Do you, or don't you send it back???

[skiprat]

Now, I'm not one that sits back and takes poor service without a complaint but one thing I have NEVER done is get restaurant food sent back......I just won't do it. I don't want any added 'ingredients' when it comes back..:wink:
I am a mega meat lover but the creature that arrived on my plate, which I swear actually moved, just needed a good vet and it would have been bouncing around mooing in the field again...
The arrogant moron waiter looked at me like it was my fault when he took my plate ...


So, my question isn't so much as if you like your food PROPERLY cooked or still with a freekin heartbeat, but whether or not you send stuff back...

I guess for some, it will depend on who is paying, but assume that is not an issue...

Please tell me I'm not alone. I'd rather vote with my feet and grab a burger on the way home...:biggrin:

What say ye???

 

[seamus7227]

if its beyond what i will eat without gagging, then i will send it back. I mean its not like it takes much effort to throw that slab of beef back on the grill and cook it out just a little while longer. I think its in the approach of how you deal with the waitstaff that effects the overall outcome of the final product!

 

[Alex D]

Generally I don't send it back, but if I'm forking over $$$ for a special treat at a good steakhouse and my ribeye comes out anything more than medium rare, back it goes (politely).

Alex

 

[Ed McDonnell]

I won't send something back because whatever they do to it when they get it back will almost certainly not make it better. I will ask that the problem dish be taken away and that the item be removed from the bill. I've never had them refuse to do this.

I may or may not agree to accept a substitute meal depending on the attitude of the manager and whether I will get the meal before my wife finishes eating. Usually I go without and grab something to eat on the way home. This seems to happen once or twice a year (we eat out a couple times a month).

Ed

 

[skiprat]

You both quote good manners to the waiting staff and I of course agree, but the mood of the chef and the message from the waiter to the chef is what worries me. Most often the waiter got the order wrong to the chef and he blames you to the chef when he takes it back...

 

[triw51]

It really depends on circumstances: who I am with, the style of resturant. etc. But if it is cooked incorrectly or overly spiced I have sent the food back but always politely not giving the waitstaff a difficult time. Usually as a request "Would you ask the chef to cook this a little longer" Having been a chef (mostly pastry) I would rather some left happy and not upset. Just my 2 cents

 

[papaturner]

Normally do not send food back for the exact reason you quoted. I`m just not that trusting of folk I don`t know. I just refuse to go back. Ever.

 

[skiprat]

Yes William, the 'depends' is the big variable. I mean restaurants aside, I probably wouldn't complain about anything if I was with good company, like my wife for instance. I would never humiliate my company by having to eat while mine was being fixed, for example.

I normally complain afterwards. I never ask for a freebie if I've eaten more than a third of it. If the waiter deducts x from the bill, then they always get an extra x in the tip, even if the food was bad.

 

[mredburn]

If I believe that it may be a problem with the attitude of the chef I call for the manager and go over my problems with him/her. I once had the waitress ask me how things were and my reply was "go get your manager I dont want to have to say this but once" I do not take it out on the wait staff if the problem is out of their control. I usually vote with my wallet and will not revisit the offending place again.

 

[stonepecker]

IF.......and that is a big if, I can't eat it. I send it back.
I will usually tell the waiter to have the chef try again.
DO NOT BRING ME THIS MEAL BACK. I am paying for it, I want it done right.

And just to be clear.......I have done this at McDonalds, and Burger King.
I placed an order on how I would like my meal. Do Not give me something else and think I won't say something
I actually told the girl to make sure there were no tomatoes on my fish sandwich. When I opened it, I had tomatoes
I removed them and ate the sandwich and then gave to tomatoes back to the girl telling her I didn't order these.
I also made sure that the manager was standing there when I did it.

I really don't care if it is a burger, a steak, or a special night out.
All I want is what I ordered. Do it right or I won't be happy and won't be back.
And I let people know both ways. When the meal is perfect, everyone knows it and the tip shows it.

 

[nativewooder]

Had an episode in Vero Beach a few years ago at a chain whose name I don't remember, but they served mostly seafood and I ran into an old girlfriend that I hadn't seen in several years and she wanted "lobster" so we went back there and she ordered her lobster. Ownership had changed but with the same Manager. Interior was stripped out and no hint of ambience that was there before. I decided to order "local grouper, fresh caught today". When the order came out, the Lobster was great as usual according to Karen, but the "fresh grouper" was frozen solid! I waved the waitress over and had her confirm the frozen fish and told her I was not paying for it. So Karen finished her lobster and wine and we left. The Manager kindly did not charge us for anything so I left a tip with her for the waitress.

