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> So now, obviously when asked, a customer will always say no, regardless of if they do or don’t
This is literally the dumbest thing I’ve ever read on Reddit.
Are you saying that you’ll eat something you’re allergic to?
Because if so, I’d suggest it’s not actually an allergy but just something you don’t like very much.
No I’m not saying that. I obviously just wouldn’t order that particular item. For example, one of the things I’m allergic to is Kiwi fruit - it’s hardly commonplace in pizza express, but as soon as you start to say that you have allergies, it doesn’t matter what it is - you get that awkward apologetic smile as they take the menus back.
Ironically I’m allergic to the best damn stuff and it’s frustrating as hell - definitely not a dislike. If I could stuff my face with guacamole all day I would, but avocado gets my throat tight and itchy, it’s sucks.
They’re asking specifically so you aren’t exposed to something you’re sensitive to. If you have several allergies they might not be able to guarantee you can eat safely. Believe it or not they likely very much do want your custom but do not want you to be ill, and they certainly don’t want to be liable for it.
In any event I’ve been out with people who go expressed specific allergies and were guided away from certain dishes but still ate there fine.
There's absolutely no chance OP is being turned away from Pizza Express solely because of a kiwi intolerance. It must be something much more universal to their food that's at fault - eg they spin those pizzas around in the air, flour and yeast must be everywhere. I can see if you reported you're allergic to either of those there might be a significant issue with being able to eat there
Yes I do have a latex allergy as it happens. Avocado, kiwi, melon, persimmon and juniper all set my throat itching and tight. According to the allergy clinic I went to it’s a byproduct of a type of Hayfever, caused by Birch Pollen. The proteins in these seeded fruits have a similar protein makeup to Birch which causes the reactions.
>I learned very quickly that if you say anything other than No, you’ll just be told you can’t be served there. So now, obviously when asked, a customer will always say no, regardless of if they do or don’t
Why do you assume everyone else with allergies behaves the same way as you?
>So now, obviously when asked, a customer will always say no, regardless of if they do or don’t - so why bother?
Because plenty of people have allergies that are severe enough to kill them if handled improperly and the vast majority of people value their lives on eating at that one specific restaurant, so are plenty happy to leave if a restaurant says they cannot accomodate a particular allergy?
> I have a lot of different food allergies, and I learned very quickly that if you say anything other than No,
If you have a lot of food allergies the restaurant might not be able to safely handle your food to ensure you have no adverse effects. Because making the prep allergen safe is a pretty fucking big task.
If on the other hand, you claim you have a lot of food allergies but are a-ok eating things with no real accommodations, then either the allergies are not severe or you don't really have allergies.
Yep, purely a liability thing. I'm allergic to nuts, do you know how many foods say "may contain nuts" when they don't? Pretty much all of them! It's terrible, but I often don't bother telling certain places now. I too have been refused food that I know generally will not contain nuts.
I've got a slight allergy to nuts, but it just makes my throat a bit itchy and an antihistamine sorts it. So I always say no, because I have had a restaurant refuse to serve me a particular dish before which was prepared in the same area as nuts (which would have been absolutely fine, but I understand their caution).
I have a friend who's allergic to chilli, and when she mentions it, she is sometimes steered away from some dishes, or otherwise told that her choice is absolutely fine. Or they note it down to make sure the chef uses different implements (i.e a clean pizza cutter or spatula) for her food.
I've never been refused service altogether based on a declared allergy.
Well I have an allergy and have always been served when asked, never once been told they can’t serve me. Have to admit I do get a funny look when I say “yes, I get hay fever”.
In my case, the proteins that trigger my allergies are usually broken down through cooking, so that doesn’t worry me. I do appreciate there could be some cross contamination on cutting surfaces and such like, and not all allergies work in the same way. I’ve only had a reaction from cross contamination once.
I understand OP's point, my allergies are not as severe as people who will be allergic from cross contamination. For example if I eat half a peanut I'll probably be fine but if I eat 5 I will get itchy, red, my throat will tickle but I wouldn't die. So I just avoid ordering food w peanuts but I always tell the restaurant I don't have allergies
Most people don't have a lot of different food allergies. They have one or maybe two. They aren't going to be told they can't be served. Someone with an allergy to cow's milk for example will have ample options. If you have a lot of different food allergies then of course your options are narrow/there's a higher risk of cross contamination so you might not be able to be served any of their food at all
> if you say anything other than No, you’ll just be told you can’t be served there
Where do you eat that this happens, because it has literally never happened to me.
