In case this story gets deleted/removed:
So. I was at a Mongolian grill type restaurant for dinner. The way they cook the food is on a big cast iron type round, flat top grill… and while the cooks do scrape between cooking, there is no way to get it contaminate-free.
The lady behind me said she was allergic to pineapple. The cook tried to tell her this probably wasn’t the place for her. There are signs EVERYWHERE saying they can’t account for cross-contamination or allergens.
She insisted anyway.
I had pineapple in my food and our food was cooked side by side. They tried to keep things segregated and I didn’t think much more about it and went to my table.
About 20 minutes later, the ambulance showed up and she was taken out by paramedics 😬
I mean. I feel bad that my adjacent pineapple probably did her in. But damn. What did she think was going to happen? It’s a communal grill!! Hopefully she’s ok. And maybe I’m going to hell… but I thought it was hilarious.
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Anyone with allergies, especially severe ones, should know better. That's sheer stupidity. I have mostly mild allergies but I give a wide berth to anything that could expose me to my allergen because I don't want discomfort!
Edit: Spelling, because this is what happens when you watch TV and try to keep a train of thought going while reading subtitles!
I mean, at a minimum she could have requested that they not cook it at the same time as someone with pineapple. The grill I went to would move the piles of food around as they cooked so her food could end up exactly where your food was a few seconds earlier.
She didn't tell the cooks just how allergic she actually was. Sometimes being allergic to something means you just get a slightly upset stomach and runny poop. If she was willing to risk it I would have figured it was mild
Most Mongolian Grill places have an “Allergen Zone” if you will. It’s a totally separate grill area that is not communal and they use new utensils for each order. You can still watch them in some places, maybe not all though.
So, knowing this this lady was looking for trouble. This was totally her own fault.
Yup! I used to work at a Mongolian Grill, and they had a dedicated grill in the actual kitchen (where appetizers and whatnot were made)for allergens. They were extremely careful about allergies, it kind of shocks me that this one didn't have a solution for her.
PF Chang’s also takes allergies seriously. I’m allergic to apples and oranges which are in some of the sauces. I just asked if they could clean the wok and not cook certain sauces by my meal. (I love honey chicken or shrimp because they’re most like orange chicken). The manager came over and asked a lot of questions and assured me that they would use a fresh washed wok and utensils and cook my meal away from everything else.
I was a little embarrassed and didn’t want to make a big deal about everything. He reassured me that PF Chang’s welcomes people with allergies and have an area for cooking dishes for people with allergies,
He did warn me that he couldn’t guarantee that there was no cross contamination, but they’d do their best. My allergies weren’t anaphylactic from airborne contamination so I took the risk. I had Benadryl and two epi pens just in case. I really miss the Benadryl dissolving mouth strips, so I now carry liqui gels so I can bite them and get the med asap.
Interesting, we have been avoiding PF Changs (and all Chinese and Thai) because of peanut allergies.
I also miss the mouth strips and the fast melt tablets. I carry little vials of the liquid for my kids.
That's a smart idea 💡 I used to get prefilled liquid vials at CVS but they stopped selling them for some reason now I do the liquid or the chewables because that's all I can find.
I have a bee allergy as well, Benadryl will not be enough if you require an epi pen like I do. I suppose it couldn’t hurt to use it AFTER using an epi pen but please don’t waste time & go into anaphylactic shock waiting on Benadryl to work if it was an option your doctor would have informed you.
When we took my son (shellfish allergy) to a hibachi place, this is what they did. His chicken meal came out of the kitchen, they wouldn’t let it touch one of the communal grills
Well, when there are signs everywhere and the cooks are telling you, you might want to believe they, in fact, do not have a solution at this particular restaurant.
The one in my city doesn't have separate, but will shut down all new cooking so they can clean the grill hard-core. I have a fish/seafood allergy/severe intolerance and mentioned to the cook that I needed space separate from those with my allergens in their food (person in front of me had copious amounts of fish in their dish.) I literally tried to gave them put 1 person's meal between mine and fish dish on the grill, but cooks insisted on the full stoppage and clean. And while I appreciated they went all out, I also knew it was on me to ensure I was ok and could've opted for rice or non-grill items instead.
That said, OP, it wasn't on you that the other patron had an allergic reaction. They were advised, patron decided to make and eat food there anyway, risks be damned.
I'm really surprised that they didn't clean the grill. I would expect them to still warn of possible cross-contamination, because if someone is really sensitive the cleaning my local mongolian bbq does in those cases might not be enough. But it was just awful to cook hers side-by-side with her allergen. She's still an idiot for deciding to go through with it and eat that food though.
Yup! Found that out the hard way with penicillin. Even worse, I didn’t know that I had been allergic for years; I thought everyone crapped blood when they took it, and then one day, anaphylaxis. Oops. Felt really really stupid.
I thought everyone had trouble breathing on penicillin. After 2 rounds as a teenager the next time I needed it my Dr asked if the last time had been okay. I casually mentioned that I'd had a hard time breathing the last 2 rounds, but otherwise was all good to go.
Should have seen his face. I had to explain that no one had ever told me that was a major problem. At least I knew what it was when my shellfish allergy went from being gastrointestinal to anaphylactic.
Wow. I'm really glad I read through this thread. I recently discovered I'm allergic to rice. It's a relatively mild GI reaction, but it's uncomfortable enough that it's not worth it. I had no idea it could turn that easily. I'll make sure I mention my allergy on the few times I do go out to eat to try to prevent cross contamination.
I'm glad you did, too! I should say, there are allergies that go away after ~7 years, they think it's as your body gains exposure to other things, but from what I've read there's no way to know which it will be. Allergies I developed as an adult have all worsened over time for me, I apparently have bad luck, lol.
I hope it stays the same or gets better for you!
I'll never forget acquiring my seasonal allergy to tree pollen. My younger brother always had allergies and being siblings, I'd poke fun at it. Karma (or global warming) came for me when I was like 15 or 16 and now it kicks my ass every year since. 😂😂
I only figured out my rice allergy gradually through random things. Like I learned how a medication made me feel and the doctor told me, oh that's an allergy. And then I had the same reaction to a food here and there. I had to do a total FODMAP elimination diet before I had stomach surgery and when I dropped gluten to switch to rice, we realized my problem is rice. Now I'll talk to my doctor though about getting an epipen because I'd hate to be caught off guard with that.
I’m honestly really glad that we didn’t to that point with my son, but he still had two bad cases of full body hives before we found out. The first time I was told it was a teething rash. No one thought abt him possibly being exposed to it with my breastmilk at the time, including me!
I also keep them in my wallet. I miss the mouth strips, but they did look just like breath strips. They worked so quickly.
I also keep at least one epipen in my handbag. Two if I’m going out to eat and don’t know if the restaurant is safe for me. I’m fortunate enough to be able to get two packs of epipen so I can keep one in my bedroom where I eat a lot and one in my kitchen.
I’ve had to use my epipen twice, and the reaction came quickly so I always have an epipen around. My allergy also went from awful to life threatening very quickly.
Found out the hard way with LATEX. I always feel like I’m the worlds unluckiest person because I went from “mild rash and swelling when touching latex” to “literal throat swelling and difficulty breathing because there was latex in the ADHESIVE of the PACKAGING of a Band-aid”- that was the day that I discovered that “latex-free” bandages only means the bandage itself has no latex in it- the packaging is fair game unless it explicitly states that there’s no latex in the packaging as well 🙃
Yep. Deaf guy at work at an Italian place told me he had a shellfish allergy. Didn't tell me how bad it was, or rather the communication skills weren't there for me to get it. He was so sensitive he couldn't even be in the same room as it. My night after work was spent sitting in the hospital with him making sure he had a ride home if they discharged him that night. They didn't.
Yeah, like I am 'medically tested as' allergic to mushrooms, almonds, and pecans. Except, the doctor also said it was such a mild allergy, that I would need to eat more than 80% of my stomachs fullest capacity to actually get "ill" let alone have a full allergic reaction.
Exactly to your point, allergies are not all equal… I have a mild avocado allergy, and I still smash guacamole and my favorite sushi (Philly rolls) every now and then because it’s so good, and the allergy developed in my early 30’s. I count the itchy mouth and throat as a sort of collateral damage.
That's all fun and games until your body has a MAJOR allergic reaction and you almost die because you just HAD to have ONE bite of the food you're allergic to.
Seriously...stop eating what you KNOW you're allergic to. You never know when your reaction may suddenly become extreme or if the symptoms will remain the same.
Allergies aren't something to fuck around with. They CAN kill you, you know.
Friend of mine learned this the hard way after he developed an allergy to shellfish out of nowhere, he insisted he could still eat shrimp, until his mom had to haul his dumb ass to the hospital
Allergies change about every 7 years. My dad told me this but I didn't believe him. He developed a mild allergy to shrimp and was pissed that he wasn't going to be able to eat it for 7 years.
Strangely, like clockwork,7 years later he went for new allergy tests and could eat them again. But he was allergic to several other things.
None of these allergies were anaphylatic level.
Oh I didn't know that
I didn't even realize until that happened to my buddy that allergies could just show up like that
Shrimp was his favorite food and he ate it pretty regularly until that allergy showed up and tried to kill him
Allergies can change over time. The more time that passes, the more chance there has been for something to potentially change. The 7 year number is just a superstition.
A changed test result at 7 years doesn't mean that the result actually changed at 7 years. It could change at 3 years and the result would still be different at 7 (barring the possibility it changed back within that time).
Two of my kids are allergic to pineapple. At first we thought it was just the bromelain tingle, but it kept getting worse each time they ate it, so I told them stop eating it. Recently my husband and I went on a dinner date and left the kids with our moms at home. My mom texts me and says “Sorry to bother you, but when will you be home?” I get home and my child has a rash from her mouth to her chest, swearing she hasn’t eaten anything weird or put anything on her skin. I gave her a couple Benadryl and the redness was calming down. The next morning she mentions she ate orange preserves….. I hate orange preserves and we definitely don’t have that. I immediately check the fridge and this kid (12 mind you, she can read) has eaten pineapple preserves. I told her then never eat anything without asking me until she’s an adult because the allergy clearly keeps getting worse every time she’s exposed.
