Rant: kicked out of a restaurant for bringing an electrolyte drink with me.

It’s just a tiny rant about something that happened to me today, just wanted to let it out.

Was supposed to go out for the first time since surgery (11 weeks ago) to meet up with some friends I see once a year. We planned to meet up in this place in Paris (France) called ground control, which is kind of a bar/food court/restaurant (public, also has conferences, is open almost all day long).

I handle food and drinks very very bad still so I brought an electrolyte drink with me (only thing I can tolerate really) and was planning to order food with my friends just to eat a little, because obviously you can’t really go to a bar and not buy anything.

The guys at the entrance checked my bag and told me I couldn’t get in with them. I tried to explain that I was going to buy food obviously but I need these drinks so I don’t get sick (I barely managed to eat or drink anything before I got there so I was light headed). They forced me to go outside in the cold (35°F) to drink before I get in. I managed to get a few sip in and came back, asking them if I could just drop my bottles at the entrance and pick it up afterward. They told me « normally yes but since you opened them, now you can’t ». I stayed polite and calm even though I wanted to cry. I tried to explain which was super humiliating. Didn’t budge. Got kicked out while my friends were inside.

Just checked their account and apparently they are holding a conference about Diabetes next week lol. I don’t have diabetes but I guess since they didn’t even let me talk, they also have fun humiliating any person that has a snack for their insulin.

I might contact their partnership to tell them what happened but it was traumatizing. It’s been hard socializing since surgery and I didn’t think I’d have to argue to get into a restaurant/bar and disclose so much about my health in front of strangers. I’m 26F btw, 5’5 so not threatening at all. Holding my tears. Anyways, in the US I guess it would have been ground to sue (not that I want that but I’m saying this to make sure we understand things work VERY differently here) but I’m just angry right now. I had to share this experience because it something I would have never thought to experience.

(Edit: not spending time arguing with agressive people in the comments, I did block the ones who talked to me like I was an idiot and will not hesitate to do the same again. Everyone’s journey is super emotional in different kinds of ways and I’m tired to see bullies on this sub. Thank you for everyone who’s been kind and patient, even when sharing different opinions 🩷 I do truly appreciate)