Question:
Does anyone know what resturants accept the wls card given to us ?
Hi, I am 4 weeks post op and my doctor gave me a card stating that I had wls so I can get smaller meals while going out to eat. Does anyone know which places will accept the wls card, and which ones will not take it? Ex Red Lobster, Longhorn, Cracker Barrell, Ruby Tuesdays, Olive Garden... I would like to get the smaller meals at a cheaper price instead of ordering on the kids menu. I don't really want to eat chicken strips or grilled cheese everytime I eat out. Any help would be great. — Erin E. (posted on June 2, 2004)
June 2, 2004
Well to tell you the truth it is not that easy to order from the kids menu.
Many places will not let you do that. I am 7 months post op and here is
what we do. My husband orders and my girls and I take a little from each it
saves money and you get to eat a little over everything, and if there is
sharing charge how we handle that is I get a cup of soup so I ordered
something.
— Rosemary L.
June 2, 2004
I often order from the appetizer menu. Lots of good things there, and it's
much less embarrasing!
— mom2jtx3
June 2, 2004
The only resturant that my husband and I use our cards is the Golden
Corral. At other resturants I either order a regular meal and take home the
left overs or I ask to order from the Kids memu.
— bbjnay
June 2, 2004
I've never used the card and I'm now 19 months post. I figured if they
didn't charge me extra at buffets pre-op when I could eat lots, I shouldn't
ask them to charge me less now. From non-buffet places, I order from the
appetizers and take home what I can't eat, or as someone suggested, share
from someone else's plate. I agree with not ordering from children's menu,
that stuff is usually crap.
— Yolanda J.
June 2, 2004
I've never used my card. Restaurants are not obligated to accept them and
I didn't want the embarrassment of being refused. Also, I've never ordered
off of a kids menu. It's all crap we don't need as posties. So, as an
alternative, I normally order either steak or grilled chicken with grilled
vegetables and a salad. I'll eat a few bites of salad, whatever amount of
meat/protein I can and a few bites of veggies if there's room left.
Whatever leftovers there are, I'll take home to have later. Normally, my
DH or a kid has gotten to my leftovers before I have a chance, but if not,
it's there for a later meal that I don't have to cook.
I personally don't believe in the card. I was never charged extra at a
buffet when I could eat 4 plates of food compared to a "normal"
person who would probably eat 2 at the most so I don't feel I should be
given a price break because I eat 1 plate instead of 2. I have asked to
order from a "seniors" menu once or twice since their portions
are smaller and prices are slightly lower and that was honored.
Good Luck
— Carolyn M.
June 2, 2004
You need to call and ask in advance. Although, I have one and will be 16
months post op on the 11th... I have never nor do I plan to use it. My
feelings are ..... Why should the establishments take a loss due to the
fact we had surgery. They open themselves to more people with other
problems/health issues and this could become not only expensive , but time
consuming as well. They cannot be expected to cater to all persons with all
types of surgeries.
When I do go out I bring home portion left on my plate for the next day or
two.
— Hazel S.
June 2, 2004
By the time you're able to eat whatever you want at a restaurant, you'll be
able to finish a cup of soup and a small salad! I agree with pretty much
everyone else-I either order a full meal and reheat the next day or I get
an appetizer or soup and salad.
— jenn_jenn
June 2, 2004
The card is usually to order from the kids menu. It is hard to give a
discount for food because food is not a big cost of running the restaurant.
Someone still brings it to you, cooks it, washes the dishes, the lights
are still on. It depends from restaurant to restaurant. A Red Lobster in
one town may do it, but not in another. You may just have to experiment.
I have paid 30+ dollars for a meal I've had 5 bites of in a restaurant that
didn't do to-go boxes. I managed to talk them down to $15.
Most of the time I just order what I want and take the rest home or get
soup.
— mrsmyranow
June 2, 2004
I have never used my card either, but it has a nice diagram on it showing
how my insides have been rearranged. LOL It makes for a good tool to show
people what the doctor did to me inside my belly. I just order off of the
regular menu and take home the left overs for my lunches at work.
— ChristineB
June 2, 2004
please don't holler at me, this is just my opinion,, but I think these
cards are so stupid,, we shouldn't expect the restaurants to charge us half
price for the food we order , just because we can't eat as much now,, they
didn't charge us double when we were obese!RIGHT???
— bikerchic
June 2, 2004
I don't user my WLS card because I don't want to be treated any differently
than any other patron of a restaurant. I've learned what restaurants have
items that I can eat and we frequent them. I don't care for the kids menu
because most of that stuff is fried or high in carbs. I struggled with
this at first because it seemed like it was such a waste of money, but if
it's good, I take what I can't eat home and if it's not something I want to
take home, I just leave it. A really good choice in many restaurants is
their salads that have a meat or seafood option. I can never eat a whole
salad, but I try to follow the rules and do protein first and eat what I
can of the salad. I'm never disappointed. Restaurants like Applebees have
started allowing you to order half portions on lots of things. Granted
it's not half price, but I can't even eat a half of one anyway, so it's not
a waste.