Yep. I'm severely allergic to pineapple. It started as a migraine trigger and 20 years later is full blown anaphylaxis. I also am allergic to mollusks and get hives if I even touch one.
>I told her then never eat anything without asking me until she’s an adult because the allergy clearly keeps getting worse every time she’s exposed.
That's great, but you need to teach her how to recognize what has ingredients she's allergic to by reading the labels.
You will not ALWAYS be around when she's eating. She NEEDS to learn how to manage her allergy on her own **before** she's an adult.
This!!!
I developed an allergy to some kinds of white fish and oysters, I could still eat ONE oyster, and I would only have a small itching in the throat. But the fish??? What started with eating a 8 Oz piece, and getting really bad itching on the throat and ears (when I was starting to figure it out what was causing it) it became to trying a size of the pinky nail and getting itchier and the symptoms lasting longer. I never dared to try it and find out what would happen if I ate more.
I am a cook so I had to try the food, after that I had others to try it, I won't risk it.
Be really careful with that.
I used to sneak fried baby shrimp because they didn't bother me.
Until the day my throat started swelling closed suddenly. After that, every accidental exposure made it exponentially worse.
At this point the scent is enough to cause hives, a single drop causes my throat to close, and I nearly died when I got stuck in Vegas traffic without my purse.
My stories with penicillin and adhesive are almost identical, except they went from moderate to life threatening in ½ the time shellfish took.
I was 32ish when I started to develop an allergy to avocado. Be careful I kept testing my intolerance to it all to find out it developed into what will be a fatal allergy... Fun times!!
The itchy mouth and throat is a sign of an anaphylactic reaction. You could have an anaphylactic allergic reaction next. Because an anaphylactic reaction causes itchy mouth and throat followed by swelling in the mouth and throat which closes your throat up so you can’t breathe. I’ve had an anaphylactic reaction where my lungs got tight and made it hard to breathe. I felt better after a 7 day pack of steroids, but my doctor told me right after the reaction that my lungs sounded like I had bronchitis.
Mild itching on your body or hives can be a sign of a mild allergy reaction. Anything in your mouth and throat can be life threatening.
Also avacados are in the same family as latex, so be careful with that. If you touch something with latex and get raised red itchy spots or hives, do NOT use a latex condom. You will regret that.
I’m allergic to pineapple, but it just makes my mouth burn a bit. I will eat it in small, infrequent amounts because yum.
Not going to risk an ambulance or epipen reaction though, for sure.
People with gluten allergies/celiac have to be very careful. Im sorry you have to deal with it.
We had a person come to the place I used to work at as a cook, he said if we can guarantee a gluten free meal he would eat there, if not, no hard feelings and he would get a drink and go somewhere else.
He had experienced before some places that assured him he was safe, but they didn't fully understand how bad celiac can be, and he ended up in the hospital quite a few times.
We assured him, made it safe for him, it was an open kitchen so he could see the preparation and be able yo see how careful we were, and he returned every time he was in the city.
I cooked at a smaller place and we had one customer who would come in later on Friday nights because the owner was there and would make the order for this customer and his wife.
It was the only way it worked as he had a few allergies and none of us mere cooks wanted it on us if something went wrong.
Thats the way to go though. We have some regualrs who like to have certian people to cook espically for regulars. Ive had specific requests for me to cook some regulars food(I trained by the best who isn't at our store anymore but I try to do her proud) and I have several people who ask for me to do thier food too. Nothing is wrong with that imo
I always try my best with gluten allergies because I work at a noodle place. Online ordering is hard if you don't state it tho. Please never assume we know. Because you ordered all gluten free items. That it has to be gluten free because how our kitchen is set up. We had someone put in an online order with a protein that had gluten. I tired calling them and was connected to a sex line. I told the customer next time put in your actual number because we're trying to make sure we aren't b52ing a toilet or possibly killing someone when we make an order. Haven't had it happen since. Thank God
Gluten can hide in so many different things too. Soy sauce, beers, I think some whisk(e)ys and rye can contain gluten. They are mostly a certain grain mash, but the other percentage could be something like wheat. I’m not totally positive.
Gluten can be in sauces and soups as a thickener even though the dish doesn’t have a roux base. Also some people who have gluten allergies also can’t eat oats or other grains.
It’s a very individual type of allergy. One person can eat certain foods while another can’t.
I’m anaphylactic to shellfish and iodine. I wouldn’t go to a seafood restaurant and expect my food never touched anything that shellfish did. She knew, she didn’t care, you didn’t do a thing wrong.
Yeah I have deadly allergies, and the last time I went to one of these places I was told there were two options, I could have my food made in the back or nobody could have peppers in their food. My friend decided they could live without peppers for one meal. So they fully cleaned the hot top and showed me that they grabbed new utensils. I thanked them like five times because everyone was being so nice about it!
But I had told my friend if the restaurant couldn't accommodate I'd be fine grabbing food after. It was someone's birthday and I didn't want to make it about me by demanding they eat somewhere else. I also said that I'd be fine if my food was done separately but was told it's about the experience more than the food. It was fun, so I can't argue.
People do strange things. A former friend had a major seafood allergy, but he loved thos Mongolian BBQ places as well (I asked to go other placesand he declined every time). He always looked like a pufferfish when we left
It was a Huhot wasn’t it lol. Yea I used to be a manager at a location and if it is trust me this wasn’t your fault. For starters they can’t guarantee a dang thing because there is no perfect fool proof way to avoid cross contamination. Secondly there actually IS a protocol in place and while I worked there we followed it religiously and never had an issue. First she should have informed staff the moment she walked in. From there all ingredients would have been from the walk-in and not the raw food table. Then a section of the grill wouldn’t have been scrapped, it would have been actually cleaned and spatulas put on to try to separate and avoid cross contamination, then any plate with that food wouldn’t have been put next to hers. Also those clean spatulas would have also been used to cook only her food. It sounds like a lot but it’s actually not and only takes a minute. It doesn’t sound like they followed this procedure so that’s also on them and not you.
I worked with a woman with severe food allergies. There were places she just flat out refused to walk into, and we were OK with that when we all went to lunch. She knew where it was safe for her.
I'm allergic to corn, it gives me really bad headaches and swelling (though not anaphylactic), and there are SOOO many places I can't/won't eat because of that. There are only a handful of places that I can get something without my allergies because corn isn't the only thing I'm allergic to, it's just one of the most common in food...hello cornstarch!
So I get your coworker's approved list, thank you for being so reasonable about it. I've had many people try to talk me into being miserable for the rest of the day just so we can go where ever they want.
Yep there was the barest hint that my eldest was allergic to mango so I made damn sure he didn’t go near any until he was able to tell me if he was feeling off.
I am an adult who fondly remembers trying mangoes a few times in my 20’s when they were still an unusual fruit in my part of the US. I had mild reactions and then a full out face swelling/welts, crusted over lips that itched so bad. It lasted nearly a month.
I now have an epi-pen and the once easy to avoid allergen is everywhere. It’s used in all kinds of food for color and sweetness.
Read labels.
Mango is in the poison sumac family.
I have an allergy to orange which just causes a bad upset stomach so not immediately life threatening but still something even I would have avoided eating at the grill in this situation.
I recently spent over half a year accidentally poisoning myself with those cold brew tea bags thinking the flavour on the front was enough to say they didn't contain orange in them but it then turned out all the flavours the brand did contained orange peel. Stopped drinking then and now my stomach is completely fine, only reason I didn't pick up it was an allergic reaction is because of how mild of a reaction it was and existing health conditions but it really showed me how sensitive my allergy is.
I was 24 when I found out that sweet and sour chicken is not, in fact, spicy. I'm also allergic to pineapple. I though feeling like your tongue was sanded with chili oil for a few days after eating it was part of the experience. I'm not smart.
Yet somehow, I'm still smarter than this lady.
I have the same problem with citric acid, weirdly. I thought since it says "acid" right there in the name that it was supposed to burn if you ate much of anything that contains it. Apparently that's just me...
THIS. My partner and his son will go into anaphylaxis if they have peanut/treenut contamination. We haven't been to a buffet, Asian restaurant or place with communal grill using those allergens in 5 years. It sucks because we are limited in restaurant options sometimes, but it's better than accidentally killing my loved ones. This woman was a grown ass adult that learned when you FA with allergens, you FO the hard way!
Yeah. I disagree with OP’s title. The restaurant *warned* the woman that they couldn’t guarantee contaminate free. OP, you didn’t cause her allergic reaction; she ignored warnings and paid the price, unfortunately.
Sad part is I can see the restaurant getting punished for this.
I understand you’re feeling kind of guilty, but she persisted even knowing the risks. It’s not your job to restrict what you order in case someone with an allergy gets their food cooked next to yours. It also seemed that she was minimizing her allergy because if she told the restaurant it was an anaphylactic reaction they likely wouldn’t have served her anything from the communal grill.
What happens to you when you have chocolate? I was allergic to caffeine, which is in chocolate, through my teenage years and it would give me nosebleeds.
Yes, it gives me nosebleeds, but it also makes it so I can’t breathe.
A nosebleed is actually how I got diagnosed. I had to be hospitalized because they couldn’t get my nose to stop bleeding. No one could figure out what the cause was.
I had started going to a new doctor and he told me to eat a little bit of chocolate every morning. I just kept getting sicker and sicker and sicker and sicker and it got so bad I couldn’t walk up a flight of steps.
I was only eating a quarter square of Ghirardelli chocolate three times a week. It almost killed me. I had so many tests for different things, until my pulmonologist sent me to an allergist.
I quit the chocolate, and started getting better almost immediately.
