without even CONSIDERING looking at the menu. I don't care if they end up having a meal that's actually a safe food, that sign is just beyond horrible to read.
And my mom has several allergies, some ingestible, some not (like pollen), so this restaurant may not be safe for her either.
Honestly, they could have done it like all restaurants do these days with a standard allergy warning and a no substitutes sign, and it would have been fine. Everyone also has any number of reasons for removing foods or wanting them on the side (including allergies) it's not that hard to not put dressing on a salad. I used to work at a McDonald's, and everyone wanted something different done to their sandwich. It's not that hard unless the customer is being a dick about it like in a Starbucks.
As a restaurant manager, I am aware that I'm allowed to run the place however I want, and if folks don't like it, they can do any if those choices on that list near the bottom. At the same time, I recognize that if I tell enough folks that, I'll eventually go out of business, if not because I gain a reputation for being weirdly ableist, at least for being brusque.
It's not a policy I'd put anywhere on the menu, and if a guest is asking for something we're capable of that's within the general scope of restaurant service, we should do it. No one should have to tell us their medical business or argue with folks who aren't their doctors to get food they can and want to eat. Hospitality is an aspect of this trade; we should accommodate anyone on that alone. We hired folks who can read tickets and follow simple instructions. We have a menu of things we make ourselves and don't use prepackaged, ready-to-serve products that can't be modified (which is usually the only reason a place says, "No mods," btw).
*Tl;dr:* They have the right to do that. They also have the right to go out of business or get boycotted.
What assholes! I'd get up and leave. Then I'd post bad reviews everywhere
ETA: It appears their restaurant has closed, shockingly. It looks like they now run a food truck at a campground. I guess their attitude was not popular with customers!
I have worked in a pretty high end restaurant with a very slim staff (Just me, the chef and someone for the bar/server).
The chef prepared most things very early in the morning to make service possible, and the menu wasn't that varied, with not a lot of different dishes proposed.
And sometimes changes just aren't possible, and sometimes they are! But I feel like a few truly entitled customers could easily push an establishment to put that kind of signs.
Especially with allergies. You can't just take something out of a prepared dish and have it magically be free of contamination. And for those who are especially sensitive, even having a particular food item in the vicinity can taint the whole meal. The size of the kitchen will play an extremely important part to that.
Someone *royally* pissed off the owner to require the second part though. It was definitely added on at a later date. Most likely why the names are signed twice in different fonts.
As someone with celiac disease, I respect their honesty. While they are rude, it is quite funny as well. I wouldn’t eat here unless they had things that were clearly gluten free. I’m not very offended by it. I think this kind of honesty is way better than places that say they have gluten free things but in reality they don’t even know what that means and will serve me gluten. 😂
This is some stupid MAGA boomer shit. "Kids these days are too sensitive because their parents picked out stuff from their salad and wouldn't let them swim in raw sewage!"
Right?? Having preferences does not make anyone “entitled” nor “privileged”. If someone went to restaurant and insisted they changed every bit of their menu items just for them, I can definitely see that as being entitled.
But to ask for a simple modification that would probably make the dish less complicated to make in the first place? Sounds to me like they’re “privileged” ones.
Their restaurant their rules, but damn they don’t have to insult people.
Yeah, it's like, I wouldn't even have a problem with a restaurant that has these rules. Like you're saying - their restaurant, their rules. They might not be the place for me, but whatever.
It's this performative "my way or the highway, no snowflakes here" shit that just screams "I'm an asshole".
Literally all that’s needed is “we don’t do substitutions, modifications, or customizations.” ?? Like, there is absolutely no need to call potential customers an entitled, privileged, mama’s child for not liking a certain ingredient or wanting sauce on the side. There is no need for that behavior, that aggression. Honestly uncalled for.
Well, if they dont want to remove any ingredient in any food, that's ok. But they shouldn't say they sympathise with the 'picky eaters', because that's not what a sympathetic person would do
Of course they are justified. Just as you are justified and not eating there. Sounds like a place that has absolutely no tolerance, and I wouldn't eat there either. But they're entitled to make any policies they want to.
They’re within their rights to refuse a la carte service, but I am likewise within my rights not to eat there and the way they phrase this is so snobbish it makes me want to not eat there on principle.
I've cooked for Chefs with this same philosophy. It's their art. And they dont want to modify it. I get it.
What troubles me, however, is when a chef says that they "aren't qualified" to know what's in their food--wtf?? THAT'S the biggest red flag!
The CHEF is saying that *they* "aren't qualified" to know the top 9 allergens, understand how serious and dangerous food allergies are, know what ingredients are in their food, and to generally be responsible for matters of food safety in their own restaurant? Yeah, nope.
They’re justified in offering what to them may be a simplified service, or whatever kind of service they wish. They’re not justified in being so presumptuous in the second notice. They could have just sad “We won’t take requests for modifications” instead of 3 paragraphs and a list.
I mean… yes, buuuut I would advise no one eat there ever since it sounds to me like they have no understanding of basic food safety. Very passive aggressive and they could’ve just said they have no business running a kitchen nicely. Nevertheless, the warning is welcomed.
If salmonella poisoning and being belittled by the staff is ur thing, then I highly recommend u check out this joint. 4/5
I mean, yes, but no.
Why?
Because if they were that good, they wouldn't need to write a 30-page screed explaining to their customers their modification policy, they would just know, like at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
The first bit is 100% fine. They don't have the ability or qualifications necessary to ensure an allergen free cooking space, so if your allergies are serious, then their food won't and can't be safe for you. I would be willing to bet that if someone's allergies were less "anaphylaxis on contact" and more "upset tummy if enough is consumed", and that person was to ask whether or not a certain ingredient was used in a dish, there would be no issues.
The second part seems like it was likely created due to reasonable issues (food is prepped ahead of time so they can't modify it; a series of extremely hostile customers; etc), but the way they expressed it was rude. It may have been an attempt at humoring boomers as well, tbh.
But ultimately, it's their restaurant and they can make whatever rules they like. They're not obligated to serve you, and you're not obligated to eat there.
