What would you do?

[ChrisRN]

Last evening we went to a local bar/restaurant for the first time for dinner before going to a local theater production of "Leaving Iowa." One of the things I love about living up here is the fresh fish right from the lake. I decided to try a perch sandwich (one of my favorites) because I had heard it was one of their specialties. It was horrible. The fish was so overcooked and overbreaded that there was hardly any fish left--it was crunchy. I tried to cut the sandwich in half and could barely get the knife through it. Their homemade tarter sauce would have made the sandwich easier to eat--if I could have found any on the sandwich. I ate the chips and left 3/4 of the meal. Needless to say, we won't go back again. The waitress asked if I wanted a box. My question is this: would you have complained or left like I did, unsatisfied and a little angry, vowing never to go back?

 

[ddnene]

I used to never say anything, but eating out is so expensive these days!!! I would of said the sandwich was inedible... they might of taken it off your bill, or offered you something else. I don't think it's rude, the cook might of cooked it too long

 

[KMARINO]

I have worked bars/restaurants for 20 years now. I think after the first couple of bites a person knows its not up to par. I would have nicely told them you thought the sandwich was not up to their standards. It takes a lot for me to complain, but I would have. It is the people that eat all but two bites THEN complain that erks me. I never have a problem returning or fixing peoples food that tell me they just don't like it. I want the people to enjoy and certainly come back as I am sure where you ate wants the same.

 

[Alice Kable]

I would have complained nicely and offered to give the chef another try at cooking it right. The cook knows when something is overdone, and it shouldn't be sent out!

 

[Vikinggirl]

I would have told the waitress and sent it back to the kitchen, then you can either try to order the same thing on the chance it was a one time thing and the chef didn't make it the way he usually does, or you could reorder something else. You could also send back your order, and not have anything else. But when you don't say anything at all, you leave upset and angry, that you didn't get the meal you had ordered, and that you had to pay for food that wasn't good, and that you didn't get to eat. Also by not letting the waitress know you weren't happy with the food, and you walk away an unhappy customer, who will probably not come back, and then the restaurant doesn't know that the food was off, or that they probably lost a customer. A lot of the time when you let the restaurant know in a nice way what they're doing is wrong, be it food, service, etc they will try to accommodate the customer and make it right. Sometimes they will give you a discount, a voucher for a fee meal or discount on a future visit back. Last week was my sons 33rd birthday, and we went out for a family dinner. Our waitress came over and took our drink orders, we ordered 2 cokes, an ice tea, and I had a mineral water, she brought the drinks over, and took our food orders, we ordered some appetizers to come before our meals, some cheesy garlic bread, and some spinach dip with pita bread. Our appetizers never came, I had my grandson with me that night and he reached across the table and knocked over a drink, which ran all over my sons t shirt, all over the seat and onto the floor. When the waitress came over, she brought a cloth to wipe it up, but instead of wiping it up, she took the cloth and pushed all the ice and coke from the table and onto the floor, the same with the coke that was on the bench seat. Our feet were now sitting in sticky pop, and ice and then she left. We never did see our waitress again, a young man took over our table, and he gave us excellent service, very attentive, brought refills of our drinks regularly, and was very pleasant. When my husband received the bill, he didn't want the tip to go to the girl, but to the young kid who took over. He told the boy, about the service, that we hadn't seen our waitress, and that we never received our appetizers. I told him what she had done to clean up our spilled coke, and how our shoes and feet were all wet and sticky, underneath our table was a puddle, and I was wearing flip flops, and the cuffs of my pants were wet. He was very apologetic, and he excused himself and said he would be right back. When he came back, he said he had spoken to the manager, and he had given us a 15% discount on our bill, and our dessert for free, also he gave us a card for a 20% discount on a future visit to the restaurant. The manager also came over and apologized, so it definitely better to tell them how you feel, because you don't leave feeling mad or upset, the restaurant is made aware that a customer wasn't happy with the food or service, and you're more than likely going to be compensated in some way by the restaurant or manager in either a free meal, or future meal, or a discount.

