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janell
09-20-2008, 11:22 AM
Last night 5 of us celebrated a birthday at Storytellers, we love the buffet, so we all got that. One person in our group thought the Corn Chowder looked good, so she grabs a bowl while going thought the line. When she sits down to enjoy her meal, she take a look at the Corn Chowder and thought she saw a piece of chicken in it. She is very allergic to chicken so she asked us at the table if we thought it was chicken. One of us tasted the it and yep it was chicken. Thankfully she didn’t eat any of it. We asked her, did the sign say chicken in the soup, she said no.

We all enjoyed our meals while chatting they should have it posted that there is chicken for those who are allergic or those who don’t eat meat, would know this soup isn’t for them.

She asked for a chef, the chef came out to chat with her. She claified that indeed there was chicken in the Corn Chowder soup. Told the chef she was allergic and it would be helpful for guest if the sign said there was chicken in the soup. He gave her a discussed look and could have careless that if she would have ate the soup, she would be really really sick for three days. Never said he would talk with who ever and thank you for your feed back. Nothing.

She sat back down and told us what he said and how he acted. I then asked for a maniger and let her know what happened. I knew he would never bring it up to anyone. She was very nice, very Disney (the old Disney). Asked if we need a nurse. And said she would talk to him.

According to our waiter, the chef was a new sew chef that had just started. Wow, did they make a mistake hiring this guy. Not very nice, when she was only saying hey you might want to add that to your sign, people could get sick. She was doing something nice.

Anyhow, just wanted to let you all know there is chicken in that Chowder Soup. :)

stan4d_steph
09-20-2008, 11:31 AM
I'm not sure why the sign on the buffet didn't say there was chicken in the soup. On the menu, it's clear that there is chicken in it.

cstephens
09-20-2008, 12:09 PM
Anyhow, just wanted to let you all know there is chicken in that Chowder Soup. :)

I would definitely use the "contact us" function on the DL website to let them know about your experience and the reaction you got as well as to suggest that the sign on the soup indicates that it contains chicken. It's not the lack of information that bothers me - it's the reaction to your concern that does.

Malcon10t
09-20-2008, 01:24 PM
I have to agree, it does say on the menu it has chicken (and bacon.)

Charred Nebraska Corn Chowder - With Roasted Chicken, Bacon Bits and Cliantro. Inspired by the delicious Sweet Corn harvest in Nebraska.

janell
09-20-2008, 02:35 PM
Thank you for the info on that it says chicken on the menu. To be honist, we have gone there so much that we no longer look at the menu. For me I just look at the buffet before we sit down, check it has my fav's and order.

I agree, this became way more to us once the chef didn't care. How could a chef not care? I plan on going with this and makeing more comments. I will do the "contact us" on DL website.

janell
09-20-2008, 02:53 PM
Just wrote to Contact us. And will send a letter int DL. I doubt anything will happen. Disney had changed its way where the CM is always right and the guest is wrong. We had a problem with a lead on Buzz light year. (I'll have to post that since we just got a generic letter back from Disneyland) Anyhow, do that later.

Im an old CM from 10 years ago and its sad how things change. Im not bagging on CM, I just miss the days where all CM's carried. I know many still do, its just ones like this one that makes me sad.

KDR
09-20-2008, 03:34 PM
Should there be signs on every item at the buffet listing all ingredients, just in case someone is allergic? The fact that it's clearly listed in the menu is more than enough. Your group wasted the chef's time for no reason other than to complain about something that was clearly not an issue, since it is fully disclosed in the menu.

Malcon10t
09-20-2008, 04:08 PM
While I stated it is listed in the menu, I have 2 views here. First, if you have a serious allergy, you need to ask for an ingredients list. Many items, such as chicken, are used for dishes you wouldn't suspect they are in. It is your responsibility to know what is in the food you are eating and make sure you avoid your allergy triggers.

BUT, that said, the chef's response should have been an apology, and providing the information that the ingredient list is available, and if you have a serious allergy, he could provide you with the list.

olegc
09-20-2008, 04:27 PM
^^^^ or chicken stock for that matter - used in a TON of soup and sauces...