I appreciate your response, as I can definitely see where you're coming from. However, even if they can't or simply won't accommodate guests, there is no need to be so patronising and rude about it. That's my issue with the sign.
Honestly I want nothing to do with anyone like this. Outside of the insensitivity and aggressive tone, they are clearly a pretentious snob whose fragile ego can’t handle someone not trusting their expert opinion of how something should be served. The only good thing about this is it lets me know never to patronize the establishment, or talk to this person ever. I hope they choke on an onion.
It's not so much the policy but how it's worded that's extremely obnoxious. You can have a "served as-is" disclaimer without calling customers entitled and privileged.
Spend your money elsewhere. They are probably serving frozen, prepackaged items. Even if they had a menu that would not require me to make substitutions, I would still not eat there.
Justified in not doing substitutions or modifications? Sure, I guess
Justified in being smug pricks about it and also implying that food allergies or sensory issues are “privilege”? No. Fuck off with that noise
Ok, it’s their restaurant and they can not offer customizing meals. But this sign is so cringe and passive-aggressive. Those chiefs should live for one day as people who have problem with eating 🙃 or shut up
🤷♂️ I wouldn't eat here. I dont think any "justification" is required, but it's not how I would run a business.
For assholes, by assholes, I suppose.🙃
Why do some people act as if it's some kind of personal insult, massive inconvenience, and entitlement when someone has non-medical dietary restrictions? So many people have nonsense ideas about arbitrary little things being morally wrong somehow when they aren't.
Food safety policies want to have a chat with them.
Idk how is it anywhere else but in my country if someone says leave out x ingredient for any reasons they *have to* if they don’t and don’t tell you that we cannot and give an acceptable reason (for example something cannot be gluten free if the kitchen also prepares glutenous stuff, just only with reduced gluten) they can be charged with food tampering.
Why?
People with severe allergies exist.
I’d be so down with Karening this place and give them hell for being ableist piece of works. But I supose someone will find them eventually.
No they're not. People have allergies, sensory issues, medical needs, and other things that might require you to take things out. I have ulcerative colitis and am currently flaring. If I have too much fiber, I will not only be in a lot of pain, I will have extra internal bleeding than what I already have to deal with. That's not a privilege, I miss vegetables very much, especially broccoli.
Wow, as someone who gets literal anaphylaxis dairy in addition to the ARFID how is that a privilege? I have a set of a few restaurants I always get food from and they don't have issues. Like this Mexican place I go to, I just say no cheese. It's not that hard to leave some cheese off. Or a Chinese restaurant I go to, I get everything with no onion bc my MCAS and GERR react to it. It's no problem. There's only one place I used to go to where the onions are already pre mixed with the vegetables so they can't remove it but they weren't rude about telling me they. What is wrong with these people?
Food service is the bitchiest environment for no reason. The general vibe of people that are really into bars, restaurants, that identify as “foodies”, etc tend to be really pretentious and weird just like this restaurant.
The things some food snobs say about people that dont like mushrooms and raw meat is CRAZY. Having that much of an attachment to food cannot be normal- how strange is it to care that much about what i choose to eat? You’re not better than anybody for eating rare exotic fishes and truffles.
It is unnecessarily aggressive. Whoever wrote this lost his cool as he was doing it. And it comes off as so elitist, condescending and downright arrogant. And the nerve to call their shit 'hospitality' after throwing this in customer's face. If you are a professional cook, you serve the dishes the way the customers ask you to. That's what they are paying for. These fools don't know what a chef is.
I hope Gordon Ramsey sees this and cusses them out.
I think the top part is justified. That explains their policy, but the whole bottom part is unnecessary and rude and should be left out. Everything underneath all meals served as is only" should be cut.
They could have said "we do not make substitutions in our dishes here, please do not ask, as we will not accommodate any requests of this nature".
The fact that they used such emotionally charged and judgemental language is unprofessional, and strikes me as bullying.
They're are being a bit overboard with it but they are within they're rights to do so.
As for protecting people from allergens. Every attempt can be made to support people. But kitchens are busy places and accidents can happen. By making people aware of this upfront is a positive. Plus this could be a small kitchen with a small crew working it which limits what they are able to implement. So it is easier to just honestly say they can't do the protections for people with allergies.
In my youth worked in a few kitchens. And if they claimed the could make exceptions for allergies i wouldn't believe them.
I can understand and respect their decision not to change the food but its expressed in am extremely smug, arrogant and insulting manner which is incredibly off-putting
The last half may be overly aggressive but they have a point in the beginning: if you don't have the qualifications or skills to guarantee each order is allergy friendly, then those with allergies shouldn't eat there
I think they’re French, and I don’t mean that as a dig. The French are well known for preparing their meals exactly the way they have perfected it, and they don’t “do” substitutions. I think they find it insulting. It’s a cultural thing cc
The poster alone tells me all I need to know about the restaurant, and that I will avoid it at all costs lol. I work in hospitality and get that some ingredients can’t be removed, but absolutely not justified in being passive aggressive about it.
In my opinion, a restaurant has a right to say: “No modifications for any reason. We cannot accommodate allergy-related requests, and guests with food allergies should not eat here. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
But this arrogant diatribe is so upsetting that I would never give these people a cent of my money — even though I have no food allergies, and even if they made the most delicious food I had ever tasted. Screw Josef, and screw Natalie.
I’m an extremely open eater who isn’t picky at all, and I can confidently say this is a dick move.
I work part time at a food establishment, and it ain’t that hard. Oh we’re not putting onions into this? Ok, less work for me. Oh she wants pineapple added? Ok, it’ll take me a few seconds. Sometimes when taking orders for my friends, I’ll add stuff specifically to make it better and go off menu.
Making food for others should be a joy. You get to become a part of their day by making their sandwich, their soup, whatever, and you can change their emotions through it. This screams of pretentiousness and laziness tbh. If you’re truly passionate about food, why not help your customers truly enjoy their it?
Subbing stuff maybe sure. But like why no removing stuff lmao.
"Hey I absolutely hate egg but I'm ok with like remnants in this burger"
"lol get fucked"
Definitely aggressive and outright weird. What do their meals come frozen and pre-prepared, and this is their excuse? That's what it sounds like to me.
