Eating out nightmare

As many doctors still think the treatment for type 2 diabetes is to reduce only sugar, i would not expect a waiter to know any different.
Whilst low carb is common on a forum (provided by a company that makes money out of that approach), it is not generally common.
If you want lower carb, it is better to ask for low carb rather than diabetes’ friendly.
Or, more likely, learn what suits you and chose appropriately. Fir example, if the menu had a meat, potato and veg option, ask to replace the potato with salad.
Italian restaurant food in the UK is rarely low carb.

My usual strategy is to get a look at the menu before I go so I can plan what I will order. I have been known to phone ahead to ask if they can alter things to be less carby. I never discuss my medical details with them, just say I'm on a carb restricted diet.
Most decent restaurants will do their best to accommodate you, after all its your custom and cash they want, it's in their interests to give you what you want.
If all else fails, I just order the biggest steak they have got with a salad and have the cheese board for after.
If I were to get the same treatment you received I would have complained to the management, left them a less than complimentary review on line, and that would be the last time I ever eat there.

If I book the venue, I check their menu online first, decide what appeals, and then when I book explain about the diet-controlled diabetes, asking for (e.g.) leafy salad with no dressing, no bread, spuds and so on. Then when I am actually there and order, I mention the diabetes again and what I can eat e.g. I'd like the fish, no sauce, with just a green salad with no dressing/only olive oil . I've been lucky and never had an issue, but obviously not every staff member can be diabetes-savvy, and there will, I'm sure, be occasions when I have to go into more detail when I am actually there. I'd make a lousy waiter (I'd drop everything) so am not upset if they don't quite get what I mean first off, but in practice everyone has seemed fine with it all.

If someone else books the venue, I check out the menu as before and contact them prior to the day to explain that a table for however many booked in the name of whoever includes me with some dietary health concerns. Again, I have never had the slightest problem. So probably neither will you.

If im organising a meal out I look on the restaurant website first to see what is suitable before booking. If someone else has organised it I try to pick the lowest carb item on the menu. In an Italian usually a chicken dish or steak, definitely steer clear of pizza and pasta. I might ask them to substitute extra veg or salad instead of potatoes. If there is nothing suitable on the menu I have found ravioli seems to be the best option for me.

I find the hardest menus to pick from are Chinese and lunch time sandwich type shops. I have been known to order a tuna jacket potato without the jacket…..ie tuna Mayo and salad. All day breakfasts are ok if you avoid the toast, hash browns and baked beans.

I was on a river cruise last year and they were providing a packed lunch for an excursion which was a sandwich, fruit, crisps. I had a quiet word about low carb and they offered me gluten free bread (which is not low carb), so I suggested to them if they gave me some foil I could select some things to take from the breakfast buffet and I ended up with a lovely meal of cheeses, hams, walnuts and salad.

Hi. As you have found, never ask for diabetic foods etc. Very few restaurants understand that it's about low carbb so just choose low-carb foods where you can. If you ask for a diabetic meal when flying you will be given a low fat, high carb meal!

I am still relatively new to all of this and have only been out a few times for dinner and I have ended up with two starters or a salad type thing. I do plan on having steak with just the veg when I go out for my friends birthday but that option was on the pricey side compared to what I had last time at that particular restaurant. I also have trouble finding a drink I can have as I can't do caffeine and I hate tonic water. So few places have sugar free sprite etc. At one place they were happy for me to add my own mixer so I got gin and added sugar free 7up. I don't tend to tell them much if I can help it or just a little information but the people I go out with all know my issues anyway and many have their own food requirements anyway. I hope you have better experiences going forward.

wozey said:

Never expected what I thought to be a decent Italian restaurant to be so clueless and uninformed about a condition that is so common these days.
I explained I had diabetes to one side so no one could hear and he said ok I will get someone to come and talk to you about your requirements, oh yeah the guy walked up to the table and said out loud “so who’s the one who wants to talk about their diabetes?”
So the cat was out the bag so I said yes I just wanted to know if you have any options that may not be on the menu very low in carbs. His response was “no just what’s on the menu, probably no deserts for you then” laughing like he had just told a great joke and the worst part was some of my friends laughed with him although later said they just felt really awkward. I’m getting annoyed just thinking about it. From my experience I’m guessing people don’t mention it when they go out but it says on a poster if you have any dietary requirements to let them know.
How would you go about it if you were eating out? Would you even mention it or just have a night off restrictions

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I'm sorry about your oh so discreet service. I don't make a secret out of my T2, I found it just makes life easier to be open about it. But when you're newly diagnosed and still trying to come to terms with the whole thing, then this is indeed very, very far from helpful. Heck... if that'd been my first dining out experience when asking for something special, I don;t think I ever would've eaten out again. By now I've had many, many meals over the years though, and more often than not the most I get is a ""We have gluten-free bread if you want that?". Most are helpful, and expecially so when you're a returning customer and notoriously big tipper for their effort.

