Bariatric-friendly restaurants??

I agree!  Nobody is demanding anything.  I, for one, HATE left overs.  I think they are gross cold and disgusting reheated.  I prefer to have smaller portions if I can and I think since I'm requesting a smaller portion I shouldn't be charged full price!

 

I have thought of starting my own restaurant that has a menu designed for Bariatric patients....still giving it some thought.  Wonder if a Kickstarter would get me the money I need to get it going....

It's what?  Aren't you pregnant, I really hope your child isn't what you just said because I am sure you won't like people slurring your child's handicap.  Show some respect.

Oh for fuck's sake.

People should always use "FUCKtarded" so's stickbutts can't jump their ass.

It's cool. Heidi doesn't know the first thing about me or she'd realize that my referring to a situation as retarded doesn't mean that I would refer to a person as retarded.

For the past 10 years I have worked in group homes for MR adults, volunteered at children's hospitals, done Hospice work and worked in nursing homes. Never in my life would I ever call any of those people retarded as I don't feel I'm that heartless. I'm sure some would disagree, and I'm okay with that. :)

As far as having an MR baby or a baby with any other kind of illness (handicap, etc.), I'd welcome that with open arms - and based on my experiences in this field, I would raise her without putting her in the care of anyone else.

Heidi is honest to Christ the most judgmental person on this site - for her to jump on anyone for saying anything is...well, it's retarded.

And on that note, I've dilated to three centimeters based on yesterday's appointment, my contractions have moved along to 15 minutes apart and I'm STILL at work. I'm cranky, and I love my BLR.

Back to work.

 Holy crap, Heidi what would happen to me here if I said that here. I might be considered a troll by some (and the number's shrinking thank you), and I wouldn't cross that line.   

I'm going to LAWRY'S THE PRIME RIB this Saturday, babee!  For my brother's birthday dinner.  And no half-portions for me.  I'll box up whatever amount (probably at least 3/4ths) of that lovely English-cut prime rib of beef I can't eat and take it home and gnosh for the next three days.  Nom nom nom!

This kinda sorta applies here, but these are for those horrible WLS cards asking for special prices;



Way_Out_There
Member Since: 10/11/09
[Latest Posts]Post Date: 10/13/09 1:03 pm
A "Restaurant Card" is a business cards sized card, often laminated, usually given by surgeons reading something to the effect of:
The holder of this card has had a surgical procedure which has permanently reduced their stomach capacity. Therefore... It is greatly appreciated if you would allow them to order from the children's menu or to purchase half-sized adult entrees. Thank you for your consideration.

1. WLS Restaurant Cards differ from REAL Discount Cards such as AAA, Entertainment Book, etc. in one very important aspect: The REAL discounts are negotiated and agreed to by all parties in advance. The restaurant staff is briefed on how to handle the card. It is PRESUMPTUOUS to create and distribute a card asking/demanding a discount.
2. Restaurants are put into a losing position to start. If they say "no" to the card, which they had no part in creating or marketting, they are already making the customer unhappy. How is this fair even putting them in that position? Were I a restaurant owner, I would resent this card about as much as someone demanding a discount because they are a VIP (Very Important Person).

3. I had surgery. It was my choice to have my stomach modified so that I could only eat 3-5 ounces of food at a sitting. There are many people that have not had surgery that CHOOSE to eat 3-5 ounces of food at a sitting (imagine that!). I do not deserve a discount, or a special menu, any more than they do.

4. "I eat less than most children; I should pay what they pay". Children's prices are a marketing tactic to get parents to bring their kids (and themselves) to a restaurant. Children's menu's are not because children eat so little. Children's menus are designed for children's tastes. Bland and greasy.

5. Seniors Menus are also a marketing tactic to get seniors to come to the restaurant. If you're not a senior, you don't DESERVE a discount because you eat less than a senior. Many restaurants offer a 'For Smaller Appetites' Menu, this you may qualify for.

6. I don't want the hostess, waitress, people behind me or near by, the busboy, or anyone else to know my medical history. It is none of their business, and I should not be making it their business simply to get a discount.