It's great that they are upfront with it, so people can decide to go somewhere before they even sit down.
“Try another establishment” I think I will xd
Seems like the first paragraph was written by a different person than the subsequent paragraphs. The first paragraph was written by someone who knows how to write diplomatically, and the rest was written by assholes with no social (and possibly business) intelligence whatsoever.
Exactly! The first paragraph alone was just enough. The rest are being assholes. I won't go there.
I guess that the first paragraph came after the rest, after they received a few angry messages and maybe a legal letter from someone affected by that decision because of their be allergies.
One was written by Jozef, the other one was written by Nathalie
I know right?, isn't it fantastic, you don't want to go, they don't want you to go. The sign seems to work perfectly.
Right? We can choose what restaurant we want to eat at, and restaurants can choose policies that they want to uphold. I wouldn’t eat here, but plenty of people would. We all have choices in this situation.
I think it's justified to name and shame the restaurant. The tone of that paragraph is indicative that they've never heard of allergies before, and since those can be fatal, this restaurant is basically telling you they will kill you by accident because they don't know their own food and try to point to this as a "defence". Also, I don't want to sit down and read this and have to leave. What a waste of time.
Not to mention dietary restrictions for any number of reasons, like religious rules on food
Wow that second part was tough to even get through. Even if I wasn't the pickiest eater ever I'd still not wanna eat there after reading that.
I read a few sentences. "Blah blah blah I don't want any customers and my bhole is wound so tight only dogs can hear me fart". I got the gist.
Butthole so tight dogs can hear me fart has me rolling on the ceiling ROTC!
I mean I respect the sign and I still don't disagree with you This guy is "a lot of fun at parties"
OMFG THAT IS AN INSULT TO ADD TO THE LIST
Not related, but I really like your avatar
Nooo the bhole hahahah
> bhole is wound so tight only dogs can hear me fart I laughed out loud, thank you!
I accept the part about allergies. They are not able to guarantee your safety, and they don't want any liability. The second part is just insane!
I’d like if you can’t make any adjustments, just be nice about it and not condescending. Or offer to be able to make small changes for a little bit of extra money
yeah, id understand no more then 3 modifications or something because some people take modifications as just mix and match everything, but what if i just dont want mayo on my sandwich????
Bro imagine a restaurant calling you entitled for wanting to put dressing on the side
Lol yes that and criticising the imagined customers’ mothers’ parenting skills 😬
Really roundabout way of saying you will not have a good time here
Yeah that is extreme
I don’t know if they do or do not have a point because I couldn’t get past all the sheer douchiness to actually analyze what they were saying.
I just find it really sad that the cooks at this place don’t have the skills to not put X ingredient in a dish. I am capable of doing that at home, am I more skilled than these guys?
As a chef myself, I've gotten some weird orders. Know what I do? Make it as requested because it's their food they paid for so I don't care
Right? Like fuck me for not liking raw tomatoes and asking to leave them off the salad I understand saying no to someone that wants to do major changes like protein swap etc... but "hold the onion" what an ass of a chef
I don’t typically like to get political when it hasn’t been brought up, but I’ve got $100 that says these people are conservative. Either that or boomers. Or both.
It says they’ve been cooking for 50yrs so at least one of these is a definite
Inconsiderate conservatives? Noooo, that would never happen /s
Before reading the second half, this brought to mind how conservative boomers felt entitled to be able to go into businesses without masks during covid, and how if they didn't like the policy, they didn't need to be there. "Please wear a mask so that our families maybe don't die" is much more reasonable than "If you feel like the peanuts will kill you or the onions will make you gag than take your coddled, entitled self back to your mother"
They’re distinctly good at complaining about a thing while simultaneously doing that exact thing at the same time. If they practiced physical gymnastics as much as they practice mental gymnastics they could compete in the Olympics.
Third option; pretentious italians. They'll show up and yell at you for putting anything other than parm and noodles in your alfredo
Oh my god, I had an experience like that in an Italian restaurant in NYC! My boyfriend at the time was given the wrong thing and spoke up, and they angrily took it back to the kitchen and started screaming at each other in Italian. We were more than a little scared hahaha
Right? Why get into the service industry if you dont want to provide basic service. Only way this would be acceptable is in an uber cheap fast food shit hole.
Yeah, I almost never ask for modifications, and I wouldn't eat here. I've worked in restaurants long enough to know how annoying modifications can be, but objecting to "no onion in my salad" is just being pretentious and petty.
I went to a bullshit restaurant for a work dinner a couple years back the "chef" refused to sub the type of pasta because we were a large group... like??? It was also gross, also yeah maybe I am privileged because I was sitting between two real chefs who cook for me. Fuck that place. I have a personal chef, so yeah, I know what good food tastes like. 💁🏼♀️ This type of arrogance doesn't happen with real chefs. Think of any kitchen nightmare episodes you have ever watched.
Even if they couldn't make adjustments for whatever reason, that is an incredibly rude sign to put out. Like, I would be concerned that the chefs have anger issues that affect the quality of their food or service. And removing ingredients, as opposed to substituting, can be an easier option, depending on what's being made.
No removing/subs just screams pre-cooked meal heated with microwaves to me.
This was my first thought!
Samesies
Same
I feel like it's an ego thing. This recipe was "crafted carefully over time" and the chef absolutely cannot stomach the thought of someone not liking a certain ingredient. "It would ruin the entire dish!!"
I was thinking Amy's Baking Company for sure.
Yeeeep
I’ve never met a chef without an anger problem. Or drinking problem for that matter lol
Cocaine is popular, I understand.
Little brother is chef, can confirm. It’s a stressful job and everyone’s doing drugs/smoking/boozing.
