Rude CM vent

[LVSWL]

I used to work at the Brown Derby and things like what this poster mentioned is what we do.

Could we accommodate someone who does not give us advance notice? Yes we can however our options would be limited. With the advance notice the chefs can buy special ingredients or prepare whole menus. The chefs like and WANT advance notice. It's called service and it's what Disney does.

Let me give a couple examples of this service. While these are different situations they do highlight why the restaurants want advance notice. We received notice that a party would be coming in to dine and a member of that party was highly allergic to certain detergents used to wash the dishes. While not a food allergy it is important that we know about these things. The chef made a few phone calls to the family and was able to purchase a special detergent and one of our stewards hand washed several place settings for this family so they could enjoy their dining experience with us.

Another time we got notice that a family of vegans would be dining with us. And while we had one vegan entree on our menu we wanted them to have variety. So the executive chef and two of the sous chefs made up a special menu just for this family of 4 or 5 different vegan options for them.

In both these cases we knew ahead of time so we were able to accommodate the families. Had we not had notice we could not have done that.

Again it's called service and it's what Disney does.

But I guess there are some folks on this board who don't believe that.

So cool! I love Disney!

 

[damo]

Giving a "yes" in reply to a question is neither rude nor snarkey.

I still don't understand how replying "yes" to a question when asked makes someone "grumpy" or "rude". .. I think a mountain is being made out of a molehill.

I totally agree.

Do you guys have teenagers?

 

[LaraK]

Boy, some people are so grumpy and just plain mean...

Naaahhhhhhh! The Dis is a super Friendly place now. I just read it on another thread.

 

[maxiesmom]

Do you guys have teenagers?

But with a teenager you usually get the eye roll along with the sigh. The eye roll sells it as rude.

Really, I think the OP was smart to call, especially when you consider the bad past experiences. It is just that as someone who has worked serving the public for a long time, I think the title of this thread makes a big deal out of what was just a small offence. A sigh is not such a horrible thing that it should upset someone so. It goes more under the heading under let it slide, and get on enjoying your day. It is not a henious offence.

 

[phorsenuf]

i feel for you OP. i have a peanut allergy and i put it on all of my ressies. each and every place mentioned it to me when checking in. and the waitstaff made sure to tell me what was safe and what wasn't. at the brown derby, the head chef came out and told me personnally that the entire restaurant was peanut-free for me that day.

So all the other patrons who were eating there that day couldn't order anything that had peanuts in it?

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

Some people do have to call ahead but the we aren't talking about someone with a severe, life threatening food allergy here, (in the OP) and we are not talking about a child. We are talking about an adult and a food that isn't widely used as an ingredient in most dishes. Nor did I say that 'any and all' food allergies can be accommodated on a walk in basis. But based on the info in the original post, and the huge number of people who have food allergies and cope with them every day without noting it on every reservation they make an any restaurant, I still think it is over kill. If a diner is so allergic that exposure to a common food substance would result in anaphylaxis, they probably need take more serious precautions than just noting it on an ADR.

My mom is a celiac and I am thankful that Disney is so accomodating to her and the other people with food allergies. It is always noted on all of our ADRs that she is a celiac, not to be pain, but to ensure that she can eat the meal with us instead of a piece of cheese like she has done at so many other places that can't accomodate gluten free cooking.

Sure, she could eat wheat and not die, but she will suffer for it later and the effects may last for a couple of weeks. I'd rather have my mom healthy and able to enjoy her vacation than to be sick because we didn't want to note it. After all, we're all paying the exact same thing to eat at the restaurants, whether you note a food allergy or not.

I guess I don't see the big deal that everybody is making about it. The OP wanted to enjoy her vacation to WDW with her family just like the rest of us. Who are we to say that her husband's allergy should be noted or not?

 

[nephthys43]

So all the other patrons who were eating there that day couldn't order anything that had peanuts in it?

i'm guessing that anything that had peanuts wouldn't have had them that day. they just would have been left out of the recipe. the only thing they told me not to eat was the biscotti, since it came already made from their supplier and they couldn't be sure of the contents.