 

[ChrisRN]

I like your attitudes! I agree! we pay so much to eat out now that we should always get what we want. Normally I would have said something, but we were in a time crunch.

I once ordered a glass of RED Zinfandel that showed up at our table as a blush wine--definitely not what I ordered. When I told the waitress that this was not the wine I ordered, that what she had brought was a white Zin, she argued with me that white Zinfindel is not actually white, and all Zinfindel is that color. A teenaged busboy standing nearby got into the conversation (unbelievable) and proceeded to "educate" me about wine! She never offered to get me another glass, even though I patiently tried to explain her mistake and that I am very aware of the properties of white Zin and don't like it. Fortunately this is a restaurant where we eat about once or twice a week. I paid for the glass, that was untouched and contacted the manager, explaining that not only does this waitress and their busboy need training in customer service, but also in the wines they carry. He laughed at their attempts to educate me about the wine i had carefully ordered, apologized over and over and gave me a gift card for a bottle of the wine I originally ordered.

 

[ddnene]

I like your attitudes! I agree! we pay so much to eat out now that we should always get what we want. Normally I would have said something, but we were in a time crunch.

I once ordered a glass of RED Zinfandel that showed up at our table as a blush wine--definitely not what I ordered. When I told the waitress that this was not the wine I ordered, that what she had brought was a white Zin, she argued with me that white Zinfindel is not actually white, and all Zinfindel is that color. A teenaged busboy standing nearby got into the conversation (unbelievable) and proceeded to "educate" me about wine! She never offered to get me another glass, even though I patiently tried to explain her mistake and that I am very aware of the properties of white Zin and don't like it. Fortunately this is a restaurant where we eat about once or twice a week. I paid for the glass, that was untouched and contacted the manager, explaining that not only does this waitress and their busboy need training in customer service, but also in the wines they carry. He laughed at their attempts to educate me about the wine i had carefully ordered, apologized over and over and gave me a gift card for a bottle of the wine I originally ordered.

WOW... I can't believe she was arguing w/you about the wine!!! She obviously wasn't interested in getting a tip!!! My hubby is so funny, if he thinks we are getting bad service he will say to me the tip meter is going DOWN!!!

 

[RiiSi]

I also would of complained about the food, but nicely. I think you will never get anywhere with bad manners...I've worked in a bar too...

 

[JeannieCO]

I would have said something, and I do if the food is not to par. Like [MENTION=9157]ddnene[/MENTION] said, it's too expensive to eat out now not to say something. Now won't say something over a little thing but if my main part of my meal is bad than I ask for the manager as they're the ones that really need to know. Mike and I have done that a few times. We're also cordial but they get it the point and then they can take it up with the cook. They can't fix it if no one says anything.

 

[FORDE'SMOM]

i would have complained nicely saying the the sandwich was not edible.....

 

[Marine91]

I am very specific when we go out to eat. Not because I am being a jerk but because I have food allergies and if certain thing that I am allergic to are even on the same plate I cannot eat anything on the entire plate. Because of this I have learned to be very tactful in my approach not only with ordering but also if the food it not up to par or if it is messed up. I have had a few cases with horrible service where I was being accused of being a jerk and asked to leave which I wasn't and I have had other times where the manager has come out to apologize and not only correct the problem but also comp our meal and give use a gift card for a return visit just to keep our business. I never expect anything other than great customer service and to get what I ordered the way I ordered it. If I can't I won't go back. In the end you should always say something but it is how you do it that will determine the results you will see.

 

[2BullyMama]

left like I did, unsatisfied and a little angry, vowing never to go back?

yep... that would be me

 

[Daphnee]

Complain right away.. DO NOT ORDER anything else that night, don't take the chance they might make it "special" order.. They should take it off the bill, especially if you send it back right away. I've been to places and got mixed reactions. Sometimes the staff will admit that other people have complained, and they will have the chef 86 it. Sometimes the chef just sucks, and needs to go. I'd give it another chance a different night. And let that be the final straw. If you've never worked in the industry YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT!!!! (not you personally, people in general)