Restaurants, Dining Out

Does Lulu’s have the best allergy-friendly menus? You decide!

by on August 16th, 2011

So I clicked the attached link to see their menus and… WOW!  Individual menus for dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, shellfish-free, seafood-free, and soy-free!  All created with the same care and graphics as their main menu!  These are not computer printouts kept in a binder – these are a demonstration of care for the community!  Sure, they don’t have menus for all major allergies, and yes someone with multiple allergies would have to cross-check the menus, but I’ve got to assume that Lulu’s will do whatever they can to accommodate if they are this outwardly welcoming to food-allergic guests.

So, without teasing you further, here are a few sample pages.  Click to expand the size.  And to see all of Lulu’s allergen-free menus, please click here.

So what do YOU think?  Are these the best allergy-friendly menus – yea or nay?  Are there other restaurants with similarly (or more) impressive allergen-specific menus?  Please share your thoughts by clicking on Comments or Reply below.  (And if you’ve eaten at Lulu’s, I’d love to hear about your experience as well.)

Also, remember to rate all your recent dining experiences on our core AllergyEats site – www.allergyeats.com.  By taking just a minute to answer 3 questions, you are helping AllergyEats grow into a more and more valuable tool for all members of our food allergy and intolerance community.

Comments

    Author:
    Elisabeth Wilkins
    Written:


    Those are very nice menus, and it’s very nice of them to try to offer something for their mildly food-allergic clientele.
    That being said, I still would not order something for my child with food allergies from there for risk of cross-contamination in the kitchen, by the waitstaff, etc. They do include the statement that severe allergies can’t really be accomodated, so that means us. Plus I think with cross-checking all 4 (?) of the menus we would need, I think that leaves us with nothing, LOL.

    But certainly VERY nice to see such an effort being made!

    Author:
    AiXeLsyD13
    Written:


    Wow, I may be sheltered… but that’s the 1st time I’ve ever seen a “shellfish free” menu. Kudos to LuLu’s!

    The only thing I wonder about is cross-contamination. Sure, the shellfish free menu highlights foods that don’t contain shellfish, but… are they using the same fryer for shrimp & other types of fish or chicken or fries?

    Author:
    Larysa
    Written:


    Sounds like the owner ( him/herself) may have a food allergy still that is good for the rest. Leaves out some major allergens. Would still ask lots of questions when ordering. There is always a fine line in offering allergen free food to drum up business and being truly allergen aware, ie crosscontamination etc. This must be the flip side of the coin where everything has that “may contain” phrase. Whole Foods cheese ( and everything in the store it seems) has that phrase, but really … come on… you never clean your knives or equipment? That sounds like lawyer speak which makes me angry. Proceed with caution, but always thank the manager for allergy free dishes. We always thank the manager and staff when leaving for serving an allergen free meal. Helps the next customer with allergies and who doesn’t like to be thanked.

    Author:
    Janie
    Written:


    What about latex free?

    Author:
    Silvia C.
    Written:


    I love these menus! I wish restaurants in Boston had these.
    It would be so much easier for my dairy allergic son.
    Silvia C.

    Author:
    Rachel
    Written:


    Was hoping to see a nut-free menu…

    Author:
    AEPaul
    Written:


    Lulu’s was kind enough to respond to both Larysa, AiXeLsyD13, and Janie’s comments (as well as some of the questions on our Facebook page – reprinted in Comment #8 below this one). They have promised to get a response to Rachel’s too, though the attached link may answer some of the questions. Having read this answer, I feel even MORE confident that Lulu’s truly “gets it” – an opinion shared by some of our Facebook followers who commented.

    Anyway, here is their reply:
     

    We are constantly asked, “So, does Lucy have an allergy? That must be why you are so committed to them!” Actually, she doesn’t, but we all know people who do. We have taken allergen-free meals seriously for the past few years, but this is our first dedicated menu specifically for allergies.

    We understand that there are people with multiple allergies – and that cross referencing these menus may be a bit burdensome. Our management team is ready, willing, and able to assist our guests in these situations. We are dedicated to providing allergen-free meals as a genuine service to our guests, not as a marketing campaign.

