jenn- Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I have completely given up dairy for a suspected lactose intolerance. I have also gone 99% vegetarian. Tonight my DH wants to go to a steakhouse which I have gone to after the vegetarian but before the dairy free part. I know I can get a veggie plate, but normally I have a sweet potato with butter. I am thinking of putting a container of dairy free butter substitute into my purse and using that for the potato and other veggies they don't usually season. Other than my DH and FIL giving me weird looks, do you think the restaurant will have a problem with this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 No. I think if you were bringing in your own veggies, or your own meat substitute, that would be a problem. But slipping out your own butter substitute is perfectly acceptable. I can't imagine the restaurant could have any issue with that, at all. Have fun and ENJOY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Usually I'd vote weird, but this example seems perfectly reasonable to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 It's totally fine. Enjoy your dinner out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I thought you were going to ask to bring a sweet potato! Bringing a special diet condiment is FINE. We regularly bring gluten free soy sauce when we go out. No server has minded. Tthe only comment we ever got was "oh we have some of that in the back, so next time you don't have to bring your own!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 We have to do this sometimes due to DS's severe allergies. Call ahead and speak to the manager. We've never had a problem, though we always call ahead, inform the server, and keep it discreet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I have completely given up dairy for a suspected lactose intolerance. I have also gone 99% vegetarian. Tonight my DH wants to go to a steakhouse which I have gone to after the vegetarian but before the dairy free part. I know I can get a veggie plate, but normally I have a sweet potato with butter. I am thinking of putting a container of dairy free butter substitute into my purse and using that for the potato and other veggies they don't usually season. Other than my DH and FIL giving me weird looks, do you think the restaurant will have a problem with this? I doubt it. My in-laws take their own salt to restaurants with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Can you call ahead and ask if the veggie plate can be made vegan? I'd be worried the other veggies would be cooked with butter even if not served with it. I'm sure you can be discreet with your unbutter though. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I have family who work in restaurants, one as a manager, and one as a server. They have seen everything. One person actually has a suitcase/purse bag that they carry in for every meal. She carries all her own dressings, and ketchup, etc. I think butter substitute discreetly handled is just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I've taken my own salad dressing in. The vast majority of diet salad dressings are yuck-o, but I have some that I make myself that I like. I bring it in a very small bottle in my purse in a baggie, pour it on, and then stick it back in my purse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Not a problem. Before DS outgrew his allergies, we took his full meal with us if we went out to eat. Nobody ever said anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 My SIL always brings her own sugar substitute everywhere. Even to my house. LOL. No problem. I'm sure the restaurant understands dietary limitations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 It's not like you're taking your own meal in. :) Not weird... of course, I'm used to it because a few friends have food allergies. Think of it this way, by bringing your own topping or dressing, you increasing the restaurant's business because you might not order the garnished items otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 When I was younger, I used to bring milk to some restaurants because so many wouldn't serve it. Did I get funny looks, yes, but nobody gave me a hard time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 I've taken my own salad dressing in. The vast majority of diet salad dressings are yuck-o, but I have some that I make myself that I like. I bring it in a very small bottle in my purse in a baggie, pour it on, and then stick it back in my purse. I didn't even think about salad dressing! Usually I would order ranch. I wonder if the have a vinagerette. Might have to whip up some dressing when I get home and figure out how to smuggle it in as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I can't imagine they would be too upset about a discreet addition of a condiment. I suspect it hasn't changed much since I worked in a restaurant (granted, eons ago); health codes dictated no outside food, but we wouldn't bust somebody for a bag of goldfish crackers or some salad dressing. We were more concerned with the people who would bring in a box of pizza from another store or hand us a raw chicken breast and ask us to cook it (that was the only incident of this kind that left me entirely speechless). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 We own a restaurant and people do this sort of thing and we don't mind. Sometimes I am curious, lol, but I don't mind. I mind when people bring their own alcoholic drinks in coffee mugs, ect, as we don't serve alcohol, but I don't mind things for your diet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Can you call ahead and ask if the veggie plate can be made vegan? I'd be worried the other veggies would be cooked with butter even if not served with it. I'm sure you can be discreet with your unbutter though. :) This! We are vegetarian and dd is allergic to dairy. On the few occasions when we have had to eat at a steakhouse I am always suprised by the new and inventive way they manage to introduce meat into veggies. Rice cooked in chicken stock, veggies cooked with bacon or on the meat grill, even bread sans butter warmed on the meat grill:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I think bringing a dietary condiment is fine. Sometimes I bring a "coffee bag" (like a tea bag) to dip into my coffee. I like mine strong and at most restaurants it's weak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsJewelsRae Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I often bring an entire meal to restaurants for my ds with severe food allergies, I just tell the greeter when we arrive and I've never had an issue. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I don't know what the restaurant people would think, but for myself, I wouldn't do it. I would just eat whatever I could eat and call it a day. It's only an occasional meal, right? I could handle one meal that didn't have ingredients that I would enjoy at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 We ate out last weekend and as usual my adult son with autism carried in a lunch bag with his food - his diet is so self-limited it is hard to find anything on most menus he'd deign to eat. I just order him soda, garlic bread if they have it, and whisper to the wait staff that"he has autism" - they get it. We leave a 20% tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 We often have to take in food for dd21 when we eat out, and I am talking the whole meal. Her allergies demand it. No one has ever questioned it. We simply tell the waiter that she has severe allergies. They are more relieved to not have to try to accommodate her needs and take a risk than annoyed. In fact, no one has ever seemed annoyed in the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I think it's fine to bring condiments. A *food* is a different story, and IMO, inappropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 I ended up bringing in a small container of salad dressing and one of the butter substitute. I am glad I stuck with the veggies I knew how they made because sure enough the green beans had bacon in them. I had a house salad with no cheese or croutons, a serving of broccoli that is only lightly steamed, a serving of mixed veggies which is more steamed broccoli and carrots, and a sweet potato. I clearly ordered the sweet potato plain but someone in the back didn't read the ticket until after they had put butter on it. You could see where they went through and tried to take the butter off, but there was still clearly residue in the potato. I sent it back. I mean how hard is it to just cut a potato and do absolutely nothing to it?!? They quickly got me another one, so I was good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I didn't even think about salad dressing! Usually I would order ranch. I wonder if the have a vinagerette. Might have to whip up some dressing when I get home and figure out how to smuggle it in as well. I just use balsamic vinegar. Most restaurants will happily serve oil and vinegar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 A condiment? Discretely? Not even close to weird or unacceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Seems fine to me, and it is something we have to do frequently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I didn't even think about salad dressing! Usually I would order ranch. I wonder if the have a vinagerette. Might have to whip up some dressing when I get home and figure out how to smuggle it in as well. Your butter substitute is just fine. You should mention to the server that you are dairy free so that they don't contaminate your food by accident in the kitchen. As for salad, in the past I have asked for olive oil and a lime or lemon wedge. They are usually happy to oblige. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Youngest DD has been gluten- and dairy-free and I've never gotten weird looks when we've brought a baggie with gluten-free rolls or other snack so that the rest of us can have the regular rolls on the table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Cal ahead to ask, but they should NOT have a problem with it. Lots of people have food allergies or special diets for a long list of reasons and restaurants ought to be more than mildly sensitive to that fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwallowTail Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 My DH is gluten free, and he brings his own tortilla chips to Moe's, b/c their meal items can be prepared GF, but their chips are not. They don't mind at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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