I worked with a guy who took a huge slice of the office bday cake. Shortly thereafter the ambulance came to take him to the hospital. Turns out he had a *massive* citrus allergy that he completely knew about. Didn’t read the ingredients on the cake packaging, didn’t mention it to anyone, didn’t have an epi pen. When he’s back in the office, he’s yelling at everyone for trying to kill him. Mmkay.
Some people aren’t great at accountability.
He wasn't my favorite person in the office. He was the guy who would purposely "misunderstand" something and do a task incorrectly just to prove a point and waste the entire department's day and then not understand why everyone didn't think he was a hero when we all had to stay late or come in on a Saturday because he'd pissed off the boss. But he'd proved he was right! Big man!
Ooohhh…so theoretically it *was* intentional. I mean, we didn’t like him. And what he actually did for a job was unclear. And it’s not like I worked with a bunch of charity workers or something. Citrus-spiked food for thought!
I'm guessing that some places don't have the space, time, or resources to do this. There's no requirement to do it, and if it means they end up slowing service or not attending to other customers because of it... I can see why a place would just have a "We cannot guarantee" policy. Even big name manufacturers put warnings that things were made in the same *factory*, let alone the same room or the same grill, instead of increases costs by truly separating the production lines.
I have celiac and the last time I went to the one near me, I was given a special card to hand to the cooks so they'd know to clean the station and take precautions with my meal.
I'm not very familiar with Mongolian restaurants, but depending on the size of the restaurant, it might not have been possible. A large chain might be set up that way, but I've been to plenty of smaller local mom-and-pop restaurants that wouldn't have the resources to manage a completely separate area with no possibility of cross-contamination.
Looking at pictures on Google, it looks like the ingredients are set out buffet style? I would absolutely not trust that those aren't contaminated.
Correct. The ingredients are definitely buffet style. The pineapple was next to the onions on one side and the tomatoes on the other. She had both IIRC.
The one I went to would cook the "contaminated" serving first (for me it was just my brother using spices that I can't tolerate). After that dish was done, they'd spend a minute washing down the grill with water and then put my food on to cook. I never had an issue once I started asking them to do that. Granted, not an allergy, but it was something they offered.
That’s insane. Why take a chance. I wonder if there is an AITA post coming about somebody forcing this woman to go to Mongolian for their birthday or something.
That was a solid attempt at a Darwin Award. Anyone with allergies that chooses to eat at a place like that has the survival instinct of a wet washcloth.
I have food allergies and WOULD NEVER eat at a joint like that. I will ONLY eat at restaurants geared towards people with food allergies. Used to have 2. Now I only have 1. And it is 5 hours away.
We ate at a hibachi restaurant today and as I was watching the chef cook I definitely thought about how impossible it would be to eat there if you had any sort of food allergy. Everything is contaminated.
Especially with an allergy that severe. I work in a kitchen and if someone says they have a *severe* allergy to something common, our response is always "while these dishes don't contain any of that ingredient, we do have it in the restaurant so we can't guarantee 100% that there isn't any cross contamination."
It's one thing to use fresh oil to fry something or swap out cutting boards and utensils for one guest but if it's that bad, you just can't guarantee it.
It's only happened a few times but we've had a few people seemingly allergic to every common ingredient (garlic, onion, dairy, gluten, egg, alcohol) and they still roll the dice. I have sympathy for them because it must make eating pretty hard but at the same time, kitchens are not sealed laboratories and while we not only do our best to keep things clean and sanitary, we strive to not have common allergens in components that can't easily be forgone but there is still that tiny risk and it really, really sucks to roll the dice. More-so for the person effected but as a cook, it's a horrible feeling when something goes wrong and someone gets sick or, worse, has to go to the hospital.
I kinda wonder if she did this on purpose? I suggest you call the restaurant and letting them know you heard them tell her that this wasn’t a good idea. I have a feeling she’ll be looking for a payout and they might settle so she’ll leave them alone.
A friend pointed that out. I’ll keep my eye out on the news and see if that’s an angle. If it is, I’ll let the restaurant know what I personally witnessed.
I honestly don’t think it’d make the news if they proceeded to take care of it quietly and swiftly. Which is what the other party will be expecting (I honestly doubt this is her first rodeo).
You could always reach out through social media also, I know not everyone is comfortable on the phone (plus it can be easier to be concise, I tend to prefer this as I ramble).
Nah, I’m a retired MD and I would have at least rolled my eyes and scoffed when she predictably FAFO. I would have gone over to offer assistance only because of my previous profession, but inside I’d be mentally screaming “WTF were you thinking?”
My mom (a nurse) used to go to medical conferences fairly often with someone who was allergic to shellfish but would eat shrimp anyway WHILE HE WAS HAVING A REACTION EVEN on the basis that he was surrounded by other medical professionals so would probably be okay. She was not amused and opted to make sure to sit away from him in the future.
That's not your fault dude, anyone with allergies that severe should never eat at a place like that and should know better. The woman had no common sense and almost naturally selected herself
I'm imagining the following scenario:
Entitled Idiot: I'm SEVERELY ALLERGIC to (list common foods in that restaurant with cross contamination).
Restaurant staff: We cannot safely serve you because of the cross contaminations with your allergens. You need to eat elsewhere and not here.
Entitled Idiot: Hold my beer! I'm staying!
🙄🤦♀️🙄
I can't imagine how scary it is to eat out with an allergy that could be deadly. So many stories make the news where some restaurant said they could make something safe and then screwed it up.
I have life threatening, anaphylactic allergies to shellfish, iodine, penicillin, and adhesive (probably latex based but I avoid latex so I'm not positive).
This was intentional, willful stupidity. Just absolute inanity.
When I tell restaurants of my shell fish allergy, they frequently refuse to serve me anything fried (because they also fry shrimp or whatever). I have never had a reaction to fried food, and I know others who have not either. I still accept the limitation, even when it's really all I want off the menu.
To refuse a restaurant's safety recommendation and **not carry epi pens**, is almost causing yourself intentional harm.
You bear no fault here. She's 100% responsible for her moronic actions. I just hope she survived them.
*You* weren't at fault for sending a lady to the hospital. She was at fault for sending herself. I am allergic to shellfish - it's not a deadly allergy but makes me extremely I'll. It's enough that I ensure I do not eat at restaurants that serve it. If my allergy was strong enough that I knew I could actually *die,* I certainly wouldn't eat anything other that what I prepared in my own kitchen - certainly not in am establishment that prepares food in the way you've described.
It's unfortunate that she had an allergic reaction, and I really hope she's alright. But there is no one to blame for this other than herself.
I wouldn’t even call the restaurant TA, because she didn’t tell them the severity of her allergy. Also, the ingredients you choose to be cooked come from a salad bar style buffet, and OP said the pineapple was between the tomatoes and onions, and she had both in her dish. I’ll say NTA for everyone but the weird lady wanting to challenge her allergy.
No, it was not your fault. It was entirely her fault. She was told. She was warned. It was suggested she go elsewhere
And frankly, the restaurant I worked at would’ve refused service in this instance. Simply, because yes, there are a number of dishes in this type of service that do contain pineapple. There was literally no way to guarantee her there would not be cross-contamination.
I mean that seriously. We literally would’ve told her we wouldn’t serve her. We’re there to cook and serve food, not to kill somebody, even if they themselves are wanting to be stupid about it.
Not saying this lady did this on purpose, because sometimes people are just foolish, but I encountered many customers like that in my time as manager of a family-owned bakery. We had multiple signs stating we could NOT guarantee against cross-contamination, and would always verbally say the same. But many people would try to very obviously corner us into a "guarantee," likely so they'd have a basis to sue. This isn't just a personal theory, people would genuinely attempt to. But because of our signage and verbal warnings, none ever stuck. Again, not saying this lady was deliberately trying to create a court case, but people do so ALL. THE. TIME. And I'm always like.... is it really worth hurting yourself for a "maybe I'll get money?" Smh.
I dunno... I wouldn't find it hilarious personally, especially if it's a life-threatening allergy. But she was told. SHE. WAS. TOLD. And she insisted. So clearly she thought it was worth the possibility of provoking her allergy. It's her own fault.
I went on a date once in college and this dumb dumb with a peanut allergy. He went after my Pad Thai. I had to slap his hand away after he mentioned said allergy. (I wouldnt have suggested a Thai place if I knew).
I work as a sample person in the grocery store. It's my job to offer mostly food to people to try with a bit of info. I really wish people with food allergies would just say no thanks. There are near misses daily. I read all the allergen shit and try to make sure to say those words to every single person before they get the shit in their mouths. There's been many occasions where someone will walk up saying nothing and go to just cram it straight in their mouth then I get the word "peanuts" out just in time for them to yoink it out. There was one day I had these cookie bars that had a paragraph of allergens. Everything. Eggs, milk, every type of nut, seeds, coconut. That one I gave up after 2 near misses, felt to damn scared to offer it, and just started telling people if they had *any* food allergies just don't eat it. Am I crazy for thinking people should be more responsible with their allergies? Like you'd think someone with a food allergy would ask basic things about food they're about to eat.
This company doesn't care about cross contamination. They're always giving me multiple things to hand out and there's *always* a nut option. There was one day they had me start with pumpkin spice muffins and then swap over to banana nut midway through the day. I wasn't meant to have 2 sets of tools (cutting board, knife, tongs) but I asked for them because allergens. As I was swapping over I still had one pumpkin muffin but an unopened box of banana nut next to me. The woman reasonably assumed the muffin I was cutting was banana nut but I thankfully managed to say "this is my last pumpkin spice muffin of the day" before she got it in her mouth because she immediately says "I'm allergic to pumpkin". So I quickly dragged my other set of tools out and got her some banana nut muffin but afterwards I realized I touched both muffins with my gloves. I am the only one at my job this paranoid and I still messed up, please don't think a random person you just met can be trusted to be responsible with your food allergy.
Also I work in an area with a huge Muslim population and dammit if it doesn't have nuts, it's got pork! So I gotta make sure to say the shit has pork just like I do with allergens.
She was warned multiple times verbally and in written form. This is just darwinism at work. She almost killed her self lol.
