Bearer Of Bad News

[MallysMama]

I hate to tell everyone this...but Outback Steakhouse is no longer going to put out their gluten-free menu. They say they can't "guarantee" that anything is 100% gluten-free. My guess is that some stupid person complained one too many times about being glutened there...so they punished the rest of us and got rid of the gluten-free menu. Don't we all know that almost NOTHING can be guaranteed 100% gluten free?! We know that we eat out at our own risk, right?! The chance at a restaurant for CC is sooooo high that if you're sooo sensitive, don't go out and eat!! GRR - I'm so mad!! They've had these menu's for a long time...it must have been something big to make them take them away. So, anyway - I guess in the future make sure your server checks to make sure they haven't changed any recipes. Good luck!

[eKatherine]

I disagree. If a restaurant agrees to try to provide you with safe food, then you should give them feedback either way. While cross contamination is always a consideration, it is not the responsibility of the person with celiac to pretend that the restaurant did a great job when in fact they were seriously glutened. You say nothing, they'll think they did fine, and they'll do it again to somebody else.

[gfp]

I disagree. If a restaurant agrees to try to provide you with safe food, then you should give them feedback either way. While cross contamination is always a consideration, it is not the responsibility of the person with celiac to pretend that the restaurant did a great job when in fact they were seriously glutened. You say nothing, they'll think they did fine, and they'll do it again to somebody else.

Couldn't agree more.

but I'll add something....

gluten free preparation costs time and time costs money.

Ideally it should be a dedicated kitchen... at the very minimum preparation should take place before other gluten containing foods.

[jenvan]

I hate to tell everyone this...but Outback Steakhouse is no longer going to put out their gluten-free menu. They say they can't "guarantee" that anything is 100% gluten-free. My guess is that some stupid person complained one too many times about being glutened there...so they punished the rest of us and got rid of the gluten-free menu. Don't we all know that almost NOTHING can be guaranteed 100% gluten free?! We know that we eat out at our own risk, right?! The chance at a restaurant for CC is sooooo high that if you're sooo sensitive, don't go out and eat!! GRR - I'm so mad!! They've had these menu's for a long time...it must have been something big to make them take them away. So, anyway - I guess in the future make sure your server checks to make sure they haven't changed any recipes. Good luck!

Where did you read or hear this? Just ate there a week ago...

[lovegrov]

Please provide a source for your info. The gluten-free menu is still online.

richard

[penguin]

It's my understanding that they're changing the gluten-free menu, not getting rid of it altogether. I sent an email to corporate, I'll let you know when/if I hear back from them.

*EDIT*

I just got off the phone with a very nice woman named Leila at OSI Restaurant Partners, which is the umbrella company for Outback. She was flabbergasted that there is a rumor going around that they are getting rid of the gluten-free menu at Outback. She said that the opposite is true, and that they work closely with Cynthia Cooper with GIG to make the experience as good and easy as possible for celiacs and gluten-intolerant folks. So, to make this crystal clear:

OUTBACK IS NOT DISCONTINUING THEIR GLUTEN-FREE MENU

In fact, they are working with Cynthia again to develop gluten-free menus for their other concept restaurants (Carraba's, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Bonefish, and more).

Hope that clears things up

[MallysMama]

Then it must just be the restuarants under my JVP (person who oversees a certain number of Outbacks in one area)....which would be all of the Las Vegas Outbacks (8) and one in St. George, Utah. I WORK at Outback...this was NO "rumor." My boss informed me that they were to rip up the gluten-free menus and not to give them out anymore. Maybe it's just been an issue in my area - so they got rid of them. That doesn't mean they are no longer providing things that are gluten free....it just means they aren't going to claim that someone won't get sick from eating a certain food. The kitchen is most certainly NOT gluten free....so there is always a risk of CC. One of my managers who knows I cannot eat gluten always tells me about customers who come in (always seems to happen when I'm not working)....and how he's had to tell them they won't give out that menu anymore. There was one customer who came in while I was working and my manager had me go out to that table and tell them some things they could eat. (She just came in for the Thunder though....so it was easy!)

I'm sorry to pass on information you feel is untrue....but if you come eat at a Vegas Outback...it would be VERY true! I thought they said that all Outbacks were doing that....but I guess in that part, I was wrong. There are over 700 of them worldwide....it would obviously take time to change something in every single one.

