If a restaurant was available

That advertised being Bariatric friendly- would you think it would be successful?  Everyone I know has said they know at least one person, usually more, that has had this surgery- so the population is growing.  I am tired- already- of trying to find something on every day restaurant menus that I can eat.  I am tired of wasting $10++ worth of a meal because I eat so little.  I am tired of feeling sick after eating out because you DO NOT KNOW for sure what they actually put on and in the foods you think are safe.  

If a place offered two portion sizes...one bariatric and one for your guest who has not had the surgery.  The smaller size would be priced a little lower, but the ingredients would all be top quality, low fat, low to no sugar, high protein and nothing hidden used in or on a dish.  All fat, calories, sugar content, and ingredients would be listed on the menu.  Buns would be low carb as would wraps.  Cheese, milk, etc would be 2%, fat free and even lactose intolerant versions (the milk).  Salads that we could actually EAT !!  I was at Red Robin and though I was impressed that offer the "lettuce wrapped" burger and will sub a salad for the fries, I was totally appalled at what they called a Salad section of the menu! 

How far would you travel for this type of place?  Would you think it would be so popular it could turn into a sort of chain?  Not as big as McD's of course...but one in every larger populated city- or- cities where the most # of bariatric patients live, work and have surgery (would take a load of research)

Would you like it to be a fast food type place - like  McD's where you can order there or to go or would you like it to be a sit down place- like a Red Robin?  Or a more upscale place for special dinners?  Or a medium combo of them all?

There would be NO alcohol on the menu.  And there would be desserts we could actually EAT!!  I am tired of being asked and shown horrible, fat and sugar filled dessert menus.  

My sister and I are throwing around ideas and I got to thinking- who better to ask then those of us here.  My husband also thinks there should be a store that sold ONLY the supplies we need...so we could hook that up with the restaurant.  Sell your protein and vitamin needs there also!  These are all pipe dreams I Know, but I thought it was worth asking what people think! 

Thanks for anyone who has any input!! 

Sandy

I'm right there with ya! Chris wants me to open it in the worst way - if I only had the funding. I've been planning and dreaming for a while now... someday...

I think it is a fantastic idea!! I would def be willing to travel and spend my $$ in a place that catered to bariatric dietary needs!!! 

I would especially love a store that carried important products for us!  My husband and I just went to the grocery store tonight to make meals that are post-op friendly (we're warming ourselves up to cooking/eating that type of food).  We went to a pretty big chain grocery store with a great international section and whole foods section, but we still spent hours trying to find what we need.  It would be so great to have a store to go to where we could try samples of protein bars or shakes before we buy - would ease my mind in comparison to buying online.  We could meet people that were a support and ask the person next to us in the aisle if they had tried that type of product before - it would be such a great extension of support!!!  (What if all the employees had a family member, friend or they themselves had been through WLS - kind of like what Weigh****chers does for their people - those understanding faces would mean so much when we were shopping!)

Keep us posted if your pipe dreams start to materialize - I'm sure we'd all support anyone willing to venture into this territory and would drive quite a way to get there!

you could set it up like a Cracker Barrel... where they have the "gift" shop in the "waiting" area before you got into the eating part...

I think that this would be a huge success also if was marketed towards diabetics and veggie heads... I know a lot of people that have had to eat vegan/veggie because their bodies can't handle meat protein... so meals that are high protein but meat free would be a good option as well... and some of those people have ended up having gastric bypass and such to help fix them... met someone like that a few years ago... but diabetics need better choices... and I'm sorry but those WW meals in resturants and such are horrible if not worse than their counterparts... and they also taste bad lol...

but you know I would totally help ya out with this... or liz or whoever... I would "share" my recipes lol....need to work on my newest cheesecake recipe... it was really good... but not quite right lol... I got extra if ya wanna try it Sandy lol...

You are totally already going to be hired as the Dessert cook!!  Oh course, diabetics, vegans and Kosher eaters would be catered to also!  And I totally had the Cracker Barrel concept in my head! 

We are going to try to get on that TV show and see if they bite!!  Otherwise, no idea who to get the money from.  I guess all of us need to start playing the powerball twice a week LOL!  But, we need to set up a whole plan, have figures ( blah blah amount of people have had the surgery) have restaurant options that won't work for US, etc.  Oh and my BIL is a master chef so he will be cooking!  Lorri and I will just be looking cute while being hostesses and serving LOL!  I would LOVE for everyone who works at all the CHAINS (that it would hopefully become) have to have had the surgery!  Wow-- we could even offer catering for special events! (Weddings etc!)

And no thanks on the cheesecake.  I swore off cheese- except non melted in my salad.  Scared of it!!  BTW...2 red robin meals made me sick..so I know we cannot trust what they do in the kitchen!  I am also giving up eating out for the most part.

Does anyone notice when you are in a losing streak (and not freakin stalled) do you have more tummy issues then when you are stalled?  Make sense?