I was just wondering how many of you were given a card to present at restaurants asking them to allow you to order off the kids menu, or get a half-portion. It explains that you have had a surgery that has permanently altered your stomach to only allow you to eat 2-3 ounces of food at a time(which is a bit of a stretch, if you ask me--I can eat more than that). If you do have the card, how often do you use it? I used mine for the first time the other day, and I felt a little uncomfortable. We were at IHOP, and they have a Jr. Cod dinner--one piece of cod(pan-seared, not breaded and deep fried!), and steamed broccoli. I really wanted that, so I pulled the card out for the first time, and the waitress kind of looked at me weird, but said that since I had the card, they would let me order off the kids menu. I know I shouldn't feel so weird about it, but I did. Everyone tells you to order off the appetizer menu, but everything on most appetizer menus is a.) expensive, and b.) not healthy!! Deep fried everything! And most kid's menus aren't much better, but IHOP has a whole healthy menu portion, and they cod was very good! They do have the same thing in adult portions, but I just figured, why waste my money?

And for those with the Olive Garden issues, here:

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant - Company - Contact Us

Tell them you'd like them to issue a statement regarding the "every person has to order their own entree". Then carry that statement with you the next time you go. Bet ya $1 you won't have that problem again.

There has to be more to these Olive Garden stories. How can any place say you have to order and entree? It just doesn't make any sense! I have worked there for 15 years and the only issue that arises when it comes to sharing meals is that people think that they can share and eat all of the salad or soup they want for free and that is not the case. The refillable soup or salad comes with each entree, it's not free. People get all bent out of shape if when they get charged for salad that they "shared" with the person they are sharing their entree with. If you did not purchase an entree and eat salad, you get charged for salad, salad also does not come with appitizers either and let me repeat, it's NOT free. We have people who come in EVERYDAY for JUST salad, it's 5.95 and we don't FORCE them to purchase meals, that's just crazy.

People, it's just food, why get all bent of shape and carry on like a child over FOOD? If you don't like a restaurants policy just don't go there again, not a big deal, there are lots of choices out there.

There are a few people you DONT want to piss off:

your server - yes, (very few of them) they'll sometimes "do" things to your food. Have you ever watched those hidden video shows?? Uck!

your hairdresser - watch those scissors!!

your gynecologist - need I say more?!!

the airport luggage person - I have personal experience with this!

I'm sure there are many more. Like someone said, the servers are just following the rules and don't get paid enough to have people "go off" on them.

I have the card and have used it on occasion without a problem. However, most of the time the items for children are terrible so I either order an appetizer and if I am still hungry maybe have a bite off my husband's plate. I also order off the regular menu and have lunches for almost a week.

People like you make us all look like idiots.

Someday someone is going to pee in your Soup and quite frankly, you'll deserve it.

screw you. If you think it's ok for resturants to push unfair policies on people then fine be my guest but don't attack me personally on this board for expressing my opinions. Stand in the back while the rest of us take a stance. Baah Baah.

I have worked there for 15 years and the only issue that arises when it comes to sharing meals is that people think that they can share and eat all of the salad or soup they want for free and that is not the case.

Ok, that makes sense. Now I understand their reluctance to let you share. Was this fact communicated at the time they refused to let you "share"?

screw you. If you think it's ok for resturants to push unfair policies on people then fine be my guest but don't attack me personally on this board for expressing my opinions. Stand in the back while the rest of us take a stance. Baah Baah.

With that attitude I'll bet you already had someone pee in your soup and you didn't know.

Unfair policies.. bah! Did you beg, scream, and pee on the floor (as you previously wrote) demanding to pay more when you ate more? Such as at a buffet? I'll bet you didn't.

Be an adult, pay for your food.

Did you beg, scream, and pee on the floor (as you previously wrote) demanding to pay more when you ate more? Such as at a buffet? I'll bet you didn't.