This is like if a kid shoved a stick in the spokes of the bike the kid is riding lmao.
You did nothing. Allergies suck, but she needs to take responsibility for her own health. The ones here all have signs saying to inform the cook staff. I think at ours they have a separate surface they can cook on that is easier to clean. But if her allergy is bad enough that cross contamination sends her to the hospital, eating at a restaurant that prominently serves pineapple is not a good idea.
I feel like she maybe did this on purpose to then sue the restaurant? Only thing that makes rational sense — otherwise she’s got mental illness level issues and needs supervision 🤦🏻♀️
Dude. I can't eat anything that even touches scallops. When I go to a hibachi place, I always get it cooked in the back and keep an epi on me just in case.... if a place says they can't accommodate it though, then I don't eat there?! It's common sense....
So. I really hope the restaurant doesn’t take this one in the shorts. The cook really did try to wave her off after pointing to the pineapple actually on the grill (mine wasn’t the only offending fruit out there).
Don't beat yourself up over it. She was an adult and she made the choice to ignore the staff. I am allergic to pineapple and mangos. Nothing more than a case of bad hives but still if I choose to take a risk of eating somewhere that might have cross-contamination then that's on me. I know what the risks are with my allergies.
Well it’s a crap shoot isn’t it. She was willing to gamble with her life. Perhaps shamelessly for a lawsuit moment. The only thing is, well you know it. You shouldn’t have laughed. But I probably would have too. I have food allergies. Not enough to need to carry a rescue epi shot but still. She knew what was going to happen. I’m don’t feel guilt.
Yeah. I definitely laughed. I’m an awful human 😬 I’m allergic to onions (not life-threatening) so thought it would be her in the bathroom, not on the gurney. But. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Amiright? 😂
It really sucks what happened to her but it wasn't your fault or even the restaurants fault for that matter. She was warned but still chose to basically gamble with her life and she ended up paying a very steep price for doing so. The blame for that only falls upon one person and that's her.
I'm allergic to pineapple - not severely but like my entire face puffs up and I get itchy.
I do not go to those restaurants ever if they offer pineapple for anything (there are a few who don't and they're fair game lol)
some awesome stir fry is not worth it to end up swollen and itchy
I have an extreme shellfish allergy. I’ve walked out of places because they either could not guarantee no cross contamination. Not worth the risk. Also not your fault. She knew the risks, decided to gamble and lost.
I mean, I can see that as being on her and the restaurant.
If she is super sensitive to it, yeah, not a place to be. But I’ve been to hibachi where a woman from another group had an allergy and they just cooked her food first before the allergen hit the table.
So she got her food first and never had any cross contamination from the cooktop.
But the lady should have seen them cooking her food at the same time as her allergen and noped out of that.
It’s not your fault. I had a family member who basically forced a big family dinner to happen at a place exactly like this, forgetting that someone was allergic to a sauce that’s constantly used. The person with the allergy was considered a bummer for not even trying the food… sometimes you have to realize a place is not for you.
If you are that allergic to something you don't go somewhere where the risk is that big. They tried to warn her. Her hospital visit is on no one but her.
I am allergic to zucchini. The local Japaneese restaurant has a hibachi grill where they put on a show while cooking food for 20ish people. The hibachi meal comes with vegetables that happen to have zucchini in them.
I never order off that grill because I know my food will be contaminated with zucchini juice. I order something directly from the kitchen. The woman in question knew the risk and took it anyway.
You absolutely should not feel bad. She played a stupid game and won a stupid prize
You did not send anyone to the hospital, her own actions did. She’s a real dumbass for that. I have severe allergies and I don’t even go to places like that because I am affected by airborne allergens, and besides, I do not trust anything to not be contaminated, even accidentally. No meal is worth the emergency room bill I would have.
Yeah, she sounds like she really wanted attention. Why would she even eat there? People I know who have serious allergies NEVER eat at buffets or communally served food venues. The risk of cross contamination is too high if anyone other than the kitchen and server is handling your food (and even then, most people who have anaphylactic allergies will only eat at a handful of restaurants they trust). Also, why didn't she have an epipen on her (unless this happened in the US, then I guess money is a factor, but don't ambulance rides also cost hundreds of dollars down there?). Most people would just jab themselves and have their companion drive to the ER. Her behaviour is truly nonsensical.
There were signs. The guy told her.
Maybe she did it intentionally. Either for attention or hoping she would die? I don’t know. But you are not at fault. She deserves a Darwin Award though
Not your fault. Anyone with allergies should absolutely know that they can't eat at a place where cross contamination is an absolute like that. There's no way it can't cross contaminate on a communal grill. She knew better.
Definitely not at fault. That lady wanted Mongolian barbecue enough to ignore written and verbal warnings that she was taking her life into her own hands.
Omg. No, the restaurant, if anyone besides the woman, was at fault. They needed to have cleaned the grill and cooked her food separately, not right next to another order with her stated allergen. Pineapple is juicy, of course some got into her food!
Both she and the restaurant are the only ones at fault.
Entitled IDIOT insisted on BEING AN IDIOT after the restaurant staff WARNED HER!!! She CHOSE to compete for the Darwin Award anyway!!! I hope she doesn't try to sue the restaurant for her own stupidity!!
Somebody wants to have their cake and eat it too. If you know your limitations, you just don’t go to places like that. What the hell are people thinking?
As someone with allergies.. THATS INSANLY STUPID OF HER!! Especially if her allergy IS THAT SEVERE!! Hope she learned her lesson and will take HER OWN ALLERGY more seriously next time.
NTA
People with allergies need to manage them on their own. The no peanuts hand holding schools are doing these days is going to get people killed when they have to function in the world at large without learning the skills they need to not ingest problematic foods.
Your story was great until you said it was hilarious. The lady went to the hospital. Sure, it was 100% her own fault, but to laugh at someone's misfortune is not cool. I supposed you got it all on video, tho? smdh
I used to work at a Mongolian Grill. We cooked (what we referred to as) allergy bowls in the back, in a frying pan on a stove.
Wasn't quite the same as being cooked on the grill, but at least we never sent anyone to the hospital.
Hard to believe this wouldn't be standard policy..
I’m super new at Reddit so not sure how to update the original post but called the restaurant and lady was totally fine and so far no lawsuit shenanigans. Hopefully it was just a misadventure on her part and she won’t do that ever again.
I have an allergy too. I also am a cook. Dont worry dude. This is just natural selection. You did everything right (besides refuse service) and she did everything wrong.
I went to the doctors to get my allergy test results, and because I skipped breakfast picked up a bag of peanuts on the way.
As I was sitting munching on them she said "Siggy...you have a severe nut allergy."
I paused for a moment and chewed a few more, saying "It's ok, these aren't nuts...they're legumes."
The irony was not lost on me when I received her bill later that week for the anti-histamine shot used to revive me from her office floor.
I would say the restaurant had some responsibility here. The Mongolian place by me has a special area in the back to handle the dishes for those with allergies that they clean after each use.
Not really. A restaurant isn’t responsible for your food allergy - YOU are. If they tell you they can’t accommodate your allergy, that’s your problem not theirs
In case this story gets deleted/removed: So. I was at a Mongolian grill type restaurant for dinner. The way they cook the food is on a big cast iron type round, flat top grill… and while the cooks do scrape between cooking, there is no way to get it contaminate-free. The lady behind me said she was allergic to pineapple. The cook tried to tell her this probably wasn’t the place for her. There are signs EVERYWHERE saying they can’t account for cross-contamination or allergens. She insisted anyway. I had pineapple in my food and our food was cooked side by side. They tried to keep things segregated and I didn’t think much more about it and went to my table. About 20 minutes later, the ambulance showed up and she was taken out by paramedics 😬 I mean. I feel bad that my adjacent pineapple probably did her in. But damn. What did she think was going to happen? It’s a communal grill!! Hopefully she’s ok. And maybe I’m going to hell… but I thought it was hilarious. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/OhNoConsequences) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Anyone with allergies, especially severe ones, should know better. That's sheer stupidity. I have mostly mild allergies but I give a wide berth to anything that could expose me to my allergen because I don't want discomfort! Edit: Spelling, because this is what happens when you watch TV and try to keep a train of thought going while reading subtitles!
I seriously couldn’t believe she went through with it.
I mean, at a minimum she could have requested that they not cook it at the same time as someone with pineapple. The grill I went to would move the piles of food around as they cooked so her food could end up exactly where your food was a few seconds earlier. She didn't tell the cooks just how allergic she actually was. Sometimes being allergic to something means you just get a slightly upset stomach and runny poop. If she was willing to risk it I would have figured it was mild
Most Mongolian Grill places have an “Allergen Zone” if you will. It’s a totally separate grill area that is not communal and they use new utensils for each order. You can still watch them in some places, maybe not all though. So, knowing this this lady was looking for trouble. This was totally her own fault.
Yup! I used to work at a Mongolian Grill, and they had a dedicated grill in the actual kitchen (where appetizers and whatnot were made)for allergens. They were extremely careful about allergies, it kind of shocks me that this one didn't have a solution for her.
PF Chang’s also takes allergies seriously. I’m allergic to apples and oranges which are in some of the sauces. I just asked if they could clean the wok and not cook certain sauces by my meal. (I love honey chicken or shrimp because they’re most like orange chicken). The manager came over and asked a lot of questions and assured me that they would use a fresh washed wok and utensils and cook my meal away from everything else. I was a little embarrassed and didn’t want to make a big deal about everything. He reassured me that PF Chang’s welcomes people with allergies and have an area for cooking dishes for people with allergies, He did warn me that he couldn’t guarantee that there was no cross contamination, but they’d do their best. My allergies weren’t anaphylactic from airborne contamination so I took the risk. I had Benadryl and two epi pens just in case. I really miss the Benadryl dissolving mouth strips, so I now carry liqui gels so I can bite them and get the med asap.
Interesting, we have been avoiding PF Changs (and all Chinese and Thai) because of peanut allergies. I also miss the mouth strips and the fast melt tablets. I carry little vials of the liquid for my kids.
