99 in Tewksbury MA **UPDATE**

Gus's Mama · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 175 Location: Boston MA

We've eaten there many times without issue, and I have to admit, I let my guard down. I usually quiz the waiter/tress,make sure they know about CC, the whole nine yards. This time, I simply requested gluten free items for Gus. I made sure she knew that I wanted the gluten free, and said it a few times, but I didn't do the quiz. Now I know better, and it won't happen again.

Poor Gus is so sick today....

I e-mailed the 99 web site today, and I'll let you know what they say.
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Deb
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SPD Little Boy, Gus: Getting better by the day! Improved digestion, skin issues clearing, able to focus and follow instructions, talking (the boy is TALKING!!!)

Home-Based-Mom · Joined: 12 Aug 2008 Posts: 401 Location: California

Bummer.

Hope he feels better soon.
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Sandi ~ learning to live in a world obsessed and infested with wheat.
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cardine45 · Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 586 Location: Kalamazoo, MI

I'm interested in what they have to say about it. I always feel like a pain when I repeat the same thing every time, but I know I'm taking a huge risk when I don't say it. I probably chance it more than I should, and this makes me think I need to get better about saying it anyway.

(BTW, this post was your 99th post, which I thought was interesting considering the title)

Gus's Mama · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 175 Location: Boston MA

Gus's Mama · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 175 Location: Boston MA

I e-mailed them again yesterday, and unbelievably, there is still no response. Not even a "We're looking into this."

Wow.
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Deb
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SPD Little Boy, Gus: Getting better by the day! Improved digestion, skin issues clearing, able to focus and follow instructions, talking (the boy is TALKING!!!)

Gus's Mama · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 175 Location: Boston MA

I finally heard back from the 99. I got a phone call yesterday afternoon from a very nice and seemingly genuinely concerned customer service person ("guest relations manager" I think was the official title). He ensured me that this location would be receiving the full gluten-free training again, and that reminders of the importance of good gluten hygiene will be sent to the rest of the locations.

We chatted about how critical it is for food referred to as GF to actually be GF, as it isn't a food preference or picky eating, but a medical necessity. He assured me that they take it very seriously, and that everything that could be done would be done to ensure that this sort of thing doesn't happen again. He also said he'd be sending us some nice coupons in the mail.

Very Happy

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Deb
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SPD Little Boy, Gus: Getting better by the day! Improved digestion, skin issues clearing, able to focus and follow instructions, talking (the boy is TALKING!!!)

Gus's Mama · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 175 Location: Boston MA

Well, I got my $25 gift card in the mail, and decided to risk it tonight. I mentioned to the waitress what happened last time, how sick Gus was, and that I want to be certain they understand how critical it is to avoid any contamination, and she went to get the manager. The manager came back with their master allergy list, and asked me what we ordered for Gus last time. I told her the Junior Top Sirloin with steamed broccoli and fries, which she looked up in her Big List.

We had to go through a lot of menu items before we came up with something that worked. Turns out, MANY of the items listed on their gluten free menu actually contain gluten. Both menu items listed for the kids' choices contained gluten, too. We wound up going through her master list item by item until we found something that would work for Gus (he wound up with the lunch sized steak tips).

So anyway, after 15 minutes of menu haggling, toddler impatience, and 7-year-old nonsense while we combed the allergy list, the manager comped our entire meal. Not just Gus's, but the whole thing. I still have my $25 gift card!!

I'll let you know tomorrow how he's feeling.
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Deb
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SPD Little Boy, Gus: Getting better by the day! Improved digestion, skin issues clearing, able to focus and follow instructions, talking (the boy is TALKING!!!)

Gus's Mama · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 175 Location: Boston MA

Gus is indeed in good shape today. The total menu breakdown via allergy list worked.

Now I have to email corporate again to let them know that their GF menu is dangerously inaccurate.... Rolling Eyes

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Deb
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SPD Little Boy, Gus: Getting better by the day! Improved digestion, skin issues clearing, able to focus and follow instructions, talking (the boy is TALKING!!!)

Bob183420 · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:26 pm Post subject:

Hi, could you tell me which items had gluten in them? My wife and I eat there all the time,at the one in Braintree, and Ive never had a problem. We did go to one,dont remember where, and I asked about the fries and was told that they fried potato skins in the same fryer and the potato skins arent on the gf menu so I passed on the fries and told the manager that they shouldnt be frying anything else but fries in the oil. Thanks, Bob

Gus's Mama · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 175 Location: Boston MA

Hey Bob,

I don't remember exactly what wasn't safe--we had to go through most of the menu via the allergy list, and that's a lot of stuff to remember (especially while single-handedly wrangling two boisterous children!!).

I remember that the salads were good, but my two-year-old isn't too keen on salad Wink

. The Top Sirloin was listed as having gluten, as well as almost all of the other meat-based items. What we finally wound up with was the lunch-sized steak tips with fries and plain steamed broccoli. The Tewksbury 99 has an entire section of the kitchen dedicated to GF food production, so the GF fries really are GF and safe (at least at this location). I'm not crazy about him having fries, but the choices are pretty limited.

I've gotten another call from Daniel, and he promises me that they will be going through every item on the allergy menu, coordinating it with the actual allergy specialty menus at the restaurants, and calling me when they know for a fact that it is safe for Gus to go back.
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Deb
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SPD Little Boy, Gus: Getting better by the day! Improved digestion, skin issues clearing, able to focus and follow instructions, talking (the boy is TALKING!!!)

Bob183420 · Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 2:39 pm Post subject:

Thanks, I just found the allergy list on the website and found that the corn that I had Sat night at the 99 in Maine has gluten listed.What is in corn that would contain gluten? Next time it will just be the smothered tips and mashed or fries. I hope they update their menu soon.
Bob

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10971 Location: WI, USA

Do they think corn gluten is harmful to us? They may not fully understand what gluten is...
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

Gus's Mama · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 175 Location: Boston MA

There may be something in the buttery sauce they put on the corn...? If we're going to get corn for Gus, we get plain corn on the cob. He's dairy-free, too, so we bring vegan buttery spread for his veggies.
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Deb
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SPD Little Boy, Gus: Getting better by the day! Improved digestion, skin issues clearing, able to focus and follow instructions, talking (the boy is TALKING!!!)