Lots of places which are fine with people having one dietary requirement simply can't get their heads round people having two. This happened a couple of months ago, in a hotel where I was staying for work - and I'm really not exaggerating:
ME: Hello, do you have anything vegetarian and gluten free? HIM: Yes, there's pasta or pizza. ME: Oh, do you do gluten free pasta and pizza bases? HIM: Oh, gluten free. I'll just go and check with the chef.
[Goes away and returns after about five minutes]
HIM: The chef can do you steak and chips. ME: Steak isn't vegetarian, is it? HIM: But I thought you wanted gluten free! ME: Yes, I need food that's both gluten free and vegetarian. I phoned the hotel three days ago, at ten o'clock on Friday morning, and spoke to a manager who said he would inform the chef, and guaranteed you would be able to cook something for me. HIM: I'll just go and check.
[Goes away and returns after about five minutes]
HIM [with huge grin on his face, as though he's doing me the biggest favour in the world by deigning to find out the answer]: We can't cook anything for you.
*****
So while I'm not surprised that it isn't difficult for coeliacs with no extra requirements to eat out, it is difficult for me.
If I can see some things on the menu that would or may make an adequate meal I'll give it a go (e.g. if there's omlette and chips, and the chips have gluten on them, but something else is available with new potatoes, I'll ask for an omlette and new potatoes; if there's mushroom stroganoff and rice, I'll ask about the sauce, and if I think they're telling me it's got gluten in it because they can't be bothered to check, or they think cream has gluten, I'll keep pressing until I get a proper answer.)
But if I can't see anything, I don't generally try, because people make me feel awful and fussy even when I've done everything I can, like ringing in advance, so I can't imagine how awful I'd feel if I really were making difficult demands.
Lots of places do jacket potatoes, though, and I seldom find I'm far from something like a Wetherspoons, a Wagamama's an Indian restaurant or somewhere else I know will be safe, so it's not as huge a problem as it might be.
no subject
ME: Hello, do you have anything vegetarian and gluten free?
HIM: Yes, there's pasta or pizza.
ME: Oh, do you do gluten free pasta and pizza bases?
HIM: Oh, gluten free. I'll just go and check with the chef.
[Goes away and returns after about five minutes]
HIM: The chef can do you steak and chips.
ME: Steak isn't vegetarian, is it?
HIM: But I thought you wanted gluten free!
ME: Yes, I need food that's both gluten free and vegetarian. I phoned the hotel three days ago, at ten o'clock on Friday morning, and spoke to a manager who said he would inform the chef, and guaranteed you would be able to cook something for me.
HIM: I'll just go and check.
[Goes away and returns after about five minutes]
HIM [with huge grin on his face, as though he's doing me the biggest favour in the world by deigning to find out the answer]: We can't cook anything for you.
*****
So while I'm not surprised that it isn't difficult for coeliacs with no extra requirements to eat out, it is difficult for me.
If I can see some things on the menu that would or may make an adequate meal I'll give it a go (e.g. if there's omlette and chips, and the chips have gluten on them, but something else is available with new potatoes, I'll ask for an omlette and new potatoes; if there's mushroom stroganoff and rice, I'll ask about the sauce, and if I think they're telling me it's got gluten in it because they can't be bothered to check, or they think cream has gluten, I'll keep pressing until I get a proper answer.)
But if I can't see anything, I don't generally try, because people make me feel awful and fussy even when I've done everything I can, like ringing in advance, so I can't imagine how awful I'd feel if I really were making difficult demands.
Lots of places do jacket potatoes, though, and I seldom find I'm far from something like a Wetherspoons, a Wagamama's an Indian restaurant or somewhere else I know will be safe, so it's not as huge a problem as it might be.