Autistic Redditor Leaves Restaurant After Their Complaints About The Smell Of Onion Rings Fell On Deaf Ears

“I love onions rings and I’m really starting not to like you”

Maryjane

Published in Interesting
June 10, 2023

Autistic Redditor Leaves Restaurant After Their Complaints About The Smell Of Onion Rings Fell On Deaf Ears

A person with autism frequently exhibits heightened sensitivity to sounds, textures, lighting, and odors. There have been numerous investigations into whether autistic kids have heightened or hypersensitive senses of smell.

In contrast to neurotypical people, those with autism translate odors using different parts of the brain, according to a 2018 study. It follows that while research suggests that autistic children may have an enhanced sense of smell, they also have an enhanced olfactory system that controls those scents.

Some autistic youngsters will react when they smell something unpleasant from a far distance. Going to a restaurant can be challenging for people with autism who have heightened senses of smell because there are so many different aromas in that environment.

When visiting a new restaurant, one should take into account the type of establishment, its level of activity, and its surroundings. The OP of today's story is autistic and also sensitive to smell.

OP went out with some friends, and there were a couple of people who went who were unfamiliar with their autism. One of them ordered onion rings, and the OP absolutely could not handle the smell of onion or garlic in front of them.

The OP tried to explain to them their distress, but everything went in the opposite direction, leading to the OP leaving the restaurant.

Autistic Redditor Leaves Restaurant After Their Complaints About The Smell Of Onion Rings Fell On Deaf Ears

Maryjane

The starting point

“I guess you are learning the hard way that not everyone has to deal with your bullsh*t”

In less than a day of being posted, the Reddit story received more than a thousand comments and here a bunch of them

Expecting people to know what you don't like

This Redditor isn't sure how best to navigate things

The OP owes them an apology, according to this Redditor

The only safe space is the one you created yourself

There are sorts of food smells in a restaurant

Life is all about give and take

The OP doesn't get to dictate what others can do at a restaurant

Questions asked, questions answered

The OP should be old enough to understand that the world cannot adapt to her needs

There are ways of managing smells

Your hangups are yours and not for other people to deal with

You are not within your rights to stop someone...

Don't expect the world to cater to your safe space

The OP won't have many friends of everything is about her issues

Let people order what they want to eat

If a restaurant serves things that trigger you, don't go

For this Redditor, this dude is their hero

It seems like this is an ongoing situation

It's best to schedule meetups that aren't in restaurants

Maryjane