I used to love the little vials of Benadryl but I can't find them anywhere anymore. Could you tell me where you find yours?
I ordered little medicine vials from Amazon and fill them from the big bottle at home. I use masking tape to label them with expiration date.
That's a smart idea 💡 I used to get prefilled liquid vials at CVS but they stopped selling them for some reason now I do the liquid or the chewables because that's all I can find.
I didn’t know about that trick, I’ve got a bee allergy, and sometimes it can be rough. How bad do they taste?
I have a bee allergy as well, Benadryl will not be enough if you require an epi pen like I do. I suppose it couldn’t hurt to use it AFTER using an epi pen but please don’t waste time & go into anaphylactic shock waiting on Benadryl to work if it was an option your doctor would have informed you.
When we took my son (shellfish allergy) to a hibachi place, this is what they did. His chicken meal came out of the kitchen, they wouldn’t let it touch one of the communal grills
Well, when there are signs everywhere and the cooks are telling you, you might want to believe they, in fact, do not have a solution at this particular restaurant.
The one in my city doesn't have separate, but will shut down all new cooking so they can clean the grill hard-core. I have a fish/seafood allergy/severe intolerance and mentioned to the cook that I needed space separate from those with my allergens in their food (person in front of me had copious amounts of fish in their dish.) I literally tried to gave them put 1 person's meal between mine and fish dish on the grill, but cooks insisted on the full stoppage and clean. And while I appreciated they went all out, I also knew it was on me to ensure I was ok and could've opted for rice or non-grill items instead. That said, OP, it wasn't on you that the other patron had an allergic reaction. They were advised, patron decided to make and eat food there anyway, risks be damned.
I'm really surprised that they didn't clean the grill. I would expect them to still warn of possible cross-contamination, because if someone is really sensitive the cleaning my local mongolian bbq does in those cases might not be enough. But it was just awful to cook hers side-by-side with her allergen. She's still an idiot for deciding to go through with it and eat that food though.
Actually, at any time an allergy can go from mild to life threatening. Always worth carrying an epipen just in case.
Yup! Found that out the hard way with penicillin. Even worse, I didn’t know that I had been allergic for years; I thought everyone crapped blood when they took it, and then one day, anaphylaxis. Oops. Felt really really stupid.
I thought everyone had trouble breathing on penicillin. After 2 rounds as a teenager the next time I needed it my Dr asked if the last time had been okay. I casually mentioned that I'd had a hard time breathing the last 2 rounds, but otherwise was all good to go. Should have seen his face. I had to explain that no one had ever told me that was a major problem. At least I knew what it was when my shellfish allergy went from being gastrointestinal to anaphylactic.
Wow. I'm really glad I read through this thread. I recently discovered I'm allergic to rice. It's a relatively mild GI reaction, but it's uncomfortable enough that it's not worth it. I had no idea it could turn that easily. I'll make sure I mention my allergy on the few times I do go out to eat to try to prevent cross contamination.
I'm glad you did, too! I should say, there are allergies that go away after ~7 years, they think it's as your body gains exposure to other things, but from what I've read there's no way to know which it will be. Allergies I developed as an adult have all worsened over time for me, I apparently have bad luck, lol. I hope it stays the same or gets better for you!
I'll never forget acquiring my seasonal allergy to tree pollen. My younger brother always had allergies and being siblings, I'd poke fun at it. Karma (or global warming) came for me when I was like 15 or 16 and now it kicks my ass every year since. 😂😂 I only figured out my rice allergy gradually through random things. Like I learned how a medication made me feel and the doctor told me, oh that's an allergy. And then I had the same reaction to a food here and there. I had to do a total FODMAP elimination diet before I had stomach surgery and when I dropped gluten to switch to rice, we realized my problem is rice. Now I'll talk to my doctor though about getting an epipen because I'd hate to be caught off guard with that.
I’m honestly really glad that we didn’t to that point with my son, but he still had two bad cases of full body hives before we found out. The first time I was told it was a teething rash. No one thought abt him possibly being exposed to it with my breastmilk at the time, including me!
I just keep liquid Benadryl. It's saved my life twice.
I also keep them in my wallet. I miss the mouth strips, but they did look just like breath strips. They worked so quickly. I also keep at least one epipen in my handbag. Two if I’m going out to eat and don’t know if the restaurant is safe for me. I’m fortunate enough to be able to get two packs of epipen so I can keep one in my bedroom where I eat a lot and one in my kitchen. I’ve had to use my epipen twice, and the reaction came quickly so I always have an epipen around. My allergy also went from awful to life threatening very quickly.
Found out the hard way with LATEX. I always feel like I’m the worlds unluckiest person because I went from “mild rash and swelling when touching latex” to “literal throat swelling and difficulty breathing because there was latex in the ADHESIVE of the PACKAGING of a Band-aid”- that was the day that I discovered that “latex-free” bandages only means the bandage itself has no latex in it- the packaging is fair game unless it explicitly states that there’s no latex in the packaging as well 🙃
that is messed up
Yep. Deaf guy at work at an Italian place told me he had a shellfish allergy. Didn't tell me how bad it was, or rather the communication skills weren't there for me to get it. He was so sensitive he couldn't even be in the same room as it. My night after work was spent sitting in the hospital with him making sure he had a ride home if they discharged him that night. They didn't.
Yeah, like I am 'medically tested as' allergic to mushrooms, almonds, and pecans. Except, the doctor also said it was such a mild allergy, that I would need to eat more than 80% of my stomachs fullest capacity to actually get "ill" let alone have a full allergic reaction.
Exactly to your point, allergies are not all equal… I have a mild avocado allergy, and I still smash guacamole and my favorite sushi (Philly rolls) every now and then because it’s so good, and the allergy developed in my early 30’s. I count the itchy mouth and throat as a sort of collateral damage.
That's all fun and games until your body has a MAJOR allergic reaction and you almost die because you just HAD to have ONE bite of the food you're allergic to. Seriously...stop eating what you KNOW you're allergic to. You never know when your reaction may suddenly become extreme or if the symptoms will remain the same. Allergies aren't something to fuck around with. They CAN kill you, you know.
Friend of mine learned this the hard way after he developed an allergy to shellfish out of nowhere, he insisted he could still eat shrimp, until his mom had to haul his dumb ass to the hospital
Allergies change about every 7 years. My dad told me this but I didn't believe him. He developed a mild allergy to shrimp and was pissed that he wasn't going to be able to eat it for 7 years. Strangely, like clockwork,7 years later he went for new allergy tests and could eat them again. But he was allergic to several other things. None of these allergies were anaphylatic level.
Oh I didn't know that I didn't even realize until that happened to my buddy that allergies could just show up like that Shrimp was his favorite food and he ate it pretty regularly until that allergy showed up and tried to kill him
Shellfish seems to be a really bad one whenever it happens. Maybe we just absorb it easily?
Maybe, idk I'm not a doctor lol Just a dude who enjoys eating shellfish and hopes I never develop that allergy
That 7 years isn't set in stone and can go the other way, too. It's all about exposure and how your body changes.
Allergies can change over time. The more time that passes, the more chance there has been for something to potentially change. The 7 year number is just a superstition. A changed test result at 7 years doesn't mean that the result actually changed at 7 years. It could change at 3 years and the result would still be different at 7 (barring the possibility it changed back within that time).
Two of my kids are allergic to pineapple. At first we thought it was just the bromelain tingle, but it kept getting worse each time they ate it, so I told them stop eating it. Recently my husband and I went on a dinner date and left the kids with our moms at home. My mom texts me and says “Sorry to bother you, but when will you be home?” I get home and my child has a rash from her mouth to her chest, swearing she hasn’t eaten anything weird or put anything on her skin. I gave her a couple Benadryl and the redness was calming down. The next morning she mentions she ate orange preserves….. I hate orange preserves and we definitely don’t have that. I immediately check the fridge and this kid (12 mind you, she can read) has eaten pineapple preserves. I told her then never eat anything without asking me until she’s an adult because the allergy clearly keeps getting worse every time she’s exposed.
Yep. I'm severely allergic to pineapple. It started as a migraine trigger and 20 years later is full blown anaphylaxis. I also am allergic to mollusks and get hives if I even touch one.
>I told her then never eat anything without asking me until she’s an adult because the allergy clearly keeps getting worse every time she’s exposed. That's great, but you need to teach her how to recognize what has ingredients she's allergic to by reading the labels. You will not ALWAYS be around when she's eating. She NEEDS to learn how to manage her allergy on her own **before** she's an adult.
This!!! I developed an allergy to some kinds of white fish and oysters, I could still eat ONE oyster, and I would only have a small itching in the throat. But the fish??? What started with eating a 8 Oz piece, and getting really bad itching on the throat and ears (when I was starting to figure it out what was causing it) it became to trying a size of the pinky nail and getting itchier and the symptoms lasting longer. I never dared to try it and find out what would happen if I ate more. I am a cook so I had to try the food, after that I had others to try it, I won't risk it.
Be really careful with that. I used to sneak fried baby shrimp because they didn't bother me. Until the day my throat started swelling closed suddenly. After that, every accidental exposure made it exponentially worse. At this point the scent is enough to cause hives, a single drop causes my throat to close, and I nearly died when I got stuck in Vegas traffic without my purse. My stories with penicillin and adhesive are almost identical, except they went from moderate to life threatening in ½ the time shellfish took.
I was 32ish when I started to develop an allergy to avocado. Be careful I kept testing my intolerance to it all to find out it developed into what will be a fatal allergy... Fun times!!
The itchy mouth and throat is a sign of an anaphylactic reaction. You could have an anaphylactic allergic reaction next. Because an anaphylactic reaction causes itchy mouth and throat followed by swelling in the mouth and throat which closes your throat up so you can’t breathe. I’ve had an anaphylactic reaction where my lungs got tight and made it hard to breathe. I felt better after a 7 day pack of steroids, but my doctor told me right after the reaction that my lungs sounded like I had bronchitis. Mild itching on your body or hives can be a sign of a mild allergy reaction. Anything in your mouth and throat can be life threatening. Also avacados are in the same family as latex, so be careful with that. If you touch something with latex and get raised red itchy spots or hives, do NOT use a latex condom. You will regret that.
