Sending a meal back
Discussion
Anyone ever done it? Or refused to pay?
I am normally very tolerant, and let it bug me when I get home. Only ever done it once with a cremated ‘medium rare’ steak that came with cold chips.
I am very English though, whilst my wife (Dutch) has no problems in saying ‘no it’s not’ (politely) when the waiter asks if everything is fine.
I am normally very tolerant, and let it bug me when I get home. Only ever done it once with a cremated ‘medium rare’ steak that came with cold chips.
I am very English though, whilst my wife (Dutch) has no problems in saying ‘no it’s not’ (politely) when the waiter asks if everything is fine.
Weirdly I think it’s very much a British thing, I’ve only really complained when it’s been terrible and just accept it.
My ex-wife was French Canadian, they pull no punches at all or at least she didn’t.
If service was s
t or food quality st, it was going back politely. If it came out st again or with poor attitude from staff I knew we were leaving and weren’t paying for it and the manager (not waiter, unless they were rude) was going to get an earful.
It’s one of the things she complained about most in the uk, poor standards of customer service.
My ex-wife was French Canadian, they pull no punches at all or at least she didn’t.
If service was s
t or food quality st, it was going back politely. If it came out st again or with poor attitude from staff I knew we were leaving and weren’t paying for it and the manager (not waiter, unless they were rude) was going to get an earful. It’s one of the things she complained about most in the uk, poor standards of customer service.
Never reason to send anything back, but will make what I feel are constructive comments, mostly about what’s on offer or something about the experience.
On a recent trip to Asia, eating in a Thai restaurant, the food was excellent, but the drinks on offer was a choice of fizzy drinks, which I dislike or beer, while I like a beer, not at lunch time.
Mrs. DG on the other hand is a PITA, sometimes I’d like somewhere to hide; The worst complaint “This coffee is not brown enough” I do regularly remind her of that one though.
On a recent trip to Asia, eating in a Thai restaurant, the food was excellent, but the drinks on offer was a choice of fizzy drinks, which I dislike or beer, while I like a beer, not at lunch time.
Mrs. DG on the other hand is a PITA, sometimes I’d like somewhere to hide; The worst complaint “This coffee is not brown enough” I do regularly remind her of that one though.
Last meal I complained about was a burger that I bit into and had a metal spring in it.
Thecrestaurant reacted brilliantly. Apoligised profusely and replaced my burger and comped the entire tables food snd drinks.
It was a mistake they wouldnt have known about at the time of cooking as it was small and in the middle of the burger meat.
Thecrestaurant reacted brilliantly. Apoligised profusely and replaced my burger and comped the entire tables food snd drinks.
It was a mistake they wouldnt have known about at the time of cooking as it was small and in the middle of the burger meat.
I have done yes.
If the dish is cheap enough and not ‘bad’ per se I will just lump it. Also if I’d ordered poorly I will happily pay for it just please take it away and bring me a different dish.
But when the food is simply poor and potentially ruining an otherwise decent night out then yes I will send it back. Last time was a family dinner with 8 people, both my mum’s courses were poor. The starter we worked around by sharing, the main was a step too far. It wasn’t a cheap place and somewhere we had enjoyed excellent food previously.
To their credit it was replaced fairly without any fuss, all her dishes were comped as well as all our desserts.
I complained at noma, but that was due to the attitude of the sommelier not the food.
If the dish is cheap enough and not ‘bad’ per se I will just lump it. Also if I’d ordered poorly I will happily pay for it just please take it away and bring me a different dish.
But when the food is simply poor and potentially ruining an otherwise decent night out then yes I will send it back. Last time was a family dinner with 8 people, both my mum’s courses were poor. The starter we worked around by sharing, the main was a step too far. It wasn’t a cheap place and somewhere we had enjoyed excellent food previously.
To their credit it was replaced fairly without any fuss, all her dishes were comped as well as all our desserts.
I complained at noma, but that was due to the attitude of the sommelier not the food.
yes I recently ordered pasta bolognese in an Italian in Leicester. Out popped salmon pasta. I politely pointed it out to the waitress who was brilliant. Checked the order (I was correct) replaced it with the correct thing and when time to pay knocked off the desert cost (Tiramisu lovely home made). I felt a bit awkward, I tried NOT to make the staff feel awkward and all was well.
An Indian in Lostock Hall. I asked for my curry Madras hot. Indians vary and normally I'm ok with that. But here it was way too hot. I asked for yoghurt but the owner was insistent on re doing it. This was my fault remember.
I think if things aren't right say. But try to be constructive if it's a decent place. If the whole place is a st show well that's a different matter.
An Indian in Lostock Hall. I asked for my curry Madras hot. Indians vary and normally I'm ok with that. But here it was way too hot. I asked for yoghurt but the owner was insistent on re doing it. This was my fault remember.
I think if things aren't right say. But try to be constructive if it's a decent place. If the whole place is a s
t show well that's a different matter. loskie said:
yes I recently ordered pasta bolognese in an Italian in Leicester. Out popped salmon pasta. I politely pointed it out to the waitress who was brilliant. Checked the order (I was correct) replaced it with the correct thing and when time to pay knocked off the desert cost (Tiramisu lovely home made). I felt a bit awkward, I tried NOT to make the staff feel awkward and all was well.
An Indian in Lostock Hall. I asked for my curry Madras hot. Indians vary and normally I'm ok with that. But here it was way too hot. I asked for yoghurt but the owner was insistent on re doing it. This was my fault remember.
I think if things aren't right say. But try to be constructive if it's a decent place. If the whole place is a st show well that's a different matter.