 

[skiprat]

Wayne, you are a braver man than me...I wouldn't touch a Macky with a barge pole but do frequent a Burger King and KFC now and then. With the fast food places, you do take a chance and they rarely get it wrong. You are more likely to get a freeking heart attack with their food than anything else...:biggrin:

 

[lorbay]

Me I am like you Steven I rarely send stuff back just for that one reason. We go out with this one couple and she is so picky I have seen here food go back 2 or 3 times. Would you eat it after the 3 rd time.?? Not me. People have told me I watch to many movies and that really dosen't happen. Bull S----t.

Lin.

 

[skiprat]

Now Barry, if that was me and I was making moves on an old flame, tben I would have just said to her that I was full while she finished her meal and we shared another bottle of wine..:wink:
My wife is called Karen btw..:wink:

 

[skiprat]

Lin, I would ditch her before you run out of places to go....:biggrin:

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

I NEVER will send it back to be fixed, redone or exchanged but will ask for the manager explain the problem and request that it be taken off my bill. Sending it back opens up another can of worms (literally) as you never know what happens to the food from your table to the kitchen and back again. Never have I not had the manager deduct the meal from my bill and always I left the wait person a little extra for their service to let them know it was not their fault.

 

[stonepecker]

Hey Skip,
At a fast food place, I will usually stand at the counter and 'watch' my meal being prepared just to stop any funny stuff. ie: hot sause.
In a three week trip (21 days) I may eat 30-40 meals at fast food places. ie: breakfast and lunch.

Supper (or dinner) I try to find a 'good place' to eat. Here in the areas I work... that could be the golf club, steak house, local cafe, etc. But that really matters little to me. What matters is the service and the food.

Some of the best steaks I have ever had have been at little town bars when someone has known what they are doing. Give me someone that "KNOWS" how to cook....not someone that knows how to charge some over priced burger.

One more little thing. If for some reason something 'tastes' funny........I WILL talk to the manager/owner.
You should not have to worry about getting sick from what you eat.

 

[mark james]

A lot will depend on the attitude they reflect to me, and the quality of the restaurant. If they don't care, I'll send it back, ask it to be taken off of the bill and don't accept a substitute mystery meal... If they have a problem with that I don't even bother to argue.

However, many restaurants do ask if the meal was prepared correctly, and on those occasions, I would consider politely asking for a quick re-grill. I won't pass judgement, they asked! And they may truly want to keep a customer happy.

I have several chefs in the family (Culinary Institute of America), and they DO WANT repeat customers. Reputation for restaurants is important. I also run my own business and have sadly been "taught" that my employees may not care as much as I about quality. Yes, a management, training and supervision task, but if there is a problem with my services, I do want to know it rather than lose a customer.

 

[skiprat]

Oh Roy, don't you eat all that Eyetaliayn pasta junk anyway??:biggrin: Just how wrong can they get melted plastic.............:biggrin:
When I'm in Italy, every item I order MUST have 'Carni' in the description...:biggrin:

 

[skiprat]

Mark, if I had family in the CIA :biggrin: then I'd demand excellence too..:biggrin:

I must admit that I know places will make mistakes now and then, and they should be forgiven so I probaly won't diss a place because they got one order wrong..and attempted to fix it..:wink:

 

[JohnU]

I've never sent food back either. I usually just eat it and make sure I'm more clear next time I order. If its a continuous problem I'll just find a new place to eat. There was an incident where my wife and I were at one of the finer place and priced restaurants in our area and she had ordered a steak medium, but it arrived well done. She must have had that look on her face (the one she usually reserves for me) while chewing because the waiter asked if it were too done. When she told him it was but that she would eat it anyway, they sent complimentary cheese cake dessert our way.

 

[Fay Prozora]

We ate at an Applebees one time and they did have us cut our meat to make it was to our satisfaction. I have never sent the food back. If the food is fine other than it was cooked all the way through, then I'll ask for a box and give the dogs a treat or throw it on the grill and eat it later. It all depends if it was any good or not. I have had mashed potatoes that were like powder and they are not supposed to use instant potatoes in a restaurant. Least not that I know of and I won't eat it if it turns out to be instant. Not what I paid for..... So much for stirring up a bean pot... LOL! Fay

 

[Ligget]

I eat haggis so it would need to be pretty bad, was watching a tv programe recently and would NEVER send anything back for `fixing`! :eat:

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Veal Parmigiana, Spicy meat a balls, are my 'Carni' and nothing wrong with a Jamon Serrano or a Prosciutto di Parma not red meat but you can't get better ham. You just need to eat at a better class of restaurant or send me tickets and Dee and I will come over and cook for you.:biggrin:

Oh Roy, don't you eat all that Eyetaliayn pasta junk anyway??:biggrin: Just how wrong can they get melted plastic.............:biggrin:
When I'm in Italy, every item I order MUST have 'Carni' in the description...:biggrin:

