restaurant help

If anyone knows of any restaurants that will let wls patients order from the kids menu, get a discount, etc. please share with me. I tried getting Big Boy to let me pay the kids price for salad bar and they wouldn't. The manager wouldn't even look at my special diet request card. My hubby called Old Country Buffet this a.m. to ask if they would give me a discount, or let me bring my own food in and the answer was a big no again. We tried to explain that we wanted to take our family there after church for Mother's Day and that there would be 5 other paying customers, but no go. Can anyone offer suggestions on restaurants you have found to be accomodating? I realize this will depend on location, etc. due to different managers. I appreciate any replies. Thanks, Shari

I was able to show my card at Outback, but I had to pay an additional 2 bucks one time at the restaurant in Roseville. But most of the time I just order off of the kids menu without showing my card. If they say to me anything about it then I just whip out my card. I also just order a size salad or something too. That is an easy way to have good portion control at a restaurant. I went to Vegas 6 weeks after my surgery and it was horrible because we had to pay for buffets and I would eat like a bird. I could still not eat any meat at that time. Hope it helps. Suzanne 300/150

Shari - IHOP let me order from the kids menu..... I was good, white fish and broccoli. But typically what I do is order from the appetizer menus. Sheryl In the Zoo

Ponderosa or Golden Corral (if there is one in your area) will give you a discount. Just show your card when paying.

Old Country Buffet needs a letter to the corporate offices because I went there a few weeks ago and they would not honor the card, nor anything about WLS. I said I would not return. IHOP does let you order off the kids menu or I ordered off the senior citizens menu, just ask your server or a manager before ordering. I would call a few restaurants before you go and ask the management. Explain the cir****tances, and that you can validify the purpose of wishing to order smaller portions. If they cannot accomdate you, ask for the regional managers name and phone number and a corporate name and address. WE ALL NEED TO BE PRO ACTIVE ON GETTING RESTAURANTS TO ACCEPT OUR DIETARY NEEDS AS WLS PATIENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shari - While not wanting to start a major thing here, I'm still at a loss as to why ppl think they DESERVE a discount when eating at a restaurant after wls!!!! I'm sure you never offered to PAY MORE when you used to EAT MORE!!!! Why should we now feel like they owe us something?? Said in love with hugs, laurie

Laurie, No one owes us anything. It's simply called courtesy and recognizing our dietary changes. If they don't want to allow us to order off the children's menu, then so be it. They simply won't get my business because I rarely go out to eat for that very reason. I think that with Applebees offering Weigh****chers, is a sign of things to change, and unless WE take a stand for what we would like, no one owes us anything but I'm not paying 10.65 for Old Country Buffet when I barely can eat 5 bites of food. I went with friends and family and sat there without a plate or anything and got strange looks from other people but honestly I didn't care because why waste the money? That's what it all boils down to. Money and size of the Portion. It costs more money to order off the regular menu than a child's menu. You get less food on a child's menu item. I don't think you started anything I just believe that if 'some' restaurants can accomdate us, then they will be better businesses in the long run. Today's world is about accomodating humans and their needs. In business, if you don't take care of the customer, you lose them. That's their perogative.

Stacy wrote: "That's what it all boils down to. Money and size of the Portion." That is my point exactly. Did you ever hunt down the store manager or district manager and say, "You know, I've eatten a LOT more then the average person tonight at your buffet, so please may I pay you an extra amount of money to compensate for the portion eatten?" I think not. You paid what the amount was and ate all that you wanted. After wls, it's the same thing. Pay what the amount is and eat all you want!!! Now I'm all for choosing different restaurants because of a better value. I personally don't enjoy going to buffets anymore because I dont feel I get my moneys worth. But I will not go in and ask for special services because I CHOSE to have wls. I simply order soup & salad or some other small meal. The whole childrens menu thing is just a joke anyway. What's on most of them??? Cheesburger Mac & Cheese Hot Dog Grilled Cheese & Fries Once in a great while I've seen salad, but not very much. There's nothing on the children's menu we should be eatting anyway. Heck, there's nothing on the childrens menu that we should be feeding our children!!!!! What we really need to be focusing on is HEALTHIER foods in restaurants. Forget portions for now, just some basic healthy food. Laurie

Shari- I hear ya. If a restaurant won't let me order off the kids menu (if they offer anything worth ordering since a lot of kids menus aren't that nutritious or appetizing)then I just order a cup of soup or side salad. Or I share a meal with my husband or daughter. It really burns me when we are told we CAN'T order off the kids menu. What does it matter - they are getting their money for the amount of food served. It's not like we are getting a bigger portion SOOOOOO - what's the big deal???!!!! I went to lunch with my husband and his brother the other day and ordered the chicken strip kids meal and the waitress (someone fairly new) came up to me and wispered how I can't order off the kids menu- she would let me this time but, from now on I wouldn't be able to. Well, I have several times before and never had a problem. I won't be sitting in her section if I ever go there again. Oh - and I checked - there is NOTHING on the menu under the kids section that states you have to be 12 or under, etc!!! Teri

While I personally have not been out to eat much in a sit down restaraunt, we went out Saturday (Big Al's Firehouse) for Mothers Day with my mom. I don't have a card that some have spoken about, and I was TERRIFIED to ask to order off of the childrens menu. The server was actually SO KIND and even went as far as to ask me how my recovery and such was going. The restaraunt we went to has huge portions and I KNEW there was no way the leftovers would get eaten....that was the ONLY reason I asked. Ever other time I have gone out I have ordered off of the regular menu and just been sure to order something I know my husband would eat as leftovers I actually had never thought to ask about ordering from the childrens menu until Saturday. I just figured worse case scenario somewhere I would just order items for my twins that I could also share with them. From now on though I might not be so afraid to ask! Hopefully someone can help you out with more restaraunts! Jennifer 355/313/140