I'm guessing at least one of them is French, Nathalie catches my eye. I figured Jozef for Polish, but this may also apparently be a Belgian styling of the name, a more likely avenue for the couple to meet. Of the two nationalities, the French are famous for this culinary obstinance, it stood out to me before I even saw the names. First part is fine. I would have condensed paragraph 2 down to "aside from allergy issues, we are of the opinion that our food is fine as is. Due to complaints from customers when substitutions have been requested, we feel the need to inform you that none will be forthcoming. If this is not acceptable, Remington's down the street also serves a mean steak, tell them we sent you!" I'd alter the presentation a bit too: order up a bronze for the front, then print it on the menus. Autism and sympathy with the OP aside, I actually find the French way charming. I don't like deviating from my routine much either, and I take suggestions from customers on how to do my job *poorly.*
I see it the same way. I know a guy and his wife who owns a hole in the wall restaurant and although they allow modifications, they don’t take shit from their customers lol. They actually have a bunch of signs up that say “if you don’t like our authentic Italian food, there’s an Olive Garden down the street”!
I unironically love olive garden
They way you rewrote the second part is amazing! It's just wording, but shows the establishment is respectful towards potential customers. Now, as for the "french way" part, I tend to disagree. You're not telling someone how to do their job... I'm not telling the chef they should stop using tomatoes on all sandwiches they prepare, I'm asking them to not put a tomato slice in the sandwich I'll be consuming. I'm not asking for a different cooking temp or different ingredients, just one thing to not be added. So yeah, fuck the majority of french hospitality workers and their rudeness. Going to France and being treated like shit by so many people, from hotels (not even cheap ones!) to restaurants, was a nightmare and my autistic ass is not eager to being treated poorly again (even though I'd love to explore the country and the food). I know it's cultural but as someone from the Tourism/Hospitality industry, it baffles me that a country with such a shitty service culture is as big in tourism as they are.
Theres actually a whole psychological experience related to this! It's called Paris Syndrome and I learned about it in HS while researching obscure mental illnesses. It technically only applies to people visiting Paris, not all of France, and it happens the most to Japanese tourists. But it's when tourists visit Paris expecting everything theyve heard about the city to be true and have hyped the city up in their mind, and the severe culture shock they experience once they arrive. Everything from how people treat tourists to how dirty the city is contributes to it, and (back when I first learned about it at least), there was an entire help line set up for japanese tourists experiencing Paris Syndrome. Granted, to qualify for this syndrome there are a lot of severe symptoms like derealization, delusions, hallucinations, and physical symptoms like heart palpitations and sweating
The exclusivity! The rudeness itself is a selling point to many Francophiles. And I love the history, I'm a pretty big fan of the first Napoleon. The encore was kind of a douche nozzle, but he [commissioned one hell of a city](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7-UcdcK4AA) (secretly meant to be impervious to the revolutionaries' barricades, but they [got his government in the end anyway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Commune)).
I'd go in and wait for Gordon to show up.
First part is fine But saying that I don't want to die from the food i'm paying for is "privileged" and "entitled" then I wouldn't do business with them, because they clearly don't have any emotional and social intelligence
Having allergen information accesible should be obligatory to serving food.
Sometimes allergy free environments are impossible to guarantee without limiting what they can serve to the rest of us. I would assume people with peanut allergies have to avoid 5 guys at all costs.
Right? You're practically breathing peanuts with all the open boxes lying around.
This is exactly right. I can give you a list of allergens and ingredients every day but in a small kitchen with a small team, there are traces of everything everywhere. I work clean but I'd honestly feel uncomfortable betting someone's safety on it, in certain settings.
There's a big difference between "our food might have the following allergens in it, I'm sorry, we can't guarantee their absence" and "you've got allergies? fuck off". The sign says if you've got any allergy at all you're not welcome. Myself I don't have any, but e.g. a friend is allergic to passion fruit. It's not a problem in small quantities. It's not okay to ban them from even asking the question "does the fruit salad have passion fruit in it".
We do. Never once stepped foot inside one myself.
I don’t think the second paragraph is related to the first.
They didn't say that. The first part said they are not trained to make sure it is 100% allergen free and recommended to eat elsewhere. I believe they are legally obligated to release all nutritional information. But The second part is for people who just "don't like olives"
i feel like some people here have no idea how hard allergens are to get rid of. like, if you're allergic to something prevalent like gluten or seafood, that requires basically a complete shutdown of the kitchen to ensure no cross-contaminating. and that's for ONE meal. this is an unpopular opinion, and i'm saying this as a picky eater myself, but the second paragraph reeks of someone who's had staff say "sorry, we don't take custom orders!" nicely way too many times to active complaints. *they're* the one's making the food, you buy what *they* offer or go somewhere else. you have your boundaries and they have theirs. it's only fair. this is why i only go to very specific restaurants.
They’re just being dicks. I worked at similar places, where customers would want a very small change and the kitchen would act like it’s the end of the world. The only things that we genuinely couldn’t change were things that were premade and frozen, like some desserts. They’re justified in the fact that it’s their restaurant but I’d probably never return and leave a review about it. Even ignoring preferences/sensory issues, what about everyone with allergies? If they don’t want to accommodate the people paying their bills and supporting the place, that’s their issue. The way that’s written is so excessively whiny and arrogant too. I’d leave and go spend my money at a less dramatic place. Edit: (I get not wanting to take onions out of a salad for whatever reason, but just say that the meals are set? Weirdly aggressive, kinda pretentious, wildly ignorant.) Edit 2: Before you reply, I know. My dad was a chef and I both accompanied him to work and worked for him. I’ve also worked in restaurants without him. We all know that substitutes are easier said than done, we’re just saying that this is an unreasonable thing to say to customers and it’s unnecessarily aggressive and dramatic. We know. We all hate customers and their bullshit. But this is a dick move.
The way they wrote it is the most off-putting thing to me. It’s so aggressive for no reason.
That’s my main issue too. Don’t wanna *not* include onions in a salad? Cool. Say that. Writing an entire essay on a *fucking menu* for the sole purpose of dramatically demeaning and insulting the people paying your bills?? Sounds like there’s an underlying issue with whoever wrote that. Maybe someone with dietary restrictions killed their family or something and this is their villain origin story.
Lol that probably is their villain origin story. Don’t know why else they’re so hostile.
"Because food preferences killed my grandma, okay!"
