One of the best parts about traveling is trying new foods. At least it used to be for me. Nowadays, I often dread eating on vacation. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of other things I love about traveling, but food no longer tops the list.
Several years ago, doctors diagnosed me with celiac disease. Now when I consider vacation destinations, I spend a lot of time researching food options.
Other than cruises, I’d never been to an all-inclusive resort. I wondered how that would work with my food allergy. I had the chance to find out on a recent visit to Beaches Turks & Caicos.
If you’re traveling to a Beaches Resort with food allergies or dietary restrictions, here’s what you’ll want to know:
Flag Allergy When Booking
When booking your travel, you’ll want to flag your allergy or restriction. If booking through a travel advisor, let them know. When booking online, follow up with an email and include your booking number.
If requesting special foods, like kosher meals, Beaches requests 1-month advance notice.
KidTripster Tip: There are 21 restaurants at Beaches Turks & Caicos. Sample menus are available online. Review them before your visit to get an idea of the dining choices. Upon arrival you’ll receive a restaurant guide that includes QR codes for each restaurant. That allows you to look at the menus right on your phone.
Visit the Culinary Concierge Upon Arrival
Once you’ve checked in at the resort, you’ll need to visit the Culinary Concierge Desk. At Beaches Turks & Caicos, the office is located in the Caribbean Village.
The Culinary Concierge office has book containing menus for all of the resort restaurants. You’ll choose a dining location, select what food you’d like to order, and at what day and time. You’ll write all of this down on a “Dietary Requirement/Restriction Form.” The concierge can answer questions and make meal recommendations.
The Culinary Concierge will provide the paperwork to the restaurant in advance of your visit. However, you should take a photo of the form so that you can present to them in case of a communication error. This form is more of a heads-up to the restaurant, not an actual reservation or order. The kitchen won’t prepare your food order until your arrival.
[Related: 5 Reasons Beaches Turks & Caicos is Great for Families]
KidTripster Tip: The Culinary Concierge is only open during the day (9am-5pm). Unfortunately we arrived after the Culinary Concierge office had closed. The waiters were reluctant to serve me without paperwork, however they made an exception and helped me order an allergy safe dinner on my first night.
Double Check When Dining
When arriving at a restaurant, the server will ask if anyone at the table has a food allergy. Be sure to speak up and remind them about your food allergy. Let them know you completed an allergy form in advance.
Restaurant staff were knowledgeable about food allergies and helpful about accommodating requests. They work hard to ensure that all diners have an equally delicious meal regardless of restrictions.
Accommodations Usually Available
The paper request form doesn’t guarantee that your selected menu item is allergy safe or available. You’ll still have a conversation at each location.
There were a few instances where the order I’d requested couldn’t be made, but the server and chef worked with me to find an alternative dish. For example, I ordered pancakes at a breakfast location thinking they could be made gluten-free. Upon arrival, I learned that they didn’t have any gluten-free batter. The waiter suggested several alternatives and ultimately I still had a great breakfast.
Planning Ahead Necessary
You’ll have to plan ahead when dining at Beaches. The Culinary Concierge requests the you order at least one meal period in advance. That means you’ll need to decide where and what you’re eating ahead of time. The lack of spontaneity is one thing I really hate about food allergies no matter where I travel.
Our villa was located at the opposite end of the resort from the Culinary Concierge. I explained that I didn’t want to make the trip back and forth before every meal so the concierge gave me a stack of forms to take with me. Back in our room, I used the QR code to look up each menu. I plotted out a meal plan for the week and filled out all the forms in one sitting. It took a little time, but I had peace of mind throughout the week that my meals would be taken care of.
KidTripster Tip: As mentioned above, be sure take a photo of the paper forms especially when ordering several meals in advance. It’s easy to lose track!
[Related: Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Review]
Other Dining Information
At Beaches Resort, all of your dining is included. Feel free to order an extra entree or a bonus dessert. Alcohol is included as well.
Age Restrictions
Most locations offer a kids menu, but kids aren’t restricted to ordering off that menu. Be aware that kids aren’t allowed at all restaurants. At least three restaurant have minimum age restrictions.
Attire
The dress codes are either “resort casual” or “resort evening.” Resort casual means shorts or jeans, and t-shirts. Shirts and footwear are required and swimwear must be covered up.
Resort evening means dress pants or jeans for men, long- or short-sleeve dress shirts, dress shoes or elegant sandals. No shorts, t-shirts or sleeveless attire. The resort etiquette is “elegant for ladies.” Whatever that means.
Reservations
Restaurants don’t accept reservations. Except one. You will need reservations to dine at Kimono’s. This is a Teppanyaki-style eatery where the chefs prepare your meal right in front of you. The U-shaped tables seat up to 12 people, which means you may be dining with other guests.
In general, you can expect to be seated and served quickly. With the exception of Kimono’s, all restaurants have outdoor seating available.
Tipping
No tipping is required or expected. In fact, you’ll notice staff wearing buttons that explicitly say “no tipping.”
Traveling with food allergies or special dietary needs is challenging. Beaches Resorts tries to make it easier. I never went hungry during our stay. I had some amazing gluten-free meals that rivaled those of my family members who don’t have food allergies. We made it to 15 of the 21 restaurants. My favorites for gluten-free dining were: Sky (for breakfast), The Jerk Shack (for lunch), Kimonos (for dinner), and The Bombay Club (for dinner).
If you have questions about my experience at Beaches, send me a message.
Interested in booking a Beaches vacation? Our partners at Magic Family Getaways will handle all of the details. Advisors can also answer questions about the autism and dining programs. There’s no cost to you when working with Magic Family Getaways, however KidTripster receives a small commission. This helps support our small business. Please mention “KidTripster” or use our special KidTripster link when booking.
The writer received a complimentary stay for purposes of this review. All opinions are her own.
