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.

I agree with lovegrapes. When I go to a restaurant, I don't tell the staff I"m banded. I don't try to get a special deal. If it's a regular restaurant, I share with the person I'm with. If it's a buffet, I usually ask if it's possible to just buy a cup of soup. But on a date, recently, the fella told me "order whatever you want, don't be shy."

Well, he ended up thinking I was shy, since I ordered the trout, and then, ate 2 bites of salad. One very small nibble of garlic toast. Maybe an ounce of the fish, and 2 slices of cooked zucchini. I did not box it up, because leftovers really don't work for me. But the meal was delicious, and the company was pleasant, the service exemplary, and regardless of how much I ate or did not eat, I feel the price was fair.

It has been a big adjustment though. I used to go to restaurants to gorge on delicious foods prepared and served by someone else. Now I go for social reasons, or just to get sustenance, which doesn't have to be much! Mexican restaurants work great, where I can order one taco. But overall, eating out is no longer my first choice of recreational activities....and it used to be! It's just not that much fun anymore!

I'm going to have my first restaurant meal this evening. It will also be my first Phase III diet meal. I was banded on August 26th and got my first fill two days ago.

My wife and I are going to Q'doba and I'm going to get a naked burrito (love the name!) with chicken and black Beans, no tortilla, no rice, no cheese, no sour cream. I'll at least get to eat non-pureed chicken and beans and my first bite of salad in a month.

I feel a little bit weird about trying to order from the children's menu, so I just plan to take home whatever I don't eat. At this point I'm not talking about the lap band procedure with anyone but close family and friends. Talking about it to a food service worker who I don't know is outside of my comfort zone.

I'm down 22 lbs so far, and down one pants and shirt size. Time to buy some new clothes, but only enough to get me by until I'm at the next size down.

Bryan

:crying:

I'd have to say I respectfully disagree about the part of having a special section of the menu. Restuarants cannot cater to every single group who feel they are wronged by what is offered. The choice is yours not to eat there.

When I take my 4 yo to a chinese buffet, he eats maybe two pieces of chicken...not hardly worth 5 bucks or whatever, but I knew when I picked this place that he would not eat 5 bucks worth of food.

I understand your frustration though! :crying:

Businesses like this are not usually going to cater to such a small percentage of patrons like banders. And as you stated they like most don't offer anything healthy on the kid's menu. I feel that these options gear our kids up for making lifelong bad food choices. Hence adding to the obesity epidemic that we face now. You will do much better to stay with menu choices but you will have to pay no matter how much of it you eat.

Great choice for your first meal out (and going forward). They food is so fresh and so delicious and you can customize to what your needs are!

Enjoy!

I'm going to have my first restaurant meal this evening. It will also be my first Phase III diet meal. I was banded on August 26th and got my first fill two days ago.

My wife and I are going to Q'doba and I'm going to get a naked burrito (love the name!) with chicken and black Beans, no tortilla, no rice, no cheese, no sour cream. I'll at least get to eat non-pureed chicken and beans and my first bite of salad in a month.

I feel a little bit weird about trying to order from the children's menu, so I just plan to take home whatever I don't eat. At this point I'm not talking about the lap band procedure with anyone but close family and friends. Talking about it to a food service worker who I don't know is outside of my comfort zone.

I'm down 22 lbs so far, and down one pants and shirt size. Time to buy some new clothes, but only enough to get me by until I'm at the next size down.

Bryan

:crying:

a word of warning to all you newish bandsters. It's a good idea to order something you have had success with before. My first restaurant experience involved a 20 minute sliming session. (and yes...that was on a first date...ouch)

I am still liquid/mushie...we went to dinner at Jason's Deli where I knew I would order a cup of Soup. But for a SPLIT second...my mind took over and thought...should I get a cup or a BOWL? I snapped out of it laughing...WHAT WAS I THINKING? I could never finish a bowl! I got my cup of soup...

We ate. I started laughing as I stared down at my half empty cup of soup...it's so lovely to eat so cheaply. Got the rest to go!

* * * I also ordered a glass of Water (not thinking) and when I got to the table...I was like...I can't even drink this....no biggie...new habits to be made people. And we can do it!

GOOD LUCK!!!!

* * * I also ordered a glass of Water (not thinking) and when I got to the table...I was like...I can't even drink this....no biggie...new habits to be made people. And we can do it!

That's what I think will be the hardest part...I love to drink water in a restaurant!

~~anne