PF Changs

[Guest guest]

Hey Celiac Bay Area list,

I've been also having some trouble with PF Changs, so

I called in and the manager at the Palo Alto

restaurant ( Hofer) was most helpful, and offered

to walk through my entire meal whenever I come in to

ENSURE that all is gluten-free. I'm sure if you ask

for him, he would do the same for you, with pleasure.

I was very impressed with him, as he seemed to feel

more badly that I felt sick than that they might lose

my business.

I also contacted the PF Changs corporate office, and

now many of the restaurants are reeducating their

staff about the importance of keeping gluten-free

items separate and being more knowledgable about the

gluten-free menu.

Hope that helps. Happy dining! Aimee

>

> Aimee,

>

> Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns

> about the execution of our Gluten free program. The

> timing of your e-mail could not have been more

> appropriate. We have been addressing this very issue

> in my stores and here is an example of what one of

> them(sunnyvale) is undertaking in an effort to

> ensure 100% gluten free experiences for our guests

> with Celiac's disease;

>

> Here's our plan of attack

> 1) We're going to coach Pantry on Oriental Salad

> Gluten Free recipe. Explain to them that Wonton

> Strips can't be on it

>

> 2) Re-educate our Host staff on what our Gluten Free

> menu means and how to properly indicate it on the

> Take-Out forms

>

> 3) Re-educate our Take-Out staff on what our Gluten

> Free menu means and how to identify Gluten Free

> items. We're also going to reiterate to them that

> they need to check off every item with the guest

> when they pick up their order.

>

> FYI during our weekly 'Dry Ingredients Class' taught

> by a Chef & a Server Trainer we go over our Gluten

> Free Menu every week, regardless of the topic of the

> week.

>

> Please call us if you have any questions or

> suggestions

>

> Thanks

> Mike & Glenn

> Sunnyvale

>

>

> I assure you this is a very serious matter and all

> of my stores are in the midst of reeducating their

> teams on the importance of this issue

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Westmoreland

> Market Partner-San Francisco

> P.F. Chang's China Bistro

> (925) 202-4624

>

> ________________________________

>

> From: aimeemaliagrace@...

> [mailto:aimeemaliagrace@...]

> Sent: Mon 6/20/2005 5:16 PM

> Westmoreland

> Cc: Masters

> Subject: P.F. Chang's Comment Location: 9911

>

>

>

> Aimee Grace wrote:

> Hi, my name is Aimee Grace from Palo Alto. I have

> celiac disease (gluten intolerance), and the last

> two

> times I`ve visited your restaurant, I ordered from

> the gluten-free menu and still came down sick

> afterward (quite sick in the first case).

>

> Recently, there was also an e-mail to our celiac bay

> area e-mail group (with 120 people on it) that said

> the following: `P.S. Worst experience: counting on

> P.F. Chang`s for safe meals...[some celiac

> people]...

> got SO sick from eating the take-out we took home

> from dinner one night. We figured the bus person

> used a wheat soy-saucy spoon to dish up the

> leftovers.`

>

> I decided to call the Palo Alto PF Changs, and

> Ispoke with an incredibly helpful manager there,

> Hofer, who suggested I contact you. I told him

> that I was pleased that PF Changs has a gluten-free

> menu, but that it was unfortunate that, perhaps due

> to the food`s handling, we end up sick and PF

> Changs would probably lose our business. He

> made every offer to take care of me next time I

> came in, and even make gluten-free sauce at the

> table.

>

> My suggestion would be to further educate your

> staff and kitchen handlers/servers about celiac, and

> the need to keep EVERYTHING separate, as even an

> infintessimal amount of gluten can have very awful

> effects on us.

>

> Please let me know how this concern will be

> addressed. Thank you very much!

>

>

>

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