Bad service or food at a restaurant

charityateet
charityateet Posts: 574 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
What do you do if you get either bad service or food (or both) at a restaurant?

Hubs and I went to breakfast this morning at a place we've gone to many times - it's hit or miss (on both) but the good mostly weighs out the bad. I work in the foodservice industry and the servers (whole restaurant) knows me, so most of the time I get "special" treatment because they know anything negative will come back to the owner. The place has been known for really *indifferent* attitudes from the waitstaff and the food is sometimes good, sometimes not so much. Main complaint - cold food.

So we went this morning and:

1 - table that was seated close to us had a party of 12 and were all just served their breakfast - they were EXTREMELY LOUD.
2 - very understaffed - waitress was running her *kitten* off and was alone
3 - sat for quite a few minutes when an off shift waitress said she was sorry, not on the clock but hates to see this - she got us menus and coffee
4 - while hubs ordered the cook came out to talk to me and distracted both the waitress and my hubs, so she didn't ask how he'd like his eggs
5 - she guessed on his eggs, and when the food came - they were over easy
6 - we sent eggs back for scrambled, she took whole plate
7 - my ham was COLD. The plate was COLD. I sent it back.
8 - when the eggs came back, you could tell the plate was just set under the heat lamp becuause the bacon was way dry and crispy, and the potatoes had dried out.
9 - the eggs were put on the grill, chopped up and returned to the plate (so there were big bits of yolk and white mixed together)
10 - I ordered a pancake, it was TINY. I don't want a face sized pancake, but for 2.49 I'd like one bigger than 4"
11 - said pancake was overdone on the outside (chewy) and raw in the middle

I never send food back. I don't make it a habit to complain - AT ALL. Because of my job - it can really have a negative effect - but I'm going to tell the owner, I think he deserves it. Thing is, I'll tell him - and other people won't, they just won't come back and they will tell their friends.............

So - very long story short - do you say something when your food is bad, the service is bad or both? I know watching our food intake, most of us when we go to a restaurant have special requests......do you just suck it up and eat things the way they are prepared - or do you make requests and send things back when they are not correct??

Replies

  • absie107
    absie107 Posts: 290
    I mean... you're paying good money for service at a restaurant. You say something! They should do their jobs! If they do things really well you can tip them if you feel like they deserve it. If not, though, you just ask, you prod, you get what you want. It's your money - why pay for something that sucks?

    For example - we went to IHOP last night (for some reason) and my parents were ready to leave because we didn't get a waitress/waiter for like 10 minutes after we got there, and when they finally got there, they gave us exactly what we wanted. I tried to get substitutions for my pancake and hash brown sides with my scrambler, but they don't do that, I guess. But I asked. I probably won't be going back there anymore. Anyway the point is, ask and see if you can get what you want, and if they do a bad job, say something.
  • staciekins
    staciekins Posts: 453 Member
    I am very outspoken, but will not be unnecessarily rude. No, I will not hesitate to say what's wrong.
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    I do send my food back if it's bad, as politely as possible. But I know better than to keep going back to the restaurants who have bad service and/or food. Try to find a new place.
  • justann
    justann Posts: 276 Member
    If the food is THAT bad...yes, return it. However, it is probably not the waitress' or the cook's fault. The fault belongs to the owner or manager who understaffed the restaurant. THEY are the ones who should be told of the bad food and bad service so they can appropriately staff the place in the future.
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    Yes, I say something. I do it in a courteous way, but if I'm not happy, I tell them. I appreciate feedback in my job and without finding out what I'm doing wrong, I can't fix it. I would much prefer that someone tell me when they don't like something and give me the opportunity to make them happy than have them say nothing to me and tell 10 friends. Or post it on the internet. ;)
  • oceanrose78
    oceanrose78 Posts: 133 Member
    I also have worked in the restaurant industry, as a server, bartender, and manager. I used to never complain, and I still don't for a minor issue. But, for a major one YES. Would I have complained, yes.

