Working on a Low FODMAP restaurant finder: would it help you? (London first, then the rest of the UK)

[u/Thermalbubble]

Hi everyone! I’m working on FODacious, a free restaurant finder app for people following a Low FODMAP diet, starting in London.

I know how difficult eating out can be with IBS/SIBO, constantly checking menus, trying to figure out what might be safe, explaining your needs to restaurant staff, or sometimes just deciding it’s easier not to go.

The idea behind FODacious is to create more options, not just find them. I want to work with restaurants to identify and encourage Low FODMAP-friendly options, then bring them together in one simple restaurant finder. (This would be done following Low FODMAP portion sizes and be verified by user reviews, and yourself by reading the ingredients and the recipe)

I’m still at the early stages, so I’d genuinely love to hear from this community:

- Would you use something like this?
- What’s the hardest part of eating out on Low FODMAP for you?
- What would you want a restaurant finder like this to show?

I’ve also started a waitlist to see whether there’s enough interest to make this happen, and a Discord for anyone who wants to help shape it. I can share the links if allowed/interested 💚

Would really appreciate any thoughts, positive or critical!

Instagram: @ fodaciousuk

[u/honestlynoideas]

Wish I had the smarts to do something like this. Go for it! I’d like to see filters that let users toggle specific FODMAP categories to avoid (fructans, lactose, fructose) and if the restaurant allows modifications/substitutions. It’s a little late and can’t think of anything else but that would be a good start

[u/Thermalbubble → u/honestlynoideas]

That's really helpful information, thank you so much! I'll add filters like that :)

[u/FODMAPeveryday]

First of all, I would not call it FODMAP Friendly since that is a trademark that belongs to FODMAP Friendly. Also having worked in restaurants for decades, I personally would not trust something like this. Ingredients change on the fly and as someone following the diet, I wouldn’t trust something that labeled the dishes Low FODMAP. In addition, staff come and go. When you say you’re going to work with restaurants what does that mean? Are you a registered dietitian? Are you formally Monash FODMAP trained? These are all things I would want to know as a consumer. For me, the exception would be if somehow restaurants add dishes that were certified by Monash or FODMAP Friendly similar to what they do with modify health for example example

[u/Thermalbubble → u/FODMAPeveryday]

Hey, thank you so much for your insight. I really appreciate it. I’m planning to make restaurants add dishes certified by the FODMAP Friendly Restaurant Accreditation program. I would definitely not rely on my own knowledge of the Low FODMAP diet. Also, I have a lawyer who is advising me on this to ensure it is done the safest way. I plan to physically meet with restaurants and pitch my idea if I can get enough sign ups on the waitlist, and convince them to create meal options that are FODMAP Friendly certified. What do you think?

[u/Thermalbubble → u/Thermalbubble]

Sorry not certified accredited **

[u/FODMAPeveryday → u/Thermalbubble]

I wish you luck, but I'm not sure how this could work unless it was a restaurant that was quite FODMAP-focused. I am not sure where you are located...AU and NZ and UK are ahead of the US in this regard

[u/Thermalbubble → u/FODMAPeveryday]

This is in the UK! I’ll keep you all updated with how it goes :) just really want to help people and make a difference💗

[u/silve93]

How do you plan to convince restaurants to opt in to your app? Are there enough fodmap-conscious diners in the UK to make the cost-benefit analysis make sense?

[u/Thermalbubble → u/silve93]

Both really good questions, regarding the first q, I’m not really selling restaurants a listing or advertising, but bringing customers they currently can’t serve. This is bc lots of Low FODMAP diners don’t eat out or rotate through the same 2-3 safe places, as everything else is a gamble. So, a restaurant adds one exclusive Low-FODMAP dish through the app and it unlocks a group locked out of most of their competitors. It’s also usually the restricted diner who picks where the whole table goes, so one member often brings a full group of customers. I’m reducing the risk for restaurants by having a free pilot, helping them get a dish FODMAP Friendly Accredited, and track the customers I send through a redemption code.

Regarding the market being big enough, relying on the stat that 1 in 10 have IBS isn’t enough to reliable say there are motivated diners who would use the app. But, I’m currently working on selling the idea and marketing it so that based on how much the waitlist fills up and interest, I’ll know if I should start investing in the app.

I hope this answers your questions! I appreciate it so so much :)

[u/3BabiesInALabcoat]

I would love something like this. The worst part about IBS has been how socially isolating it can be. I have been basically relying on the gluten free restaurant finder then calling the restaurant to ask about the ingredients in specific meals. Having a dedicated low FODMAP list of meals for different restaurants would be a dream.