    Cross-contamination was first and foremost in our minds as we created these menus. You will notice that the Shellfish-free menu does not offer any fried foods thereby eliminating any potential contamination from fryers. Please visit our website for more information on the process: http://www.lulubuffett.com/allergy-menu.php

    As far as nuts, we have only one menu item that contains nuts, our Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding, which contains pecans. The pecans are stored in a dedicated space and the pans used are dedicated solely to that item, eliminating cross-contamination. If you still have concerns, you can tell your server and a manager so they are aware of your allergy.

    Latex-free may be a bit difficult considering Health Code rules….but we will look into it! At LuLu’s, we are always striving to be better. More importantly, we want everyone’s experience—even those with allergies–to be fun, relaxing, and memorable!
     

    I also encourage you all to click on the attached link which describes their allergy policy right on their website (don’t know how I missed it the first time around). Again, it is a strong measure of their dedication.

    Author:
    AEPaul
    Written:


    Comments from our Facebook friends:

    Denise – Wish this place was by me!!!

    Elizabeth – We have eaten there several times. They are very careful, the menu that comes out for allergies to order off of was a little confusing, (for multiple allergies), so I hope they have improved it.

    Melissa – I’m wondering about nuts allergies. If they don’t offer a menu should I assume those with a nut allergy should stay away.

    Sarah – Looks great but the GF menu is unimaginative…anyone can make a GF salad

    AllergyEats – Sarah, click the link on the blog post to see the back of the gf menu too. Can’t say it’s incredibly creative either, but at least they show that they’re welcoming and they care.
    Elizabeth, if you dine there again, please rate it on our core site – they are still unrated.
    Melissa, good question that I didn’t get to ask them yet. I’ll see if I can find the answer.

    Sarah – The blog only shows one page for the GF menu, a page full of salads. However, it is great to see that some place is friendly and welcoming!

    Tammy – I am wondering about the nuts too! One of the things I look for is disclosure – knowing what top allergens are used or not handled safely.

    Elizabeth – The restaurant is owned by Jimmy Buffett’s sister. The live entertainment and the fun environment make up for the lack of creativity in the menu. I will rate them this fall when we go back. When I mentioned our nut allergies, the waiter said ‘no, problem… I’ll be right back’. Next thing the manager came and had a key that showed the restaurant items and a list of allergens that were in each item. It made going through the menu much easier. Then a cook/chef came out to make sure everything came out all right. We go back because it’s easy with allergies and the atmosphere is so much fun. Food was not spectacular but fine for busy vacation restaurant.

    Lori – This is very good and a huge step in the right direction. What would be even better is to just have flags by each dish for what it is free of. That way, people with multiple allergies could just scan for a dish that had the right combination instead of having to cross-reference between menus.

    Amy – LuLu’s has a fantastic GF menu. Have eaten there multiple times. The best thing I had was the blackened shrimp tacos. They were awesome. They don’t have just salads! This restaurant is well worth the 2 hour wait! Also, they take extra special care of their guests with food allergies, with a manager taking and delivering the order every single time.

    Kerrie – Very cool! Definitely the best effort I have seen anywhere.

    AllergyEats – Sarah, I didn’t copy every page because I thought it was too many. However, if you click the link right before the pages, you’ll go to the Lulu’s page with ALL of their menus.
    Also, I just traded emails with the restaurant and they’re going to give us a little more detail about their background and their commitment to allergy-friendly. I’ve asked them about the lack of tree nut and peanut menus as well, so I should have more on that soon too.

    Lisa – Love Lulu’s. My son is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. The regular waiter will not take your order. The manager is the only one allowed to take an order for a food allergic customer. When I asked about the peanut/tree nut menu, they said it is not necessary. NOTHING has peanut/tree nut products except one dessert that comes to Lulu’s made and is heated up. Another friend’s son has multiple food allergies and Lulu’s volunteered to go to a store and buy him a potato to bake so he could eat safely with his family. They are very committed to making it a safe place to eat for customers with food allergy and actually “get” it!!