I agree, keep it calm and factual without personalising it. An Indian in Lostock Hall. I asked for my curry Madras hot. Indians vary and normally I'm ok with that. But here it was way too hot. I asked for yoghurt but the owner was insistent on re doing it. This was my fault remember.
I think if things aren't right say. But try to be constructive if it's a decent place. If the whole place is a s
t show well that's a different matter. Agree with loskie's comment.
I have no issue flagging something that isn't right. A polite word to the waiter does it, however, it would have to be very wrong for me to send the plate back and I'd only do that as a last resort at which point I would question if I want to continue dining.
I have no issue flagging something that isn't right. A polite word to the waiter does it, however, it would have to be very wrong for me to send the plate back and I'd only do that as a last resort at which point I would question if I want to continue dining.
ChevronB19 said:
Anyone ever done it? Or refused to pay?
I am normally very tolerant, and let it bug me when I get home. Only ever done it once with a cremated ‘medium rare’ steak that came with cold chips.
I am very English though, whilst my wife (Dutch) has no problems in saying ‘no it’s not’ (politely) when the waiter asks if everything is fine.
Yes, as recently as last night. My wife's tuna was icy cold. It was served with egg. When it came back, it was warm but the egg was missing. I asked for the dish to be taken off the bill. It was, and 20% discount was applied to the rest of the meal.I am normally very tolerant, and let it bug me when I get home. Only ever done it once with a cremated ‘medium rare’ steak that came with cold chips.
I am very English though, whilst my wife (Dutch) has no problems in saying ‘no it’s not’ (politely) when the waiter asks if everything is fine.
I occasionally send back food or ask for a dish to be taken from the bill. I have only ever once not paid ANYTHING for a meal and that was at one of London's most famous and expensive fish restaurants. It was Lady B's birthday. We had a bottle of champagne, whilst waiting for the starters. A whole bottle. When they arrived, it was like I'd cooked them, very poor, but we ate them because we were famished.
My lobster arrived and it was as dry as a bone. I sent it back. The second one arrived and was worse. My wife's dish was just okay, but I ate the side dishes only and sent it back again.
I said to the Maître d' "look, I'll pay you for the drinks, I am not paying for the food. Have my address and number, get the owner to call me." He acknowledged that it had been way below par and comped the drinks too.
So, the answer is yes. I will send stuff back but, if I do, I am super pleasant about it and only do it if it is very poor.
Export56 said:
Very rarely, sometimes if I want the meat not mooing. Otherwise, I imagine it would be kicked around the floor before its return, the reason I don't return food.
The real risk of food being messed with in the kitchen is a good reason not to return food. (My son was a waiter in his student days).
Cliftonite said:
Export56 said:
Very rarely, sometimes if I want the meat not mooing. Otherwise, I imagine it would be kicked around the floor before its return, the reason I don't return food.
The real risk of food being messed with in the kitchen is a good reason not to return food. (My son was a waiter in his student days).
Statistically if you put out a few hundred meals a night you will get some back and 99% of those are people who have changed their mind. Didn’t understand what they were ordering. Looking to be awkward to gain something or just being a pain in the ass to show off. In 30 odd years I think I maybe had 2 possibly 3 justified returns but at least a couple of dozen meals I’ve stopped before they’ve left the pass.
Edited by 21TonyK on Saturday 30th November 13:33
Only once. Mrs F had ordered a goulash and stopped her eating it as it was garnished with a rather large moth. Didn't make a fuss. Meal comped and unexpected champagne in the room.
One where I didn't eat it but didn't send it back was in Florida, had ordered a risotto, but the amount of parmesan cheese was, not to my taste, completely excessive. Tbh it smelled of sweaty socks.
Waiting staff to be fair were really concerned, offered to change it, but by then I was done, it had been a massively busy and tiring day. Others wanted to eat, but I just wanted to sleep. Didn't stiff the waiting staff on the tip either, not their fault.
Maybe a pushover.
One where I didn't eat it but didn't send it back was in Florida, had ordered a risotto, but the amount of parmesan cheese was, not to my taste, completely excessive. Tbh it smelled of sweaty socks.
Waiting staff to be fair were really concerned, offered to change it, but by then I was done, it had been a massively busy and tiring day. Others wanted to eat, but I just wanted to sleep. Didn't stiff the waiting staff on the tip either, not their fault.
Maybe a pushover.
I'm not shy about complaining.
If there's something not right then they'll be told about it, quietly and nicely first.
Should it be necessary it gets escalated.
Rarely an issue though, in general most restaurants are more than happy to resolve any issues.
I certainly wouldn't expect everything to be "comped" if there was an issue with just one meal.
There have been times when I've simply made a poor choice resulting in me leaving the meal largely untouched, more often than not they'll offer to replace with something else or it get's removed from the bill. Just a sign of good customer service I guess.
If there's something not right then they'll be told about it, quietly and nicely first.
Should it be necessary it gets escalated.
Rarely an issue though, in general most restaurants are more than happy to resolve any issues.
I certainly wouldn't expect everything to be "comped" if there was an issue with just one meal.
There have been times when I've simply made a poor choice resulting in me leaving the meal largely untouched, more often than not they'll offer to replace with something else or it get's removed from the bill. Just a sign of good customer service I guess.
Sent a steak back in the Spring. Asked the waiter if I order rare will it genuinely be rare. He said they're pretty good here. Came out well done. Showed the waiter and he immediately took it back, got another plate with new chips too! I don't want to pay the premium for a steak in a restaurant if it's going to be worse than one at home.
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