Mooshu
09-20-2008, 04:31 PM
I think if it is listed as corn chowder..one would think..vegeterian, maybe even vegan?!? I think with this day and age we are living in...at the MOST they would list at least, meat eaters, vegeterians or vegan.

but of course I'm living on the left coast..sorry to offend anyone.:)

mulansgirl
09-20-2008, 04:49 PM
I am not sure if the chef was the first person to talk to since it was not really a cooking problem but a labeling problem. I think going to to manager first would have been a lot better since I think they would be more of the person to fix the problem. And most people I know with dietary restrictions mention it to a waiter or check menus or even know which foods have a tendancy of having their restricted food in it, like olegc said chicken stock is used in a lot of soups and as a base for many other dishes, I even add it to my rice for better flavor. My vegitarian friends are very good about knowing what is in their food, and they choose to eat this way it would not kill them (like some people with allergys) if they ate the food, but they make and active effort to make sure they don't.

That being said I am very sorry you had such a bad experiance with the chef, I am sure he will be talked to and it will go on his record and really that does mean something.
I am glad your friend was not hurt. I do know what it is like to have a day ruined by allergys, aunt had to go to the hospital because there was shrimp in her food and she did not ask about it, she is more carefull now.

MickeyDogMom
09-20-2008, 05:25 PM
one would think..vegeterian, maybe even vegan?!? I think with this day and age we are living in...at the MOST they would list at least, meat eaters, vegeterians or vegan.

As the cousin of strong vegetarians, I can say they never assume. They are always careful to double check where food is cooked and what it is made of. They even inspect food at Disneyland. But I can't speak for all vegetarians.

I always think it's my own responsibility to check food for nuts. I hate nuts.

Malcon10t
09-20-2008, 05:32 PM
I think if it is listed as corn chowder..one would think..vegeterian, maybe even vegan?!? I think with this day and age we are living in...at the MOST they would list at least, meat eaters, vegeterians or vegan.

but of course I'm living on the left coast..sorry to offend anyone.:)I think most of us here (not all) are left coasters. Most vegetarians and vegans know to check. My nieces check. My first thought (without thinking) is French Onion soup would be good for a vegetarian, forgetting it is made with beef stock. Also, the extent the person adheres to their diet decides what they are willing to eat. Some vegetarians will eat the grilled veggies at Bengal BBQ, whereas others say no way as they are grilled on the same grill as the meat.

anniedg
09-20-2008, 07:42 PM
Most vegetarians and vegans know to check.

As a vegetarian I think this is definitely true and would think it'd be true if someone is allergic to chicken also. Unfortunately almost all restaurant soups are made with beef or chicken stock. If a soup doesn't actually say it's vegetarian it probably is made with chicken stock regardless of type of soup. It was a sad day when I learned my favorite tomato soup was, yep, made with chicken stock :crying:

janell
09-20-2008, 08:46 PM
Well not that it matters, but you can be allergic to chicken and not chicken stock. The person I was talking about thats the case.

Anyhow it doesn't matter, just though someone would find that interesting.

As for going to the manager first. True point, being an old CM for a resterurant I went to the back of the house due to that how is in charge of the food line up. Anything that happend on our food line up was done by back of the house staff. I must be old school to have gone that way. Oh well.

Katlovett
09-21-2008, 11:52 AM
I think most of us here (not all) are left coasters. Most vegetarians and vegans know to check. My nieces check. My first thought (without thinking) is French Onion soup would be good for a vegetarian, forgetting it is made with beef stock. Also, the extent the person adheres to their diet decides what they are willing to eat. Some vegetarians will eat the grilled veggies at Bengal BBQ, whereas others say no way as they are grilled on the same grill as the meat.
Similarly, people with religious restrictions on their diets accept varying degrees of strictness. My FIL is muslim and thus cannot eat pork (such as the bacon in the corn chowder) but his view is that if he is not aware that it is there then it doesn't count. LOL! So, he will not sit down and eat pork chops or bacon with eggs, but he does not freak out over a few sprinkles of bacon bits in salad dressing or things like that. Other muslims (or jews for that matter) might be very unhappy about stealth pork products and if so, then probably they should ask for ingredient lists.

My SIL has a dairy intolerance to the extent that she cannot even eat bread that has been made with milk/whey products (like most bread is.) She has to ask for ingredient lists for everything.

Heffalump
09-21-2008, 08:09 PM
How scary for your friend. I have never heard of chicken in corn chowder. My sister is vegetarian and always has it and it's vegetarian where she gets it.

carolyn
09-22-2008, 11:53 AM
According to our waiter, the chef was a new sew chef that had just started.

sew chef = sous chef?

HisKid
09-22-2008, 12:42 PM
Well not that it matters, but you can be allergic to chicken and not chicken stock. The person I was talking about thats the case.

