Managing gluten-free diets increases the level of complexity involved in eating outside the home, particularly in restaurants.
It requires a higher level of education, understanding and planning compared to the general public who, in most cases, can easily eat whatever they want, wherever they want. Knowing what foods are safe is of the utmost importance.
The suggestions outlined in this chapter are designed to give guests a greater sense of comfort when venturing beyond their front door to eat out. Therefore, the approach to safe eating experiences entails an understanding of the:
There is a learning curve for individuals who are guests in eating establishments managing gluten-free diets as well as for the restaurants who cater to them. The process of gaining the necessary knowledge to successfully handle special dietary requirements is similar for both parties.
The learning curve associated with special diets includes the following four key steps, for individuals and restaurant professionals alike:
To gain awareness, you, as an individual, need to first educate yourself to understand exactly what you are allergic to or what special diet you are required to follow. You may be asking, “What have I been diagnosed with? Where do I begin my research? What resources are available to me and what do I do next?” These are all common questions associated with learning about your new way of life.
On the other side of the table, restaurant professionals go through a similar experience. “What type of special diets may be required by our guests? What do we need to learn to better understand their needs? What resources are available to help us?”
The next step in the learning curve is information. As an individual, you must learn what you can and cannot eat on a fundamental level. Once this is understood, it is important to investigate where problematic allergens can be hidden in foods and what you need to do to adjust for this unexpected variable.
Likewise, restaurant professionals follow a similar thought process. “What can this guest eat and what is not allowable? What ingredients and food preparation techniques can be an issue and how can we adjust to suit their requirements?” The parallel is undeniable.
Once this understanding is accomplished, the third step is knowledge. Individuals need to apply what has been learned to safely eat in restaurants, as well as at home. Furthermore, you must learn to communicate your special requirements and determine an effective strategy for ordering safe meals in order to develop a comfort level with various cuisines and dishes.
As a restaurant, you have a different set of concerns to address, such as how to train both front and back of the house staff. You also need to determine how to accurately convey this information between all employees involved in the process and identify what protocols need to be in operation.
Through effective training efforts, an establishment can teach their staff how to assist special diet guests by guiding them through the menu, taking into consideration ingredients, preparation techniques and hidden allergen concerns.
The final step of the learning curve is empowerment. As the guest, you need to know where and what you can eat, as well as what modifications can be made to easily accommodate your dietary requirements. Once this is achieved, you can focus on enjoying your eating experiences while remaining diligent about the foods you eat.
For the restaurant, the focus becomes how to simplify menu options to adjust for special dietary needs. This allows the restaurant to concentrate on providing safe and delicious meals for their guests, while ensuring a high standard of service, ultimately resulting in repeat and loyal business.
Based upon years of research, personal experience and extensive discussions with hospitality professionals, the following approach is designed to help you, the person managing a gluten-free lifestyle, eat out safely. The objective is to enjoy safe eating experiences regardless of your choice of restaurant, cuisine or location. These suggestions include eight key steps on how to safely eat outside the home:
Each of these eight key steps are described in detail to guide you in developing your own approach to eating outside the home. The questions to ask yourself, as the guest, may be helpful in assessing your level of preparedness along the way. If you are new to your diet, these ideas may give you some food for thought during the early stages of your learning curve.
For those who have been following a gluten-free diet for some time, you might find it interesting to reflect upon your previous experiences, correlate them to this recommended approach and, perhaps, learn something new in the process. These ideas are also provided for restaurants who want to understand the guest’s perspective of how to handle special dietary needs.
1. Educate yourself about eating outside the home with special diets
Questions for Guests:
Do I have the information that I need to make informed choices and increase my comfort level in restaurants?
What additional research is required to expand my knowledge?
2. Assess your dining comfort level for the meal
Questions for Guests:
How comfortable do I feel eating out in restaurants today?
What foods appeal to me?
How safe do I feel today with the food that I will be eating?
3. Identify your eating options and preferences
Questions for Guests:
How much effort do I want to spend on deciding what to eat?
How comfortable am I with this restaurant, the cuisine and menu options?
4. Determine desired level of pre-planning efforts
Questions for Guests:
What level of planning do I want to do prior to going to the restaurant?
What areas of food preparation need to be reviewed?
What hidden allergens do I need to be aware of?
Do I need to conduct more research to increase my comfort level about this cuisine and/or restaurant?
5. Communicate your special dietary needs with the restaurant
Questions for Guests:
How do I want to communicate the severity of my condition?
When and how do I want to explain my special dietary needs?
Are my requirements understood or do I need to speak with someone else to feel safe and comfortable?
6. Order your meal
Questions for Guests:
How do I want to communicate my needs to the restaurant—ask questions, give them materials outlining requirements or both?
What areas of food preparation need to be questioned?
What hidden allergens do I inquire about?
How comfortable do I feel that my order will be prepared as requested?
7. Receive order and appreciate your meal
Questions for Guests:
Is my meal what I ordered?
If not, what needs to be modified to correct the order?
Would I return to this restaurant?
8. Provide feedback on dining experience
Questions for Guests:
What do I want to communicate to the staff regarding their service?
Would I recommend this establishment to others?