Question:
Has anyone used the restuarant card ? Did you have any problems?
— [Anonymous] (posted on August 23, 2001)
August 22, 2001
I've had both success and frustration using my restaurant card.
Fortunately, the local restaurant where my husband and I eat out once a
week has been great. IHOP, on the other hand, made a huge deal out of it
and I ended up writing the main office and then getting into a p*ssing
contest with the franchise manager with whom I had the complaint. I was
silly and assumed "the customer is always right". *shrug* I
won't go back there just because I don't need that kind of badgering. What
really works for me is ordering soup or an a la carte item.
Don't let this be a show stopper for you!!
— Lucky B.
August 22, 2001
I have not had any success using the card. Usually I either order the kids
meal and no one questions it or they say, "You can't order that,"
and I whip out the card then end up ordering the a la carte item (at twice
the price) anyway. If I am with my daughter, we usually split the kids meal
(she's 3 and I can still get away with it). Or I order an appetizer.
— ctyst
August 23, 2001
When I was pre-op, I went out with my post-op angel to a large and
expensive buffet. I called in advance to explain the situation and the
manager gave me his name and told me it wouldn't be a problem. Then when
we tried to explain it to the manager on duty (someone different), they
were very snotty to us. Even when I explained that we'd called ahead and
named the manager I spoke with, they acted like we were trying to pull a
scam. We were all very disgusted and I will not be going back there. I
don't have my card yet but I usually just order a side or some soup. The
only time it's really a problem is at a buffet. Who wants to pay $20 for 5
bites of food.
Kathryn
— kcanges
August 23, 2001
I usually have only had to mention the fact I've had stomach surgery and I
can't eat very much to get a discount. I have my card ready for back up
and only rarely have to produce it. Most of the time I use it at
all-you-can eat salad bars and buffets. I've had great luck in being
charged the senior or child's rate. I did have a manager at one salad
resturant cruise by my table about a dozen times during our meal, checking
out my plate. I guess he wanted to make sure I really wasn't eating more
than my five year old niece, who they let eat for free! My local IHOP
offers half orders, so using the card there isn't a issue. Usually I've
been able to order from the senior menu at Dennys and Cocos. Mostly I've
had very positive experiences. Once at a truck stop, I didn't use my card
or mention the surgery to the waitress. When she saw how much food was
left on my plate, she thought I didn't like my meal. When I told her about
my surgery, she scolded me for NOT showing her my card. Seems the
manager's wife had WLS and they had specials for us WLS people.
— Sharyle L.
August 23, 2001
I do sometimes if I go to a expensive restaurant, but of course i dont go
out to eat as often anymore, I just say can you ask your boss if you can
honer this card, sometimes they give you large portions, i just say about
the size of a deck of cards for fish. it helps.
— peaceangel58
August 23, 2001
My surgeon provides a card asking that we be allowed to eat off the
children's menu....Since the children's menu is usually fried foods I've
never used it. I don't know if you have a Moxie's restaurant in the
states, but here in Canada they have never questioned me ordering off the
Senior's menu. I've also asked for half orders of salad at times. A
buffet is a place that I probably won't go again either. Soup, salad, or a
shrimp cocktail are probably my main choices in a restaurant. My family
does like fast food once in a while and our local burger king has a play
structure. When I'm there I order the veggie burger and eat the patty out
of it. My dh takes the bun and all the trimmings in it home where he adds
lunch meat and makes another meal for himself. We all win! Good luck
— Jo C.
August 23, 2001
I've never used it. There are just too many other options to even bother
with it. I either share a meal with one of the kids or my husband, or
order appetizers, or take the leftover food home. Now that my husband has
had the surgery, it's pretty funny to eat out. We went to IHOP the other
day, and the entire family shared one meal (me, my husband, the 13 y.o.,
and the 9 y.o.). That Colorado omelette is great! -Kate-
— kateseidel
August 23, 2001
Boy, I am sure lucky! Our Sizzler in Coos Bay honors the wls people with a
99 cent salad bar! From that, I eat a mixture of refried beans, taco meat
and one chicken wing with the skin off, a dash of cottage cheese &
salsa. Of course I can only "hold" a couple of bites of each. I
learned of this 99 center at my support group meeting. Has anyone brought
it up as a topic in your area? You might be surprised that there really are
some deals out there for you.