 

[Cmiles1985]

Oh boy, here's this guy with his $0.02 again :biggrin:
I managed a small, fast-paced family owned seafood restaurant from 2006 to 2010. How many meals come out incorrectly (or not to your satisfaction) at home? Probably not many. With any process, fewer people leaves fewer opportunities for mistake. Mistakes happen, and restaurant personnel generally understand that...I know I do. In four years, I had several meals sent back. It's important to understand that your meal is being cooked along with 5 to 100 other meals/sides/appetizers. What is also important to understand is how vital communication is to a relationship. If your wife cooks broccoli when you wanted green beans, do you not pay the mortgage or stop coming home? I hope not. Hopefully you politely tell her that you don't enjoy broccoli. If the place has a good manager, he or she will empathize with you. Does that mean a free meal? Likely not. I, as a manager, was thankful for complaints as I know many customers will "show me with their wallets." Who is helped out in the deal when you"show me with your wallet?" The problem really becomes when you've told me with you're wallet, but I don't/can't personally inspect every meal and every diner's opinion. Now, I don't know that you didn't like your meal/something was unsatisfactory. You have no clue that a simple talk with the manager would have made things ten times better. Then you tell your friends how bad restaurant X was. Now the rumors begin. Before you know it 5 people think it's bad, then 25, then 125 all based on your review that was never even expressed while in the building. I'm not trying to call anyone out, but I hear a lot of people say things about the food industry that hit home. Many folks don't understand it from the other side of the apron.

If you sell a pen that malfunctions, do you want your customer to bring it back? Or would you rather they maintain a poor view of your craftsmanship? I realize food is a different animal. I personally will not send an item back (much the same I don't put salt and pepper on restaurant food-it should be good when I get it), but I will say something if my plate isn't correct.

Sorry for the long post!

 

[skiprat]

Clark, I hear what you say..but if my wife serves me brocolli ( which I like BTW ) instead of whatever:biggrin: then I'd rather keep quiet as I kinda like the 'after dinner treats'

Golden Rule # !


Never ever ever never ever diss the missuses cooking unless you like sleeping alone...........:wink:

 

[scottsheapens]

I worked in hotels when I was in college, trying to pay tuition. I have seen some things in hotel kitchens that would make you vomit if you knew that is what they did with your steak when you sent it back to the kitchen. Many Chef's are one brain cell short of total imbalance. Don't tick them off by sending it back. Go get a candy bar and call it night...

 

[stonepecker]

I have a friend that has a sign posted in all work trucks and in his shop.

"These tools help pay your wages. Treat them with respect"

I know when mistakes happen and can walk away feeling alright.
It is when something is so out of wack or so over done that I get mad.
I would rather have a good hamburger steak with hash browns and eggs, Then the best 16oz ribeye done wrong.
I don't care if it is all you can eat salad bar. I don't care if the desert bar is open till 10pm.

Over done pork chops. Burned toast. runny eggs, things over cooked, etc...
These are some of the things I can't stand. I don't complain about the small stuff.

But when somethinjg is majorly wrong.....I voice my feelings.

 

[raar25]

Ask nicely to have it cooked a little more and tell the waiter you appreciate his effort. Then tip like sh*t and don't go back.

 

[workinforwood]

I can tell you that 98% of the time I complain and over half the time I walk out. It is nice to hear I am not alone and I will add the Brits to my huge list of countries that have no pride in their cooking. As with anything these days it seems you must do everything yourself.

 

[wob50]

Send it back, asked for check for drinks,pay for drinks then leave cause you know
there will be extra seasoning that is not what you want You could ask for the manager
but when the just got of junor high kid said" what wrong with it " and rolls there eyes
at you well that really makes my day . After that when the cops come and removed
,you, and then ,well it makes a little sense not to go there. Hope it helps

 

[GaryMGg]

I advice y'all not to patronize any business where you would fear sending the food back.
Life's too short to eat crappy food. :biggrin:

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

I once went to a topless restaurant and had a soup, tasted it and it was cold, asked the waitress to have it warmed, she brought it back, and I asked her to have it heated again, she replied"but you haven't tried it, how do you know its not hot," I replied "because your b#^*^t is resting in it!!!!" :biggrin:
Kryn

 

[TellicoTurning]