    All of the problems that you listed in this restaurant come down to bad or absent management, along with lack of training. The owner should know about it so they can fix the problem. As a server, there's a limited amount you can do, you can't clone yourself and work the party and the table, or make the party shut up, or completely control the food aspect. But there's no reason for poorly cooked for, or for guessing at an order.
  • kennie2
    kennie2 Posts: 1,170 Member
    its never as bad as when ordering scampi they give you a CHICKEN nugget!! i dont eat meat. then when they got me a hot chocolate as a sorry it had a hair in it!
  • Painten
    Painten Posts: 499 Member
    I know a place like that. I remember one time we went there at 12 thining we'd have lunch then have to wander round a few shops before picking the kids up at 3. No chance the service was so slow that by 2:30 we had to leave without even having had our desert. We'd been chatting so hadn't realised they'd taken so long to order so it was partly our fault for not hurrying them along but really we shouldn't have had to hurry them along. Just because we were having a good time doesn't mean they had to take advantage by obviously leaving our food till after other customers had there. I sent them a letter of complaint and got our next visit free.
  • LushLoni
    LushLoni Posts: 161 Member
    I try to be honest but positive about feedback.

    Sounds like your criticism should largely be for the management because if the food and the service is poor then that's really due to poor management, and really it wasn't the waitress' fault that she was on her own, as for the food, it should always be good, maybe the best advice to restaurant staff would be to think like a customer...
  • crazymama2two
    crazymama2two Posts: 867
    i used to work in the food service industry and i dont like to complain myself either BUT youre paying good money and you shoudl be getting good quality food. id say something or no tdepending on how pissed off i would still be BUT i definitely would NOT be going back there..

    and the main reason is one time the SAME THING happened with my eggs and they just chopped the eggs up and they were all drooly when they came back to the table and i REFUSE to go to that restaurant again. its a ma and pa shop and its all right food but i refuse to ever go there again.

    besides, breakfast isnt my thing anywyas. i love going to places that serve lunch food at any time of the day!

    but if i were you, since you know these people, you should tell them. people WANT to know when their customers are unhappy. yorue doing them a favor by telling them. i mena how much does it cost to throw those three eggs out and scramble up three more? not as much as losing you as a customer (and countless others) for sure.

    eww, now im all pissy about my egg experience all over again LOL its more the balls on these people to think the customer wont notice? EFF OFF...do i LOOK stupid? *muah*
  • samcee
    samcee Posts: 307
    I would send it back too.

    The worst time for me was when I went to a restaurant with two friends. They gave me the wrong dish so I had to send it back but my two other friend got theirs. I told them to not wait and eat. It took so long that my two friends ended up finishing their meal and I still didn't get my order even though I told the waitress numerous times! I had to leave the restaurant hungry and annoyed!! It completely ruined the evening for me.
  • live2smyle
    live2smyle Posts: 592 Member
    I never send the food back for fear there going to spit in it or worse. I will however tell the manager I am not pleased to take the plate and not eat. They usually remove it off the bill but this sends a clear message that it was not acceptable.

    Also I always used to tip even if the wait staff sucked. No more. I just wont. I tip 30% for really good service. 20% for normal service and now I am no longer tipping 10% for crappy service. I will leave 0 tip with a little note saying sorry I would have liked to tip you but I think asking for ketchup and waiting 10minutes is not tip worthy etc.

    I dont care what peeps have to say about that either. I am sick and tired of crappy wait staff service and still tipping. I am not talking about mistakes made by the cooks or managment staff either. I am talking bout seeing my waitress talking with other waitresses while I am waiting for something. Stuff like that.
  • crazymama2two
    crazymama2two Posts: 867
    I never send the food back for fear there going to spit in it or worse. I will however tell the manager I am not pleased to take the plate and not eat. They usually remove it off the bill but this sends a clear message that it was not acceptable.

    Also I always used to tip even if the wait staff sucked. No more. I just wont. I tip 30% for really good service. 20% for normal service and now I am no longer tipping 10% for crappy service. I will leave 0 tip with a little note saying sorry I would have liked to tip you but I think asking for ketchup and waiting 10minutes is not tip worthy etc.