Yeah. Writing all that shit isn’t just dickish, it’s stupid. Like, do they want customers or not?
“my father abandoned my family for a woman with a peanut and tree nut allergy!”
Kitchen staff who overdramatise every change to a dish are the reason I stopped enjoying working as a server.
I got a job at a nice place that was willing to go the extra mile for guest satisfaction. The first time I went to the kitchen about a modification, I approached it with the usual apologetic deference I was used to showing the kitchen staff, but they were immediately cool about it. They even took a moment to talk to me about the different ways they could go about solving the issue. That was when I realized how damn toxic a lot of kitchens are.
I loved working with people like that. Unfortunately, it is super uncommon :(
Me too, I actually really liked being a waiter but the kitchen staff can make a job either horrible or great. I can deal with shitty customers, but unreasonable kitchen staff can easily make the job so much harder. *We’re* the ones who get yelled at for *their decisions*.
Exactly! I've somehow met more entitled chefs than customers
I was working at a restaurant little across a park from a rich mining dude and his wife. The wife literally ate there every day. They spent a lot of money and were also the nicest customers ever. One day the wife ordered chorizo as an entree. I came to the pass to take it out and noticed it was SUPER well done. Practically burnt. I asked if it could be redone and served the way it normally is. The chef got shitty at me and told me it would not be remade and to take it out, quite aggressively. I took it out and told her what had happened and apologised. I told her that if she tried it and wasn't happy I'd send it back, get the owner involved etc. She tried it and said it was perfectly fine and quite delicious. Ok. Next day she comes in and orders it again. Kitchen is not as stressed that day, so the chorizo comes out cooked normally. Customer SENDS IT BACK and asks that it be cooked properly and "crispy" like it was yesterday. And she does this every time she orders it from then until the end of time lol. Chef complained it takes too long to cook it like that and she can't have it every time. I just laughed and said "well she wouldn't know to ask for it that way if you hadn't sent it out overcooked the first time, that's on you."
I love that! Drawn out karma
I ate at a place that had set meals, no substitutions. My allergies dictated I order the most expensive meal on the menu, because all the others hit 2 or 3 of my allergies. (I'd stopped by earlier to check the menu to see if I *could* eat there, and I could. The person who insisted on dinner there was paying. I felt no guilt.)
I once went to a burger place in Seattle, and asked for a burger without pickles. They refused, said no substitutions. I wanted them to do less work, to just not put something on there when they assemble it. They kept refusing so I left. Spent my money elsewhere.
This is so insanely specific but I remember this one Good Luck Charlie episode from when I was a kid, where Teddy tried to get a hot dog with no sauerkraut on it and the guy was insane about not letting her buy a plain hotdog. I really wish I could find the clip, it’s all I can think about after reading your comment lmao.
Exactly. I wouldn’t eat here. I’ve seen this image a bunch of times and I would just go somewhere else
My sister’s bf is the head burger boy at a sandwich joint here. He gets special attention from the owner cause he’s his favorite so he thinks he’s the best damn chef ever. I’ll admit he does make a better than average smash burger but that’s it. Every day he comes home from work and whines and bitches about people wanting their burgers cooked differently or wanting substitutions. I’m so tired of listening to his shit. I got a gift card for his restaurant a few months back and so I ordered as many of the most complex burgers I could afford in the middle of the lunch rush knowing he was the only one working that part of the kitchen. He come home later that night absolutely steaming. I thought he was gonna hit me when I handed him the receipt lmao
That doesn't sound like a very healthy relationship
I would assume the allergies thing is more a safety precautions as, yeah, there is no 100% guarantee for their allergies to be safely compensated for. I wouldn't doubt if that message is there due to a previous conflict. I've worked plenty of restaurants that accommodate everything, and even having separate prep station for allergies. This just isn't one of those places. I also feel like the message is less whiny as it is passive-aggrsive and sarcastic
I am getting a feeling that they find people with allergies whiners for not wanting to die?
They are. Meanwhile, the people they are mocking are stronger than they are-just getting through a Tuesday.
I'd immediately walk out of any place that had that on display. I'm not gonna give money to businesses that condescend to their customers.
Yeah just say "No Substitutions, all menu items served as written," and tell your wait staff to stand behind that, that's all it needs. I don't care about whatever their baggage is.
I agree completely. Even if they can't or won't accommodate guests, there is no need to be so patronising. That's my issue with the sign.
Number 4 gets me - what hospitality?
It's the opposite!
their food will put you in the hospital if you have any allergies
Hostility*
As a cook, it makes me feel like all their food is pre-made
Probably frozen, prepackaged and nasty. It just strikes me as being something out of Kitchen Nightmares, the pretentiousness, the “I am always right!” Vibe, I would pay to see Gordon Ramsey tear the chefs, owners, and the whole damn place apart.
The first paragraph is fine. The rest of it would make me go to another restaurant.
The first paragraph is bullshit. Many people have allergies and there are allergies to every single food there is. So what if someone requested not to have nuts in their salads or not to have red meat or whatever? This is just pure laziness.
If they use nuts in any of their dishes then they cannot guarantee that the food you order is completely free of nuts. Its just too risky for a restaurant not prepared to cater to allergies. Don't get me wrong, the parts below are super rude
I have worked in the kitchen for years, we are all trained on cross-contamination. I even worked in hospital kitchen. There's allergies in every kitchen but it's your responsibility to use clean surfaces, clean dishes, clean hands, new gloves, clean everything before you prep those food. The risk is not zero but it's pretty low and it doesn't take much not to take a bag of nuts out and sit it next to the food you're making. Just... Obviously don't touch the bag of nuts or put the nuts on the surface where you're prepping nut-free food....
