Dietary restrictions can make dining out a minefield, especially when it is more of a medical need than a matter of preference.
One diner at a Hard Rock Cafe says a server made fun of them for their dietary needs. He documented the incident at the Hollywood, Fla. location of the restaurant chain.
A meal gone awry
In a TikTok that has drawn over 232,000 views, user @youngparislive captures part of the interaction. He shared it and his frustration with viewers.
“Server made fun of me for having ‘fake’ Celiac disease because I wouldn’t eat the burger that wasn’t gluten free,” a text overlay on the video reads. “(I’ll end up in the hospital if I eat bread.)”
In the video, the server and customer argue, with the server having commented on the customer’s choice to drink beer and eat fries. However, he says he did not order the latter.
“Are you Celiac?” the TikToker asks the server.
“I’m not,” the server responds.
The TikToker then replies, “OK, cool, I’m Celiac, and you just threw a jab at me.”
Things turn tense when the server finds it “funny” that he will still eat fries prepared in the same fryer. He replies, “I don’t eat fries, I didn’t ask for the fries, moron.”
The server then asks him to pay his tab and leave, to which he says, “I’m not paying [expletive].”
With a few more seconds of back and forth, the server calls her manager over to handle the situation. Ultimately, in replies to commenters asking how the manager rectified the situation, the TikToker wrote that they received a refund and a food comp.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @youngparislive via comment on the video as well as TikTok direct message. We also reached out to Hard Rock Cafe via email regarding the video.
What is Celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten, a protein found in wheat, is ingested. About one in 100 people are estimated to have this intolerance.
Why aren’t French fries gluten-free?
The short answer here is that potatoes are gluten-free, but the way they are often prepared as fries introduces wheat into the process.
For French fries to be gluten-free, they must not be coated in flour—breaded fries and fries with flour coatings would not be OK, for example. Nor could they have additives that contain gluten. They would also have to be fried in their own dedicated fryer, to avoid cross-contamination with menu items that contain gluten.
Even so—the TikToker says he did not order fries to start with.
How can people with Celiac disease consume beer?
The beer market has expanded to include brews made specifically to exclude gluten in the process, whether being made with a grain that does not contain gluten, or having it removed in the process.
Some people with Celiac also find that they can tolerate trace amounts in types of beer associated with having low levels of gluten, such as some Pilsners.
Viewers not sure who’s right and who’s wrong
Several viewers were skeptical of the video, only seeing part of the exchange between the TikToker and the server.
“Mmmm I wanna hear what he said to make this escalate,” one commenter wrote.
“How did this start and what was the main issue?” another said. “We need more context.”
“What’s the context before this video tho,” a commenter wrote.
@youngparislive Celiac disease sucks but so do people who don’t take it serious #celiac #fyp #viral #drama #tea #crazy ♬ original sound – Paris young shop
Others were frustrated by the server’s flippant nature and handling of the situation.
“My mom’s body will legit feel like it’s shutting down and she has to sleep for days to feel better,” one commenter wrote. “That’s absolutely ridiculous.”
“I work in a restaurant and if they say they’re gluten free just acknowledge it and let them eat what they want…don’t question it..it’s their body and choice,” one wrote.
“What did the manager end up saying?” another commented. “Regardless idk why it’s her business and why she was acting like that. I’d be defensive also.”
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