Universal restaurants & food allergies

[CJK]

Hi all!

Although I have enjoyed many meals at several Universal restaurants, I've never dined with someone with severe food allergies. What have your experiences been? Disney is renowned for dealing with food allergies very well. Is Universal just as good? Thanks for any insights!

 

[macraven]

In one of my stickies I have the number to call for info on food allergies

you can talk to the chef and be able to work with them for your meals

 

[schumigirl]

We`ve had fabulous experiences with allergies at all Universal/Loews establishments.

If you let whoever is looking after you know there are issues, usually the chef will come out and chat to you and be able to work with you and reassure you too.

We found they offered excellent alternatives or reassured us the food was suitable.

None of our allergies are life threatening, but we do know people who have kids with serious issues and all have had the same experience as us. They do take them every seriously.

As mac says, there is a number to call in advance in her sticky. But, you`ll still be well looked after speaking to them on the night too.

 

[TwoMisfits]

If you are going now, it's not good. It's just not.

To make it better, eat at Citywalk for lunch or get in line for a CS 10-20 minutes before it opens. Then, you should get allergy help and notice.

Or delay your trip a few months as Florida gets restaffed. It is SEVERELY understaffed right now, and that does affect those with allergies, probably the most, b/c they just don't have time to help.

PS - I was there May 16-26, so this is VERY recent experience. My kids are still floored that one employee said "well, I don't know, but medical is at the front of the park if you need it..."

 

[CJK]

If you are going now, it's not good. It's just not.

To make it better, eat at Citywalk for lunch or get in line for a CS 10-20 minutes before it opens. Then, you should get allergy help and notice.

Or delay your trip a few months as Florida gets restaffed. It is SEVERELY understaffed right now, and that does affect those with allergies, probably the most, b/c they just don't have time to help.

That's too bad. Thankfully our trip isn't until 2022, so hopefully things improve. I do feel bad for those traveling right now though.

 

[TwoMisfits]

That's too bad. Thankfully our trip isn't until 2022, so hopefully things improve. I do feel bad for those traveling right now though.

I figured I trained a bunch of folks that week - I don't think many of them even knew what the allergy binders were or what components of certain allergies are (I trained one chef on all the possible dairy components - she was the only chef I actually met that week)...

But, we made it work, and I like to cook (so I had 2 meals day/in and 1 out, and brought most of my own snacks, although I had those that I knew were okay) - I did decide, on that 1st day, to hit vegan sites, and order what I thought was already a safe food vs seeing if something unsafe could be adapted...

And it was still a GREAT trip...I don't think there's a site in Florida with enough restaurant staffing, so it's not just Uni...everywhere is struggling on this point til they get staffed and back to normal...

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Much like Disney, a lot of times if you ask they will be very accommodating!

 

[schumigirl]

That's too bad. Thankfully our trip isn't until 2022, so hopefully things improve. I do feel bad for those traveling right now though.

It will, I would have no worries about any of the restaurants in UOR. You still have quite a time before your trip and staff are coming back all the time.

 

[AJA]

My DH has a serious food allergy and we have experienced the same excellent service at Universal as we had at Disney. No Difference.
Even in April of this year BUT like a pp said with short staff due to Covid I have heard that it might be hit or miss right now and depending on the seriousness of the food allergy you might want to plan ahead with a packed meal. You can always rent a locker outside the park and leave a cooler there.

 

[CJK]

You can always rent a locker outside the park and leave a cooler there.

Great tip, thanks!

 

[LisaFB]

Seeing if anyone has a more recent experience with food allergies at UO. We're going in August 2022, so we still have several months. Both my boys have severe allergies.

 

[McMonsters]

I’m going next month for the first time and will do my best to update. We have 3 people with allergies in our group.

 

[AJA]

Seeing if anyone has a more recent experience with food allergies at UO. We're going in August 2022, so we still have several months. Both my boys have severe allergies.

For us it was the same as usual in April, we talked to the chef and our meals made separately like any other year. We’ll be going again in January/February and I can report back then but I would not worry.
We have taken more than a dozen trips in the last 10 years or so and have always had excellent service when it comes to my DH’s food allergy.
A lot of the above reply's were from traveling this past spring when covid and employee shortages were at their worst. And an unexpected employee shortage “could” have resulted in few options for severe allergies.

Again even in April everything was fine for us, we find Universal the same as Disney for food allergies.

 

[CynBeth]

We were just there a few weeks ago. My DH is allergic to dairy and also can’t have black pepper or any hot spice and DM has to really limit her salt. We stayed at Portofino and at breakfast they were able to make fresh eggs for them. At Universal Studios we ate lunches at Today Cafe and Richter’s and dinners at Mel’s and Finnegan’s and they were able to accommodate. At Schwab’s pharmacy or whatever it is called near the Bourne show they have a dairy free Dole Whip.

 

[minniebeth]

We just returned from a Universal trip with my DD who has a few severe food allergies. Our experience was the the sit down restaurants in the parks and in CityWalk were good with her allergies. However, inside the parks at counter service locations, it was not the same experience. Some were better than others, but it was not good overall. If there is any type of allergy protocol, we did not see it. If you are familiar with Disney allergy protocols, it is nothing like that at all sad to say.

 

[TwoMisfits]

We just returned from a Universal trip with my DD who has a few severe food allergies. Our experience was the the sit down restaurants in the parks and in CityWalk were good with her allergies. However, inside the parks at counter service locations, it was not the same experience. Some were better than others, but it was not good overall. If there is any type of allergy protocol, we did not see it. If you are familiar with Disney allergy protocols, it is nothing like that at all sad to say.

So, it didn't change from my trip this summer.

I also agree - TS everywhere is really good, but don't rely on CS if you have multiple allergies. It will take you just as long to eat at CS as TS, so enjoy the really great TS options around and know going in what might work and don't get wildly creative (like this meal would work if X, Y, and Z were changed - start with a meal you think everything works for your allergies/taste and then it's easier for the personnel to verify and then make the 1 possible subtle change if you didn't know the burger was cooked in butter, as an example)...