Hey all, just thought I would share my experience from today with all of you. My husband and went to shoneys for lunch. The Doctor said that when I went out to eat not to order my own plate just nibble off of my hubbys plate. Less cost and not having to worry about over eating.

Well, that is just what we did. He ordered the lunch bar. I explained to the waitress that I had just had the lapband surgery and what my doctor had told us to do. She was more than fine with this as long as I didn't make a trip to the bar myself and the plate stayed on his side of the table. All was fine with the 2 of us on that.

My hubby comes back with turkey, dressing, greenbeans, and some other stuff. I no more had more than about 2 very small bites of turkey & dressing and a couple of green Beans when the waitress comes to our table and informs us that her manager saw us sharing a plate and said that I had to either order from the menu or the bar.

I was upset but I was going to order the kids bar and the manager says no after the waitress asks her if it was ok. I demanded to see the manager and in a few minutes she was at our table. I again explained that I had just had the lapband surgery and couple eat anymore than just a few bites. She said that I was more than welcome to order ANYTHING from the kids menu but couldnt share a plate with my husband.

I told her that was fine and then informed the waitress that I would just eat a little bit off of the lunch bar and to let it be from the kids menu. The manager very fast said I couldn't order the childs lunch bar because I could eat more than a child. HELLO DID SHE FORGET WHAT I HAD JUST EXPLAINED TO HER?

She says "anything else i can have from the childs menu. So I look, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, and grilled cheese. I explained to her that I can have bread so the grilled cheese is out of the question, I can't have anything that has been breaded so I cant have the chicken nuggets, and hamburger meat gets stuck and makes me hurt really really bad. Don't think she really cared one little bit.

I ended up ordering the childs salad bar. I had not even half a bowl of cabbage Soup and very little salad. I ended up having to pay $5.99 for no more than 10 very small bites of food.

By the time I left I was really upset. Why do these big resturants not offer a meal plan for people that have had this kind of procedure done. Instead of trying to make us pay after taxes and everything 7 dollars for just a few bites.

My husband once owned his own resturant before we met. We are now thinking of taking out a small loan to open up a small family resturant and make sure that people like us (those who have had this surgery or the bypass or anything pertaining to weight loss surgery) have a section on the menu, just for us.

Well, there you have it.

You should write a letter to the corporate office and send a copy to the newspaper.

This is unfair

Honestly I plan to just order whatever I want, have them box up half before they serve me, and then eat probably half of what they serve and take the rest home for another meal or two. Most children's menus do not have healthy options (as you discovered) and I don't want to bother trying to explain. Right now I don't have any restriction anyway, so I COULD"ve eaten from the grown up bar! LOL

Restaurants are funny about buffets, anyway. If your husband just ordered a menu item, they couldn't have said anything. But the buffet, they were probably afraid you were trying to cheat them.

Sorry you had such a bad experience. I'd just avoid buffets in the future! LOL

How unfair!!! I'm sorry you had to go thru that. I haven't had my surgery yet...I am scheduled for Nov 10. I don't know what it will be like whenever I go out to eat. Ordering from the kids menu is a good idea...or else an appetizer of some sort. Good Luck on your journey!!!

sassymama you have had such a roller coaster ride lap band experience you should write a tell all! :girl_hug:

I hate to be the one not to agree, but I have to say I respectfully do not agree. :-)

The buffet-style restaurants did not charge any of us more when we ate more than the average person, so I think them offering to charge you only the child's price was more than fair. And I dont think going to a buffet is the best choice for someone's first experience out in a restaurant after being banded (I am not criticizing at all, just based on my own experiences).

Good luck in the future!

I am very lucky because our favorite restaurant is locally owned and I have a fantastic relationship with the staff there. They all know I had surgery and are very accommodating with food for me.

I haven't even tried eating from the childrens menu when we have gone out (to other restaurant), I just order one thing I love to pieces and eat a little of it, then I have it boxed up and I now have many meals of my favorite thing.

But, on the other hand I do understand how frustrating this can be for all involved, so many people just don't understand this surgery - and that is ok, they don't have to and as much as I would like to make them understand it isn't worth the effort for me personally.

