Dear Mr. Simon,


I have been a customer of Omaha Steaks for over three years, ever since your company opened a retail location in Des Peres, Missouri in August of 2006. Both my husband and I enjoyed your products and purchased them every other month.

Sadly, however, this has not been the case for the past six months and I will explain why. Your Ideal Gift, which has been run under different names in the past (Perfect Gift, Perfect Grill, etc.), contains an item that both my husband and I cannot eat – crab. We love everything else. The steaks are juicy, the hamburgers delectable, the pork chops are amazing. Yet we’re stuck with an item that we can’t eat and do not have any friends close enough to give this item to.

My attempts at trying to get this item substituted for another of equal or lesser value – say chicken breasts or any other item not seafood related - in your retail store have been met with refusal and I am forced purchase this item, only to have it languish in my freezer until I throw it out. This, in my eyes, is a complete waste of money and (no pun intended) leaves a bad taste in my mouth for your concern for customers who have dietary exceptions. You are, unintentionally, excluding customers who would otherwise be bringing in money to your stores.

What I am asking is for consideration when it comes to customers with dietary exceptions in your retail stores. Yes, I can call and place an order and get a substitution there, but I am then forced to pay shipping, just for the privilege of not getting an item that will make us sick. I don’t see how this is fair to your customers.

Please consider this request and allow your loyal customers with dietary exceptions to make substitutions within reason at your retail stores.