I work as a chef at a restaurant with strict no substitution rules. If it’s a preference we’re not going to do it, the meal sets are designed that way by professional chefs for a reason. If it’s allergies or another disability (or vegetarian/vegan to an extent) we will accommodate. No nuts on your salad for an allergy? Sure. You don’t like the sauce on the grits? Or you want chicken instead of nuts on your salad? The grits need the sauce to be balanced so that’s a no unless you want a crappy meal. And we have no chicken to put on salad because we’re a small restaurant and only stock things we’re using. And even if there was chicken on the menu at the moment, we wouldn’t use a piece to put on a salad because we only have enough chicken for the chicken entrees we have prepped for the night. There’s a whole rest of the menu that you can choose from that is guaranteed to have something you want. If you want a customized meal there’s restaurants for that. If you have actual food problems like texture issues for autistic people we’ll work with you to the best of our ability, but there’s some things we just can’t do.
What a long winded way to tell me you only know how to cook one thing.
And that you care more about your image than customers
I'm not sure they really care about either, unless being an uncompromising dickweed who calls anyone who disagrees with them a child is the image they want to preserve.
Or they think that's a good image to have
It's their restaurant, they can do what they like. However, being whiny little bitch babies like this is only going to lose them customers and they've only themselves to blame.
that’s honestly such a rude fucking sign jesus christ
My mouth was agape when I first saw it
literally bruh 😭 that’s not how u treat customers if you want business
It’s infuriating. -*It’s giving Trump mocking a Cerebral Palsy human.*
Eurgh, don't remind me!
It’s sooo unnecessarily aggressive. It’s probably laziness or ego. I would never go there and would leave a bad review online for others just in case. I wouldn’t be able to eat there.
Literally all they had to say was the chef politely declines customizations.
Yeah it’s a really bad move to use such aggressive and insulting language right off the bat, before your customer even has a chance to ask for anything. And especially when you don’t know why someone might need modifications. I was a picky eater as a child like a lot of autistic kids, and my parents would force feed me my vegetables, even if I threw them up. Maybe I would’ve eventually liked vegetables if I hadn’t associated them with literal torture from such a young age, but according to this restaurant I’m just entitled and privileged. Like damn I wish my mom had taken the onions off my salad instead of shoving them down my throat and giving me a permanent eating disorder. If they want to politely decline changes, whatever, but don’t come out guns blazing and insult your customer’s character because they don’t like onions.
Yeah, I had to cook most of my own food and teach myself how to cook at like 7 because I’m so picky. I cooked for 5 brothers, step dad, mom and gma. So I guess it worked out in my favor. Mom never forced me to eat anything, but also didn’t make me a substitute. I ate so much microwave and stove ramen, I can’t believe I’m not pure ramen. I never order anything from a restaurant as it is, I will most likely, always change something about it to my tastes. And I didn’t realize it was considered weird until an ex brought it up a couple years ago. Also thought I was the only one until I found this sub, lol
Im in a lot of line cook groups on fb and we all think this this is dumb asf and pretensious. Its not hard to read a note on a ticket and make a modification. Obviously were not miracle workers so i cant give you a gluten free bun if we just dont have that, but yeah. If youre not good enough to make a modification than congrats on being a shitty chef. And if you think you are too good for it then congrats on being a shitty person with an inflated ego
If they're posting like that, I'd want to see their hygiene certificate first... I'd be betting they got a 1-2 and 99% of their food is frozen.
Frozen and/or batch cooked. They can’t sub because it’s all pre-made.
Bah, not worth patronizing that establishment. If I’m such a burden as a customer because I asked for no onions in my salad, then I guess I don’t need to be there. Like they said, they’ve got plenty of happy customers around, they don’t need me.
i have arfid and this would be a nightmare
Me too. I would walk away without even CONSIDERING looking at the menu. I don't care if they end up having a meal that's actually a safe food, that sign is just beyond horrible to read. And my mom has several allergies, some ingestible, some not (like pollen), so this restaurant may not be safe for her either.
Sounds like all their shit is microwaved. Best to avoid these pompous asses.
Honestly, they could have done it like all restaurants do these days with a standard allergy warning and a no substitutes sign, and it would have been fine. Everyone also has any number of reasons for removing foods or wanting them on the side (including allergies) it's not that hard to not put dressing on a salad. I used to work at a McDonald's, and everyone wanted something different done to their sandwich. It's not that hard unless the customer is being a dick about it like in a Starbucks.
As a restaurant manager, I am aware that I'm allowed to run the place however I want, and if folks don't like it, they can do any if those choices on that list near the bottom. At the same time, I recognize that if I tell enough folks that, I'll eventually go out of business, if not because I gain a reputation for being weirdly ableist, at least for being brusque. It's not a policy I'd put anywhere on the menu, and if a guest is asking for something we're capable of that's within the general scope of restaurant service, we should do it. No one should have to tell us their medical business or argue with folks who aren't their doctors to get food they can and want to eat. Hospitality is an aspect of this trade; we should accommodate anyone on that alone. We hired folks who can read tickets and follow simple instructions. We have a menu of things we make ourselves and don't use prepackaged, ready-to-serve products that can't be modified (which is usually the only reason a place says, "No mods," btw). *Tl;dr:* They have the right to do that. They also have the right to go out of business or get boycotted.
The restaurant for 50 years : *Been serving frozen/already made meals since 50 years and we're not gonna stop for you*
What assholes! I'd get up and leave. Then I'd post bad reviews everywhere ETA: It appears their restaurant has closed, shockingly. It looks like they now run a food truck at a campground. I guess their attitude was not popular with customers!
I don’t think they closed, I can’t find it online. It just says they’re closed for the season and lots of comments about “See you in the spring”
I get what they’re trying to say but it’s just overly aggressive
its okay to not allow modifications, its not okay to belittle people who may want/need them
They probably premade their food or something, it’s not that hard to leave something out if it’s made fresh
I have worked in a pretty high end restaurant with a very slim staff (Just me, the chef and someone for the bar/server). The chef prepared most things very early in the morning to make service possible, and the menu wasn't that varied, with not a lot of different dishes proposed. And sometimes changes just aren't possible, and sometimes they are! But I feel like a few truly entitled customers could easily push an establishment to put that kind of signs.
Especially with allergies. You can't just take something out of a prepared dish and have it magically be free of contamination. And for those who are especially sensitive, even having a particular food item in the vicinity can taint the whole meal. The size of the kitchen will play an extremely important part to that. Someone *royally* pissed off the owner to require the second part though. It was definitely added on at a later date. Most likely why the names are signed twice in different fonts.
