like burger king, have it your way

When I was at home last, I went to Sainsbury’s. In Sainsbury’s there was one of those wonderful free-sample ladies, who on this occasion was giving free ice-cream. It was yum - very nice. I have since forgotten the name of the brand. It costs £2.99 and is made in Yorkshire, but have no idea what it is called or what the tub looks like. However, this is irrelevant.

After I had tasted a lady behind me tried it. She too was impressed. She enquired - “Does it contain gluten?” The Sainsbury’s lady dutifully read the back of the tub, and confirmed “No”; the ice-cream with the forgotten name is gluten-free.

End of story you may think, but no, unknown lady asked “So it’s fine for coeliacs then?”

Yes it is! You’ve already found this out with your first question!

This got me thinking, when I worked in Pret in York, and before that, The Cherry Tree, in Pocklington, people would often ask “Is this suitable for coeliacs?” or “Is this gluten-free? I’m/My wife/My friend is coeliac.” (Or even “One of our party is a coeliac, so she’s brought her own sandwiches. It is ok for her to eat them here? She’s buying a tea.”)

Coeliac. Such a funny sounding word.

Coeliacs.

Do they exist in London? I’ve not come across any, or at least no one with coeliac disease who announces it in a sandwich shop. So many people ask for gluten-free, or wheat-free, but I’ve never heard anyone say “coeliac” in London.

Coeliac isn’t trendy, is it?

Alternative explanation : Coeliac often requires another level of explanation; gluten-free does what it says on the tin. This second-saving technique is especially important in London.
See the following examples :
1. Customer “Is this oat and fruit slice suitable for coelics?”
Server “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Suitable for what?”
Customer “Is it gluten-free?”
Server “No, but it is wheat-free. The only source of gluten is the oats.”

2. Customer “Is this salad gluten-free?”
Server “Yes”

Explanation three – The people of London are more guarded than Yorksiremen. Well, we probably knew this already.


Either way, now I’ve noticed this trend, I’ll hear twenty people say coeliac tomorrow.
Come on, let’s prove me wrong.