Irritating trend of the day

Restaurants who bend over backward to ask "Does anyone in the party have any food allergies or restrictions we should know about?"

I'm irritated by this for a couple of reasons:

1) I really don't like ratings/money-getting tactics that are so thinly disguised as genuine concern and care for the customer, like a local real estate developer who noted that "we did our research and determined that we could better serve the community by converting this new housing complex to rental apartments rather than selling them as condos" (as they'd originally planned. Better "serve the community" (by offering luxury rentals) or "not lose tons of money on our investment"?

2) Are we, as a people, SO unable to take responsibility for our own well-being that we need a waiter to remind us of our dietary restrictions? What's next, 'Is anyone here on a blood thinner called warfarin? Because if so, I'll let the chef know to pick out the spinach for you." I can MAYbe see this as a good practice at a place that catered to kids or families with kids because, well, I'd imagine that sometimes parent's brains can get a little fried after a long day, and this could be a helpful memory jogger ("Oh crap- I almost forgot that Lexi will go into anaphylaxis if she eats soy..."). That being said, I should clarify that I'm referring to this practice in restaurants that in no way cater to kids.

3) This just seems like the kind of activity that will someday lead to a human being muttering the words, "Well Hank, he said 'warfarin' how was I to know he was talking about my coumadin?!?" (while trying to harness the blood flow from a paper cut)


4) But mostly I'm irritated by this practice because lately I've seen a lot of restaurants that people are calling "good" doing this. As if it's some sort of indicator of "whoa- hold on to your seat, this food is going to be fantastic because this is a fancy, progressive, cutting edge type of place!" and you're starting to buy into that idea because the decor is classy and the people are attractive (for DC at least) and the music makes you happy....and then the actual food is A-OK. I don't say "bad" because, well, its not really bad food, just not good enough to merit a popular buzz and or jacked up prices.

I suppose if that's all that is bothering me this week, I'm doing pretty well.

Now I just have to convince my dog...

...that I am a Benevolent Leader.