Don't forget, she also lifts up her shirt and shows her scars to the manager, real classy,LOL!

Bubblehead,

your not even aware of the situation, your making assumptions and passing judgements on people about situations that you weren't involved in and you have no first hand knowledge of. DO I NEED TO TYPE OUT A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT EVERYTIME I WISH TO EXPRESS A OPINION OR FRUSTRATION FOR YOU TO ACCEPT WHAT I'M SAYING?! I think not. Did you even stop to think that the reason I am so frustrated was because I approached the server, and the manger with dignity and respect asking for consideration and was shown none, not only that, at one resturaunt they made unreasonable demands that I would need to purchase an entree if I wished to continue to stay seated with my wife (THAT"S RIGHT, I'M A DUDE SO I'LL LIFT MY SHIRT WITHOUT WORRY, TAKE YOUR "CLASS" AND BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS, FIGURE OUT WHO YOUR SPEAKING TO FIRST!) at the resturant.

Anyway, your both idiots. You want to start off calling people names on the internet because your cloaked in anominity just like every other person who wants to flame another person on the net. Either way, I'll go to a resturaunt for dinner tonight and place a order for a healthy appropriately proportioned meal. If the manager wants to bust my nuts about it, then I will let him/her know where they stand, over in the corner with you.

I have absolutely no patience for knowitall busybiddies.

I am one of the former Olive Garden posters. This particular incident happen at the Olive Garden on San Mateo in Albuquerque, NM. The waiter informed us of this prior to even bringing the salad or anything else to the table. They had brought iced tea for some of us, and wine for the others. We were all in Albq. for a meeting, and had nowhere for leftovers to be stored. We had been talking about an Olive Garden commercial while we waited for the table--a wait of about 20 minutes. In it(the commercial) everyone was passing around these bowls of different types of Pasta. We thought why not? So....we made our decisions....one of the diners was NOT planning on even eating what we planned to share, she was planning to order soup only. The waiter never even got to her part of the order before copping the attitude. I will say we were not loud, we were well dressed, we had not demanded a seat in a certain section, we had not been needy customers in any way at all. My DD's waitressed - I am NEVER rude to them, and tip well! We chose the 2 appetizers we wanted, ordered them first, then one of the women proceeded to order the 5 Entrees we chose. We did not choose another, based not on the amount of food, but instead that those 5 rounded out the different pasta bases and sauces we were all going to share.

IF the waiter had acted differently, we may have settled on ordering another entree, but our one friend should be allowed to simply eat soup if she wants! For all he knew one of us might not be eating at all! But his insistance that there were 7 of us and each person at the table must order an entree, was totally ridiculous! At first the man training us thought he was joking and laughed. He finally realized the waiter was serious, and pointed out that Laurel was not eating pasta, she would be ordering soup. The waiters response was that soup is not an entree. At that time he ask to speak to a manager. We discussed it quietly among ourselves while we waited. 10 minutes later we decided they did not want our business. We went and found a manager---who shrugged us off, apologized for the waiter, and stated that is their policy. And he held up a finger at us, like to hold on, and he walked off!!! We stopped in the bar, ask who we needed to pay for our drinks, paid the bar tender for them, and left.

We were at a Victim Impact Panel training--the man who was training us was an attorney---he did not throw that up and demand they abide by policy etc. we simply chose to spend our $200.00 + elsewhere!

Which we did. We found a Johnny Carrinos, went in, ask up front about ordering that way, got no resistance. The waitress went above and beyond, making sure we were all set with plenty of plates, brought out additional sauces for a couple of things---and made herself a hefty tip in the process. And they were BUSY!!!!

It really wasn't the policy that turned us----it was the attitude. Tell us that if we want to order 5 meals, then only 5 come with salad---would we like to order 2 additional salads to go with that? Simple!

We treated him the way we would have liked to have been treated by both him and the manager, and were disappointed both times.