However, if you fee strongly - and it sounds like you do - you should write a letter to the company and voice your opinion :biggrin: There is nothing like free speech!:girl_hug:

Hey all, I was out to my first real meal last night, too. However, my doctor gave me a card on the hospital letterhead that had my name and his and told that I had lap band surgery and to please allow me to have a discounted or child's rate. This was Golden Corral. She didn't even question me.. just said okay and away we went. However they did only give the the "senior" rate, but there was no hesitation at all... I'll have to see how it works in a regular type restaurant. I did fine with the buffet. I just nibbled a bit on mostly meat/protein items and quit when I knew the time was right. I sat a while as my husband finished and then had two bites of his ice cream. It was wonderful to leave that place feeling just fine rather that stuffed to the brim like before the surgery. I'm sorry Sassymama had such a bad experience. I hope it gets better and that mine continue to be positive... Good luck everyone......

My husband and I used to split dinners all the time even before the band and we do eat out a lot. Some restaurants will split the dinner and bring it out on 2 plates which is way more than you can eat so we just ask for an extra plate and tell them we don't split it even. I guess I can understand the restaurants hesitation on splitting the buffet. If one person can do it others will want to, but the server should have checked before she told you it was OK. Best not to get angry about it because the person you are hurting the most is yourself. You should eat your food with joy. Enjoy your journey we all have to eat something.

Sally

I'm perfectly willing to pay for whatever a restaurant has to offer me. I haven't patronized any buffet styled restaurants since my banding, but if I happen to go to one with family or friends I will pay the adult rate as everyone else does. I do not feel that I should receive special treatment. However, I do feel comfortable asking for reasonable substitutions like veggies or a salad instead of fries or asking for something to be broiled and not fried.

I went to an Indian buffet today for lunch. I paid about $30 because I was also taking a friend out for her birthday, so I paid.

I ate about 1/3 of a piece of tandoori chicken and a few bites of some chicken vindaloo or something (I can't remember the exact name.)

Anyway, I figure I am at a restaurant as much for the company as for the food... it's ok.

I have gone out about 3 times since being able to eat food, and the other two times had an appetizer. It worked for me.

My doctor didn't give me a special card or anything saying I could order from the children's menu.

Hey, do they have tapas where you live? It's Spanish food and comes in really small servings. Usually people all order 1-2 things and the whole table shares. That would be great for bandsters. There is a place by my house called Tidbit which I now want to try! :rolleyes2:

I hate to be the one not to agree, but I have to say I respectfully do not agree. :-)

The buffet-style restaurants did not charge any of us more when we ate more than the average person, so I think them offering to charge you only the child's price was more than fair. And I dont think going to a buffet is the best choice for someone's first experience out in a restaurant after being banded (I am not criticizing at all, just based on my own experiences).

Good luck in the future!

I never thought of it that way - great example..

I haven't gone to a buffet - since you can't have doggie bags with them and it's to much $$$ for what little I can eat..

I still go out but always have a doggie bag now a days ...

My husband and I go to Yum Cha, it is simillar to tapas, but is chinese, and if i go to a normal restaurant, i just order entree size, and box up what ever is left, for later, they do not mind, this, and neither do I.

My experience is that smaller, nicer, family run restaurants have better quality food, better tasting food, and are completely willing to let you share a plate and even happily bring you an extra plate to make sharing easier. When they do that, I figure what the bill would have been if I had ordered my own meal and then tip appropriately.

For me, no longer eating at big chains that serve junk food is part of my journey to better health.

Wow, thers still a Shoneys open somewhere? thats amazing, have not seen one for years.

Buffets are a whole different animal (I managed them for years) we never go to buffets anymore. Go to a regular restaurant and share or plan on doggie bags.

Having both managed and owned restarants in the past I understand your frustration, I've often kicked around the thought of opening a restaurant that served served healthy food in real portions but I just don't think theres a market for it. I think restaurant protions are a terrible waste and the cause of much obesity, but the public has been getting that sized portion for years and has come to expect it. My gosh the smallest steak at a local steakhouse is a 10 oz, then add salad, bread, potatoes -- thats 2 or 3 meals!

We have a local meat market that we buy filet migon at and we get about a 5 or 6 oz piece, and cut it in half and grill it -- when you figure out the portion even at its normal $14.99 a pound the price is very reasonable (both my wife and I are banded) we're both eating about 2.5 to 3 oz. each, and sometimes its on sale for $9.99 a pound.

I must say the quality of what we eat has gone way up as the quantity has gone down.

I've already decided that if I ask for child's portion or in your case a child's buffet and I am told no- I will then just order me a bowl of Soup and let it go.

I figure the issue is with me and not the restaurant. Just my opinion of course.