NOT RECOMMENDED: Summerhays Restaurant (Ottawa)

We have loved this restaurant for a few years now. The food is usually good and the prices reasonable. The customer service has been questionable in the past but we have persevered.

No longer.

We went in tonight for my birthday dinner. My first time eating a grilled cheese sandwich (well, part of one). I showed the waitress the little card I got from the hospital stating that I've had a RNY and requesting that the restaurant assist the patient by allowing them to order from the children's menu.

The waitress was fine with me ordering from the children's menu (the grilled cheese) but went to talk to her manager who insisted that we pay $2 more to make it an "adult meal" due to "restaurant policy". Honestly, fair enough. But we asked to speak to the manager anyway, to voice our concerns that not caring about a paying customer's medical issues isn't exactly great customer service and that this would probably be the final straw in a string of bad customer service experiences leading to us no longer being patrons. The manager (who took her time coming to see us) insisted that restaurant policy is restaurant policy even if $2 was the difference between 4+ people being return customers for years to come. She said that's the owner's rule. We asked to see the owner but were told he wasn't there. So that's the way we left it. No need to be rude. We just don't agree, so we wouldn't be back. And, it's really too bad because we were planning to have a big private party there this summer.

THEN the absolutely unacceptable part:

On the way out, my mom was paying and she saw a man who looked like staff were all deferring to him - so she asked him if he was the owner. He said he was. She said she was surprised because a staff member had just told her he was not in tonight. He said he just walked in the door. Okay. She proceeded to explain the situation and our concerns. He clearly had heard it all before from one of his servers. When she, politely, told him that we would likely not be back for those reasons he said: "That's okay, we don't want people like you here anyway". My mom continued by saying that we would be telling our friends and other bariatric patients about this experience as well and the owner replied, "Go ahead and take an ad out in the paper why don't you?" To which my mother responded, "What a great idea!" and left the restaurant.

Needless to say, we will NEVER be back and will be telling EVERYONE of this experience. Regardless of the reason for our complaints to the management of that restaurant, the way we were treated was utterly rude, disrespectful and unprofessional. I felt unvalued as a customer when they wouldn't accept my surgery card but I probably would have gotten over that. I felt unvalued as a PERSON when the owner of the Summerhays Restaurant on Baseline Road spoke to us and I will not get over that.

This is probably not what you expect, but I think it needs to be said. It is tacky and cheap to try to use your WLS to order from the children's menu. You are an adult, not a child, so order from the adult menu and either throw away or take home that which you don't want or cannot eat. You expected special treatment in a situation where none was owed to you. Worse, in my mind, is how this reflects on the obese and WLS patients in general, as you know this story will be repeated by everyone who witnessed it. It was unnecessary for them to be rude to you, but you made a federal case out of saving two bucks on a sandwich. I don't blame the restaurant for not wanting you to come back as your party was clearly a lot of hassle.

Thank you for your opinion. In my opinion it does not hurt to ask and to voice a concern if you do it politely. We did not make a big scene. We expressed an opinion and were willing to leave it at that - I'm fairly certain I made that abundantly clear in my original post. I would not have posted this if they were not unnecessarily rude to us. If you choose not to ask for special consideration due to your WLS that is your choice but you have no right to judge me if I choose to do something different. Best wishes to you.

I"ve not heard of people asking for special consideration at restaurants because they have had WLS before .. maybe i'm the odd person out. Is this something most of "us" do ? Maybe i should so i can save some money?

There are threads on this forum where other posters have mentioned getting a discounted rate at restaurants (I specifically remember buffets) because of their surgeries.

lol what hassle did her party create? Asking a question? What a band of savages!!!

"You're an adult, not a child" She's well aware of her age group. No need to condescend.

She didn't walk into that restaurant acting like an entitled brat. She asked to be accomodated, much the same as a vegetarian or someone with an allergy would. She didn't realize she was in a restaurant owned by trash.

I commend her for asking for a smaller portion and not wasting the rest.

You're right - she got absolutely ****ty customer service and the manager is clearly an asshat.  However I don't feel that any business owner has to accomodate for me, as WLS is something that I chose as a lifestyle, not a disability that I am forced to deal with and DESERVE accommodation for.  As adults who make responsible choices for ourselves, we must be accountable for our choices.

Completely agree. I went to a sushi buffet lastnight with family to celebrate passing a major career-changing exam. I had 6 or 7 rolls and a spoonful of noodles, and paid full price, just as everyone else, who atre 3 times as much as me, at the table did. I wouldn't have wanted to ask them for a discount or an accomodation. I like being NORMAL and I like blending it! I happen to like not drawing attention to myself at a buffet now!

But that's my choice. I just don't like how people jumped all over her for hers. I guess since I was so harshly judged my whole life for my decisions, these post**** a sore spot for me. 

But it's an online forum, people are gonna say what they want.
 

April, I think you should consider where the "jumping all over" stemmed from.  Was it mean?  Malicious?  Intentionally trying to make her feel badly? I think if you consider it, the answer will be no.  No one jumped all over her - but oh my gawd, yes! We certainly did raise concern for her.  Eating bread, etc - anything that is not on your plan - at 1.5 weeks out from major gut-rerouting surgery is just plain dangerous! No?

Absolutely. I didn't even realize how early she was in her recovery until everyone else pointed it out. I don't agree with her choice, and I do think it was a bad one. But it was her choice, and for some reason, it was on the advice of a professional.

But common, you know sarcasm isn't constructive or conducive to a concerned tone! This thread went WAY beyond expressing concern.

Having said that, if you ever see me post anything I've eaten that you think is dangerous, bad or could lead to future bad habits, PLEASE let me know.