I didn’t see that one coming! Yesterday morning the winds raged and howled in Reno something fierce as I approached my friend’s front door. Tucked into her door handle was a small brown paper bag curled up under a card advertising a restaurant’s Grand Anniversary Celebration. As I pulled the bag out my face and torso were pelleted, thanks to the wind, with peanut shells and dust!!! I was shocked and had to spit out peanut shell that blew onto my lips! I shouted out (don’t really know who to), “Seriously, who leaves peanuts on a door???”
Well, Carino’s Italian Restaurant does! This truly brings up the discussion if a business should leave food items or potential allergens in mail boxes or tucked into front door handles? I understood their marketing theme: STEAK FOR PEANUTS. Clever in some circles, potentially dangerous mine.
The first thing that came to mind is a different friend’s daughter who didn’t want to left alone in her sandbox for fear that a bird would come and drop a peanut into her hand. With the bag of peanut being sprayed across the yard, that come to my mind actually. Maybe little Claire had a little more insight that we gave her credit for?!?!
Peanut shell land on my lips is not a problem and possibly not for my son either, but since we can’t predict what his reaction would like, I have to assume it could have been bad if had rubbed it off like I did. I didn’t even realize that I was probably rubbing it into my lips, instead of off! Egads.
I immediately send an email to Carino’s Italian Restaurant asking them to stop leaving peanuts on doors of strangers when an estimated 4% of adults and up to 8% of children have food allergies. Therefore, the odds of the homes managing food allergies may have received peanuts at their doors. I will post their response to my email and keep you posted on their response to me. Clearly, they meant no harm and did not foresee the health risk. Which leads me back to needing more food allergy education in the world. I have a sneaky feeling that the individual restaurants understand loud and clear about food allergies, but their marketing team did not.
UPDATE from Carino’s as of 4:08pm, March 12th, 2012: I am pleased now in knowing that Carino’s Italian Restaurant and Synergy Pacific (restaurant partner for our local market) full understood this situation and are committed to our food allergy community. This was one big mistake that was never intended and they apologized profusely.
After a rousing game of telephone tag, I spoke to Linda, the manager of Customer Relations from Carino’s Corporate Headquarters. She very respectfully apologized and shared relief that an allergic adult or child was not the person pulling out a bag of peanuts from their front door. Carino’s was very concerned about the situation and asked for specific details. She explained that Carino’s has business partners in various regions and that their business partner, Synergy Pacific, had opted to choose this marketing program and they will be contacting me shortly. Thankfully, the Steak for Peanuts card stapled to a bag of peanuts program was very small, not national and even neighborhood specific to our area. Carino’s expressed deep concern that a child could have been harmed and that in no way they would want to harm anyone. Linda explained Carino’s offers a Gluten Free menu and staff is trained on cross contact. Their website also offers a food allergen matrix as well as a gluten free menu, so patrons can understand their allergen options before visiting the restaurant. They are very allergy aware and understand that food anaphylaxis can be deadly. She was so concerned that she gave me her personal cell phone number in case I need more information or would like to speak to her immediately.
As soon as my call ended with Linda, I spoke to Ed at Synergy Pacific who explained that the marketing piece was not properly presented. Each home should have received the card stapled to the bag which should have been placed inside a plastic bag with a door hangar on the end of it so that the bag would not be rolled up and placed inside a door handle. He explained that the company has used this promotion before and will no longer use it in this form. Ed spoke to the owner of the company who has a grandchild with a peanut allergy and it just never occurred to them that their promotion could presented incorrectly or could cause harm. He too apologized and confirmed their commitment to our food allergy community and also was extremely concerned.
I have to say, I appreciated the quick response since I couldn’t wait and called their office this afternoon. Within minutes, a team of Carino staff were discussing this situation and making calls to get it handled. I also appreciated the sincere concern I received today.
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One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
Only you, Caroline! Horrified by the pelting and the rodent involvement. The whole marketing pitch makes no sense to me.
OMG! I can’t believe that actually happened! I would have been beyond angry! And just for the record, Clare was being a little sassy-pants that day. Her comment was said defiantly with a hand on her little hip, lest anyone get the impression she was scared. But then I started thinking, “What if that really did happen”. It’s certainly no stranger than your story! Oy vey!
Omg Caroline! Funny yet scary post (kind of like Oz itself). Ironic since our food allergy kids in therapy are told “what ifs” just don’t happen …. The chance of a peanut flying into your mouth…..you get my drift. Glad u called them. You are a mover and shaker….
That is totally crazy!
The whole situation is just plain odd! Especially when we tell kids they’ll never get hit in the mouth by a renegade peanut. But in all seriousness, any sort of marketer leaving a food item not well sealed needs to rethink their plan. If the peanuts were wrapped up tight the way McDonald’s offers them for their Sundaes then it would be fine. It’s just a real big MISS from the Carino’s marketing department.