I'm sorry I disagree with the opinion that you should complain every time you get glutened at a restaurant. You are only ONE person in a restaurant that serves thousands of people each day. They can't really stop everything to make sure that one person's food is practically prepared in a bubble. I am a celiac... and I've gotten sick from eating out before. No Big Deal. I know that when I go out it's always a possibility... I eat there at my own risk. It's always nice to have wonderful management that does all they can to keep your food safe....but still that doesn't make it 100% safe! You can't go and blame someone who knows nothing about Celiac Disease (half of the cooks in my Outback can barely speak English). Like I said before...there are over 700 worldwide... it'd be almost impossible to make sure every single employee knows about one food intolerance that is still very uncommon. But if complaining to the company makes you feel better... by all means - please do! Just know that it's not going to change anything (except by making some restaurants Stop trying)!!

[eKatherine]

I'm sorry I disagree with the opinion that you should complain every time you get glutened at a restaurant. You are only ONE person in a restaurant that serves thousands of people each day. They can't really stop everything to make sure that one person's food is practically prepared in a bubble. I am a celiac... and I've gotten sick from eating out before. No Big Deal. I know that when I go out it's always a possibility... I eat there at my own risk. It's always nice to have wonderful management that does all they can to keep your food safe....but still that doesn't make it 100% safe! You can't go and blame someone who knows nothing about Celiac Disease (half of the cooks in my Outback can barely speak English). Like I said before...there are over 700 worldwide... it'd be almost impossible to make sure every single employee knows about one food intolerance that is still very uncommon. But if complaining to the company makes you feel better... by all means - please do! Just know that it's not going to change anything (except by making some restaurants Stop trying)!!

Would we really be better off if there were lots of restaurants that think that they are capable of providing gluten-free food on request, but aren't? That's what would happen if we encourage restaurants to offer gluten-free meals but never give them any feedback as to how they are doing. It's a learning process for them, too.

Is half an effort any better than none? Are you really any less sick because the restaurant "tried", though they didn't know what they were doing?

[penguin]

Would we really be better off if there were lots of restaurants that think that they are capable of providing gluten-free food on request, but aren't? That's what would happen if we encourage restaurants to offer gluten-free meals but never give them any feedback as to how they are doing. It's a learning process for them, too.

Is half an effort any better than none? Are you really any less sick because the restaurant "tried", though they didn't know what they were doing?

I agree. I tell them how they did either way. There's good reasons restaurants have comment cards. Do you think they quit trying to be polite when people complain their servers are rude?

Well, for what it's worth, the corporate Outback lady said they want to know either way, because the restaurants are still learning.

[MallysMama]

Yes, half the effort is better than none. Unless the restaurant serves only 100% gluten-free food....they cannot guarantee that your food will be 100% safe - gluten-free menu or not! What OSI is doing is giving you the opportunity to see what they serve that contains no gluten - they are not guaranteeing that you don't have the risk of CC. (Just read the fine print ON their gluten-free menu!!) They are trying to be helpful. It's not fair for us to complain all the time to them about getting sick - they are doing the best they can to help a tiny minority out. And never forget that we ARE the minority. It is not their fault (or anyone's) that we have Celiac Disease....we can't place the blame on them for doing their jobs in a busy restaurant that never claimed to be 100% gluten-free in the first place. They have busy restaurants to run...and chances are they might serve One celiac person once a week. Most companies try their hardest to make sure you have a good experience....that doesn't mean they can keep you from ever getting sick - especially if you're really sensitive. I'm still sticking to my opinion that complaining about it does no good!

[penguin]

Yes, half the effort is better than none. Unless the restaurant serves only 100% gluten-free food....they cannot guarantee that your food will be 100% safe - gluten-free menu or not! What OSI is doing is giving you the opportunity to see what they serve that contains no gluten - they are not guaranteeing that you don't have the risk of CC. (Just read the fine print ON their gluten-free menu!!) They are trying to be helpful. It's not fair for us to complain all the time to them about getting sick - they are doing the best they can to help a tiny minority out. And never forget that we ARE the minority. It is not their fault (or anyone's) that we have Celiac Disease....we can't place the blame on them for doing their jobs in a busy restaurant that never claimed to be 100% gluten-free in the first place. They have busy restaurants to run...and chances are they might serve One celiac person once a week. Most companies try their hardest to make sure you have a good experience....that doesn't mean they can keep you from ever getting sick - especially if you're really sensitive. I'm still sticking to my opinion that complaining about it does no good!

