I'm pretty shameless about this. At first my friends thought I was crazy, but they're used to it now. A few of them have even started doing the same thing.
A few of mine would be:
- "Can I get the vegetables unseasoned?"
- "Can I replace this side with steamed veggies?"
- "Can I get it grilled instead (or broiled or steamed or whatever is most appropriate)"
- "Please don't add any salt"
- "May I have unsweetened tea?" (I'm in the South, land of sweet tea, I have to make the UNsweetened part very clear)
- "Could you put half of it in a to-go box before you bring it out?"
Sometimes I even order things that aren't on the menu. My friends and I often go to breakfast before class at a down-home-cookin kinda place. They'll get biscuits and gravy or bacon, cheesy omelets, etc. I specifically order four scrambled egg whites cooked without butter or oil and a cup of diced melon. Just because it's not on the menu doesn't mean they won't make it for me. I've done this at other places too. I'll order a lightly seasoned grilled chicken breast or fish fillet with steamed vegetables.
Anyways, I thought about this since I'm going to Olive Garden with my girl friends tonight. I've looked up nutritional info, and I'm going to order the lunch-size serving of apricot chicken with unseasoned vegetables. I'll save the calories today for a breadstick, a bowl of soup, and the entre, but I probably won't eat the whole entre.
Does anybody else shamelessly make special requests while eating out? I love eating out with friends, it's practically a hobby, so I've had to learn how to do it in a much healthier way. I'm not shy about asking for things prepared the way I want them. They can't always say yes, but more often than not they're more than happy to make the food that you want.