    Author:
    food challenged foodie
    Written:


    Nice to see that they have taken a giant step in the right direction! I hate to diminish their wonderful efforts but I have to say, my children would be very disappointed if they could not eat french fries when dining out.

    Author:
    Janie
    Written:


    Thank you for all that you have done. Love the Lulu of a place to eat. If I did not live in the midwest, I would be there with bells on. There are 3 states that require latex-free by law so those states should be a good source for how to achieve it. I believe that one is Oregon and 2 states on the east coast but it escapes me. Check latexallergy.com. I also need nut-free and msg, sodium-free (no added salt).

    Author:
    AiXeLsyD13
    Written:


    Wow. Normally my ******** would clench when trying to find a shellfish-free restaurant that close to the coast… but if I’m ever in southwest AL (or even the pan-handle of FL), I will make the trip to LuLu’s!

    That being said, you ought to open up shop in Pittsburgh, PA!

    In all seriousness, it’s awesome that you’re going above & beyond steps that have been regulated & legislated in some states. I feel that to be sincere, a push for allergy-friendly dining needs to be consumer & business driven. I applaud your innovation!

    Cross-contamination was first and foremost in our minds as we created these menus. You will notice that the Shellfish-free menu does not offer any fried foods thereby eliminating any potential contamination from fryers. Please visit our website for more information on the process: http://www.lulubuffett.com/allergy-menu.php

    I love this! You ought to put it on the next menu revision. It helps calm the already heightened paranoia of the food-allergic diner. 😉

    Author:
    Cindy
    Written:


    I loved Lulu’s at Homeport marina BEFORE I discovered their Allergy menu. Being a beach lover with a shellfish allergy, I always struggle when eating at restaurants when on beach vacations. On a recent, July 2011, trip to Gulf Shores, AL, we ate at Lulu’s TWICE. Yes there is a wait but if you are willing to sit at the bar..go to the one inside at the back of restaurant by water…no wait either time for our party of 2 and another night 4…

    At Lulu’s, not only does Lucy Buffet have an Allergy Menu, the servers and wait staff are great when you tell them you have a food allergy so training of staff must be important to Lucy. It is like getting VIP treatment! When you tell the server or bartender you have a food allergy, they immediately get a MANAGER TO TAKE YOUR ORDER and explain their procedure. The manager, different ones on the two different nights, gave me the Allergy menu and asked what type of allergy I had and asked if I had any questions. Both were very helpful and stood there while I read and decided what to order. They then put your order on a DIFFERENT COLOR TICKET from the regular orders and HAND CARRY THE ORDER TO THE CHEF, discuss with them. it is my understanding allergy orders are prepared in a separate area of the kitchen to do the most possible to avoid cross contamination. The MANAGER HAND CARRIES YOUR ORDER FROM THE CHEF TO THE TABLE also in an effort to avoid cross contamination.

    Both visits this past July were the best meals we had on our trip. I have always been a fan of Lulu’s and Margaritaville..not sure if Jimmy does the same in his restaurants, but this trip was especially great. Having somewhere to eat out with my family that we ALL would enjoy and would not end with a trip to the ER or a ride in ambulance was a huge relief. Kudo’s to Lucy and a challenge to all other restaurants to follow suit!

    And if you do not have a peanut allergy, the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding is the best dessert EVER! Alabama Caviar ranks up there too!

    Author:
    ashley simmons
    Written:


    We have now been there three summers, which means at least 5 times ordering. My son is allergic to egg, milk, soy, wheat, peanut, tree nuts, sesame, shellfish and green peas. Several of those are very severe.

    As someone above stated, they are very aware of what it means to feed someone with food allergies (cross contamination, etc) and do an amazing job. This is the only place we eat out.

    The comment about the french fries is a little surprising. Really? I guess your children must be used to having french fries out. For others of us, we are very thankful and while my boys are french fry lovers (made at home) going out at all is a huge treat.

    Very fun atmosphere as well.

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