Any restaurant chef or manager worth his salt will want to know, and will care that a customer had an unsatisfactory experience. I don't think anyone has ever said that eating at places like outback is not without risk. Eating for celiacs any time is a risk. I also don't think anyone blames the restaurant when we get sick, they don't live like this day to day so how are they going to know. It's not necessarily complaining, it's just letting them know for future reference. Maybe the toast went on top of the shrimp and they thought that it was ok to just take it off. We realize that they provide the gluten-free menu as a courtesy.

Complaining does no good, huh? So what if a non-celiac customer has a problem? If they complain about an overdone steak or underdone salmon they should shut up about it because the kitchen made some effort? That is the worst business strategy you could have. What if you're on a weight loss diet and a restaurant has a light menu? What if your steamed veggies come out deep fried and smothered in dressing? Should that person not complain that she was served fattening food because she is in the minority of customers? Restaurants are there to serve their customers, and aren't as high and mighty as you might think.

[Michi8]

Yes, half the effort is better than none. Unless the restaurant serves only 100% gluten-free food....they cannot guarantee that your food will be 100% safe - gluten-free menu or not! What OSI is doing is giving you the opportunity to see what they serve that contains no gluten - they are not guaranteeing that you don't have the risk of CC. (Just read the fine print ON their gluten-free menu!!) They are trying to be helpful. It's not fair for us to complain all the time to them about getting sick - they are doing the best they can to help a tiny minority out. And never forget that we ARE the minority. It is not their fault (or anyone's) that we have Celiac Disease....we can't place the blame on them for doing their jobs in a busy restaurant that never claimed to be 100% gluten-free in the first place. They have busy restaurants to run...and chances are they might serve One celiac person once a week. Most companies try their hardest to make sure you have a good experience....that doesn't mean they can keep you from ever getting sick - especially if you're really sensitive. I'm still sticking to my opinion that complaining about it does no good!

The customer is paying the bill, and so has every right to complain about an unsatisfactory meal. That goes for everyone, not just those with celiac disease. If the restaurant chooses not to listen to customer comments, then they may end up losing those customers. It's great that some restaurants offer menu choices for specific diets (gluten-free, low-fat, etc), and they need to hear feedback to ensure that those menu items are indeed providing for the restrictions of that diet.

Michelle

[MallysMama]

I'm NOT talking about talking to the manager and server to get your food fixed - cooked up, recooked or remade. That, of course, should be done...and no manager I know of has a problem with that. It's complaining to the Outback company in itself....writing a letter to the company, calling them, etc... that's what gets things like MY restaurant's gluten-free menus taken away! That's what I'm frustrated about! They took those away for a reason....probably too many complaints to the offices! What on earth is a business man in a suit going to do to fix the Celiac awareness in a restaurant, though he owns, does not work in! Please, by all means, let your individual Outback's manager know your concerns and maybe he'll work on fixing them for you (and most likely - only for you...since you're probably the only one who visits that outback who has celiac). That's his job...I agree. But my manager does not have the "jurisdiction" to take away the gluten-free menu that is corporate wide - that came from a higher "power".....which means the complaints also went to that higher "power."

I serve people for hours on end when I work....and do my best to make sure they're food comes out how they ordered it. But for some server (and even manager) that knows nothing of the complexities of the Celiac diet... they couldn't begin to guess that they can't just remove the toast from the grilled shrimp w/out any problems. They don't understand that from the beginning! And in Outback many many servers run different tables food... we're not just responsible for our tables. So, really, it's your server's fault if you had them WRITE DOWN the instructions... and they failed to do it anyway. It's not AT ALL the company's fault. They are just trying to keep themselves adaquatly staffed so there is someone to wait on your table.

[Michi8]

I'm NOT talking about talking to the manager and server to get your food fixed - cooked up, recooked or remade. That, of course, should be done...and no manager I know of has a problem with that. It's complaining to the Outback company in itself....writing a letter to the company, calling them, etc... that's what gets things like MY restaurant's gluten-free menus taken away! That's what I'm frustrated about! They took those away for a reason....probably too many complaints to the offices! What on earth is a business man in a suit going to do to fix the Celiac awareness in a restaurant, though he owns, does not work in! Please, by all means, let your individual Outback's manager know your concerns and maybe he'll work on fixing them for you (and most likely - only for you...since you're probably the only one who visits that outback who has celiac). That's his job...I agree. But my manager does not have the "jurisdiction" to take away the gluten-free menu that is corporate wide - that came from a higher "power".....which means the complaints also went to that higher "power."