 

[Loverly]

Will they accommodate a special request without notification? Yes. But they cannot guarantee it. See the difference?

I am Catholic and one day decided on a whim to eat at Liberty Tree on a Friday. I wanted to see the characters. I explained the situation and the chef was able to make me salmon because he had it with him. ?

I thought the only time a Catholic had to go meatless, nowadays, was Good Friday?

Every single WDW restaurant has a meatless meal on the menu for vegetarians.

Liberty Tree Tavern
Liberty Square - Magic Kingdom





Menu Date: February 2008


Appetizers
Declaration Salad - field greens and vegetables tossed with your choice of our tavern strawberry vinaigrette or roasted garlic buttermilk dressing $5.49

Maryland Crab Cake - a lightly fried Blue Crab Cake on roasted corn succotash with tartar sauce $7.49

Tavern Fried Cheese - with marinara sauce $5.29

New England Clam Chowder - $6.99

Today's Soup Kettle - $5.49


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entrees
New England Pot Roast... Our Tavern Keeper's Favorite - braised beef in a cabernet wine and mushroom sauce served with mashed potatoes and garden vegetables $16.99

Pilgrims' Feast - traditional roast turkey with herb bread dressing, mashed potatoes and a garden vegetable $14.99

William Penn Chicken Pasta -- applewood smoked bacon, mushrooms, marinated chicken, and basil with a creamy marinara $15.99

Colony Salad - Washington apples, sweet pecans and applewood smoked cheddar and grilled chicken tossed with field greens in honey shallot vinaigrette $13.49

Tri-Corner Sandwich - roast beef and swiss cheese with Liberty Slaw, horseradish cream sauce and arugula served on herbed focaccia with fresh fruit or tavern fries $11.49

Salmon Club Sandwich - grilled salmon on toasted multi-grain with lemon-basil mayonnaise served with mixed greens salad $14.99

Angus Chuck Cheeseburger topped with bacon and cheddar or mushrooms and provolone served with fresh fruit or tavern fries $11.99

Vegetarian Noodle Bowl - vegetarian broth with tofu, rice noodles and vegetables $8.99
#############
As you can see, the lunch menu has several seafood dishes & that is why the chef could accomidate your evening request

 

[DawnCt1]

My mom is a celiac and I am thankful that Disney is so accomodating to her and the other people with food allergies. It is always noted on all of our ADRs that she is a celiac, not to be pain, but to ensure that she can eat the meal with us instead of a piece of cheese like she has done at so many other places that can't accomodate gluten free cooking.

Sure, she could eat wheat and not die, but she will suffer for it later and the effects may last for a couple of weeks. I'd rather have my mom healthy and able to enjoy her vacation than to be sick because we didn't want to note it. After all, we're all paying the exact same thing to eat at the restaurants, whether you note a food allergy or not.

I guess I don't see the big deal that everybody is making about it. The OP wanted to enjoy her vacation to WDW with her family just like the rest of us. Who are we to say that her husband's allergy should be noted or not?

I am glad that WDW accommodates your mom as well. Celiac disease needs to be constantly managed and gluten is in almost everything. It is prudent and reasonable to note that on her ADRS, as are peanut allergies, or serious food allergies in which the food can exist in a number of things and are difficult to avoid. My father was allergic to apples in any form so he had to avoid anything that could have been made with apple vinegar. Strawberries are a food that is easily identifiable and easy to avoid, and easily dealt with at the point of service.

 

[DawnCt1]

i feel for you OP. i have a peanut allergy and i put it on all of my ressies. each and every place mentioned it to me when checking in. and the waitstaff made sure to tell me what was safe and what wasn't. at the brown derby, the head chef came out and told me personnally that the entire restaurant was peanut-free for me that day.

I would put a peanut allergy on my reservation as well. Peanut butter is used in many things that aren't often obvious. A young woman in our area died at the Somer's Chile Festival a few years ago. One of the samples was thickened with peanut butter and she didn't know.