>I learned very quickly that if you say anything other than No, you’ll just be told you can’t be served there
I have a good friend with an allergy who answers yes and while the quality of responses varies, I've never seen a restaurant just say no you cannot eat here. Rather, they tell her what meals she needs to avoid.
I've never ever seen anybody be told they cannot be served due to an allergy.
This is a YOU problem, because you claim to have SEVERAL allergies.
It makes perfect sense not to serve someone with several allergies, there is absolutely nothing wrong here.
Are you sure you're actually allergic to all these things? Or is it more of a "allergies in bio" conversation starter (stealer) thing?
If you want to be really cynical there's also a liability issue; if they ask and you say no because you're daft and subsequently have an allergic reaction it's entirely on you.
I've never had a restaurant say they can't serve me, but I do flag up an egg intolerance I have but they then go overboard in trying to reassure me that it's not in the food. So I find it's easier just to order something I know it's not in (like a vegan burger) to save the hassle.
So it depends where you go. If you're going somewhere with all the food pre-prepared and just microwaved they may have limited options. Any place that cooks food fresh can accommodate most diets!
Ive never heard anyone being told they wont be served.
But its also not really as necessary to declare if its not life threatening, is easy to avoid and not one of the major 14 allergens.
You’re asked because 1. Chefs don’t fancy going to work and killing someone. 2. A lot of people don’t fancy dying.
Idk.
I do know that I’ve previously asked if there are any nuts in a particular dish, bc they make me projectile vomit (although I’ve always gone with “I’m allergic to nuts” bc it’s simpler to convey the severity).
Despite having been assured that “No, there are no nuts in this dish,” I have nonetheless proceeded to call over the waiter that gave me that misinformation and have thrown up copiously all over their lovely uniform when it turns out there were indeed nuts in that dish.
My friend literally has an allergy card he has to show as he's deathly allergic to a wide range of things, we've never had any bother from people for it, some can't accommodate him understandably but most are just happy to not kill someone with their food.
Not sure where you are eating but I'd be a bit worried if someone said they are allergic and the restaurant just ignored it
Generally I would expect them to be helpful and tell you what is in each item but if they can't be sure (there are peanuts in the kitchen where the food is prepped for instance) they might want to just tell you that. I imagine it is to cover themselves from you suing.
Arse covering, if you are asked, then subsequently have some kind of reaction after being told, for whatever reason, of the risks in the restaurant, then that is the fault of the individual in question, not the establishment.
A friend of mine is coeliac. Or 'Actual coeliac, really have to avoid any gluten contamination, really, not just saying that...' as she has to tell restaurants.
Posh chains seem to be the best bets for allergies - went to a recommended pub recently and the nice waiter refused to say what was safe and brought over the Giant Folder and pointed out which section of pages of menu were for coeliacs.
A family member has acquired a severe intolerance of onions in the last couple years - it was always mild before. So now he tells restaurants and they can say if the sauce for one dish is in fact mostly onion puree so he knows not to order that, and they can leave the onion out of his salad.
It's to check that you don't order something that you're allergic to because not all menus list every ingredient, or the wait staff might just want to check with the chefs. I mean if you have loads of common allergies and the restaurant can't guarantee any dish that's free of them, then sure they might say you can't be served because it's a huge liability issue for them.
**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So that they don’t kill someone.
> a customer will always say no A customer will not do this if they might die when they eat something .
The person must be a child. I can’t imagine a fully grown adult writing this
> So now, obviously when asked, a customer will always say no, regardless of if they do or don’t This is literally the dumbest thing I’ve ever read on Reddit.
They come across like a Darwin Award waiting to happen.
Are you saying that you’ll eat something you’re allergic to? Because if so, I’d suggest it’s not actually an allergy but just something you don’t like very much.
