This hack is new to me, but goes along so well with hacks #1 ,2, and 3 I just have to share it now.
#4. Don’t be afraid to ask for something not listed on the menu. Most places are all too happy to help out if you request is;
- Reasonable
- Politely asked
- And the answer is graciously accepted
Again some of these early hacks may seem like common sense, but sometimes these common courtesies can be easy to rush past when you’re concerned about getting things taken care of correctly.
I was excited to be able to use this hack a couple of times while on vacation recently. Once was for my son (2nd pickiest eater only to me), and again later for myself. Luckily my son does not have to eat gluten free, but I’ve found it’s almost harder to get accommodations done for non-dietary conditions. The people I was working with at Disneyland were awesome. We were ordering lunch for everyone else and I had just about decided to dig out a protein bar for the kid when I noticed that the kids meal options included a turkey and cheese sandwich. While my kiddo would pass on the turkey he does like grilled cheese. So I politely asked if they would be able to make a substitution and requested the grilled cheese. They checked with the chef and said they’d be able to do that for us. I thanked them for helping us out and they shared they were happy to do it.
At another quick service restaurant later the same trip I discovered they had gluten free hot dogs and buns- new information to me. However they did not have gluten free sides. When I asked if they could sell me the hot dogs separately from the meals they had listed they said they would have to charge me for the full meal price weather I took the sides or not. Even though this was not the answer I wanted to hear and I may have been little disgusted I still made sure to thank them. I thanked them for taking the time to talk to me and for letting me know that there was another option for me to be able to eat. I feel that it’s important to always be gracious- again the way we treat people who serve us will reflect not just on us but on everyone who comes after you with the same questions or dietary needs. You don’t want them to say in the kitchen-” we have another gluten free person trying to order something”. I’d rather they look on serving the group of us as a whole as a challenge and perhaps even fun. I did have a chef say that on this trip- it was so awesome to work with him. For more of that story check out my “Disneyland snacks I recommend” page. 😊
*** Edited later to add: We recently returned for a quick trip to Disneyland and we returned to the same Hot Dog quick service restaurant. They now have gluten free sides-not fries, but its nice to get a little more with your meal when you are paying for it anyway. I asked them when/why they had made the sides available and they shared that that the sides options had been requested by the people with dietary concerns. It works!
Gluten Free Life Hacks 