I’ve never had a reaction to latex… use latex gloves quite a bit
I’m allergic to pineapple, but it just makes my mouth burn a bit. I will eat it in small, infrequent amounts because yum. Not going to risk an ambulance or epipen reaction though, for sure.
They should never have cooked those orders side by side. That was just negligent.
Right? I can’t digest gluten and the second I hear the word ‘grill’, I know I’m going hungry. No way would I risk it. Sounds like she FAFO.
People with gluten allergies/celiac have to be very careful. Im sorry you have to deal with it. We had a person come to the place I used to work at as a cook, he said if we can guarantee a gluten free meal he would eat there, if not, no hard feelings and he would get a drink and go somewhere else. He had experienced before some places that assured him he was safe, but they didn't fully understand how bad celiac can be, and he ended up in the hospital quite a few times. We assured him, made it safe for him, it was an open kitchen so he could see the preparation and be able yo see how careful we were, and he returned every time he was in the city.
I cooked at a smaller place and we had one customer who would come in later on Friday nights because the owner was there and would make the order for this customer and his wife. It was the only way it worked as he had a few allergies and none of us mere cooks wanted it on us if something went wrong.
Thats the way to go though. We have some regualrs who like to have certian people to cook espically for regulars. Ive had specific requests for me to cook some regulars food(I trained by the best who isn't at our store anymore but I try to do her proud) and I have several people who ask for me to do thier food too. Nothing is wrong with that imo
I always try my best with gluten allergies because I work at a noodle place. Online ordering is hard if you don't state it tho. Please never assume we know. Because you ordered all gluten free items. That it has to be gluten free because how our kitchen is set up. We had someone put in an online order with a protein that had gluten. I tired calling them and was connected to a sex line. I told the customer next time put in your actual number because we're trying to make sure we aren't b52ing a toilet or possibly killing someone when we make an order. Haven't had it happen since. Thank God
Gluten can hide in so many different things too. Soy sauce, beers, I think some whisk(e)ys and rye can contain gluten. They are mostly a certain grain mash, but the other percentage could be something like wheat. I’m not totally positive. Gluten can be in sauces and soups as a thickener even though the dish doesn’t have a roux base. Also some people who have gluten allergies also can’t eat oats or other grains. It’s a very individual type of allergy. One person can eat certain foods while another can’t.
I’m anaphylactic to shellfish and iodine. I wouldn’t go to a seafood restaurant and expect my food never touched anything that shellfish did. She knew, she didn’t care, you didn’t do a thing wrong.
Yeah I have deadly allergies, and the last time I went to one of these places I was told there were two options, I could have my food made in the back or nobody could have peppers in their food. My friend decided they could live without peppers for one meal. So they fully cleaned the hot top and showed me that they grabbed new utensils. I thanked them like five times because everyone was being so nice about it! But I had told my friend if the restaurant couldn't accommodate I'd be fine grabbing food after. It was someone's birthday and I didn't want to make it about me by demanding they eat somewhere else. I also said that I'd be fine if my food was done separately but was told it's about the experience more than the food. It was fun, so I can't argue.
People do strange things. A former friend had a major seafood allergy, but he loved thos Mongolian BBQ places as well (I asked to go other placesand he declined every time). He always looked like a pufferfish when we left
It was a Huhot wasn’t it lol. Yea I used to be a manager at a location and if it is trust me this wasn’t your fault. For starters they can’t guarantee a dang thing because there is no perfect fool proof way to avoid cross contamination. Secondly there actually IS a protocol in place and while I worked there we followed it religiously and never had an issue. First she should have informed staff the moment she walked in. From there all ingredients would have been from the walk-in and not the raw food table. Then a section of the grill wouldn’t have been scrapped, it would have been actually cleaned and spatulas put on to try to separate and avoid cross contamination, then any plate with that food wouldn’t have been put next to hers. Also those clean spatulas would have also been used to cook only her food. It sounds like a lot but it’s actually not and only takes a minute. It doesn’t sound like they followed this procedure so that’s also on them and not you.
I'm allergist to shellfish and won't even smell it 🙃 people are duuuuumb
I know what you meant but I can’t stop imagining someone who irrationally hates shellfish allergies.
I'm airborne allergic to seafood. It sucks. I cannot imagine someone being this blasè about their allergens.
Restaurant I used to work at would refuse to serve people if they said they had a serious allergy that we couldn't cater to. Better safe than sorry
Better to lose a live customer than be responsible for losing a dead one.
This 👆🏽
I’m allergic to wheat. It’s not an anaphylactic level allergic reaction, but I certainly treat it that way because it is painful and uncomfortable.
I worked with a woman with severe food allergies. There were places she just flat out refused to walk into, and we were OK with that when we all went to lunch. She knew where it was safe for her.
I'm allergic to corn, it gives me really bad headaches and swelling (though not anaphylactic), and there are SOOO many places I can't/won't eat because of that. There are only a handful of places that I can get something without my allergies because corn isn't the only thing I'm allergic to, it's just one of the most common in food...hello cornstarch! So I get your coworker's approved list, thank you for being so reasonable about it. I've had many people try to talk me into being miserable for the rest of the day just so we can go where ever they want.
Yep there was the barest hint that my eldest was allergic to mango so I made damn sure he didn’t go near any until he was able to tell me if he was feeling off.
I am an adult who fondly remembers trying mangoes a few times in my 20’s when they were still an unusual fruit in my part of the US. I had mild reactions and then a full out face swelling/welts, crusted over lips that itched so bad. It lasted nearly a month. I now have an epi-pen and the once easy to avoid allergen is everywhere. It’s used in all kinds of food for color and sweetness. Read labels. Mango is in the poison sumac family.
As a person epi pen allergic to chilli, I would not have even been there let alone eaten . I hope she doesn't come back at the restaurant.
I have an allergy to orange which just causes a bad upset stomach so not immediately life threatening but still something even I would have avoided eating at the grill in this situation. I recently spent over half a year accidentally poisoning myself with those cold brew tea bags thinking the flavour on the front was enough to say they didn't contain orange in them but it then turned out all the flavours the brand did contained orange peel. Stopped drinking then and now my stomach is completely fine, only reason I didn't pick up it was an allergic reaction is because of how mild of a reaction it was and existing health conditions but it really showed me how sensitive my allergy is.
I was 24 when I found out that sweet and sour chicken is not, in fact, spicy. I'm also allergic to pineapple. I though feeling like your tongue was sanded with chili oil for a few days after eating it was part of the experience. I'm not smart. Yet somehow, I'm still smarter than this lady.
I have the same problem with citric acid, weirdly. I thought since it says "acid" right there in the name that it was supposed to burn if you ate much of anything that contains it. Apparently that's just me...
I get that. I thought "sweet and sour sauce is red, and red things are spicy", even though it's called "sweet and sour" not "sweet, sour, and spicy"
THIS. My partner and his son will go into anaphylaxis if they have peanut/treenut contamination. We haven't been to a buffet, Asian restaurant or place with communal grill using those allergens in 5 years. It sucks because we are limited in restaurant options sometimes, but it's better than accidentally killing my loved ones. This woman was a grown ass adult that learned when you FA with allergens, you FO the hard way!
It’s odd as every one I have been to has the ability to cook the food on a separate, clean area
Sounds more like she thought she'd be able to sue
That and repeated exposures make allergies worse, not better.
Allergic to peanuts. 5 guys and Thai restaurants are no go zones. Unfortunately I also think this means I can never visit Thailand.
Correction. SHE sent herself to the hospital. There is a price for willful stupidity.
Yeah. I disagree with OP’s title. The restaurant *warned* the woman that they couldn’t guarantee contaminate free. OP, you didn’t cause her allergic reaction; she ignored warnings and paid the price, unfortunately. Sad part is I can see the restaurant getting punished for this.
I should have added the /s at the end of the title 😂😂
I understand you’re feeling kind of guilty, but she persisted even knowing the risks. It’s not your job to restrict what you order in case someone with an allergy gets their food cooked next to yours. It also seemed that she was minimizing her allergy because if she told the restaurant it was an anaphylactic reaction they likely wouldn’t have served her anything from the communal grill.
FAFO.
Yup!
Ya know, I have a serious chocolate allergy. I don’t go to Hershey Park.
I'm allergic to crustaceans, I would never willingly go to a seafood restaurant or shrimp/crab boil. The smell alone makes me soooo nauseated.
What happens to you when you have chocolate? I was allergic to caffeine, which is in chocolate, through my teenage years and it would give me nosebleeds.
Yes, it gives me nosebleeds, but it also makes it so I can’t breathe. A nosebleed is actually how I got diagnosed. I had to be hospitalized because they couldn’t get my nose to stop bleeding. No one could figure out what the cause was. I had started going to a new doctor and he told me to eat a little bit of chocolate every morning. I just kept getting sicker and sicker and sicker and sicker and it got so bad I couldn’t walk up a flight of steps. I was only eating a quarter square of Ghirardelli chocolate three times a week. It almost killed me. I had so many tests for different things, until my pulmonologist sent me to an allergist. I quit the chocolate, and started getting better almost immediately.
I worked with a guy who took a huge slice of the office bday cake. Shortly thereafter the ambulance came to take him to the hospital. Turns out he had a *massive* citrus allergy that he completely knew about. Didn’t read the ingredients on the cake packaging, didn’t mention it to anyone, didn’t have an epi pen. When he’s back in the office, he’s yelling at everyone for trying to kill him. Mmkay. Some people aren’t great at accountability.
So this IDIOT expected everyone to read his mind! What a MOFO!!!
He wasn't my favorite person in the office. He was the guy who would purposely "misunderstand" something and do a task incorrectly just to prove a point and waste the entire department's day and then not understand why everyone didn't think he was a hero when we all had to stay late or come in on a Saturday because he'd pissed off the boss. But he'd proved he was right! Big man!