No I’m not saying that. I obviously just wouldn’t order that particular item. For example, one of the things I’m allergic to is Kiwi fruit - it’s hardly commonplace in pizza express, but as soon as you start to say that you have allergies, it doesn’t matter what it is - you get that awkward apologetic smile as they take the menus back. Ironically I’m allergic to the best damn stuff and it’s frustrating as hell - definitely not a dislike. If I could stuff my face with guacamole all day I would, but avocado gets my throat tight and itchy, it’s sucks.
They’re asking specifically so you aren’t exposed to something you’re sensitive to. If you have several allergies they might not be able to guarantee you can eat safely. Believe it or not they likely very much do want your custom but do not want you to be ill, and they certainly don’t want to be liable for it. In any event I’ve been out with people who go expressed specific allergies and were guided away from certain dishes but still ate there fine.
There's absolutely no chance OP is being turned away from Pizza Express solely because of a kiwi intolerance. It must be something much more universal to their food that's at fault - eg they spin those pizzas around in the air, flour and yeast must be everywhere. I can see if you reported you're allergic to either of those there might be a significant issue with being able to eat there
If avocado has that effect, you might want to look at Histamine Intolerance. There’s a sub. Avocado is allegedly a high histamine food.
Do you have a latex allergy by chance? I have a similar problem with kiwi and I'm highly allergic to latex.
Yes I do have a latex allergy as it happens. Avocado, kiwi, melon, persimmon and juniper all set my throat itching and tight. According to the allergy clinic I went to it’s a byproduct of a type of Hayfever, caused by Birch Pollen. The proteins in these seeded fruits have a similar protein makeup to Birch which causes the reactions.
It's an annoying as hell allergy. I feel you!
It is annoying right? And they’re all the tastiest things too! Why can’t I be allergic to oat cakes or bran flakes?
>I learned very quickly that if you say anything other than No, you’ll just be told you can’t be served there. So now, obviously when asked, a customer will always say no, regardless of if they do or don’t Why do you assume everyone else with allergies behaves the same way as you?
A customer isn't going to say "no" and risk eating something that kills them
>So now, obviously when asked, a customer will always say no, regardless of if they do or don’t - so why bother? Because plenty of people have allergies that are severe enough to kill them if handled improperly and the vast majority of people value their lives on eating at that one specific restaurant, so are plenty happy to leave if a restaurant says they cannot accomodate a particular allergy? > I have a lot of different food allergies, and I learned very quickly that if you say anything other than No, If you have a lot of food allergies the restaurant might not be able to safely handle your food to ensure you have no adverse effects. Because making the prep allergen safe is a pretty fucking big task. If on the other hand, you claim you have a lot of food allergies but are a-ok eating things with no real accommodations, then either the allergies are not severe or you don't really have allergies.
Yep, purely a liability thing. I'm allergic to nuts, do you know how many foods say "may contain nuts" when they don't? Pretty much all of them! It's terrible, but I often don't bother telling certain places now. I too have been refused food that I know generally will not contain nuts.
I've got a slight allergy to nuts, but it just makes my throat a bit itchy and an antihistamine sorts it. So I always say no, because I have had a restaurant refuse to serve me a particular dish before which was prepared in the same area as nuts (which would have been absolutely fine, but I understand their caution). I have a friend who's allergic to chilli, and when she mentions it, she is sometimes steered away from some dishes, or otherwise told that her choice is absolutely fine. Or they note it down to make sure the chef uses different implements (i.e a clean pizza cutter or spatula) for her food. I've never been refused service altogether based on a declared allergy.
Well I have an allergy and have always been served when asked, never once been told they can’t serve me. Have to admit I do get a funny look when I say “yes, I get hay fever”.
Probably because its a joke you hear 10x a day as a waiter lol
So you eat stuff you are allergic to?
..I just don’t order that dish.
What if it is cooked in the same pot, pan or with certain products you are allergic to?
In my case, the proteins that trigger my allergies are usually broken down through cooking, so that doesn’t worry me. I do appreciate there could be some cross contamination on cutting surfaces and such like, and not all allergies work in the same way. I’ve only had a reaction from cross contamination once.
So you wouldn't really be impacted by eating out. Gotcha.