Oh boy, here's this guy with his $0.02 again :biggrin:
I managed a small, fast-paced family owned seafood restaurant from 2006 to 2010. How many meals come out incorrectly (or not to your satisfaction) at home? Probably not many. With any process, fewer people leaves fewer opportunities for mistake. Mistakes happen, and restaurant personnel generally understand that...I know I do. In four years, I had several meals sent back. It's important to understand that your meal is being cooked along with 5 to 100 other meals/sides/appetizers. What is also important to understand is how vital communication is to a relationship. If your wife cooks broccoli when you wanted green beans, do you not pay the mortgage or stop coming home? I hope not. Hopefully you politely tell her that you don't enjoy broccoli. If the place has a good manager, he or she will empathize with you. Does that mean a free meal? Likely not. I, as a manager, was thankful for complaints as I know many customers will "show me with their wallets." Who is helped out in the deal when you"show me with your wallet?" The problem really becomes when you've told me with you're wallet, but I don't/can't personally inspect every meal and every diner's opinion. Now, I don't know that you didn't like your meal/something was unsatisfactory. You have no clue that a simple talk with the manager would have made things ten times better. Then you tell your friends how bad restaurant X was. Now the rumors begin. Before you know it 5 people think it's bad, then 25, then 125 all based on your review that was never even expressed while in the building. I'm not trying to call anyone out, but I hear a lot of people say things about the food industry that hit home. Many folks don't understand it from the other side of the apron.

If you sell a pen that malfunctions, do you want your customer to bring it back? Or would you rather they maintain a poor view of your craftsmanship? I realize food is a different animal. I personally will not send an item back (much the same I don't put salt and pepper on restaurant food-it should be good when I get it), but I will say something if my plate isn't correct.

Sorry for the long post!

I have to agree with Clark... my son in law is the executive chef at a fairly exclusive country club where he lives... he would rather have 5 people complain and maybe send a meal back, than have one walk out and complain to their friends... he can't fix a problem if he doesn't know about it.

 

[MarkD]

I once went to a topless restaurant and had a soup, tasted it and it was cold.....Kryn

NEVER order soup at a topless restaurant!!!!! :biggrin:

 

[maxwell_smart007]

I'll send food back if it's unsafe - i.e. raw chicken, or raw hamburger. When I'm traveling, I always forget that Americans allow their ground beef to be uncooked on a burger, and I often have to send it back for more time on the grill when I forget to stipulate that they should cook it more safely (to my standards).

 

[designer]

I can eat most food. If it is not to the point that even I cannot eat it, I just politely send it back.

Remember, it is the wait staff that is responsible to verify you get what you order.

I ate at a "good" seafood place one time. I ordered a fillet. It was a steak with all the bones. I politely asked the waitress for my fillet I ordered. Her answer was "That is what we call a fillet". She then walked away. After that she waited on everyone except me. I could not even get a drink. When it was time to cash out I asked for the manager. "He is not here" was the answer. I handed her enough money to cover my GF's tab only and no tip. She threatened to call the police and walked away. All 8 of us stood up to leave and I stopped at the podium on the way out and asked for the manager. The "18 something" girl said she was the manager. I politely explained the situation and she said I still had to pay the tab since I did not send the food back.

Long story short, the problem was the wait staff, not the chef. Wait, at a high end place, the chef is responsible for the food and customers, so yes it is his fault and the managers both. I will never go back there again and if with a group, I will convince all of them to go elsewhere and explain the reason. They lost a good customer that will never spend a penny there again.

Even if they had comped my meal, the waitress would not have received a tip due to her attitude.

Who was at fault? The manager? The Chef? The wait staff?

Any eatery is no different than any other business. Everyone can make or break a company. A bad experience to me means not returning as a customer which equates to a loss for the place of business.

Things happen and I understand that. How they are handled is what makes the difference in a good and bad company.

 

[skiprat]

I can tell you that 98% of the time I complain and over half the time I walk out. It is nice to hear I am not alone and I will add the Brits to my huge list of countries that have no pride in their cooking. As with anything these days it seems you must do everything yourself.

Hey Jeff, don't shoot the Brits just yet.....I'm actually in and talking about Holland....:wink:
I actually think that the posher the restaurant, the more likely you are to get your food the way the chef thinks it should be, rather than what you want. Those are the places where the chef gets miffed if you complain.

You really must be a very picky eater if you complain 98% of the time and walk out every second visit...:biggrin:

 

[Paul in OKC]

I order my eggs scrambled, and my meat med well to well done. Not much problem with that. Since places I have been tend to under cook, I rarely end up with any more than a tinge of pink (which is barely acceptable) but mooing is definitely not allowed on my plate!

 

[Smitty37]

I'll send food back if it's unsafe - i.e. raw chicken, or raw hamburger. When I'm traveling, I always forget that Americans allow their ground beef to be uncooked on a burger, and I often have to send it back for more time on the grill when I forget to stipulate that they should cook it more safely (to my standards).

My wife likes hamburger next to raw (actually she likes it raw but most places won't go quite that far) and generally won't order it in places that won't serve it cooked less than "medium" which translates to well done (cooked to the point there is no pink) and there are a lot of them around.