Would you send it back??

[homecook]

I've sent things back on occasion or complained to the manager. I do it discreetly though. For instance my dd and I went to dinner the other night and we had steak. She ordered soup for an appy and I ordered mussels. She got her soup and they never brought my mussels until they brought our steaks. (I couldn't find the waiter to ask about my mussels) I wasn't happy that I had to eat my mussels while my steak sat getting cold. The manager came over to ask about our meal and I told him. He took my steak and prepared me another one after I finished my mussels. He offered to take my meal off the bill but I insisted since I was eating it their was no reason for my not paying. He did offer a free glass of wine which I accepted. All was good! Now my dd knows why I don't usually order dinner until the appy is served. lol

Barb

 

[miniman]

I don't often send food back. I find steak is not often cooked correctly, but I just eat it. The only food I have sent back have both been appetisers. One was a stuffed avocado where the avocado was very stringy and inedible.The other was some prawns that did not taste nice at all.

 

[Constance]

I have sent food back upon occasion. Once I ordered a medium-rare prime rib, and when it arrived, it was so cold that the fat was congealed. When I finally got it back, it was way over done.


There have been other times I should have, but I guess I've mellowed out as I've aged.

 

[love2"Q"]

i will send food back if it is not cooked how i requested it .. not to the extreme ..
or if its not something i ordered ..
but i ask them to take it off the bill .. i will eat a salad or something .. but i
dont want whoever i am eating with to have to wait around for me ...
and i know what can happen when you send food back ..

 

[buckytom]

it depends on the restaurant, the prices, and the idea that the place tries to sell as their standard of service.

in a burger joint or diner, the food would have to be horriffic for me to send it back. in a high end place - we're talking $20 appys and $40 entrees and up, then they'd better get everything right, without an attitude.
there's nothing worse than a service industry job that has a hard time understanding the service part.

i should add, before vb lances me, that the manager that dee mentioned went above and beyond, and would have been ok in my book, retaining the 20% tip.

 

[gadzooks]

Oh, God! Stop me if you've heard this. I rarely send food back, but one occasion sticks with me, even after 34 years. I was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA. I went downtown (Columbus) one night for dinner, and stopped in at the Waverly Hotel. I was unfamiliar with their kitchen, but the bartender was a friend. I sat at a table, and the place was rather plain...what you would expect in a "G.I. town." The menu was nothing to write home about. I quickly settled on a Reuben. The sandwich came out in short order, so far so good. It was sliced diagonally, and I noticed a hair sticking out of the sandwich, where it had been cut. I called the waiter over, and as he looked at the sandwich, I removed the top slice of toasted bread. What appeared to be a hair was the antenna of a roach about two inches long, nestled in the dressing. Needless to say, I turned down the offer of a free meal, got my money back and never strayed farther into the Waverly than the bar again.

 

[Jeff G.]

If it really isn't what it supposed to be(a cold bacon dressing) you bet, I would send it back in a heart beat.

Undercooked steak... probably not going to happen for me. I like the rare side of medium rare. As long as it isn't blue and cold I like it.

I have sent food back in expensive restaurants and it seemed like a big deal. I have also mentioned the food was not quite what I thought it should be in diners and had a new meal brought out without asking.

if the food is just plain bad, you a dis-service to other patrons not telling them.

 

[snack_pack85]

At fast food joints I never send back, even if it's the wrong order. I once ordered a cheeseburger and got a crispy chicken sandwhich instead...oh well...it's jack in the box, what can ya do. At nice places I MIGHT kindly, humbly and apologetically send something back if I wanted it cooked more, rewarmed, or something similar, but never if they are just going to throw it away. I HATE waisting food, and I can't imagine something being so bad I'd just want it trashed.

 

[deelady]

Snack that reminds me of a time I had to send a steak back because it was just too raw (and being pregnant at the time that was a no no to eat) I thought they would just cook it a little further but it turns out that they are not alowed to do that they must throw it away and start from scratch due to health code, I felt horrible wasting ALL that food, if it was any other time I would have just eaten it!

 

[valscookbook]

If it's undercook meat or the wrong order I would.

 

[JoeV]

I own a service business, and when I complete a job I ask the customer to please tell their friends about me if they are pleased, and if there is anything that does not meet their expectations, I will return and make it right so they are happy.

I extend the same courtesy to other service businesses (restaurants) and will nicely let someone know if something is less than acceptable. MOST businesses want to deliver top notch service and products, and don't want unhappy customers. If the wait staff cops an attitude about unacceptable food, I will ask for a manager, and have the food removed from my bill, and not accept a new meal at that time. I have heard too many horror stories about what arrogant and vindictive servers do to food to allow myself to become a victim of their stupidity. Unfortunately, seafood restaurants are among the worst for bad food in my area. If I receive fish that smells like fish, I'm done with that place forever. Fresh seafood has no odor. Actually I have not ordered seafood in over 10 years. That's one meal I buy fresh and make myself.