 

[Nancyg56]

I am not going to weigh in on the rude CM. I did not hear that conversation. I see nothing wrong double checking allergy information on dining reservations even if a spouse is making the call for her husband. I take care of all of my family plans and would not ask my DH to take care of simply because he can.

Disney asks that patrons note allergy information and they do prepare for them. A Disney Chef told me that once they know of an allergy they do not prepare that diner's food with anything that has touched anything that could contaminate the food, they take this very seriously and have been trained in 40 different food allergies.

She told us that if they know in advance they can make sure that the kitchen has the necessary ingredients to prepare an alternative meal. The Chef likes to be informed upon your arrival so that he or she can go over the menu with you and help to avoid contaminants that may not be apparent on the menu description, you are asked before you are seated about allergy concerns and again by the wait staff to be sure.

While I understand the need that DIS folks have to safeguard Disney I would ask that you also remember that Disney has made a special dietary needs a priority and not because they are afraid of a lawsuit. They really do want to make your stay special and will go above and beyond to ensure your safety. Disney is the only destination we can take Kady for an extended visit because of the care they put on her dietary restrictions. It is personal to us and to many others and because of this we go often.

I understand that not all folks feel the need to call ahead or to double check but I know that for anyone who has had an adverse reaction double checking may not seem overkill. Just as dining plans, resort preferences and touring styles differ with each person, I am sure managing allergies would too.

 

[sha_lyn]

I thought the only time a Catholic had to go meatless, nowadays, was Good Friday?

Every single WDW restaurant has a meatless meal on the menu for vegetarians.

Liberty Tree Tavern
Liberty Square - Magic Kingdom





Menu Date: February 2008


Appetizers
Declaration Salad - field greens and vegetables tossed with your choice of our tavern strawberry vinaigrette or roasted garlic buttermilk dressing $5.49

Maryland Crab Cake - a lightly fried Blue Crab Cake on roasted corn succotash with tartar sauce $7.49

Tavern Fried Cheese - with marinara sauce $5.29

New England Clam Chowder - $6.99

Today's Soup Kettle - $5.49


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entrees
New England Pot Roast... Our Tavern Keeper's Favorite - braised beef in a cabernet wine and mushroom sauce served with mashed potatoes and garden vegetables $16.99

Pilgrims' Feast - traditional roast turkey with herb bread dressing, mashed potatoes and a garden vegetable $14.99

William Penn Chicken Pasta -- applewood smoked bacon, mushrooms, marinated chicken, and basil with a creamy marinara $15.99

Colony Salad - Washington apples, sweet pecans and applewood smoked cheddar and grilled chicken tossed with field greens in honey shallot vinaigrette $13.49

Tri-Corner Sandwich - roast beef and swiss cheese with Liberty Slaw, horseradish cream sauce and arugula served on herbed focaccia with fresh fruit or tavern fries $11.49

Salmon Club Sandwich - grilled salmon on toasted multi-grain with lemon-basil mayonnaise served with mixed greens salad $14.99

Angus Chuck Cheeseburger topped with bacon and cheddar or mushrooms and provolone served with fresh fruit or tavern fries $11.99

Vegetarian Noodle Bowl - vegetarian broth with tofu, rice noodles and vegetables $8.99
#############
As you can see, the lunch menu has several seafood dishes & that is why the chef could accomidate your evening request

That is the lunch menu. As Eyeore'sbutterfly said, she was there for dinner.

here is the dinner menu from www.allears.net

BILL OF FARE

DECLARATION SALAD - Tossed Mixed Greens, served with our special Tavern Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing

PATRIOT'S PLATTER - A generous serving of roasted turkey breast, carved beef, and smoked pork loin, with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, herb bread stuffing, and Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese.

As for meatless Fridays...I believe some Catholics still obsever it yr round, while other do just during Lent (which would cover several Fridays before Easter).

The chef cooked her a pece of the fish from the lunch menu. I see no problem at all in that. Otherwise all she could eat was the salad, mac and cheese vegetalbes and mashed potatoes.

