Resturant - Tumblr Posts
Burger King Internet corner, New York (1998)
As a server I second this HEAVILY! If you just ask for the ingredient to be taken off it's very likely there's going to be a lot of cross containmenation as well. Most restaurants will have protocols they have to follow once informed of an allergy(usually sanitation of surfaces, switching to new, clean utensils, changing into new gloves). But if we are not informed of the allergy none of that happens. Servers are not mind readers so for the love of god please tell us about your allergies!!!
Hey real quick PSA: If you have food allergies TELL RESTAURANTS. I know it’s inconvenient and sometimes people are shitty but for real, please, tell waitstaff it’s allergy specific, don’t just order it without the allergy ingredient.
This was brought up in my mind again since my step-MIL would get furious if someone presented her with a food she couldn’t eat with her Crohn’s but she’d never told them in the first place what she couldn’t have or how severe her reactions were.
When I worked at the pizza place a ton of people would order pizzas without cheese for a variety of reasons, but only occasionally would they say it was because of an allergy.
This one day a white lady came in and ordered three pizzas with no cheese. I have no explanation for why I followed up, especially because she was extremely moody and snippy. But I asked, “Is this because of an allergy?”
“Yes,” she snapped.
“If it’s for an allergy you should know we do use a small amount of cheese in the red sauce as well. Is the allergy severe?”
“What? Yes, he’ll literally die, his throat closes up and stuff.”
I stared at her. Someone she was serving pizza to would die on contact with cheese? And she didn’t even bother to tell us that?!!?? Why in gods name was she even in a pizza place???
“Don’t you have anything without cheese?” She demanded.
I ended up doing a garlic rubbed crust with toppings.
I had to scrub down all the counters and surfaces and grab fresh bins for all the toppings to try to avoid any cross contamination and the extra time made her roll her eyes in exasperation. Like I’m sorry safety protocols are inconvenient but I hope this person you’re trying to murder leaves your life.
But anyway. Please be safe. Disclose your allergies.