Weight 168
The other day over on her blog Melting Mama, Beth wrote about the belief by some weight loss surgery patients that they shouldn't have to pay full price for meals anymore when they eat out. How do they get out of paying, you ask? They ask /demand that their doctor's offices offer a card they can use to explain to restaurants that they should be able to get a half or child's price for their meal because they now have a really small stomach.
Wanna know what I think of this? Oh please, gag me.
I've watched this discussion happen a few times on weight loss surgery boards and it always, ALWAYS strikes me way more as about people wanting attention (see everyone, look at me, I can't eat very much) then being about saving money. Trust me, if it was about saving money, I'd be all over these cards -- I'm totally thrifty and we're pretty broke. But that's not the issue of course. Because pre-op they would have paid without question.
This is the way it works for me. If I can't afford the cost of a meal out, I don't go. Or I go and just have coffee or a cup of soup. There's honestly no law, even here in America, requiring us to dine out. I have asked a few times to order something off the child's or senior's menu, explaining that I'm not very hungry, but always offering to pay an adult price. Why you ask? Because I'm a grown up.
The fact is, going out to eat isn't and shouldn't be about the food. If it was, we could all save a bundle and just stay home and cook. The quality and selection would be a lot better too. Going out to eat is about being served, about -- well, going out.
If you're really feeling like you're being taken at an "all you can eat" buffet (hint: perhaps not the best post-op choice), why not just take some 16 or 17 year old boy with you? They can eat twice your and their weight and everything will even out.
Seriously, I've got a better and fairer idea for those who think that not being able to eat as much as they used to entitles them to a ticket to ride. How about if the restaurants / buffets just weigh them going in and then coming out and charge based on the difference?
No? Then how about we who've been fortunate enough to have our lives saved by RnY or DS or LapBand surgery pay our money like everyone else.
Thank you! I was reading this on one of the sites I frequent just recently (on my State board), and was just flabbergasted that people would demand this kind of treatment. Take home the leftovers and make a few meals from them! For heaven's sake...
Posted by: Bronwen | February 17, 2007 at 04:08 PM
I couldn't agree with you more. And as Bronwen says, just take home the leftovers and eat them later ... what's the PROBLEM?! (You already called it, of course: there *is* no problem -- it's about attention-seeking and/or other behaviors that are not food-specific.)
Posted by: Deluzy | February 17, 2007 at 05:16 PM
Of course I agree. What a bunch of bullshite.
Posted by: Melting Mama | February 17, 2007 at 05:28 PM
It's just part of the ongoing orgy of entitlement. I agree with you about "all you can eat" being a poor post-op choice, unless you can take a doggy bag.
*S*
Posted by: *S* | February 17, 2007 at 07:11 PM
going on 6 years after surgery...i still dont go to "all you can eat" buffets by choice. its just not worth the price even though now i can eat a small regular adult meal. i can see what people are wanting in the beginning when you can only eat 1/3 of an appetizer and really want something else on the menu...but....if thats the case do what i did. i used to order something small and then just have a bite or two off of someone else plate at the table to get the taste i want. that simple really. since most of us never got the attention prior to surgery (not all) this is their way of showing the world "i can get what i want now".
100% agreement with you on this one sister!
hugs
Posted by: caligirlPEI | February 18, 2007 at 05:42 AM