— Cathy S.
June 2, 2004
perhaps you can order off the appetitizers menue.i oder one meal and myself
and my 2 toddlers will share it. if its just my husband. he'll order a meal
and i have a few bits and be done.insted of staying hours at a
restrauent..we try and eat ,leave and go for a walk or some kind of
exercise.the buffet isnt a bad choice if you can get passed the "im
not getting the most of my money here" all the best. Tracey
— traceybubbles
June 2, 2004
I dont eat buffet it is a waste of money for me.
— Sharon T.
June 2, 2004
I never tried my card at the places you mentioned because they have kid
menues that I am not interested in eating. There are things at each of
those places that you can order such as Longhorn, my favorite is a cup of
chili, lots of protein, and a side salad. It is cheap and just the right
amount of food. My favorite place to use the card is Sweet Tomatoes, that
is a great salad buffet in my area.
— Tawnda C.
June 2, 2004
My feeling is like many of the others. It was my choice to have WLS, and I
don't necessarily think it is the restaurant's responsibilty to cater to me
in that way. I often order an appetizer, or will split a dinner with my
son. Many diners have the policy of a sharing charge, where they add $3 to
the cost of the meal and give you a second dinner salad. I try to choose
something along with my son or husband so that nothing is wasted. Worst
scenario is, that if I order a meal myself, I have lunch at work the next
day.
— Fixnmyself
June 2, 2004
I found most people will let me order off the kids menu with my card - the
only place that has refused to let me order off the kids menu was Spaghetti
Warehouse - but they did let me order side portions of food. I don't at all
disagree with using the card - if I get more food I find I pick at it after
I am full, then get sick. Knowing I shouldnt and stopping are 2 different
things - after all I didnt have brain surgery.
-Sherrie
— saderman
June 2, 2004
Like many of the others, I don't use my card. At first I did, and in many
of the places you were asking about. But, now whenever we go out to eat, my
husband and I "split" a regular meal - which means, I get what I
am going to eat first- I just get an extra plate, and he eats the rest. I
have never had a resturant tell me that we can not split a meal. I have
had to explain to a few waitress that I have had surgery and can't eat very
much (sometimes I tell them all of it, but most of the time I just leave it
at that)- they have all understood and were very nice about it! We usually
go out to eat several times a week. Good Luck!
— Danette C.
June 3, 2004
I have one of those cards too, but I've never used it. I just tell the
waiter that I've had stomach surgery and I can't eat very much. I've only
had 1 place tell me I couldn't order off of the kids menu. So, I said fine
and I just ate off my husbands plate and didn't order anything. Everyone
seems to be very considerate and they don't even question it. I always
tell them now because the first time I went out to eat I didn't, and the
waiter kept coming over and asking if my food was okay because you couldn't
even tell I'd eaten any of it.
Julie 341/280/165
— Julie Rich
June 5, 2004
I haven't used a card yet. I always ask about the children's menu before I
order though. I only have a couple that have said no. Have you ever seen
what the children's menu offers? The only thing I ever order off of it is
the breakfast menu. I even asked at a buffet in Las Vegas. If I had the
card with me they would have given me the children's price. No problem.
It never hurts to ask.
— Cameron Van Winkle
June 7, 2004
The BTC gave me a card that asks restaurants if I can order off of the kids
or senior menu. All restaurants are different as far as whether or not
they will let you order off of the kids menu. Cracker barrel has a menu
for "kids of all ages" and I have never had a problem with
ordering off of it. I have also been to China One buffet in Jackson, Mich
a couple of times and when I used my card the only charged me kids price.
Most of the time though I order one of the appetizers or Ill order off of
the regular menu and take home what I cant eat, cause some places Ive tried
to use the card and the waiter/waitress will look at me like Im from Mars
or something. Good Luck!
— Kris T.
June 11, 2004
I have a card and have never used it. I do not feel the need to share my
medical history with total strangers. I had this surgery to look, feel and
be treated as normal , not as some kind of sideshow freak. I do not care to
draw the extra attention to my self. I guess I do not feel I am so special
as to need to attract that attention to my self. I don't know where others
are eating out, but I do eat out several times a week, all of the above
chains as well as several other local non-chain places. No One has ever
questioned my eating or the amounts I eat, or cared if I had a drink or
not. I had a greek lemon chicken with artichokes at a local place recently
and got 3 good meals out of my $15 entree. I feel lucky to get such a
deal, and If I don't finish my leftovers my kids fight over them.
— **willow**
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