— Barbara B.
August 23, 2001
I have never had trouble using my card. I just use it to order a
children's order or a senior menu portion. Sometimes an all-you can eat
charges me like a child (be sure and tell them you don't drink with your
meal -- they take that into account). Most times though I either share a
meal or take home half the meal for later or else order soup or stew or
just an appetizer. It really is not a problem.
— Cindy H.
August 23, 2001
Where do we get the card? My surgeon refuses to sign one if I had it, but I
see no reason my regular doctor could'nt.
If I'm with my family and "can't get out of" eating at the all
you can eat places, I just ask if I can pay the child's price. I pull up
the bottom of my shirt (as descretely as I can) and show them my scar. I
don't want them to think I'm trying to pull a fast one. But I would rather
have the card.
About a year ago I saw one online I could have printed up, but I have no
idea on the URL now. Can someone tell me where it is? Thanks.
— Danmark
August 23, 2001
No restaurants around me would take the card. So i called my surgeons
office and asked them if they had one signed by the doc himself. They said
no, BUT they would send me a prescription pad note saying that i had the
surgery and could only consume small amounts and the doc signed it. Now all
the restaurants are accepting this.
— rose B.
August 23, 2001
I went to Subway and ordered a child's meal for lunch. When I asked for
tuna sandwish with green peppers and olives, the ALL IMPORTANT guy behind
the counter smirked and said "IS this for a child?" I said
"no it is for me." He turned to his coworker and very
sarcastically said "We're gonna have to start carding these
people". I was shocked! I said "you want a card? I have a
card" and I pulled out my restaurant card. While I was looking for
it he kept on smarting off and I said "hey, don't say another
word...you are going to feel bad for saying this as soon as I show you MY
card." After he saw the card he was as nice as can be. He even asked
if I wanted him to scoop out the middle of the bread! I said, "no, I
won't eat that anyway." And "by the way, I suspect JARED, the
guy who does Subway commercials, had this surgery!" Sorry I couldn't
resist!!!! lol
— Marilyn C.
February 19, 2002
I had the RNY on 12/19 and at 3 weeks when the doc said I could try a few
foods, I went out to eat with my family. The waitress and then the manager
had a fit over my ordering a child's plate. They refused the card and told
me they couldn't lose profits because I wanted to start some new diet. It
was so embarrassing. I ate so little of the food they could have reserved
the plate and no one would have even known it was touched, but I had to pay
$3 extra as a penalty for not being under 12. Anyway, needless to say, I
have never went back to that restraunt.
— bojimenez
May 27, 2003
My husband and I went to Red Lobster because I was craving fish (which he
doesn't eat at all lol) He ordered his plate of steak with a lobster for me
then ordered the add on of crab legs. I ate 1 crab leg and 1 bite of the
lobster and brought it home to my freezer for another 2 meals.
— Kathleen S.
May 27, 2003
I have a card and have used it twice, but I don't even mention it any more.
I use it more for the great drawing on the back of my card that shows
what is done in the surgery! Someone once posted that there are lots of
people who have never been fat, never had surgery and still can't eat a
large amount of food - and they don't get a discount, so why should I?! My
mom weighs 92 lbs., and can't eat a lot (yes, she gets a senior citizen
discount) but no one ever says, "You know, you are tiny, and you
probably only eat half as much as that normal size person, so we will only
charge you half price!" Of course, now that my husband has had WLS,
eating out is a "piece of cake", (or maybe it's a piece of
chicken, or a piece of steak )- since we split a meal! I have to say -
the Bob Evans restaurant near us even split the meal on two plates before
they brought it out to us! We visit there pretty often. (They also let me
order "Turkey Lurkey" - turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and
green beans - from the children's menu without any kind of hassle, before
my DH had surgery.)
— koogy
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