I serve people for hours on end when I work....and do my best to make sure they're food comes out how they ordered it. But for some server (and even manager) that knows nothing of the complexities of the Celiac diet... they couldn't begin to guess that they can't just remove the toast from the grilled shrimp w/out any problems. They don't understand that from the beginning! And in Outback many many servers run different tables food... we're not just responsible for our tables. So, really, it's your server's fault if you had them WRITE DOWN the instructions... and they failed to do it anyway. It's not AT ALL the company's fault. They are just trying to keep themselves adaquatly staffed so there is someone to wait on your table.

It sounds to me like your speculating as to why the menu got removed from your location. It may be worth you asking head office what it going on. Perhaps the menu was removed because your particular location was unable to properly comply with ensuring foods were gluten free, and so head office received complaints about it? Regardless, it is well within a customer's rights to contact head office about problems with a restaurant within the chain. If there is a chain-wide policy in place that is a problem, then of course a customer would contact head office about that too.

Michelle

[Rikki Tikki]

This discussion comes up every once in a while so I thought I would throw in my two cents. It is up to us if we want to eat out or not. I do believe that we need to tell them if we get sick, however I never have.

What get's me about this argument is that if I were allergic to peanuts more care would be taken to see that I did not get anything with peanuts as it could kill me on the spot. It just always seems kind of ironic to me, if we go out and pay for a gluten-free meal we must still risk getting sick.

[pixiegirl]

Just so you know... my daughter has a life threatening allergy to peanuts, her reactions are even airborne (but only in places with tons of peanuts like Fenway Park). And we have had restaurants say to us when they find out, there is nothing here she can eat. These were not restuarants that even really had any peanuts, not chinese or thai, one was just a local place, steak house sort of thing with no peanuts on the menu and when I asked what they use in their fryers it was Canola oil. They were just covering their butts and that made me so mad. So even with peanut allergies you get the shaft at times.

Susan

[Rikki Tikki]

Just so you know... my daughter has a life threatening allergy to peanuts, her reactions are even airborne (but only in places with tons of peanuts like Fenway Park). And we have had restaurants say to us when they find out, there is nothing here she can eat. These were not restuarants that even really had any peanuts, not chinese or thai, one was just a local place, steak house sort of thing with no peanuts on the menu and when I asked what they use in their fryers it was Canola oil. They were just covering their butts and that made me so mad. So even with peanut allergies you get the shaft at times.

Susan

Hi Susan, I haven't seen you post in a while. Anyway, that was kind of my point, if people have a peanut allergy the community due to awareness is more likly to understand what can happen. With celiac many people don't know what it is, the reaction it causes in our body, some even think it's just the new medcal fad. I feel very strongly that when we are paying for a specific thing, new dress, shoes, meals etc. we should get what we are paying for. If I am taking the chance to go out and eat, and am ordering from a gluten-free menu then that's what I should expect. If restaurants pull gluten-free menu's because they can't provide it, then they should not state it's gluten-free. That being said I have never complained, although I think it's a bit like having a bad experience with some other service, not complaining because we don't want to lose the service, but in the meantime many other people are made sick becaue I was afraid they would take it away if I said anything. Make any sense?

[pixiegirl]

Yes it makes sense... and I'm on the fence about the entire issue, I'll have to give it a lot more thought. Yes I agree we should get what we pay for.... however I also feel that restaurants won't even try to offer any sort of gluten-free menu if it must be "100% gluten-free, 100% of the time" ... mainly because that sets a legal precident that would open them up to lawsuits and it wouldn't be worth their effort to even try. It could also make them responsible in a legal way for possible cross contamination that could happen from a suppliers food (say spices) and no one in their right mind would take on guarenteeing that a supliers food was totally gluten-free. So in my mind its a confusing issue.

I just think that our entire food chain has to become more up to speed with the issues of food allergies, intolerances and diseases like Celiac before you can put the weight of this on a restaurant.