Basically try and have a little input in location if at all possible, or look the menu over beforehand. If you suspect a**holery, call or mail beforehand and discuss options. Stick with meats, (Argentinian grill, anybody?), poultry, salads, cheeses... Just ask extra veg or salad instead of rice or potatoes. If it's something in the morning, just go for a Full English and let them hold the toast, beans and maaaaybe pud, as that may be starchy as well. You can always claim you're on a new health kick and want to try low carbing for the heck of it. Probably not a person at the table who hasn't tried a diet in their life at some point, no further explanation required.

But, yeah. Cats aren't easily stuffed back into bags, so that may be out for good now. Just, you know... Do your research. Check menu's online. Ask questions. I usually start by asking whether it's okay if I'm difficult. Then they're usually relieved I'm just asking for stuff to be left out or replaced, rather than have it massaged by panda's before serving. Only ran into a problem about three or four times. (Got my husband's coke instead of my diet, people thinking I just want to pay less for the meal rather than pay the always intended extra for the service, or just being a b*tch to me saying the kitchen makes no exceptions as they're busy. The joint was empty except for us, with no big crowds coming in any time soon. I left in tears and ate elsewhere. Tipped like mad there and thanked them for being fantastic. The server didn't know what hit her.) I've been low carbing for about seven years or so. That's a LOT of lunches and dinners, where everything went absolutely fine. So it can be done. You just got really lucky to get this sort of treatment from the get-go. Also.... Low carbing isn't that well known. If you get a diabetic meal in hospital or on a flight, it will be carb laden. To keep T1's from going hypo, I presume. (Correct me if I'm wrong, people?). T2's, though we are many, don't usually meet chefs who understand the condition. And even if they have it themselves, which does happen, it doesn't mean they know about the relation between carbs and blood sugars. You have to explicitly tell them what you want, -not per se why- don't just tell them "I have x condition and sort it out for me". They're chefs, not doctors. (And even those are often clueless...). So, you'll have to take the lead there. Which isn't easy when someone comes out of the kitchen to make fun of you, but believe me... That doesn't happen often. And I think that Italian joint lost you as a steady customer.

You'll be fine. Just takes getting used to. And lots of Nando's, from what I gather. (We don't have that in the Netherlands).
Hugs,
Jo

All I usually say is that I can’t eat carbs, when they panic and offer allergen lists (which carbs don’t feature on anyway) I explain its not an allergy but it is a medical requirement.

I’ve been known to build a meal from sides and starters and ask for it all to come together. Or I swap out the high carb options for something else low carb that’s on the menu that is a reasonable cost swap. For Italian I choose a sauce I like and ask for it over green veg (broccoli, green beans etc.) Or stick with a meat/fish dish. Swap potatoes for more salad or veg. I’m seeing more grazing platters that are mostly meat and cheese. Cut and fried halloumi works instead of fries if that’s on the menu somewhere (beware some are pre-made and breaded so ask if they carb coated. Ask for sauces and dressings on the side so you can control how much you have once you know how sweet it is.

I don't tell restaurant staff, it's too much hassle to explain and spoils the mood.
As others have said I might look and plan ahead, or I chose wisely (if not strictly) and ask for swaps.

The most difficult to adapt places are tea shops, everything is carbs. Some don't do or won't do an omelette or a salad or even coffee with cream so don't often even try them any more. Or I buy ham or cheese from a shop nearby and eat that after.
One 'breakfast ' cafe we went in to wouldn't do an omelette even though they did fried eggs (but I can't stand yolks!), and won't do just a double or triple portion of bacon.
Yes they did get an awful review from us!

Most places i've found will substitute items, but some are just plain A£$%^&*s and won't budge. I have happily sat there and just had a black coffee before, whilst everyone else had £30+ meals. My father in law used to say well at least have the cheese platter. I would refuse from sheer bloody mindedness. if they won't be sensible then they won't get a penny at my expense. funnily enough we never returned to those establishments, and father in law was a big tipper.
I even refused in hospital for 4 days, that was a very good fast actually, i became a minor celebrity for my short stay, and actually managed to teach a few nurses the difference between healthy food for us type 2s and them.

Like many other posters before me I don't tell them I'm a diabetic. I go along the lines of allergy. I also do what they do- look at the menu beforehand to seen what (if anything) I can eat. Some restaurants have very little. I wouldn't expect much choice in an Italian restaurant.

In the past some people have posted here with the menu and various people have provided ideas. When I was first diagnosed I found that very helpful as they came up with suggestions that I wouldn't have thought of. I might also eat something beforehand so I'm not particularly hungry which also helps.

It can be difficult.

Although I tend not to volunteer my diabetes initially I’m not shy about explaining why I eat this way. If chefs learn about it and how many people it can benefit that can only be a good thing and make it easier to find considering how many type 2 there are and the spreading popularity of lower carb eating.

It gets my goat that every other variation of eating is catered for but this one. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, lactose free, halal, kosher, nut free, low fat, low salt, low calorie etc etc etc.