I'm really curious about how that can happen. What part of the chicken is she allergic to?

evrythngwmn
09-22-2008, 02:21 PM
I don't know about the OPs friend but my sister can't eat fresh pineapple but can eat canned pineapple. Fresh is too acidic and she gets large welts in her mouth when she's eaten it. Something about the canning process apparently reduces the acidic level.

Pinkhoody
09-22-2008, 02:23 PM
sew chef = sous chef?

I think so. But then, I wasn't sure where to begin. ;)

Marasmama
09-22-2008, 02:41 PM
I really see the OP's point. If you go to other non-Disney buffet style restaurants such as Soup Plantation, they always have on the little placard Vegetarian or Non-vegetarian if it's something that could be questionable like a corn chowder. It's not that hard and at Disney prices they can afford the printing.

But, of course the cast members are human and not flawless. No excuse for rudeness though. There was one meal we had at Granville's (Steakhouse 55) with my sister a couple of years ago. We warned the scheduler while making the priority seating reservation, and the server that she was allergic to three separate foods that they commonly use in salads or as garnishes and every single one of them showed up on her plate that evening on top of having very, very slow service. Needless to say her food was comped by the manager and we got free desserts. Ah the good old days when if you had a problem, cast members would actually do something to rectify it instead of being limited to listening and apologizing.

Although, sometimes they can go overboard. There was a chipped salt shaker at our table (Granville's again, different visit) that my DH felt scratch across his finger, no blood but he thought there might be a tiny splinter but nothing he thought was any type of big deal. He just wanted a new salt shaker. Instead we got the salt shaker and a visit from the nurse packing all her gear including the AED.

adriennek
09-22-2008, 04:33 PM
Although, sometimes they can go overboard. There was a chipped salt shaker at our table (Granville's again, different visit) that my DH felt scratch across his finger, no blood but he thought there might be a tiny splinter but nothing he thought was any type of big deal. He just wanted a new salt shaker. Instead we got the salt shaker and a visit from the nurse packing all her gear including the AED.

You know, I would rather they over-react than under-react.

I was at a dark restaurant once and tripped down some steps I didn't see. I wasn't "hurt" (didn't feel great but didn't need a doctor,) and I felt silly for not paying attention. The restaurant's hq called me a few days later to follow up, ask if I'd been to a doctor, asked if I thought I SHOULD go to a doctor, etc. The staff at the restaurant at the time was very friendly and concerned and I reassured them I was fine. Of course I'm sure they were worried about a lawsuit but the fact that they actually gave me some friendly attention was something I appreciated.

Fast forward to two months ago at El Torito. The service was unbelievably bad. I NEVER complain. EVER. I get annoyed when I'm with someone else who does. This time, I actually asked for a manager and even then I didn't complain I just said "We were wondering where our food was because it's taken a really long time to get here." They decided to comp us a dessert. It was a sizzling brownie sundae. The spoon handles were cool to the touch but the 'bowl' of the spoons had been sitting on the platter so when I took a bite of my dessert, I BURNED MY LIPS. It was very painful. After we paid our check, I decided to seek the manager again. They really hurt. I told her that I burned my lips, it really hurt, and to please advise her servers to NOT put spoons on sizzling platters. She looked at me like I had two heads and sort of mumbled "sorry". That was IT. I did take it to corporate who had a more sympathetic response but in the first case, I didn't have to contact corporate, they contacted ME.

Adrienne

Malcon10t
09-22-2008, 04:35 PM
I disagree. While the signs can be helpful, how would a "Non-Vegetarian" sign have helped the poster? I haven't seen signs like this elsewhere, and wouldn't expect to. My daughter has an issue with nuts. We look at menu descriptions and ask if there is any doubt. My nieces are strict vegetarians. They ask (and ask and ask.)

And after looking at restaurant recipes for Corn Chowder, many use chicken stock. So, if anyone is looking to be a strict vegetarian, it will be out in most restaurants. Its not something I deal with, so I normally wouldn't look. And they use milk products, so vegans are really out of luck.

Bytebear
09-22-2008, 04:40 PM
I don't know about the OPs friend but my sister can't eat fresh pineapple but can eat canned pineapple. Fresh is too acidic and she gets large welts in her mouth when she's eaten it. Something about the canning process apparently reduces the acidic level.

Fresh pineapple and kiwi fruit will also react with Jell-o and cause it not to set, but canned pineapple is ok.

I do think Storytellers has gone way downhill since they changed the menu and fired several key chefs. There is an earlier thread on this somewhere.