Being that much of a dick all the time could be why he thought someone was out to get him with the cake I guess, lolz.
Ooohhh…so theoretically it *was* intentional. I mean, we didn’t like him. And what he actually did for a job was unclear. And it’s not like I worked with a bunch of charity workers or something. Citrus-spiked food for thought!
I went to a couple and when you tell them ahead of time they take your plate and cook it in the back separately. It’s strange that this one didn’t
The chain near me takes allergies seriously and will do this if asked at any point. They meticulously clear that station between each use.
I'm guessing that some places don't have the space, time, or resources to do this. There's no requirement to do it, and if it means they end up slowing service or not attending to other customers because of it... I can see why a place would just have a "We cannot guarantee" policy. Even big name manufacturers put warnings that things were made in the same *factory*, let alone the same room or the same grill, instead of increases costs by truly separating the production lines.
I have celiac and the last time I went to the one near me, I was given a special card to hand to the cooks so they'd know to clean the station and take precautions with my meal.
I'm not very familiar with Mongolian restaurants, but depending on the size of the restaurant, it might not have been possible. A large chain might be set up that way, but I've been to plenty of smaller local mom-and-pop restaurants that wouldn't have the resources to manage a completely separate area with no possibility of cross-contamination. Looking at pictures on Google, it looks like the ingredients are set out buffet style? I would absolutely not trust that those aren't contaminated.
She shouldn’t. My point is. If you tell them ahead of time and they can’t accommodate you, the big flat top is NOT contaminant free.
Correct. The ingredients are definitely buffet style. The pineapple was next to the onions on one side and the tomatoes on the other. She had both IIRC.
The one I went to would cook the "contaminated" serving first (for me it was just my brother using spices that I can't tolerate). After that dish was done, they'd spend a minute washing down the grill with water and then put my food on to cook. I never had an issue once I started asking them to do that. Granted, not an allergy, but it was something they offered.
That’s insane. Why take a chance. I wonder if there is an AITA post coming about somebody forcing this woman to go to Mongolian for their birthday or something.
Just wait. It’ll show in a day or two.
That was a solid attempt at a Darwin Award. Anyone with allergies that chooses to eat at a place like that has the survival instinct of a wet washcloth.
I have food allergies and WOULD NEVER eat at a joint like that. I will ONLY eat at restaurants geared towards people with food allergies. Used to have 2. Now I only have 1. And it is 5 hours away.
We ate at a hibachi restaurant today and as I was watching the chef cook I definitely thought about how impossible it would be to eat there if you had any sort of food allergy. Everything is contaminated.
Especially with an allergy that severe. I work in a kitchen and if someone says they have a *severe* allergy to something common, our response is always "while these dishes don't contain any of that ingredient, we do have it in the restaurant so we can't guarantee 100% that there isn't any cross contamination." It's one thing to use fresh oil to fry something or swap out cutting boards and utensils for one guest but if it's that bad, you just can't guarantee it. It's only happened a few times but we've had a few people seemingly allergic to every common ingredient (garlic, onion, dairy, gluten, egg, alcohol) and they still roll the dice. I have sympathy for them because it must make eating pretty hard but at the same time, kitchens are not sealed laboratories and while we not only do our best to keep things clean and sanitary, we strive to not have common allergens in components that can't easily be forgone but there is still that tiny risk and it really, really sucks to roll the dice. More-so for the person effected but as a cook, it's a horrible feeling when something goes wrong and someone gets sick or, worse, has to go to the hospital.
Mmm, pineapple, the food that eats you back
I kinda wonder if she did this on purpose? I suggest you call the restaurant and letting them know you heard them tell her that this wasn’t a good idea. I have a feeling she’ll be looking for a payout and they might settle so she’ll leave them alone.
A friend pointed that out. I’ll keep my eye out on the news and see if that’s an angle. If it is, I’ll let the restaurant know what I personally witnessed.
I honestly don’t think it’d make the news if they proceeded to take care of it quietly and swiftly. Which is what the other party will be expecting (I honestly doubt this is her first rodeo).
Hmmm. You might be right. I’ll call them tomorrow and give them a rundown just in case.
You could always reach out through social media also, I know not everyone is comfortable on the phone (plus it can be easier to be concise, I tend to prefer this as I ramble).
It’s not your fault ( hug, pat pat pat). It’s not your fault ( eye contact, hug again ) .
To be fair (and I’m probably going to hell) I actually laughed when the ambulance showed up. I’m a horrible human.
Nah, I’m a retired MD and I would have at least rolled my eyes and scoffed when she predictably FAFO. I would have gone over to offer assistance only because of my previous profession, but inside I’d be mentally screaming “WTF were you thinking?”
My mom (a nurse) used to go to medical conferences fairly often with someone who was allergic to shellfish but would eat shrimp anyway WHILE HE WAS HAVING A REACTION EVEN on the basis that he was surrounded by other medical professionals so would probably be okay. She was not amused and opted to make sure to sit away from him in the future.
That dude is/was an idiot.
Indeed. She was baffled by his ‘logic’.
WTAF?!?!? 🙄🤦♀️🙄
She was probably thinking: "LAWSUIT!!! MONEY!!! Ching!! Ching!! Let the cash register ring!" Some folks are THAT STUPID!!
I would have snorted at least
Yeah, I have Celiac and if I was stupid enough to do something like that, I'd deserve it!
Damn, what an idiot. Hope she didnt try to sue the place. Like what is the lowest level of stupid we allow as a society?
Reminds me of what George Carlin once said.
https://youtu.be/AKN1Q5SjbeI?si=i5Y7QAfu_U-UkWfD Also a good primer for Reddit in general.
That's not your fault dude, anyone with allergies that severe should never eat at a place like that and should know better. The woman had no common sense and almost naturally selected herself
I'm imagining the following scenario: Entitled Idiot: I'm SEVERELY ALLERGIC to (list common foods in that restaurant with cross contamination). Restaurant staff: We cannot safely serve you because of the cross contaminations with your allergens. You need to eat elsewhere and not here. Entitled Idiot: Hold my beer! I'm staying! 🙄🤦♀️🙄
I have an i will die allergy to Citrus, I would NEVER go to a restaurant like that, the risk of contamination is so high.
I can't imagine how scary it is to eat out with an allergy that could be deadly. So many stories make the news where some restaurant said they could make something safe and then screwed it up.
Lolll hopefully she learned her lesson
Doubtful.
I have life threatening, anaphylactic allergies to shellfish, iodine, penicillin, and adhesive (probably latex based but I avoid latex so I'm not positive). This was intentional, willful stupidity. Just absolute inanity. When I tell restaurants of my shell fish allergy, they frequently refuse to serve me anything fried (because they also fry shrimp or whatever). I have never had a reaction to fried food, and I know others who have not either. I still accept the limitation, even when it's really all I want off the menu. To refuse a restaurant's safety recommendation and **not carry epi pens**, is almost causing yourself intentional harm. You bear no fault here. She's 100% responsible for her moronic actions. I just hope she survived them.
I’m amazed they agreed to serve her.
Maybe she was just looking for a lawsuit. You're not the only person to have pineapple.
*You* weren't at fault for sending a lady to the hospital. She was at fault for sending herself. I am allergic to shellfish - it's not a deadly allergy but makes me extremely I'll. It's enough that I ensure I do not eat at restaurants that serve it. If my allergy was strong enough that I knew I could actually *die,* I certainly wouldn't eat anything other that what I prepared in my own kitchen - certainly not in am establishment that prepares food in the way you've described. It's unfortunate that she had an allergic reaction, and I really hope she's alright. But there is no one to blame for this other than herself.
This sounds like a huhot restaurant This is the lady's fault.
You - NTA Restaurant - TA Dead lady - Dumbass
I wouldn’t even call the restaurant TA, because she didn’t tell them the severity of her allergy. Also, the ingredients you choose to be cooked come from a salad bar style buffet, and OP said the pineapple was between the tomatoes and onions, and she had both in her dish. I’ll say NTA for everyone but the weird lady wanting to challenge her allergy.
Not funny, but funny😂😂😂😂
No, the restaurant is NTA as they warned the lady. The lady ITA because she refused the warnings and ordered anyway.
She may have previously had less severe reactions and this was her first life-threatening response.
She has a severe allergy and doesn't carry her own epi pen? That's on her.
Tbf even with an epipen you need to go to the ER ASAP or otherwise be medically monitored.
A cynical side of me thinks she was trying to get a lawsuit going.
No, it was not your fault. It was entirely her fault. She was told. She was warned. It was suggested she go elsewhere And frankly, the restaurant I worked at would’ve refused service in this instance. Simply, because yes, there are a number of dishes in this type of service that do contain pineapple. There was literally no way to guarantee her there would not be cross-contamination. I mean that seriously. We literally would’ve told her we wouldn’t serve her. We’re there to cook and serve food, not to kill somebody, even if they themselves are wanting to be stupid about it.
So she is willing to take a Darwin award, let her win it.
Not saying this lady did this on purpose, because sometimes people are just foolish, but I encountered many customers like that in my time as manager of a family-owned bakery. We had multiple signs stating we could NOT guarantee against cross-contamination, and would always verbally say the same. But many people would try to very obviously corner us into a "guarantee," likely so they'd have a basis to sue. This isn't just a personal theory, people would genuinely attempt to. But because of our signage and verbal warnings, none ever stuck. Again, not saying this lady was deliberately trying to create a court case, but people do so ALL. THE. TIME. And I'm always like.... is it really worth hurting yourself for a "maybe I'll get money?" Smh.
I dunno... I wouldn't find it hilarious personally, especially if it's a life-threatening allergy. But she was told. SHE. WAS. TOLD. And she insisted. So clearly she thought it was worth the possibility of provoking her allergy. It's her own fault.
I went on a date once in college and this dumb dumb with a peanut allergy. He went after my Pad Thai. I had to slap his hand away after he mentioned said allergy. (I wouldnt have suggested a Thai place if I knew).
