[Cara178]

Went to lunch with a friend. Not the kind I would tell about my WLS, but someone I goto lunch with from time to time. She has no weight issues and has been very respectful of my change. She has not asked me anything about it....isn't that nice for a change to have someone say not a damn thing...

Anywho...we at Border Cafe which is a Mexican/Cajun. I ordered what I thought was chicken breast in a tomatoe sauce of types. Instead the waitress brought me a fried chicken breast with some sort of creamy sauce on it. I did not know how to handle this, bad enough I would be paying for something I would not eat much of anyway - now it was something I could not/should not eat either. I did not know what to do, I did not want to make a big deal in front of Ms. Mind Her Business. So I kept the order. But I felt stressed, because I had already dared to eat a few of their free chips- now this. Yeah for me...I at four tiny nibbles of the chicken then poured some black beans on my plate and ate that with a tiny bit of my rice.

Ever had one of those times, where you don't want to make a big deal over your WLS choice? You don't want to discuss it per-say...you just want to appear normal. Should have sent the dish back? How do you live a normal life sometimes without making a big deal of your WLS?

[Weigh2GoSteph]

I know what you mean. Sometimes, although I'm very open about my surgery, I just want to be NORMAL for a bit. It makes me feel uncomfortable if we're invited over to someone's house for dinner and they worry about what I can or can't eat.

If I were in your situation, I probably would've just politely explained that I had wanted grilled chicken. I have never liked "fried" chicken, so I would've done that even pre-surgery.

[clfcarrie]

I agree with Steph. I believe it is very normal to tell the waite staff that what you recieved is not what you expected. Most resteraunts are very accomidating and you don't have to say becz of wls. Just this is not what I thought I was ordering. Did it say on the menu it was fried chicken? never be afraid to ask questions. Many people whether they have wls or not are choosing grilled over fried and so on. Just becz we were not one of those people before doesn't mean we have to go into details. Way to go tho with making the best of a situation. At least you got something healthy to eat and I would have just brought the chicken home to my DH. LOL

[tcgc0114]

I haven't been in that situation yet, b/c the few people I do lunch with are close friends, and know my situation. But, I would have not hesitated to apologize profusely that I thought the chicken was grilled, etc. I probably would have made it seem more my fault for not reading the menu, etc. (and I'm not saying it was your fault, but I would have made it my fault so as to keep the wait staff happy!).

But great job on the way you handled the situation!

[Perfesser]

Either Peanut or I would have told the server that this is not what we ordered, and with our dietary restrictions, this would make us quite sick before we got out of the restaurant. We'd do it nicely, but firmly, and request that it be exchanged for the original dish.

We've done this before, never saying a word about WLS, and have never had a problem (except this one place with a rude server, but we complained to her manager and we'll never be back there anyway!)

So many people have so many different food complications these days (was this made in a building that had at one time seen a peanut butter cookie?? Etc. ...) that it is completely accepted to just state "food reactions" and leave it at that.

Or you could get it packed and take it home to the devouring hordes waiting for something, anything to land on their table!!

You handled it well for an unexpected complication. It gets easier the more experience you have with it. Eating out can still be fun, but it's more about getting out any more than it is about eating.

CT

[Cara178]

I did get it to go and just ate the rest of my black beans. I wrapped the chicken for my husband. That gets me off the hook for cooking tonight. I say that's a win-win. I have an agreement with myself that I will not go out to lunch on my own. I will use it as a social occasion and only go with someone else. The rest of the time I just bring in food from home. Working hard on learning to live the WLS way.

[not quite Barbie]

I just think about all the times I've been at restaurants and some skinny chic is ordering a salad with the dressing on the side, grilled chicken with no sauce on it, no rice or only pilaf, etc. LOL Now I'm that skinny chic.

Wait staff are used to people being picky, everybody is on a diet nowadays. I would have asked to see the menu again and made sure if it was my mistake or not. If I goofed, I would pay for the meal to go and order something I could eat. But it's quite possible that what she brought you wasn't what you ordered.

[JulieD0814]

I was just at the border the other day! I was very specific with my order. Chicken fajitas with the. chicken they use for the kids chicken, onions, no wraps and just a little bit of cheese and sour cream on the side. I used to always get the french fries but opted for rice instead I got my order and it was perfect. (I only ate 3 strips of chicken a few onions a couple tablespoons of rice and was stuffed! I used to eat the whole order!) I find that when I am very specific up front I get what I can eat. I did steal one of my sons French fries but couldn't swallow it it was way to greasy!

Eating out can be hard but I've found the more specific you are the better chance you have of eating! I figure if I'm paying for it they should make it the way I want it!