7. Buffets are "All you can eat for..." If all you can eat is 3-5 ounces, the price is the same as when you ate 30-50 ounces or 300-500 ounces. When you could eat 2, 3, or 4 times what the average person could eat, did you ask to pay more? Of course not. To remain morally consistent, you cannot ask to pay less now.

8. "I didn't choose the buffet, my family did... Why should I pay when I only eat 3-5 ounces." See #7. Further, you are there to be with your family or friends. Eating out now is even more about the company you keep rather that getting the most food for the least price. Actually, it should always have been about the company.

9. "I didn't choose the buffet, my family did..." So, before WLS, did you pay less when you wanted Mexican food, but your family outvoted you and you ended up with Chinese? No, you went along to keep peace, to enjoy the company. Whatever your reasons were then, they're the same now.

10. "I can't eat all that, I can't take leftovers home, I don't want to waste it." Waste it. Leaving leftovers is not the end of the world. In spite of what your mama said, leaving food on your plate is not a sin, and it will not help starving children in China for you to clean your plate now. You are not obliged to clean your plate. IN FACT, restaurants try to serve enough to satisfy large appetites and they expect people NOT to eat it all. They have trash cans out back for all the left over food.

11. Do you demand a discount at convenience store on a bag of potato chips because you can't eat the whole bag, and a lot will go to waste? Why not, it's the SAME THING.

12. Dinner at Chili's cost $15 before WLS, and you left satisfied. Post-op, the same dinner costs $15 and you leave satisfied. The only difference is you leave food on the plate rather than nose marks. Often, rather than ordering a $15 dinner, you can order $10 appetizer, and you are ahead of the game.

13. "Restaurants should be considerate of WLS Patients." Restaurants should be considerate of EVERYONE. There are many groups of adults that eat less than 'normal', yet they do not expect discounts.

Obviously, or perhaps not so obviously, these arguments presume that people have integrity and that they desire their actions and opinions to be rational, supportable, and consistent. There are those that will do whatever is necessary to get a discount, which these arguments will not dissuade from this course.

This is certainly a better approach than the "Bariatric Discount Card" as given out by many surgeons and as available here on OH (is it still available?).

Approaching this as a "Bariatric Surgery Program" is a problem, though.  First, if it is only for Bariatric Patients, how exactly would a restaurant verify the person requesting the discount has actually had surgery?  This puts the restaurant in a bad position of even needed to ask such private information, and it puts us (the patients) in the unenviable position of having to bare our medical history to the Matre'd, Wait staff, and anyone that happens to be in earshot.

Many restaurants have offerings "For Smaller Appetites" to satisfy a growing demographic of people that want smaller meals.  With the "Obesity Epidemic" we hear so much about, restaurants are trying to appear responsive to their customers needs.  By offering a more general "For Smaller Appetites" the restaurant can appeal not only to Bariatric Patients, but to Senior Citizens (that often have smaller appetites), health conscious customers, diet conscious customers, younger customers that need less food but have more sophisticated tastes than children, and to anyone else that have naturally or necessary smaller appetites.

Bariatric Patients are a very small demographic, certainly not worth a restaurants individual consideration, what with developing the dishes, the menu, training the chefs, the wait staff, etc.

If we are going to ask a restaurant to accommodate "our" needs, framing "our" needs in terms of greater Society's needs would be the winning strategy.  Accommodating Bariatric Patients isn't something they could effectively advertise.  Accommodating Societies "demand" for smaller meals in the face of the "Obesity Epidemic" makes them appear sensitive to the needs of the community at large benefiting potentially every customer they have.  Further, they can do this without coupons, cards, or any sort of verification of qualifications.

Of course, this battle has been fought and largely won already.  Most restaurants already accommodate "smaller appetites".  If it's not on the menu, they generally have a way if you ask.

I had my surgery in Grand Rapids Mi. and at the center where  my Doc is, the dietician gave us a card stating that we had WLS and would they allow us to order off the  childrens menu.  Not always good choices, but an option if we need it.