Gluten Nation

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Every food server in the industry has dealt with guests with food allergies.  We're all different.  Our bodies can't tolerate everything the same.  In fact, I'm allergic to all shellfish and avocado.  That gets really annoying when I go out to eat (especially in California where seafood and avocado are practically staple ingredients in everything).  It's frustrating to tell the server, "I have to double check there's no shellfish in that sauce," or "Is there guacamole or avocado on those tacos?" But I know what I'm allergic to and I can get right to the point real quick.  And that's how most allergies are.

But with the gluten allergy, it's different.  In my opinion, it has officially reached epidemic proportions in the population because we servers deal with it on multiple, varying levels, on practically a daily basis.  The problem with this "allergy" is that it can range from highly sensitive (as with Celiac's disease – the true allergy) to just a slight annoyance (an upset stomach) to simply a lifestyle choice (for healthier eating).  

For the unfortunate slice of the population who suffer from Celiac's disease, they usually know, black and white, what they can and can't have, because, for them, it's a serious health concern. 

However, with the remainder of the gluten allergy population, they fall into that grey area of unknown and uncertainty, forcing us (the servers) to act as their nutritionists, which none of us enjoy, especially during a hectic lunch or dinner rush. 

These are the people who begin by saying they are gluten intolerant, but then manage to finagle their way back into that ever-annoying grey area of them being able to consume some gluten.  These grey area people bounce around the topic with never ending questions and comments like, "Well, if the spice has gluten in it, that should be fine.  I just can't have the bread on that entree.”  Busted!  Fake allergy.  Or.. “Now does this sauce have gluten in it?  … It doesn’t?  Well, that sauce doesn’t even sound that good anyway.  What about this sauce? …  So it has only a small amount?  Well, ok.. I'll just have it.  But put it on the side!”   Oh my god.  Then there are the people who say, “Are you sure this is gluten free?  Because I will call your manager later if I have a problem.”   Ugh.  I once had to go back to the kitchen literally four times to ask how they could make certain entrees gluten free, even though I insisted the ones I had already mentioned were the easiest to make gluten free.  Apparently the entrees I mentioned didn't sound tasty enough to her.  Well, duh!  An entire gluten free entree usually doesn't have that pizazz and flavor we all crave in our food.  

It's crazy how much media attention this allergy/lifestyle has received and how obsessed our culture has become with it.  I don't doubt that it's definitely a healthier way to eat.  I get it.  It's been such a hot topic that more and more restaurants are listing separate gluten free items on their menus, or noting it with a friendly little "*" next to their gluten free options.  We have yet to do this at our restaurant.  Unfortunately, it's probably not going to happen any time soon.  But of course, knowing the public as well as I do, there would still be plenty of people who’d ask if they could modify a regular menu item and make it gluten free somehow using the noted gluten free options. 

As servers, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to conquer the gluten issue with ease.  Until then, us servers will just keep doing our best to serve you and give you what you want (hopefully without an upset stomach) and yes, continue to roll our eyes in annoyance with each other in the side stations.