    I dont care what peeps have to say about that either. I am sick and tired of crappy wait staff service and still tipping. I am not talking about mistakes made by the cooks or managment staff either. I am talking bout seeing my waitress talking with other waitresses while I am waiting for something. Stuff like that.

    i wnat your balls!! ACTUALLY i do have the balls. my husband however? idk why he wont leave zero when it deserves it...he'll leave 10...and we are 20 percenters or more.
  • Satya_Ayurveda
    Satya_Ayurveda Posts: 91 Member
    If the food is THAT bad...yes, return it. However, it is probably not the waitress' or the cook's fault. The fault belongs to the owner or manager who understaffed the restaurant. THEY are the ones who should be told of the bad food and bad service so they can appropriately staff the place in the future.

    I agree with this! I rarely go out to eat... but I do feel terribly for waiters/waitresses especially in this economy. Understaffed and underpaid and face it, customers can be down right rude! I would be overly kind to the waitress and see what you can do to make her day a bit brighter and then let the owner know a later time, even if that means hanging on to your receipt and asking for a refund, etc. You don't want to put the waitress into a space where she will continue to feel bad about a situation that she most likely cannot control. Domino affect.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    I'd tell him and let him know this is why I can no longer eat there. I'm sorry but my money is too tight to play roulette with whether or not I get good service. I also have on occasion tipped zero and typically I tip 20%. I have a severe seafood allergy and sensitivity to a few other foods so I have no problem sending food back that may make me sick. I have even written corporate when I was really satisfied.Some place also appreciate the feedback. If you have one in your area I recommend Seasons52. I had a bad meal there, complained to corporate and the restaurant manager called and personally apologized AND send me a gift card to make up for it. I went back and had a wonderful ding experience. I had a complete meal from appetizer to dessert and still managed to stay within my calories goals.
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    I will say something if the service or food is not of a standard I'd expect but I will also NEVER go back there. I've worked in the food service industry, worked with *kitten* that I wouldn't trust not to take revenge for a telling off so to minimise the risk of "revenged" food I just wouldn't go there again. I wouldn't slag off an establishment to friends tho based purely on my single observation but I may if I got a snotty reaction from management when I did complain. I have to add I do live in a city, I have 11 food establishments within a 2-3 minute WALK of my house and literally hundreds more within a 10 minute drive so its easy for me to never go back to a place again...especially as eating out or takeaways are probably once a year
  • lkm111
    lkm111 Posts: 629 Member
    I sent a steak back once because it was overcooked and cold. The manager came to our table and tried to tell me, "That steak was right on the money, don't know why you sent it back." I said, "Even if it was cooked the way I ordered it, it was still cold." She looked at me like I had a third eye in the middle of my head.

    We haven't been back. I would have spoken to a manager, but as in my situation, I'm going to guess that management is the problem and you probably wouldn't have gotten anywhere with them. Calling the head office or owner is probably the only thing you can do.

    Sorry you had a bad experience!
  • katznkt
    katznkt Posts: 320 Member
    Once I went to steak house and ordered a steak medium-well. Said steak came out rare. I sent it back. Said steak came back medium-rare. I sent it back.

    I worked in the food industry and so I am really careful when I complain. I make sure it is legitimate and that I don't blame the place or waitstaff for things they can't control (other loud customers, understaffed days, terrible cook). But I do speak up when I am really not satisfied- you are paying pretty high and deserve quality food and service... and at the very least you deserve food cooked to your specifications.

    I also make a point to mention to the manager when we have a particularly good experience. Great food and great service deserves some praise. :)
  • Winged_Victory
    Winged_Victory Posts: 58
    If I don't like where I'm being seated, I ask for a different table. Never have had a problem with that request.

    If the service is bad, my tip will reflect that. I have left $0 tip twice in my life, deserved both times. (Conversely, I tip very well when service is exceptional, which has definitely happened more than twice.)

    If the food is bad because it was not cooked right, I send it back. That has no impact on tip.

    If the food is bad because it is just BAD, I just don't go back. No impact on tip.

    I will review things on yelp, good or bad.
  • janemartin02
    janemartin02 Posts: 2,653 Member
    I would.If they are understaff,they need to do something about it.You are paying for a service and should be happy with how you are served and how the food is made.I would definetly talk to the owner.A day out should be pleasant experience.
    jane
  • healthyjen342
    healthyjen342 Posts: 1,435 Member
    I used to be the person to scarf whatever I ordered down and not care about the quality..Now, if I do go out, I make sure it is what I am asking for AND that it is right when I get it...but I'm never "The Mean Type"...I am always very polite..even if the other person isnt...and I have met some very VERY rude employees...I just give them the biggest smile I can, and say, "Thank You and God Bless You."
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
    Depending on the problem with the food, I will either send it back or just not eat it. If the food is soo bad I can't eat it, no point in sending it back, but I do say something to the manager. If something is just undercooked I will send it back...usually.