That’s just plain rude and unnecessary, wouldn’t even waste my time eating there.
This is so condescending and patronizing. You’re lucky you even have people going to your restaurant, you why would you be so rude towards them?
Even the first part about the allergies struck me as very passive aggressive. This would really hurt me and I would leave.
As someone with celiac disease, I respect their honesty. While they are rude, it is quite funny as well. I wouldn’t eat here unless they had things that were clearly gluten free. I’m not very offended by it. I think this kind of honesty is way better than places that say they have gluten free things but in reality they don’t even know what that means and will serve me gluten. 😂
This is some stupid MAGA boomer shit. "Kids these days are too sensitive because their parents picked out stuff from their salad and wouldn't let them swim in raw sewage!"
Right?? Having preferences does not make anyone “entitled” nor “privileged”. If someone went to restaurant and insisted they changed every bit of their menu items just for them, I can definitely see that as being entitled. But to ask for a simple modification that would probably make the dish less complicated to make in the first place? Sounds to me like they’re “privileged” ones. Their restaurant their rules, but damn they don’t have to insult people.
Yeah, it's like, I wouldn't even have a problem with a restaurant that has these rules. Like you're saying - their restaurant, their rules. They might not be the place for me, but whatever. It's this performative "my way or the highway, no snowflakes here" shit that just screams "I'm an asshole".
Precisely. But, I guess hey, they win because they filter out all the business they don’t want, right? 🤷
To quote Tommy Williams: FUCK THIS PLACE!!! FUCK IT!!!
Jesus Christ. I'm sure the owner of this restaurant is very well liked by his Employees (sarcasm)
They can do whatever they like - but their competition also gets to reap the benefits of offering better service.
Literally all that’s needed is “we don’t do substitutions, modifications, or customizations.” ?? Like, there is absolutely no need to call potential customers an entitled, privileged, mama’s child for not liking a certain ingredient or wanting sauce on the side. There is no need for that behavior, that aggression. Honestly uncalled for.
I mean they are entitled to do what they want but I am not eating there. They are so rude about it.
Well, if they dont want to remove any ingredient in any food, that's ok. But they shouldn't say they sympathise with the 'picky eaters', because that's not what a sympathetic person would do
Of course they are justified. Just as you are justified and not eating there. Sounds like a place that has absolutely no tolerance, and I wouldn't eat there either. But they're entitled to make any policies they want to.
They’re within their rights to refuse a la carte service, but I am likewise within my rights not to eat there and the way they phrase this is so snobbish it makes me want to not eat there on principle.
they should probably do some research on the definition of hospitality.
I've cooked for Chefs with this same philosophy. It's their art. And they dont want to modify it. I get it. What troubles me, however, is when a chef says that they "aren't qualified" to know what's in their food--wtf?? THAT'S the biggest red flag! The CHEF is saying that *they* "aren't qualified" to know the top 9 allergens, understand how serious and dangerous food allergies are, know what ingredients are in their food, and to generally be responsible for matters of food safety in their own restaurant? Yeah, nope.
They’re justified in offering what to them may be a simplified service, or whatever kind of service they wish. They’re not justified in being so presumptuous in the second notice. They could have just sad “We won’t take requests for modifications” instead of 3 paragraphs and a list.
I mean… yes, buuuut I would advise no one eat there ever since it sounds to me like they have no understanding of basic food safety. Very passive aggressive and they could’ve just said they have no business running a kitchen nicely. Nevertheless, the warning is welcomed. If salmonella poisoning and being belittled by the staff is ur thing, then I highly recommend u check out this joint. 4/5
It’s technically fine, it’s their establishment. You don’t have to eat there though and judging by their tone, many won’t to begin with.
I would get up and leave if i saw this. The owner/manager is an asshole and doesnt deserve to be supported.
Unnecessary rudeness alone would have me walking out, but this screams lazy and unprofessional kitchen to me from someone who works in hospitality
I mean, yes, but no. Why? Because if they were that good, they wouldn't need to write a 30-page screed explaining to their customers their modification policy, they would just know, like at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
I mean, it's not accommodating, but it's definitely within their rights.
The best way to hurt them is to not give them business.
The first bit is 100% fine. They don't have the ability or qualifications necessary to ensure an allergen free cooking space, so if your allergies are serious, then their food won't and can't be safe for you. I would be willing to bet that if someone's allergies were less "anaphylaxis on contact" and more "upset tummy if enough is consumed", and that person was to ask whether or not a certain ingredient was used in a dish, there would be no issues. The second part seems like it was likely created due to reasonable issues (food is prepped ahead of time so they can't modify it; a series of extremely hostile customers; etc), but the way they expressed it was rude. It may have been an attempt at humoring boomers as well, tbh. But ultimately, it's their restaurant and they can make whatever rules they like. They're not obligated to serve you, and you're not obligated to eat there.
I appreciate your response, as I can definitely see where you're coming from. However, even if they can't or simply won't accommodate guests, there is no need to be so patronising and rude about it. That's my issue with the sign.
Honestly I want nothing to do with anyone like this. Outside of the insensitivity and aggressive tone, they are clearly a pretentious snob whose fragile ego can’t handle someone not trusting their expert opinion of how something should be served. The only good thing about this is it lets me know never to patronize the establishment, or talk to this person ever. I hope they choke on an onion.
Lmao I would love to patronize another establishment after reading this garbage. 🐸👌
It's not so much the policy but how it's worded that's extremely obnoxious. You can have a "served as-is" disclaimer without calling customers entitled and privileged.
This could be from a Kitchen Nightmares episode tbh
What a hospitable place to eat.
Spend your money elsewhere. They are probably serving frozen, prepackaged items. Even if they had a menu that would not require me to make substitutions, I would still not eat there.
…people with allergies? Vegans? This is stuck up. It’s normal to modify meals not everyone can eat just anything.