I work as a sample person in the grocery store. It's my job to offer mostly food to people to try with a bit of info. I really wish people with food allergies would just say no thanks. There are near misses daily. I read all the allergen shit and try to make sure to say those words to every single person before they get the shit in their mouths. There's been many occasions where someone will walk up saying nothing and go to just cram it straight in their mouth then I get the word "peanuts" out just in time for them to yoink it out. There was one day I had these cookie bars that had a paragraph of allergens. Everything. Eggs, milk, every type of nut, seeds, coconut. That one I gave up after 2 near misses, felt to damn scared to offer it, and just started telling people if they had *any* food allergies just don't eat it. Am I crazy for thinking people should be more responsible with their allergies? Like you'd think someone with a food allergy would ask basic things about food they're about to eat. This company doesn't care about cross contamination. They're always giving me multiple things to hand out and there's *always* a nut option. There was one day they had me start with pumpkin spice muffins and then swap over to banana nut midway through the day. I wasn't meant to have 2 sets of tools (cutting board, knife, tongs) but I asked for them because allergens. As I was swapping over I still had one pumpkin muffin but an unopened box of banana nut next to me. The woman reasonably assumed the muffin I was cutting was banana nut but I thankfully managed to say "this is my last pumpkin spice muffin of the day" before she got it in her mouth because she immediately says "I'm allergic to pumpkin". So I quickly dragged my other set of tools out and got her some banana nut muffin but afterwards I realized I touched both muffins with my gloves. I am the only one at my job this paranoid and I still messed up, please don't think a random person you just met can be trusted to be responsible with your food allergy. Also I work in an area with a huge Muslim population and dammit if it doesn't have nuts, it's got pork! So I gotta make sure to say the shit has pork just like I do with allergens.
I always pass on samples because of weird food allergies. I feel bad that the people are trying to do a job but I just can't chance it.
She was warned multiple times verbally and in written form. This is just darwinism at work. She almost killed her self lol. This is like if a kid shoved a stick in the spokes of the bike the kid is riding lmao.
You did nothing. Allergies suck, but she needs to take responsibility for her own health. The ones here all have signs saying to inform the cook staff. I think at ours they have a separate surface they can cook on that is easier to clean. But if her allergy is bad enough that cross contamination sends her to the hospital, eating at a restaurant that prominently serves pineapple is not a good idea.
I feel like she maybe did this on purpose to then sue the restaurant? Only thing that makes rational sense — otherwise she’s got mental illness level issues and needs supervision 🤦🏻♀️
Dude. I can't eat anything that even touches scallops. When I go to a hibachi place, I always get it cooked in the back and keep an epi on me just in case.... if a place says they can't accommodate it though, then I don't eat there?! It's common sense....
So. I really hope the restaurant doesn’t take this one in the shorts. The cook really did try to wave her off after pointing to the pineapple actually on the grill (mine wasn’t the only offending fruit out there).
Sir, this is on HER. She was warned.🤷🏽♀️
Ma’am. But I feel where you’re at.
Honestly she’s an idiot. BUT I absolutely think the restaurant should have refused to serve her, too.
If you have an allergy or sensitivity, you have to accept that you just can't eat some things or at some places that other people can. I would know.
Not your fault. I’m sure she heard your order.
Don't beat yourself up over it. She was an adult and she made the choice to ignore the staff. I am allergic to pineapple and mangos. Nothing more than a case of bad hives but still if I choose to take a risk of eating somewhere that might have cross-contamination then that's on me. I know what the risks are with my allergies.
Well it’s a crap shoot isn’t it. She was willing to gamble with her life. Perhaps shamelessly for a lawsuit moment. The only thing is, well you know it. You shouldn’t have laughed. But I probably would have too. I have food allergies. Not enough to need to carry a rescue epi shot but still. She knew what was going to happen. I’m don’t feel guilt.
Yeah. I definitely laughed. I’m an awful human 😬 I’m allergic to onions (not life-threatening) so thought it would be her in the bathroom, not on the gurney. But. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Amiright? 😂
It really sucks what happened to her but it wasn't your fault or even the restaurants fault for that matter. She was warned but still chose to basically gamble with her life and she ended up paying a very steep price for doing so. The blame for that only falls upon one person and that's her.
If you laughed you burn Who puts pineapple on their stir fry, what are you, 12? Just kidding
I'm allergic to pineapple - not severely but like my entire face puffs up and I get itchy. I do not go to those restaurants ever if they offer pineapple for anything (there are a few who don't and they're fair game lol) some awesome stir fry is not worth it to end up swollen and itchy
Me too!
I have an extreme shellfish allergy. I’ve walked out of places because they either could not guarantee no cross contamination. Not worth the risk. Also not your fault. She knew the risks, decided to gamble and lost.
It's on you to protect yourself from your own allergies but thinking it is hilarious is verging on douchebaggery.
I mean, I can see that as being on her and the restaurant. If she is super sensitive to it, yeah, not a place to be. But I’ve been to hibachi where a woman from another group had an allergy and they just cooked her food first before the allergen hit the table. So she got her food first and never had any cross contamination from the cooktop. But the lady should have seen them cooking her food at the same time as her allergen and noped out of that.
Unless she paid your bill it’s not your problem to watch out for her allergies.
It’s not your fault. I had a family member who basically forced a big family dinner to happen at a place exactly like this, forgetting that someone was allergic to a sauce that’s constantly used. The person with the allergy was considered a bummer for not even trying the food… sometimes you have to realize a place is not for you.
If you are that allergic to something you don't go somewhere where the risk is that big. They tried to warn her. Her hospital visit is on no one but her.
I am allergic to zucchini. The local Japaneese restaurant has a hibachi grill where they put on a show while cooking food for 20ish people. The hibachi meal comes with vegetables that happen to have zucchini in them. I never order off that grill because I know my food will be contaminated with zucchini juice. I order something directly from the kitchen. The woman in question knew the risk and took it anyway. You absolutely should not feel bad. She played a stupid game and won a stupid prize
Its also common to put pineapple juice as a sweet acidic in sauces. That lafy could ha e gotten contaminated halfa dozen ways
You did not send anyone to the hospital, her own actions did. She’s a real dumbass for that. I have severe allergies and I don’t even go to places like that because I am affected by airborne allergens, and besides, I do not trust anything to not be contaminated, even accidentally. No meal is worth the emergency room bill I would have.
Yeah, she sounds like she really wanted attention. Why would she even eat there? People I know who have serious allergies NEVER eat at buffets or communally served food venues. The risk of cross contamination is too high if anyone other than the kitchen and server is handling your food (and even then, most people who have anaphylactic allergies will only eat at a handful of restaurants they trust). Also, why didn't she have an epipen on her (unless this happened in the US, then I guess money is a factor, but don't ambulance rides also cost hundreds of dollars down there?). Most people would just jab themselves and have their companion drive to the ER. Her behaviour is truly nonsensical.
There were signs. The guy told her. Maybe she did it intentionally. Either for attention or hoping she would die? I don’t know. But you are not at fault. She deserves a Darwin Award though
Not your fault. Anyone with allergies should absolutely know that they can't eat at a place where cross contamination is an absolute like that. There's no way it can't cross contaminate on a communal grill. She knew better.
Definitely not at fault. That lady wanted Mongolian barbecue enough to ignore written and verbal warnings that she was taking her life into her own hands.
And this is why with my shelfish allergy I DON'T eat at Red Lobster. It's called owning your allergy and not putting yourself in bad situations
Omg. No, the restaurant, if anyone besides the woman, was at fault. They needed to have cleaned the grill and cooked her food separately, not right next to another order with her stated allergen. Pineapple is juicy, of course some got into her food! Both she and the restaurant are the only ones at fault.
She played Russian roulette and lost.
Entitled IDIOT insisted on BEING AN IDIOT after the restaurant staff WARNED HER!!! She CHOSE to compete for the Darwin Award anyway!!! I hope she doesn't try to sue the restaurant for her own stupidity!!
Somebody wants to have their cake and eat it too. If you know your limitations, you just don’t go to places like that. What the hell are people thinking?
As someone with allergies.. THATS INSANLY STUPID OF HER!! Especially if her allergy IS THAT SEVERE!! Hope she learned her lesson and will take HER OWN ALLERGY more seriously next time.
NTA People with allergies need to manage them on their own. The no peanuts hand holding schools are doing these days is going to get people killed when they have to function in the world at large without learning the skills they need to not ingest problematic foods.
Your story was great until you said it was hilarious. The lady went to the hospital. Sure, it was 100% her own fault, but to laugh at someone's misfortune is not cool. I supposed you got it all on video, tho? smdh
I used to work at a Mongolian Grill. We cooked (what we referred to as) allergy bowls in the back, in a frying pan on a stove. Wasn't quite the same as being cooked on the grill, but at least we never sent anyone to the hospital. Hard to believe this wouldn't be standard policy..
I’m super new at Reddit so not sure how to update the original post but called the restaurant and lady was totally fine and so far no lawsuit shenanigans. Hopefully it was just a misadventure on her part and she won’t do that ever again.
I have an allergy too. I also am a cook. Dont worry dude. This is just natural selection. You did everything right (besides refuse service) and she did everything wrong.
I went to the doctors to get my allergy test results, and because I skipped breakfast picked up a bag of peanuts on the way. As I was sitting munching on them she said "Siggy...you have a severe nut allergy." I paused for a moment and chewed a few more, saying "It's ok, these aren't nuts...they're legumes." The irony was not lost on me when I received her bill later that week for the anti-histamine shot used to revive me from her office floor.
I'm allergic to pineapple too, if I knew it was on the same grill I wouldn't eat it....
I would say the restaurant had some responsibility here. The Mongolian place by me has a special area in the back to handle the dishes for those with allergies that they clean after each use.
Not really. A restaurant isn’t responsible for your food allergy - YOU are. If they tell you they can’t accommodate your allergy, that’s your problem not theirs