99% of restaurants at Disney World are SO accommodating and knowledgable for those with dietary restrictions. However, I recently had an experience at a small restaurant/stand at EPCOT that I wanted to share!
I am a boba tea connoisseur and when I saw that the Joy of Tea stand at China in EPCOT had boba, I had to go explore and see if I could give it a try! After waiting in line and getting to the cashier, I asked if the peach milk tea with boba was gluten free. Typically when I ask this, they will let me look through an allergy binder so I can see what is safe or not. However, this time, the cashier was unsure and had to ask the cast member preparing drinks, who was “pretty sure” the peach milk tea had gluten. So then I asked if I could get it without the peach, if that was the problem but then they said it was premixed but the tapioca boba would be okay and honestly I started getting stressed out because there was a line of people behind me and I was at the only registering station.
After going back and forth for a minute I thought that they were going to be able to do a regular tea with tapioca boba but when I picked up my drink, I got the blueberry popping pearls with hibiscus tea, which was a little shocking when I was expecting tapioca, LOL. I went back to ask about it because I thought I could get tapioca, and he replaced it with the premixed peach and tapioca drink, which at this point I thought was not gluten free?
I did not want to bother them anymore so I just kept it at that point, but I would really not recommend any of these little stands for people with allergies. They do not have the training or information to handle these requests, and it puts a lot of pressure on you, and them when ordering if they are busy with a line.
I also want to add that I do not blame the cast members AT ALL, I just want to share my experience and that I would advise others with dietary restrictions to avoid small stands that do not have pre-packaged foods! There are so many other quick service restaurants and upscale dining options at Disney that will be so much more accommodating!
- If you are gluten free or have and allergy and are looking for some great boba in the area, I highly highly recommend Lucky Straws boba in Winter Garden! I have been going there for years and their boba is the best I ever had! They also utilize separate allergy shakers upon request!!
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