Not Just A Preference: Restaurants should be more careful about food allergies

The waiter ran out of the kitchen and over to my table to tell me the stray spaghetti noodle in my penne pasta was not gluten-free — I knew I would be experiencing the consequences for weeks.  

And this could’ve been avoided if the restaurant took my allergy seriously. 

Customers with allergies should be able to experience a relaxing meal at a restaurant where they don’t have to worry about what they are eating. I make sure to take note of restaurants that are understanding and proactive about my allergies.  Being allergic to gluten, shellfish, fish and eggs, I have to be very careful about where I eat. 

First impressions of restaurants are important — I am never going to eat at a restaurant again if they don’t make me feel safe. Why should I risk how I am going to feel for weeks on end for one accidental bite of gluten? If a restaurant messes up my food once, they’ll probably do it again.  

A single Pringle can cause my digestive system to shut down, affecting how I do in school, how much sleep I get and, in turn, my mood. It feels as though I have been drugged with Benadryl that never wears off — so trust me, that one bite is never worth it.  

Due to the new ongoing health craze surrounding cutting carbs, restaurants don’t always understand the difference between allergies and preferences. This causes waiters to forget to remind chefs they have to change their gloves and use separate fryers and knives. If any gluten residue is left on my food, I’m in for a rough week.

They just have to ask one question — is it an allergy or a preference? I want the waiters to ask questions and double check on ingredients.  Making sure they have the right answer makes me feel better about my experience.

But restaurants that take my allergy seriously are like the one lifesaver in a hurricane.  Whether it’s taking the eggs off my fried rice or preparing the burger without a bun, Urban Table is always willing to accomodate my allergies. Their menu is marked with gluten-free options and their staff is very informed about the ingredients of their dishes, which is a rare occurrence at other restaurants.  

Something as simple as ordering a chocolate milkshake from BRGR shouldn’t be dangerous, but for people with serious allergies, it can be. I took one sip of my “chocolate milkshake” — only to realize the chunks weren’t made out of chocolate, they were gluten-filled oreos. When I told the waitress, she rolled her eyes at me.  She didn’t even comprehend that her one mistake would make me sick for the next week, which also happened to be my first week of summer.  

I hope that I never again have to endure the pain of the countless cross contaminations I’ve experienced, but I know I will.  I know that every time I go out to eat there is a great possibility that I will get sick. This problem isn’t just in Kansas City, my first anaphylactic reaction to salmon was in New York.  This problem follows me everywhere, and I can’t see it changing until the restaurants do.

Restaurants should ensure that their staff understands the severity of allergies and treats them accordingly.  Waiters should know that it isn’t just a trend diet and that gluten allergies existed before the diet became popular.  It is the restaurant’s job to make sure their staff reacts appropriately and responsibly to severe allergies because their customers are the ones that pay the price if they don’t.