I know this is not about being banded, all this happen before I was banded. It was stated there must have been more involved and there was not!

I have been to many Olive Gardens through the years, and several since---but never that one again! I have never been told I must order an entree anywhere else.

Ultimately as has been said----it is your $$$$ and your decision where to spend it. If you feel you want to use your card, you should not feel belittled for simply asking. How the restaurant responds is up to them---and whether you go back---up to you.

I cannot imagine I know enough bandsters locally to ruin someones profit margin by recommending them, if they allowed me to order a senior or childs menu because I have a WLS card.

I have no doubt that many aspects of restaurant work are hard, demanding and often low paying work---they rely on tips. BUT I will always tip based on service! I will not short the waitress because my steak is tough! I will if she rolls her eyes at me, or ignores our table. There are lots of jobs out there, and if you do not like waiting on people, then I think it is time to find one of those other jobs.

Kat

Don't forget, she also lifts up her shirt and shows her scars to the manager, real classy,LOL!

I think "she" is actually a He from reading his post.

Everyone has the right to their own opinion, and personal attacks are not necessary.(IMHO)

It is the restraunts "right" to refuse to accept the card, no biggie, move on to another one. I personally just order off the menu and doggie bag it. Or sometimes my DH & I split a plate, one time was I charged for splitting a plate, and that was because they served all you can eat veggies, no big deal. I paid it.

I've only used my card one time, it was at a buffet, and I knew going in to the restraunt that they charged $17.95 for childs buffet and they accepted the card (my Doc keeps a list of restraunts - he is active at contacting them and explaining the surgery). The adult price was 21.95, so I didn't save a huge amount of money.

Just like we have the right to chose to have the surgery or not, restraunts have the right to deny the card, I might not agree with it, and I usually don't, especially for buffets, however, that is their right. So, I honor it.

(THAT"S RIGHT, I'M A DUDE SO I'LL LIFT MY SHIRT WITHOUT WORRY, TAKE YOUR "CLASS" AND BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS, FIGURE OUT WHO YOUR SPEAKING TO FIRST!) at the resturant.

I do not care what your gender is, it's not appropiate in any eating establishment to be lifting your shirt and showing off your scars because you think it entitles you a free meal, get over yourself and learn some etiquette before your next outing.

Well Kat, I am sorry that happened to you, it's ridiculous and I have never heard of such a thing.

Bubblehead,

your not even aware of the situation, your making assumptions and passing judgements on people about situations that you weren't involved in and you have no first hand knowledge of. DO I NEED TO TYPE OUT A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT EVERYTIME I WISH TO EXPRESS A OPINION OR FRUSTRATION FOR YOU TO ACCEPT WHAT I'M SAYING?! I think not. Did you even stop to think that the reason I am so frustrated was because I approached the server, and the manger with dignity and respect asking for consideration and was shown none, not only that, at one resturaunt they made unreasonable demands that I would need to purchase an entree if I wished to continue to stay seated with my wife (THAT"S RIGHT, I'M A DUDE SO I'LL LIFT MY SHIRT WITHOUT WORRY, TAKE YOUR "CLASS" AND BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS, FIGURE OUT WHO YOUR SPEAKING TO FIRST!) at the resturant.

Anyway, your both idiots. You want to start off calling people names on the internet because your cloaked in anominity just like every other person who wants to flame another person on the net. Either way, I'll go to a resturaunt for dinner tonight and place a order for a healthy appropriately proportioned meal. If the manager wants to bust my nuts about it, then I will let him/her know where they stand, over in the corner with you.

I have absolutely no patience for knowitall busybiddies.

With all due respect, you failed to answer my question in your tantrum. Did you demand to pay more when you ate more at places such as a buffet before you were banded? Did you threaten to pee on their floors unless you paid more?

I have a hunch you really have had pee in your soup and snot in your burgers.

I do hope you contacted Olive Garden Corporate office to let them know what happened.