I want to be healthy and I also need to eat out. As I've stated before I do eat out often, when I travel which is maybe ever other week I will eat out 3 meals a day. And as I've said before I've had pretty good luck with eating out. Yes I have been glutened but it doesn't happen too often. And even with occasional glutenings I was rescoped this past February and all my biopsies were fine, no trace of any damage at all so.... I guess I'm doing ok.

I honestly think the only way a restaurant could promise to be totally gluten-free is if they didn't allow any items at all with gluten in them. I don't have a totally gluten-free household, my daugher does eat gluten (although not often) and I do as much as I can, seperate pans for her, seperate utensils, wipe everything down, and I still once in a while feel glutened at home so I feel it would be pretty hard to demand a restaurant that does serve gluten guarentee me that their gluten-free menu is always gluten-free.

Ahh, maybe I'm too easy, I'll think on it.

susan

[VydorScope]

Yes it makes sense... and I'm on the fence about the entire issue, I'll have to give it a lot more thought. Yes I agree we should get what we pay for.... however I also feel that restaurants won't even try to offer any sort of gluten-free menu if it must be "100% gluten-free, 100% of the time" ... mainly because that sets a legal precident that would open them up to lawsuits and it wouldn't be worth their effort to even try. It could also make them responsible in a legal way for possible cross contamination that could happen from a suppliers food (say spices) and no one in their right mind would take on guarenteeing that a supliers food was totally gluten-free. So in my mind its a confusing issue.

I just think that our entire food chain has to become more up to speed with the issues of food allergies, intolerances and diseases like Celiac before you can put the weight of this on a restaurant.

I want to be healthy and I also need to eat out. As I've stated before I do eat out often, when I travel which is maybe ever other week I will eat out 3 meals a day. And as I've said before I've had pretty good luck with eating out. Yes I have been glutened but it doesn't happen too often. And even with occasional glutenings I was rescoped this past February and all my biopsies were fine, no trace of any damage at all so.... I guess I'm doing ok.

I honestly think the only way a restaurant could promise to be totally gluten-free is if they didn't allow any items at all with gluten in them. I don't have a totally gluten-free household, my daugher does eat gluten (although not often) and I do as much as I can, seperate pans for her, seperate utensils, wipe everything down, and I still once in a while feel glutened at home so I feel it would be pretty hard to demand a restaurant that does serve gluten guarentee me that their gluten-free menu is always gluten-free.

Ahh, maybe I'm too easy, I'll think on it.

susan

Susan,

I think your right on and very reasonable.

[debmidge]

My opinion is that restaurants do not have to say "this is gluten free" but they can indicate on their menu something which can state "we can't guarantee that cc won't be present, but to the best of our knowlege these selections are best for those on a gluten-free diet" or something like that.

There is a halfway point here.

[Guest nini]

My opinion is that restaurants do not have to say "this is gluten free" but they can indicate on their menu something which can state "we can't guarantee that cc won't be present, but to the best of our knowlege these selections are best for those on a gluten-free diet" or something like that.

There is a halfway point here.

this is a good compromise... one of the things our local support group always stresses is that eating out is always a risk, but it is a personal decision that you have to make for yourself. Personally, I don't eat out MUCH, but when I do, I trust Outback more than any other place I've been to. (or any of the other restaurants that Outback owns)...

[myserenityprayer]

I was just there on Friday night and they still (thankfully) had the gluten-free menu. I did notice a few things had changed. One of my favorite items is no longer listed as gluten-free, the chicken with corn cakes minus the sauce....figures. But i have been there at least 3 times since going gluten-free and the staff has always been so helpful and patient.

[floridanative]

I'm sure it's up to the individual owners because my Outback didn't even have an updated gluten free menu in the store when I went months ago. They had something they said was on old office copy (dated 2004), not for guests, but since it was all they had, they gave it to me. Had I not known what was online and gluten free, we would have had to leave. I got sick anyway and will not be back but that's just one location that is not educated or informed....we should have known when we picked up a take-out order and the hostess asked DH what gluten was they didn't know squat about feeding us safely.

[Lauren M]

Outback is not getting rid of their gluten-free menu. Because they are changing their overall menu (adding some new items, getting rid of some old), they will probably be updating the gluten-free menu as well. At my Outback, we got the new menu today - but I didn't really see how it would affect the gluten-free options.

- Lauren

[loraleena]

Because of complaining PF changs in Boston now has a seperate area just for gluten free food prep. It all depends on how dedicated the place is to accomadating their customers.