I feel like that all of the time.
I usually only go out when I meet up with my kids and it is their choice. It is more about meeting up and spending time together. My GF and I go out for breakfast occasionally but it is mostly greasy spoon style sausage and eggs. Or I will get a craving for wings and beer and go to a pub, but that is more for entertainment.
I will search out small ethnic places to try new stuff that I have never eaten and don't cook. But if I like something I search out the recipes and ingredients and cook my own versions at home.
I am feeling more and more ripped off because I know I could have done better for a fraction of the price. And, being a cook for so many years, I know what to look for and can tell you pretty much exactly what went into the preparation. It doesn't take much to wreck a night out, weather it is service or food quality. I am not a Foodie, but I do expect things to be done right.
Restaurants are some of the only places that you have to pay for something you didn't particularly like. For the most part, you can't look at your meal and then decide you will take it, like a retail product. If I knew what I was getting half of the time I wouldn't have ordered it. In some cases there may be nothing intrinsically wrong with it, but, you just don't like it, so you can't just send it back. Then, it becomes a question of do you want to cause a scene or have the staff hate you? If it has reached that point, then it is a bad experience, say what you want. Franchises are the worst for that. Nice glossy photos on the menu and what you get is nothing like them. I pretty much stopped eating in franchises all together.
I wonder what would happen if you decided to only pay a percentage based on the deficiencies of the food you ordered/ate? If it wasn't 100% to your liking then you could knock off a few bucks and give them what you thought was suitable. After all, sometimes they are knowingly passing stuff off that could and has been done better.