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Waitrose telling me how many calories I can have!

(116 Posts)
Ohmother Sat 25-Jan-20 14:24:40

I went to a Waitrose cafe/restaurant yesterday. My DH doesn’t like mash so asked if he could have the pie with chips. He wasn’t allowed because that combination was too many calories. ?

He tried another combination without the mash. Sorry, too many calories. ?

Since when has Waitrose turned into the calorie police??? I find this hypocritical because he could have bought a regular meal and stuck a portion of chips or even a sticky cream filled cupcake on the side.

Is it me?

Callistemon Sat 25-Jan-20 20:53:33

Perhaps they should weigh customers on their way into the cafe, or take their BMI.

quizqueen Sat 25-Jan-20 21:02:18

Sounds like Waitrose café and anywhere else which starts this malarkey should considered for boycotting, if this is truly the case. They'll have lots of caloried food left over then to worry about!

lucywinter Sat 25-Jan-20 21:04:18

No one eats just plain boiled nowadays do they? Used to years ago.

Callistemon Sat 25-Jan-20 21:14:41

Oh yes, we do
As long as there is lovely gravy.

Callistemon Sat 25-Jan-20 21:14:56

Call us old-fashioned.

Missfoodlove Sat 25-Jan-20 22:02:24

I am taking this story with a very large pinch of salt!

SirChenjin Sat 25-Jan-20 22:23:05

How did this actually happen? How were you stopped from ordering these food combinations? More details needed please!

annodomini Sat 25-Jan-20 22:47:53

I'll be checking out this story with one of the family who knows the Waitrose ropes better than most!

MawB Sat 25-Jan-20 23:49:27

an-20 18:46:28
I’m sorry OP if this is true but my general rule is a)does it sound likely and b) can I collaborate it elsewhere. The answer to a and b at the moment is no

How does “collaboration” come into this? confused
Did you mean corroborate ?

SirChenjin Sun 26-Jan-20 00:00:43

Please report back annodomini - I am fascinated by this story! There’s nothing coming up in google about it, it’s v strange

suziewoozie Sun 26-Jan-20 00:02:33

Thank you so much Maw how awfully kind of you to,point that out

M0nica Sun 26-Jan-20 00:18:52

I love plain boiled potatoes, love them even more when there is butter with them. Most places where I eat out it is boiled potatoes or chips.

The cafe in our local Waitrose just does beverages and cakes!! I do not have a sweet tooth and when I asked if they did anything savoury, cheesestraws or something like that, they told me 'no'.

Kalu Sun 26-Jan-20 00:31:11

I don’t have a sweet tooth either Monica hence my choice of cheese scone.

You are really not missing anything from their savoury offerings. Somewhat surprising when there is a plentiful supply of very tasty pastries on offer elsewhere in the store. Why not in the cafe??

NotAGran55 Sun 26-Jan-20 09:06:10

Ohmother which branch if Waitrose was this ?
I have shopped and had coffee in many Waitrose branches and have never seen pie & chips on any menu ?
Also I have never had to take a cup to have a drink in the cafe !?
Jane10 . You have to provide your own for a take-away one .

Ohmother Sun 26-Jan-20 09:14:02

NotAGran55 please read my post carefully as that is exactly my point! Pie and chips was not on the menu. To all the others who think this is a joke, well that’s your prerogative. It is true. This happened in the Waitrose restaurant, Salisbury.

Aepgirl Sun 26-Jan-20 09:15:51

How dare Waitrose dictate. I’m a Waitrose shopper and will test this, and if necessary take it up with Head Office. It’s a disgrace.

SirChenjin Sun 26-Jan-20 09:19:48

So can you explain in a bit more detail please ohmother? Did you ask for pie and chips (something that wasn’t on the menu) and the person behind the counter serving refused the order because there were too many calories in that dish? Or did something else happen?

NotAGran55 Sun 26-Jan-20 09:22:50

Thanks Ohmother My error - I meant pie or chips . I haven’t ever seen chips in any Waitrose cafe . I’m not a pie eater so may not have registered them on a menu and have never smelled chips in any branch.

But back to the point of your post - it is outrageous - and I’m a huge JL / Waitrose fan and rarely shop anywhere else .

Are you going to take it up with them ?

RosesAreRed21 Sun 26-Jan-20 09:24:13

Wow really - i can see them loosing customers through this

SiobhanSharpe Sun 26-Jan-20 09:41:47

I’m a bit confused - does the café not serve chips at all, so that is why he couldn’t have them with his pie?
And the reason they don’t serve chips at all is that they’re too high in calories? So they weren’t actually policing his food choice?
But if none of the above applies then please leave an excoriating review on Trip Advisor, there are plenty of reviews for various Waitrose cafés and restaurants, eg Waitrose Cheltenham. .

annsixty Sun 26-Jan-20 09:42:30

To digress but on the same subject of choice or policing, Wetherspoons are either implementing ,or considering, not allowing parents eating with children more than 2 alcoholic drinks.

SiobhanSharpe Sun 26-Jan-20 09:49:36

annsixty I saw a thread on Mumsnet about this and it seems it is down to the manager’s discretion, and has come about because of particular situations where a family group(s) had a lot to drink and were kicking off/not overseeing rampaging children/brawling etc.

TillyWhiz Sun 26-Jan-20 09:50:38

This is my local Waitrose too so I have tweeted them for a comment!

annsixty Sun 26-Jan-20 09:53:57

That sounds very reasonable Siobhan
I don't go in Wetherspoons often, in fact I haven't been in one for years but there are often large family parties in.
I have never seen a problem thank goodness.

ladymuck Sun 26-Jan-20 09:57:59

Surely this is a wind-up! Since when did cafes dictate what people should be allowed to eat?
If genuine, I know we live in a dictatorship but this is taking things too far.