    My guy and I went to a new Bistro in our area that supposedly had a hot shot chef. I ordered trout and got stuffed rockfish...not the waitress at fault, the chef had not told the staff he was out of trout and made the substitution on his own...and wouldn't let me refuse it. I just ate the salad and roll. My guy ordered a filet mignon medium rare, it came out barely grill marked and still frozen in the middle. He sent it back and the chef refused to do anything. He just ate the salad and roll. The waitress came back in tears so upset from the chef yelling at her. We asked for the manager, the waitress told us the manager was the chef! She also told us that he had called the cops in anticipation of us walking out on the bill. We could hear the chef yelling in the kitchen. All the customers were looking around to see what the problem was. We waited for the cops to get there and talk to the chef. When they (the cops) came out they asked if we had refused to pay the bill, we had never said we wouldn't pay it. We explained our side of the situation and showed them the stone cold uneatten meals. The cops agreed with us, but said they had to enforce the law if the chef/manager wanted to push it. They agreed that the chef was an @ss, and said they would never eat there. By this time half the other customers got up and walked out, and the waitress had taken off her uniform/apron and quit. We paid the $125 (food and 1 drink each). The chef never came out of the kitchen. Chicken *kitten* narcissistic @ss. The Bistro went out of buisness in 9 months.
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
    Imma be the biggest witch here but if my food isn't right, I say something ALWAYS. My money is VERY valuable to me so if we choose to eat out and its not the way I need it, I WILL complain becuz I chose to spend my hard earned money there and I expected it to be done right.
  • brityn
    brityn Posts: 443 Member
    I am a restaurant owner. I give a restaurant four chances. If the food and service aren't up to par then I don't go back. Looks like you knew it was hit or miss. I wouldn't have wasted my time or money with that kind of track record.
  • zosobaby
    zosobaby Posts: 13
    i think british and american opinions of what represents good service differ quite a lot, however, bad service in a restaurant, i dont leave a tip and i complain to the manager, or i leave and dont say anything at all, depending on how bad the service was, and if i can be bothered with the hassle etc!
    bad food, i send it back and dont re-order anything else. i only give people one chance to get it right. if i'm out eating with my partner and his is fine and mine isn't, i send mine back, simple as. i dont have a problem with it.
  • andreacord
    andreacord Posts: 928
    Well, one time I went to Denny's and the service was pretty bad. Then the guy came back and said they ran out of turkey bacon, and wouldn't substitute anything else (I ordered some healthy pancake platter thing) so, I cancelled my order. Kind of a rude move but I was PMSing. Another time we went to Mr.Mike's.. and waited 1 hr 10 minutes for a table. Yeah, that long. Because they don't take reservations.
  • zosobaby
    zosobaby Posts: 13
    WTF is turkey bacon??? surely its either turkey, or its bacon??
  • charityateet
    charityateet Posts: 574 Member
    I am going to say something to the owner for sure. It's my responsiblity, matter of fact my paycheck depends on restaurants making money.......I guess I was just more than anything asking for advice on what *you* do - not go back and tell 10 friends how awful it is, send your food back, etc.

    Loved all your stores - thanks for making me laugh!
  • Sezmo83
    Sezmo83 Posts: 331 Member
    Depends on the problem to be honest. I didn't complain when I got a pizza with the wrong topping but the waiter had come up, told me the chef had messed up and gave me the option of waiting for a fresh pizza to be made and taking the wrong one home free of charge or just eating the wrong one. I chose to eat it as it was one I liked and it was knocked off the bill which I wasn't expecting. I don't complain if I get ice in my drink when I've asked for no ice, it's just not that big a deal to me. I have complained though when my meal has arrived stone cold or completely wrong though.

    I don't think I've ever had really bad service but I can say that when I went to Florida on honeymoon the service there was miles better than any I've had here in the UK.
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