Oh and lookie at the salad dressing, yep you got it strawberries. So nope they aren't just in desserts as some claim. 1900PF has a strawberry soup too.
Cross contamination in any of the restaurants that serves a large amount of strawberries would be a great concern.

ETA: I didn't see before now that you did say that it was the lunch menu. It just ran toegether with the menu when I first read it.
I believe WDW has a central supply that food is delievered from daily(if I am remembering correctly what one of the travel channel specials said).
IMHO it would be very possible that they wouldn't have easy access to some items on the lunch menu at dinner time.

 

[Ileana]

Some of you are REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY stretching to be rude to the OP

 

[NikiM20]

Some of you are REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY stretching to be rude to the OP

I agree, one person in particular

I am glad that WDW accommodates your mom as well. Celiac disease needs to be constantly managed and gluten is in almost everything. It is prudent and reasonable to note that on her ADRS, as are peanut allergies, or serious food allergies in which the food can exist in a number of things and are difficult to avoid. My father was allergic to apples in any form so he had to avoid anything that could have been made with apple vinegar. Strawberries are a food that is easily identifiable and easy to avoid, and easily dealt with at the point of service.

Now Dawn, since you feel the need to state over and over again how you dont feel like this is a big deal, and your son had a reaction once and has eaten them since, I will once again state this......DH KNOWS HOW TO TELL A STRAWBERRY, HE CAN TELL IF THERE IS ONE ON HIS PLATE Once again I will state, I am worried about cross contamination. Strawberries are also used in more and more things...trust me I have to find things that DONT have them in them. You come here, attack me numerous times over the fact that I called about food allergies on my ADR's. Could we have told them when we got there, sure, but Disney feels it is better to let them know ahead of time. For someone who supposedly is in the medical field, you dont know much about allergies

 

[DawnCt1]

I agree, one person in particular



Now Dawn, since you feel the need to state over and over again how you dont feel like this is a big deal, and your son had a reaction once and has eaten them since, I will once again state this......DH KNOWS HOW TO TELL A STRAWBERRY, HE CAN TELL IF THERE IS ONE ON HIS PLATE Once again I will state, I am worried about cross contamination. Strawberries are also used in more and more things...trust me I have to find things that DONT have them in them. You come here, attack me numerous times over the fact that I called about food allergies on my ADR's. Could we have told them when we got there, sure, but Disney feels it is better to let them know ahead of time. For someone who supposedly is in the medical field, you dont know much about allergies

Niki, I haven't attacked you at all. I discussed the issue with others who felt as you do. If it makes you happy to tell them ahead of time, absolutely, call them. In fact, call them the week before you leave ...just in case. I don't care. It doesn't impact me in the least. If you feel Disney will feel better just knowing, then you are all happy. Have a wonderful time and ignore the sighs!

 

[CF'er]

To the OP: you did the right thing... now relax and enjoy your vacation.

As for the ideas that her DH needed to call.... blah blah blah.... if it were up to her DH they probably wouldn't be going at all. Not that he doesn't want to go... just that wives TEND to do most of the planning, calling etc. I know that if I waited for my DH to plan our vacation.... well, there wouldn't be a vacation.

 

[Lilogirl]

Niki,

Go and enjoy your vacation. Ignore the negative comments. You did as Disney requested. You helped them to help you and did exactly as they requested. Some people don't live with allergies and don't get how dangerous cross contamination is. It is your vacation and you should be able to relax and not worry(too much) if the food your DH is eating is dangerous.

Enjoy!

 

[LVSWL]

Niki, I haven't attacked you at all. I discussed the issue with others who felt as you do. If it makes you happy to tell them ahead of time, absolutely, call them. In fact, call them the week before you leave ...just in case. I don't care. It doesn't impact me in the least. If you feel Disney will feel better just knowing, then you are all happy. Have a wonderful time and ignore the sighs!