 

[BrazenAmateur]

I will indeed send things back when there is a real issue, but I HATE doing it, so the offense has to be egregious.

A very over-done or under-done piece of meat is an example, but I won't send a steak back if I ordered "medium rare" and it's "rare" or "medium". It'd have to be cooked through or totally raw for me to inflict such a punishment on the line staff.

I've gotten things that were totally cold before though, like the insides of ravioli. I'll definitely send that back, figuring the solution is likely just 20 seconds in a microwave or somesuch.


I'm rarely put off by a line cook's work though, 99% of the time things are cooked at least CLOSE to properly and there are no great offenses. I wish I could walk in and slap executive chefs and owners sometimes though, for misleading dish names, horrible combinations of food, stingy portions or poorly thought out dishes.

When I'm unsatisfied with the food at a restaurant, 90% of the time it's attributable to the person in charge, not the person who's actually cooking my food. If the exec chef or owner is tolerating substandard product from their purveyors, the poor guy on the line is already automatically handicapped. I know substandard product when I see it and I won't inflict punishment on the kitchen by sending it back. I WILL inflict punishment on the ownership by not returning to their restaurant.

 

[Claire]

I have, but I will say that with the caveat that I do it rarely. For one thing, you can cook a piece of meat that is too rare, but you cannot uncook one that is too well done. I make a point of letting people know that for the most part I prefer my meat less cooked. I don't send meat back that has been over-cooked. At that point, there is zilch that can be done about it. Your friends, your spouse, your date, the rest of your party already has their meal, and you get to sit there waiting for yours. If I'm traveling, I just bite the bullet and forget it. If I'm here, where I know almost all the restaurant owners and chefs in town, I still eat the meal, but do talk to the owner or chef to make sure it doesn't happen again.

On the other hand, the spiciness of a meal is so subjective that it is impossible to say that a meal was not done right. The method of cooking is, as well. Friends of mine are southerners and have told me that chicken salad isn't done right, or fried chicken. I think you need to live with regional differences in cooking and taste. Over the years I've traveled quite a bit, and at some point you just have to understand that there are regional differences, and live with it. Vive la difference!

 

[JohnL]

Hi Dee,
I'm with Breeze here. If the dish is downright inedible, or something that I didn't order, I will send it back with no hesitation. I really don't care if it costs $5.00 or $50.00, if it's not what I ordered or not edible, I won't pay for it. I will however give the kitchen a chance to make things right. If it were my establishment, I would want my customers to be happy. As far as handling the situation, I just explain the problem to my server calmly and respectfully and ask them if they will convey the problem to the kitchen. I've never had a problem with that approach. On the other hand, my sisters BF never sends anything back because he swears that the chef will spit on it! Go figure.......

 

[VeraBlue]

Dining out is a two way street, with both the restaurant and the diner having responsibilities.
The restaurant promises to be knowledgeable about the menu/wine list, to deliver the meal you ordered correctly, within an appropriate amount of time, and pleasantly. The diner is responsible for how/what he orders (such as identifying allergies, dislikes, dietary needs), giving honest feedback if queried, being pleasant and paying the bill.

The restaurant wants to please you; you want what you pay for. Dining out is a business transaction, like any other. Don't apologize if you have to send something back. Be honest about why you are sending it back, describing clearly what the problem is. The fear that your food would be tampered with is almost always unwarranted.

 

[miniman]

On the other hand, my sisters BF never sends anything back because he swears that the chef will spit on it! Go figure.......

These comments always make me wonder if it because they would do it if they were in that chef's position. The idea of respect for other people & their opinions seems to be dying out.

 

[AuntieV]

Eggs-Yep!

I am very picky about how my eggs are cooked and will ask if there is a problem making sure my yolks are not runny before I will order them. If they come out runny Not only do I send back the food but I ask for them to be taken off of the bill. I make this very clear before I order them. We do not go out for breakfast often and always make sure we are not there during a rush.

I have been on the other end of the egg order and know that it is possible to cook eggs that have the egg white cooked and still have a soft yolk. I never order eggs when I see that the kitchen is real busy or it appears that they are short on help. (needless to say I do not order them often and when I do I expect them to be cooked right)

Ground glass in the food-Yep!

At a very well known food chain. It was baked in a cinnamon bun. They did not even offer to take my meal of of the bill. I have not been back there.

Other than the eggs and glass I have not had any reason to return food.