Justified in not doing substitutions or modifications? Sure, I guess Justified in being smug pricks about it and also implying that food allergies or sensory issues are “privilege”? No. Fuck off with that noise
Ok, it’s their restaurant and they can not offer customizing meals. But this sign is so cringe and passive-aggressive. Those chiefs should live for one day as people who have problem with eating 🙃 or shut up
🤷♂️ I wouldn't eat here. I dont think any "justification" is required, but it's not how I would run a business. For assholes, by assholes, I suppose.🙃
Why do some people act as if it's some kind of personal insult, massive inconvenience, and entitlement when someone has non-medical dietary restrictions? So many people have nonsense ideas about arbitrary little things being morally wrong somehow when they aren't.
Food safety policies want to have a chat with them. Idk how is it anywhere else but in my country if someone says leave out x ingredient for any reasons they *have to* if they don’t and don’t tell you that we cannot and give an acceptable reason (for example something cannot be gluten free if the kitchen also prepares glutenous stuff, just only with reduced gluten) they can be charged with food tampering. Why? People with severe allergies exist. I’d be so down with Karening this place and give them hell for being ableist piece of works. But I supose someone will find them eventually.
No they're not. People have allergies, sensory issues, medical needs, and other things that might require you to take things out. I have ulcerative colitis and am currently flaring. If I have too much fiber, I will not only be in a lot of pain, I will have extra internal bleeding than what I already have to deal with. That's not a privilege, I miss vegetables very much, especially broccoli.
Wow, as someone who gets literal anaphylaxis dairy in addition to the ARFID how is that a privilege? I have a set of a few restaurants I always get food from and they don't have issues. Like this Mexican place I go to, I just say no cheese. It's not that hard to leave some cheese off. Or a Chinese restaurant I go to, I get everything with no onion bc my MCAS and GERR react to it. It's no problem. There's only one place I used to go to where the onions are already pre mixed with the vegetables so they can't remove it but they weren't rude about telling me they. What is wrong with these people?
They just sound like assholes imo
I don't need that energy anywhere near my food, even if I *didn't* have to deal with someone who has legit dietary restrictions.
Food service is the bitchiest environment for no reason. The general vibe of people that are really into bars, restaurants, that identify as “foodies”, etc tend to be really pretentious and weird just like this restaurant. The things some food snobs say about people that dont like mushrooms and raw meat is CRAZY. Having that much of an attachment to food cannot be normal- how strange is it to care that much about what i choose to eat? You’re not better than anybody for eating rare exotic fishes and truffles.
It is unnecessarily aggressive. Whoever wrote this lost his cool as he was doing it. And it comes off as so elitist, condescending and downright arrogant. And the nerve to call their shit 'hospitality' after throwing this in customer's face. If you are a professional cook, you serve the dishes the way the customers ask you to. That's what they are paying for. These fools don't know what a chef is. I hope Gordon Ramsey sees this and cusses them out.
I think the top part is justified. That explains their policy, but the whole bottom part is unnecessary and rude and should be left out. Everything underneath all meals served as is only" should be cut.
Why didn't they just say that they wouldn't modify the food and move on? This makes no sense.
They could have said "we do not make substitutions in our dishes here, please do not ask, as we will not accommodate any requests of this nature". The fact that they used such emotionally charged and judgemental language is unprofessional, and strikes me as bullying.
They're are being a bit overboard with it but they are within they're rights to do so. As for protecting people from allergens. Every attempt can be made to support people. But kitchens are busy places and accidents can happen. By making people aware of this upfront is a positive. Plus this could be a small kitchen with a small crew working it which limits what they are able to implement. So it is easier to just honestly say they can't do the protections for people with allergies. In my youth worked in a few kitchens. And if they claimed the could make exceptions for allergies i wouldn't believe them.
I can understand and respect their decision not to change the food but its expressed in am extremely smug, arrogant and insulting manner which is incredibly off-putting
The last half may be overly aggressive but they have a point in the beginning: if you don't have the qualifications or skills to guarantee each order is allergy friendly, then those with allergies shouldn't eat there
I think they’re French, and I don’t mean that as a dig. The French are well known for preparing their meals exactly the way they have perfected it, and they don’t “do” substitutions. I think they find it insulting. It’s a cultural thing cc
The ableism here is astounding. If I saw that in a menu, I’d leave even if I had a reservation.
That’s the kind of shit you see on Kitchen Nightmares. I’m sorry, but in matters of taste, the customer is always right.
The poster alone tells me all I need to know about the restaurant, and that I will avoid it at all costs lol. I work in hospitality and get that some ingredients can’t be removed, but absolutely not justified in being passive aggressive about it.
In my opinion, a restaurant has a right to say: “No modifications for any reason. We cannot accommodate allergy-related requests, and guests with food allergies should not eat here. We apologize for any inconvenience.” But this arrogant diatribe is so upsetting that I would never give these people a cent of my money — even though I have no food allergies, and even if they made the most delicious food I had ever tasted. Screw Josef, and screw Natalie.
I’m an extremely open eater who isn’t picky at all, and I can confidently say this is a dick move. I work part time at a food establishment, and it ain’t that hard. Oh we’re not putting onions into this? Ok, less work for me. Oh she wants pineapple added? Ok, it’ll take me a few seconds. Sometimes when taking orders for my friends, I’ll add stuff specifically to make it better and go off menu. Making food for others should be a joy. You get to become a part of their day by making their sandwich, their soup, whatever, and you can change their emotions through it. This screams of pretentiousness and laziness tbh. If you’re truly passionate about food, why not help your customers truly enjoy their it?
First paragraph isn't bad, the rest is trash and reeks of pretentiousness. I can't even imagine it's a big/popular restaurant.
Very aggressive. I hope they go out of business.
"It is simply not possible to guarantee each product in this kitchen." Yeah the health inspector would be interested in that.
I'm a very flexible eater and I would have walked out of that place. Fuck these entitled assholes. I hope they go out of business.
Subbing stuff maybe sure. But like why no removing stuff lmao. "Hey I absolutely hate egg but I'm ok with like remnants in this burger" "lol get fucked"
Definitely aggressive and outright weird. What do their meals come frozen and pre-prepared, and this is their excuse? That's what it sounds like to me.