Cross Post: WLS-friendly restaurants?

I'm cross-posting to several forums to get the most feedback. Sorry if you see it more than once. I ran across a web site http://www.healthydiningfinder.com/ that analyzes the nutrition content of the menu choices of restaurants and makes recommendations for the healthiest choices. They have a search feature which lets you select by price, address/zip code and "Other Criteria" whi*****lude "Take-Out", "Delivery" and "Catering". So I wrote them and asked whether they would consider an additional "Other Criteria" of "WLS Friendly". As it turns out, they will! One of their directors exchanged emails with me and asked for feedback. If you respond to this post, I will collect the feedback and send it to her. I am pasting in our email exchange and want to know two things: 1) did I represent us adequately? I purposely did not offer a suggestion of ordering off of the kids menu because we deserve well-prepared, attractive and nutrituos meals too! I'm not eating hot dogs when there's salmon on the menu. Are there other accomodations that you consider WLS-friendly? 2) As per Erica's request, what are your experiences with restaurants regarding this issue? And don't forget to visit their web site. Thanks -- T.Rob ------------------------------------------ Erica, Thanks so much for your reply. There are a number of different weight loss surgeries (abbreviated as WLS) and they have different requirements as to food content. Some (such as lap band) allow any food while others (such as RNY) require a restriction in fats and refined carbs. The one thing they all have in common is meal size. After surgery, the patient's stomach can hold between 4 and 8 oz of food total. That's a measured cup. Restaurants that are WLS-friendly recognize that the customer does not want to pay full price for a meal that they will eat as little as 4 oz of. The arrangements most commonly made are small portions for a reduced price or split plates (two diners share a meal and an extra empty plate and silverware is provided). So, for example, if a restaurant allowed someone to order 1/2 of any item for a reduced price (although not necessarily as low as 1/2 price), the diner and the restaurant both come out ahead. Or if a restaurant allowed two diners to share a salad plate, they generally charge an extra dollar or two for the empty plate and place setting. So on the web site I imagine a selection box "WLS Friendly" and the explanatory text would read "WLS friendly restaurants allow diners to order smaller portions for a reduced price and/or share meals." Does that help? Thanks! -- T.Rob ------------------------------------------ Yes, this helps a lot. Thanks. I will forward to our team and see if this is something we can address. Can you tell me what your experience has been (and that of others, if you know) in terms of restaurants' responsiveness to this type of request? It would be helpful to hear the reality from "the trenches." Thanks, Erica ------------------------------------------

Hi! I don't have very much input because I am not too far out of surgery (almost 7 weeks) and I haven't ventured into using my WLS card to ask for discounts at restaurants, although we do eat out often with my Mother In Law. My MIL did call around to several local buffet places to see what if any discounts they would offer... 10% is all any of them offered. Not really making our visits there worth it. Here are some of the names of the places she contacted- Barnhill's, Golden Corral, King's Buffet, Fire Mountain & there were probably a couple of others. Mostly we have been eating out at places I can order off of the menu and bringing home more than enough for several meals for later. I believe these restaurants need to be educated on how little we can really eat. There is no possible way that we could eat even enough to make the discounted price worth it. Jenifer Higginbothem

The experience that I have run into is that most restaurants want to charge me and my hubby 7 dollars or more to split a particular meal..and I think that is wrong on so many different levels...yes we are sharing the meal...but we usually go out with friends or other family members so it really is not like they are losing money on our group.. Jannine

I haven't tried it because we don't eat at buffets much but I have heard that Ryans and Golden Corral here in SW Missouri will let us, with a card, eat for the children's price. That is awesome if true. Lana

Great website - thanks for posting it! I think you covered the subject very well. I'm still going through the initial insurance requirements, so haven't had my surgery yet, but I have lots of friends who have had theirs and they say they don't eat out much, because no restaurant wants to let them have smaller portions or share other people's meals. A couple friends have actually been asked to wait in the seating area in they aren't going to place an order of their own - of course they left and haven't gone back (nor have any of the rest of us - supporting our friends). You're doing an awesome thing here that will benefit lots of people. Keep up the good work!!