My wife and I visited Parlor Doughnuts for the second time recently because we genuinely enjoy the doughnuts. This visit, she ordered a Banana Pudding Latte and informed the staff that she has a severe oat allergy. Unfortunately, our experience with the staff left us very disappointed.
When ordering, my wife informed the cashier that she has a severe oat allergy. Instead of listening and taking the concern seriously, he seemed dismissive and repeatedly focused on the fact that the drink used whole milk. That completely missed the point. The concern wasn't the milk. The concern was cross-contamination and ensuring reasonable precautions were taken.
Anyone who works in food service should understand that when a customer discloses a potentially life-threatening allergy, the appropriate response is to listen, communicate it to the staff preparing the order, and take reasonable steps to minimize risk.
For comparison, Starbucks and Jamba are two businesses we frequent that consistently accommodate my wife's allergy without issue. When we inform them of her oat allergy, they take it seriously, communicate it to the staff preparing the drink, clean equipment as needed, and take reasonable precautions to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. We don't expect perfection, but we do expect the same level of professionalism and concern that many other businesses routinely demonstrate when handling a potentially life-threatening allergy.
What was especially concerning was that the cashier never relayed the allergy information to the employee making the drink. My wife had to speak up herself to make sure he knew. The employee preparing the drink then loudly commented to another employee, "I have to clean the cup because she has an allergy even though I know they've already been cleaned," while making a sarcastic face and continuing to mumble comments under his breath. It came across as unprofessional and mocking.
The interaction left my wife so uncomfortable and concerned that she ultimately threw away the Banana Pudding Latte rather than risk drinking it. After hearing the sarcastic comments and seeing the employee's attitude toward her allergy, she no longer felt confident that her concerns were being taken seriously or that the requested precautions had been followed. For someone with a history of severe allergic reactions, trust and communication matter. Once that trust was gone, the drink was no longer worth the risk.
For some people, food allergies are not preferences or inconveniences. My wife has experienced two separate medical emergencies because food service employees failed to take her allergy seriously. On both occasions, her throat began to close and she required emergency treatment, including an EpiPen and ambulance transport.
We're not asking businesses to guarantee an allergen-free environment. We understand that isn't always possible. What we do expect is basic professionalism, communication and empathy when a customer informs staff of a serious allergy.
The doughnuts are excellent, which makes this review even more disappointing to write. We enjoy the doughnuts and would like to continue supporting the business. However, management should invest additional training into allergy awareness and customer service. A little communication and understanding can make a significant difference and, in some cases, may even protect someone's life. read more