Warnings, warning, warnings everywhere!

We’ve already read all about the diet pill warnings and such. And this week, we’ve been warned about how most kids’ meals at fast-food joints have too many calories.  Well, that’s not exactly rocket science…remember how people would eat at these places, and then are shocked, SHOCKED to discover that this food made them fat?  D’oh!

But here’s another warning that is NOT so well-publicized:  if you have food allergies, don’t eat at Olive Garden.  In a discussion on a private board I go to, they were talking about whether or not restaurants should be required to disclose nutrition info upon request.  One woman asked about certain ingredients in a dish that she wanted to order at OG, only to be told that they won’t disclose ANY ingredients, they are *secret*.  And she was told the thing about if you have food allergies, don’t eat here.

She says that she and her party of 15 left to dine elsewhere.  And I agree.  This is just plain unacceptable.  WTF is so secret about Olive Garden’s dishes, anyway?  I’ve never eaten in one, I admit, but I’ve never WANTED to.  We live in the Boston area, we can find REAL Italian food in the North End or in other Italian neighborhoods.  Olive Garden is probably as about as Italian as I am.

DECENT restaurants are more than happy to tell you what is in something, so that you can make an informed choice as to whether to order it or not.  And not just because of food allergies, but how about likes and dislikes?  Mike HATES coconut, for instance.  We like to go to a place called the Naked Fish, which has a lot of tropical themed dishes.  Many of them contain coconut.  But it says on the menu if they contain it or not, and if he isn’t sure, he asks, and they will tell him.  It’s not like Mike would get sick or die from eating coconut, he just doesn’t like it.  If he were served a dish that contained coconut after not being told that was in it, he’d be pissed, and not return to this restaurant.

I think that customers DO have the right to ask what is in the food, and if the staff can’t/won’t tell them, said customers should dine elsewhere.

States such as New York and California are now requiring chain restaurants to put nutrition info ON THE MENUS.  Although I agree that this info should be made available to those who want it, I don’t think they should be forced to make new, ginormous menus for this.  Just a not, “nutrition info available upon request”.  You request, they bring you a sheet of paper with said info on it.  Fair enough to all.

People need to be allowed to know exactly what they are eating, right?

Both comments and pings are currently closed.