I thought the OP said that Disney feels it is better to let them know ahead of time, not Disney will feel better just knowing. Dawn, I am glad that your DS doesn't have his allergy anymore so that this type of thing isn't an issue for you.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Can I just say that I agree that you should call ahead? DH is a chef and he really really really really appreciates it when guests let him know about their allergies before they dine in his restaurant. Especially for something like strawberries. They are used to flavour so many different sauces and dishes and are very easy to cross-contaminate other foods.

However, I don't see how the CM was being rude. If she was being rude, you should have asked to speak to a supervisor. If you didn't feel it necessary to speak to a supervisor, then I hardly think it's fair to complain about her being rude.

And here's a tip: If you are going to vent on a "discussion" board, be prepared for people to "discuss" your vent.

I apologize if this has been asked, but do you happen to know her name or the time? This is definitely something to write Guest Relations about.

Are you being serious about this? What are you going to write? Someone answered all of my questions and confirmed the information I called to confirm but they sighed when they did it and I didn't like their tone of voice? Again, if it wasn't worth getting a supervisor involved then why would it be worth lodging an official complaint in writing.

Strawberries are a food that is easily identifiable and easy to avoid, and easily dealt with at the point of service.

You obviously don't work in food preparation. Shellfish is actually easier to quarentine than strawberries, according to my DH who is a professional. At this point, I really don't think you know what you are talking about.

As for meatless Fridays...I believe some Catholics still obsever it yr round, . . .

Absolutey they do.

Niki, I haven't attacked you at all. I discussed the issue with others who felt as you do. If it makes you happy to tell them ahead of time, absolutely, call them. In fact, call them the week before you leave ...just in case. I don't care. It doesn't impact me in the least. If you feel Disney will feel better just knowing, then you are all happy. Have a wonderful time and ignore the sighs!

I'm glad that you have had a change of heart. This post is completely contradictory to the others you have made in this thread that clearly stated that you did in fact care if that the OP called in advance.

What are these new dining codes/packages?

I would love to know this as well. I realize it's OT but could someone direct us to threads that discuss this?

 

[rt2dz]

I’ve worked in restaurants—greeter, server, manager, event planner. All good restaurants would love to know in advance. Some restaurants have to tell customers that they can’t guarantee anything because of cross contamination issues. Let me tell you, there is a lot of cross contamination possibilities between various areas.

When that produce is loaded onto the truck to be delivered, do you really think anyone cares how it is stacked in the boxes? Nope. Just that they get the right boxes to the right place. Prep people, the people who do the job HOURS before your servers show up, work in all areas. The prep the grill line, the sauté line, the pasties, etc. It’s one prep staff for the entire restaurant. THAT is why WDW wants to know 3 days in advance, because (gasp) some items are prepped a day or two before. And the busier the restaurant, the more likely the prepping is done in great numbers. Prep staff rarely works when the rest of the staff is in. They need their items done before they get to work.

If the guy who just finished cleaning the strawberries moves on to washing the green beans… And never, ever trust a server to have a clue to what goes on in the kitchen. The two don’t mix. FOH (front of the house) staff is trained *lightly* about kitchen work. Most know ingredients, but not all minor ingredients, and not how the food is prepped. Oh, and you’d be amazed at how often strawberries are used, especially in dressings and other marinades.

I don’t blame the OP for checking. One, they screwed up last year. Two, she made the ADRs and if her DH is anything like mine, he only knows where he’s eating when on the way there. It’s not something he cares about as long as he knows we’re heading somewhere to eat. Allergies are progressive. If you ignore a minor one now, it can become a major one later. And even if not life threatening, who wants to have hives all over themselves looking like leper while on vacation.

I’m mainly a SAHM now, but to keep business skills up, I do contract work from time to time in business service evaluations. “Yes” might not seem rude, but it can be very, very rude. A sigh might not be very rude, or it can be tremendously rude. I did an evaluation yesterday that the short answers would have seemed like the staff was doing a horrible job, but were actually doing a fairly good job. Usually, it’s the other way around. Every rudeness does not demand speaking with a supervisor either. Sometimes people are upset and want to vent. Sometimes it’s more surprise. I’m always surprised at how everyone here seems to get such great service at WDW. The service I get is generally average with a few above average experiences.