I was just wondering if any franchise restaurants offer weight loss surgery specific menus? Or can anyone tell me who offers something close? I am in Southern California and want to have a nice meal away from the home.

I think the best you can do is show restaurants the card your surgeon should of given you, that states you had lap band surgery and can only eat a child sized portion. I've only been to one, maybe two, places that told me that can't offer that.

If your surgeon didn't give you one of those cards, just ask if they have them at your next appointment =]

I find it very shocking that some restaurants will not allow adults to order from the kids' menu. If we are paying for it, what does it matter?

I find it very shocking that some restaurants will not allow adults to order from the kids' menu. If we are paying for it, what does it matter?

Because an adult dinner is twice as much; and restaurants can make 100% profit depending on what you order. Ever order egg white omlet and they charge you $1.50 more per egg white (is'nt the cost of the eggs included on the menu)? What drives me crazy is they don't give me any more egg white to make up the volume difference. Instead they put my yolks in the container for making hollandaise sauce.

Also the waiter wants you to order a regular meal becuase then their tip based on total bill will be higher. Many chain restaurants today contantly try to upsell/recommend items to you. At Chili's they ask if you want Guac and when you get the bill you realize they have charged you $2 for about 2 tablespoons worth. Crazy.

Because an adult dinner is twice as much; and restaurants can make 100% profit depending on what you order. Ever order egg white omlet and they charge you $1.50 more per egg white (is'nt the cost of the eggs included on the menu)? What drives me crazy is they don't give me any more egg white to make up the volume difference. Instead they put my yolks in the container for making hollandaise sauce.

Also the waiter wants you to order a regular meal becuase then their tip based on total bill will be higher. Many chain restaurants today contantly try to upsell/recommend items to you. At Chili's they ask if you want Guac and when you get the bill you realize they have charged you $2 for about 2 tablespoons worth. Crazy.

wow! lol i guess i never really looked into that. that's pretty major then. very interesting

thanks for that info :cursing:

Sushi is always a good option

A few years ago I was eating out a few different times with a friend of mine who had had full gastric bypass and she just told the waiter that she had had WLS and they let her order the kids menu no issues.

Thats what I had planned on doing, as I've never heard about having a card to present.

Thanks for the tip!

Any place should be ok. Just order an appetizer, ask if you can order lunch at dinner (usually ok, sometimes an extra charge) or just order whatever and ask for a 'to go' box with your dinner. Put what you know you won't eat in the box as soon as it comes, and then enjoy.

Any place should be ok. Just order an appetizer, ask if you can order lunch at dinner (usually ok, sometimes an extra charge) or just order whatever and ask for a 'to go' box with your dinner. Put what you know you won't eat in the box as soon as it comes, and then enjoy.

I order appetizers a lot. Also, if I know ahead of time where I'll be going, I'll look online to see if the restaurant has a menu on their website. It gives me a chance to review it and try to pick something out ahead of time. It helps me not to look through tons of options to find the few things that I feel good about eating.

I love to go out to eat and I've found that the better the restaurant the more band friendly it will be. (Some cheaper places you are pretty much stuck with soup). Brio's will split an entre' between two people and then it is a very band friendly amount (my DH had gastric bypass and can't eat much either). I avoid any pasta dishes or salads since they tend to be more bulk and less nutrition. McCormicks and Schmicks serve wonderful seafood entre's I can usually finish and Flemings serves a petite filet that is just the perfect size and incredible. Don't let the band be an excuse to stay home, get out there and enjoy!

I've found a few places that have no issue with ordering from the kids' menu, but it's hard to find healthy kids options at most chain restaurants! I like Not Your Average Joes. They offer salmon, chicken, and a few other healthy options. They are also one of the few places that honors substitutions and special requests to make your entree more healthy.

If all else fails, I order an appetizer or put at least half the full entree in a to go container as soon as it arrives. I get some strange looks but oh well!

I did once ask the waiter if I could substitute some sangria for the kids' soda that was included with the meal. He giggled, I got my sangria, but had to pay for it :thumbup:

We live in small town where everybody knows everybody and most of the local resturants here have already told me they will accommadate me after surgery. We have 2 different buffets in town and both are going to let me eat off of my husbands and sons plate at no charge. Applebees also has weight watchers menu and I ask for a take out box and box part of it and enjoy the rest. As far as regular large franchise resturants I don't know...