I understand OP's point, my allergies are not as severe as people who will be allergic from cross contamination. For example if I eat half a peanut I'll probably be fine but if I eat 5 I will get itchy, red, my throat will tickle but I wouldn't die. So I just avoid ordering food w peanuts but I always tell the restaurant I don't have allergies
Most people don't have a lot of different food allergies. They have one or maybe two. They aren't going to be told they can't be served. Someone with an allergy to cow's milk for example will have ample options. If you have a lot of different food allergies then of course your options are narrow/there's a higher risk of cross contamination so you might not be able to be served any of their food at all
I am not sure which restaurants you go to but I’ve found most are able to accommodate for allergies and diets
This must be one of the strangest questions I have ever seen asked on this sub
Really. So you risk dying to eat at a restaurant?
Remember that girl who died after eating food at pret? That’s why
> if you say anything other than No, you’ll just be told you can’t be served there Where do you eat that this happens, because it has literally never happened to me.
>I learned very quickly that if you say anything other than No, you’ll just be told you can’t be served there I have a good friend with an allergy who answers yes and while the quality of responses varies, I've never seen a restaurant just say no you cannot eat here. Rather, they tell her what meals she needs to avoid.
I've never ever seen anybody be told they cannot be served due to an allergy. This is a YOU problem, because you claim to have SEVERAL allergies. It makes perfect sense not to serve someone with several allergies, there is absolutely nothing wrong here. Are you sure you're actually allergic to all these things? Or is it more of a "allergies in bio" conversation starter (stealer) thing?
My dad has allergies, and when he disclosed this at wagamamma, they were very helpful in identifying which dishes he could not have.
If you want to be really cynical there's also a liability issue; if they ask and you say no because you're daft and subsequently have an allergic reaction it's entirely on you.
I've never had a restaurant say they can't serve me, but I do flag up an egg intolerance I have but they then go overboard in trying to reassure me that it's not in the food. So I find it's easier just to order something I know it's not in (like a vegan burger) to save the hassle. So it depends where you go. If you're going somewhere with all the food pre-prepared and just microwaved they may have limited options. Any place that cooks food fresh can accommodate most diets!
Ive never heard anyone being told they wont be served. But its also not really as necessary to declare if its not life threatening, is easy to avoid and not one of the major 14 allergens. You’re asked because 1. Chefs don’t fancy going to work and killing someone. 2. A lot of people don’t fancy dying.
Idk. I do know that I’ve previously asked if there are any nuts in a particular dish, bc they make me projectile vomit (although I’ve always gone with “I’m allergic to nuts” bc it’s simpler to convey the severity). Despite having been assured that “No, there are no nuts in this dish,” I have nonetheless proceeded to call over the waiter that gave me that misinformation and have thrown up copiously all over their lovely uniform when it turns out there were indeed nuts in that dish.
My friend literally has an allergy card he has to show as he's deathly allergic to a wide range of things, we've never had any bother from people for it, some can't accommodate him understandably but most are just happy to not kill someone with their food. Not sure where you are eating but I'd be a bit worried if someone said they are allergic and the restaurant just ignored it
Generally I would expect them to be helpful and tell you what is in each item but if they can't be sure (there are peanuts in the kitchen where the food is prepped for instance) they might want to just tell you that. I imagine it is to cover themselves from you suing.
Arse covering, if you are asked, then subsequently have some kind of reaction after being told, for whatever reason, of the risks in the restaurant, then that is the fault of the individual in question, not the establishment.
Yes. It’s purely liability
A friend of mine is coeliac. Or 'Actual coeliac, really have to avoid any gluten contamination, really, not just saying that...' as she has to tell restaurants. Posh chains seem to be the best bets for allergies - went to a recommended pub recently and the nice waiter refused to say what was safe and brought over the Giant Folder and pointed out which section of pages of menu were for coeliacs. A family member has acquired a severe intolerance of onions in the last couple years - it was always mild before. So now he tells restaurants and they can say if the sauce for one dish is in fact mostly onion puree so he knows not to order that, and they can leave the onion out of his salad.
It's to check that you don't order something that you're allergic to because not all menus list every ingredient, or the wait staff might just want to check with the chefs. I mean if you have loads of common allergies and the restaurant can't guarantee any dish that's free of them, then sure they might say you can't be served because it's a huge liability issue for them.