Waitrose telling me how many calories I can have!

To those who say why didn’t he order a side order of chips. He was being carb and waste (as opposed to weight) conscious

Come off it!
The carbs in the mash and pie hardly suggest “carb consciousness” and as for “waste” you could have ordered the pie without mash - or better still, the salad option.

I am confused Dean, what risk is there in changing calorie info when the customer is well aware that it would be different from on the menu?

I don't know why Waitrose is making life hard work for their staff and irritating for customers - it's not yet compulsory for calories to be listed for each item of food in a cafe/restaurant is it?

You'd know that though, or not be bothered if you were not watching your intake.

Think I've got the gist of 'Dean of Waitrose's' reply!

Basically you were trying to eat 'off-menu' and as Waitrose have listed the calorie content/allergens, etc. for each specific meal e.g. Pie & chips (800 calories) if you have mash instead of chips then the calorie content would be incorrect.

To those who say why didn’t he order a side order of chips. He was being carb and waste (as opposed to weight) conscious and didn’t see why he should buy something he wouldn’t eat. He had ordered me lasagne and chips off the menu on the board on the wall. I guess it’s only the larger restaurants that serve chips then. Our smaller local one doesn’t.

So, can't have your cake and eat it.

Do you mean they wouldn't sell it to you Because it was too high in calories. I've never seen that before? I do find it interesting to know how many calories are in a dish but I've never heard of a cafe refusing to sell something because its too high in calories

It's just the way the cookie crumbles

When the chips are down it's all pie in the sky, a bit of a mash up really.

They are, however, offering 25% off cookies at the moment if bought with a drink


Calorie controlled of course.

I've never seen a menu^ per se, just a board at the counter.

No specific allergies listed or gluten free rolls offered either!!

That’s as clear as mud Dean! So nothing about it being company policy to refuse to serve certain dishes if the calorie content is deemed to be too high?

I have now had a reply on Twitter from "Dean" of "Waitrose & Partners" "We must detail on our menus and meal options the calorific content and a full list of ingedients, highlighting anything that may create an allergic reaction. Ad hoc changes to the menu or meal options will render them inaccurate, so to minimise risky and comply with legislation our coffee shops are not able to make these changes."

When I wanted a gf roll with soup once in Waitrose, I was told I would have to go and pick up a packet of rolls from the shelf in the shop and bring them back to the cafe.
I therefore had to leave the queue and trek back through the shop and pay for a pack of four when I just wanted one.

I usually have the quiche and salad!
No potatoes.

Are the meals all calorie counted on the board? I can't remember.

If I want chips as an alternative then there is a reason for asking, if they are part of a menu as a side dish I see no problem. Some people may have dietary requirements that exclude the fat used to mix the mash. To be told No would result in my leaving the premises and a follow up letter to the manager and an e mail to head office. If the chips are being produced in the kitchen then why refuse a customer

Yes it's all a bit Orwellian. Or Kafkaesque.

Still can't find a link though so wondering whether it's all a big wind up.

My reaction would have been direct me to your manager.

I have just returned from my local Waitrose having collected a click & collect JL parcel .
I enquired about this at the Cafe there and the 2 assistants were totally bemused and hadn’t heard of this . They asked what branch had been doing this and looked amazed ..

Until today I didn’t even realise that Waitrose sold pie , mash or chips! Must open my eyes more .

If you're on Twitter, put up a message there so they can answer with a reason why they are doing this. I can't quite believe it!

Has someone been reading George Orwell?

yes the same happened to me I asked for chips instead of mash and was told the same. Told them I would therefore go else where. I am going to go on the website and complain. I did this about having to pay 10p for an extra butter with my tea cake and got a result. So heres hoping. Blinky cheek eating out is a treat and I will not be told by a shop that sells cream cakes etc what I can eat. Rant over.

The only similar thing I have experienced was in M & S in Dublin a few years ago when the assistant in the coffee shop refused to let me have an extra shot in my coffee because “all that caffeine isn’t good for you”. Left me a bit gobsmacked.

(Apologies for double posting, the first didn’t show when I first checked )