Don't ask, request.  

In this series, I'm sharing my experiences on restaurant ordering.  

I have learned when ordering, sometimes it's better to make a request for the way your food is prepared, instead of posing it as a question.  

For example, let's say I want my veggies steamed with no butter, I will say, "No butter on the steamed veggies, please." Instead of, "Can you steam those without butter? In other words, there is no option on their behalf.  The choice is mine, I was decisive and made my needs known.   

I'm not suggesting you be rude, I'm suggesting to get into the habit of standing up for what you need. 

You can request, kindly, for what you “need”.  They are there to serve you, that’s why you go in the first place.  They may not have everything you want, but most places will try to serve you if they have it available.  Kindness goes a long way.  So be kind but firm and assertive.

You’re the one paying, remember.  I request that my veggies be cooked more done, if not, I send them back.  If it doesn’t go well I know not to order it again, or speak with a manager, or another option would be to find a new restaurant that takes your request more seriously.  You do have options. 

Some restaurants have pre-made meals so it is impossible to remove a certain item, such as an ingredient or perhaps a sauce, but most times if you choose the restaurant based on the menu choices you can avoid these dilemmas from the start.  If your request is not an available, there is usually another option, be creative.  

For example: one of my favorite "special occasion" restaurants doesn't have green beans on the menu, but I know that one of their appetizer selections is served with green beans, so I make a request for the green beans.  I usually inform the waiter that I often order green beans and that I have talked with the manager previously about my desire for the beans; my request is honored.

Again, I'm not rude or but assertive in requesting what I need.  If there were another veggie on the menu I could eat I would choose another option, at this particular place spinach is the other green veggie and because of the stems, it doesn't work well for me.  

Once for dinner, I requested fruit.  The waiter wasn't too sure my request could be met, since fruit was on the lunch menu and not the dinner menu.  I kindly asked to speak with the manager on duty.  Since I am a regular customer, and after explaining my circumstances he was more than delighted to serve me the fruit. The waiter was happy with the extra "tip" we added for his accommodating spirit.  I'm always a generous "tipper".   

Have it your way is not just for the BK...yes you can, we have many more miles to go!