OMG Caroline I can’t believe this. I get that they were trying to be funny and clever – perhaps a peanut-shaped postcard could have gotten the idea across? We thankfully don’t have food allergies but the notion of a critter nibbling away on my front porch….yuck.
The hungry critter part really just adds insult to injury!
Yikes! What an intrusive potential disaster! I wish we could gate the neighborhood to stop marketers and solicitors!
I can’t believe this ! I used to not let my daughter go out into our yard until I checked it in fear of squirrels dropping peanuts .I have found them a few times .. Apparently a neighbor somewhere was feeding them to the squirrels … So scary how vigilant we must be in order to dodge the landmines of potentially life-threatening situations ! Bravo for reminding us
OMG Caroline! So many “colorful” words I want to use towards the restaurant owner who thought that this was a great idea. God bless the fact your children were not with you!!!!
Caroline, great job reporting this debacle. It is one of those learning moments that begs the questions – why and how? Please do keep us posted on their response. While I get Carino’s marketing message, this is one of those concepts that should have never come to fruition. Bad idea! We’re talking a family restaurant, the public, peanuts and rodents. Really?
Gosh, Im sorry you had to experience this. It’s just not ok!
As for Carino’s albeit a lame excuse Im thinking its ignorance and a total lack of customer awareness or sensitivity.
If you are following the comments, check out the blog, I have spoken to two folks now at Carino’s, so you can hear their response and commitment!
I am very pleased and see this as a little gift of opportunity to educate each other.
Great description of this mess and wonderful handling of it by both you and the company.
I still remember the sick feeling I had when Nutella was left at our door – hazlenuts are our worst allergen but thankfully it was well packaged.
Jan, didn’t it almost feel invasive? Our house and property are nut and seed free zones period. I pride myself that when my kids set foot onto our property they leave most of their disease outside, unlike others who battle diseases that can’t be left at the door. It feels like our safe haven can now be breached.
Home is our safe zone, I think that is why the invasion is felt so keenly. You did a great thing to talk to everyone involved so it won’t happen again, hopefully! We have to keep raising awareness about food allergies and your being so thorough and fair is a great reflection of that.
We do have to keep raising our awareness up! You are right Homa and Sylvia. It is up to us to speak out and educate our community. I’m so happy they will stop leaving peanuts on doorsteps!
Well i would just like to say i am very Glad you and your children are fine! And i believe you handled the situation great! It is very alarming when something so simple can go out of control such as that and be come a health risk and potentially be a danger to someone’s life! I am glad to know Carino’s handled the situation accordingly. It is certain we need to be more alert not only as Companies who advertise there product but as families to stand up and do something about taking notice on this… such as these matters for our safety for our neighbors for our children sake. You are a stand up lady Caroline and i commend you for such a wonderful job you are doing with your blog and bringing awareness to the people! Outstanding ! Keep it up!!!
Sylvia Amaral
I understand. But how many of you are equally concerned about perfumes and cat dander on you that can cause me to have a deadly asthma attack? You” probably have blinders on focussing on your own little world in which we all must comply. There are lots of ‘things’ out there that can cause death for others unknowingly. You cannot control all of it.
Cindy, you are right about asthma. Both of my children have asthma and my daughter had to have her seat moved in her classroom since she sat next to a child who had parents who smoked. The little girl actually “off gassed” in school and my daughter would cough every morning until the third hand smoke dissipated. We can’t visit certain homes with cats or dogs too.
I think it is hard for everyone who manages invisible diseases such as asthma or food allergies. We look great, function great so I think people are not aware that their perfumes can cause huge problems? We can not control it all, you are right, but we can reduce risk. Actually, when I spoke to Carino’s they also spoke to their risk managers. They have folks on staff whose job is purely to reduce risk. In our family, it is all about reducing risk too. Sadly, I know of someone who died from an asthma attack after opening up her credit card bill that contained a perfume sample. If I sign up for a magazine, I always request a fragrance free issue–which are available, this is our personal risk reduction.
Hope you have a great day and boy, do we understand about asthma–we avoid many things too, but the good news is that that life is so full of so many solutions-Caroline
Glad I found this post. Carinos in Sacramento, CA (Natomas) just left bags out yesterday. Our kids came home from school to find it hanging on our door (everyone ended up ok, thank god). I don’t understand if they heard the complaints in March why are they still doing this in May!!!
Hi Alicia, Now that is odd. Please call Carino’s directly at their corporate office and ask for them to connect you with the franchise owner. I spoke to someone representing the owner of the franchise for our Reno Store, the company was located in San Diego and they said they would stop this type of marketing and look into other ideas. Could be they were using up their remaining products? Were the nuts at least doubled bagged and placed into a plastic bag? Please let me know what they say, I will be MORE THAN HAPPY to call Carino’s too on your behalf! I’m relieved to hear everyone was okay, but I can’t imagine how your family felt finding their poison as a welcome on their front door? Please call Carino’s and report back to us!!! Thanks for sharing!!!