Eating out

[catnapper]

This is a major conversation at work -- who eats what, where, and how is the service. Ok, so perhaps we should be doing actual WORK, but its more fun to talk about FOOD. :p

What we've discovered is that we are divided into two camps: those who eat what they've been served without complaint and those who send it back. Those who don't send it back, swear that if they DID, they'd end up with spit on their food.

Before I admit how bad I am, I want to see what others admit! :D But I will admit I never hesitate to send things back. I'm paying for the service and I expect it correct. I DO tip VERY well. I also always tell the waitress I know its not her fault. Most times, I have favorite waitresses whom I ask for, because they know what I want and deliver it every time.

[Taz_Zoee]

I voted sometimes. And I have some recent examples to back it.

A couple weekends ago we were in Tahoe and went to breakfast at a little place. I ordered an omelet with mushrooms, spinach and avocado. The omelet was HUGE and I begin eating around the outside edge. Once I got toward the middle I discovered there was onions instead of avocado inside. YUCK!! I can't stand onions so I sent it back and they made me the correct food. Luckily Bruce didn't have a large meal so he helped me eat it since I was almost full from the outside edge of the first one.

Another example was the other night we went to Applebee's and I got my favorite chicken meal (Bruce got the same thing). When they brought it to the table there was a large black hair with grey at the end right there on the chicken. Since I could not identify it as mine, Bruce's or any of our animals I sent it back. The manager was at our table before the waitress even got the food back to the kitchen. They took my meal off the bill and made me another one (although I think they just removed the piece of chicken and remade that because the potatoes were cold in spots).

But an example of when I might not send something back is when I order steak. I usually like my steak cooked so it is either not pink at all or a very light pink in the middle. Sometimes it will be a little more pink/red than I'd like, but I won't send it back. It just depends on how it tastes really.

[Pinot's Mom]

Yes! I'll send it back; I haven't had much opportunity to do so, I might add, because I generally get food that's within the range of being cooked as I like it, but I do have one story. It actually highlites one of the reasons my husband and I stay away from chain restaurants as much as possible.

I order steak medium rare. I don't want it well, and I don't want it mooing, I want it medium rare and I do know what that means. That being said...
Several years ago we went to the "Outback Steakhouse". I ordered steak. There were MANY other issues with this meal, but I'll concentrate on the issue at hand. The steak was really still mooing - I couldn't even cut it - so rare! I sent it back - THREE TIMES! With that, and all the other issues, you would think a manager would come to the table. No. The waitress bubblehead kept coming back and saying "How's everything" - unbelievable! We gave up on the steak, asked if the manager was on site, and were told, yes, he's in the kitchen and aware of this!!! We said we wanted to see him. This IDIOT had the nerve to look at me and say, "That's the way we do things at the Outback"!!! REALLY!!!

I told him in no uncertain terms I would never patronize Outback, or any of the other restaurants owned by that company, and would make sure my friends didn't either, and we're a group that goes out pretty regularly. It had no effect. He didn't care.:mad:

[pomtzu]

I very seldom eat out, but when I do, I fully expect it to be as I ordered it. If not - it will go back.

[Catherinedana]

I haven't had to send food back many times. I can recall only two.

Once was at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn where the meatballs in my meatball hero were GREEN :eek: !!! I left and didn't eat anything there.

The other time was a Thai restaurant and I asked that my food be mild. It came so spicy that I had to spit it out and thought I was going to die. The waitress tried to convince me that WAS mild, so I had the rest of the people at my table taste it. . .they all agreed that it was NOT. I told her that we could get the concensus of the rest of the patrons if she wished and she said no. They brought me more edible fare :D So they DID know the difference between spicy and mild after all!

Cathy

[Cincy'sMom]

I generally don't send things back. I am not at all picky and really only do when someone else makes me. I have ordered steak and been brought a burger and if others at the tabel hadn't said something I never would. I like all food, and as long as it tastes good, no big deal.

Pinot's mom, I have to agree with you on Outback. That chain seems to have no concept of what the various levels of cooking a steak are. You try to order what they list and it is not what you get. I rarely go there, but I have learned to not order what I think I want, but what they cook.

[kitten645]

I'm not terribly fussy about food so I don't send something back unless it's blatantly not right..lasagna frozen in the middle...Cold cold food. I wouldn't order a steak anywhere but a steakhouse (I actually like Outback!) I certainly know what I'd get by ordering a steak at Applebee's or TGIF. ick! I generally order on the safe side..salad..soup..I would NEVER go out to Thai or Indian because I know there's more I DON"T like on the menu and expecting the waitress to understand MY particular taste isn't going to happen. I only eat out as a social thing really. If I want something in particular, no one can cook myself something I'd like better than me. :p

[Karen]

I have food allergies, so if something is not right, I cannot risk eating it. I send it back. I am usually polite about it, and it doesn't cause a problem.

[Moesha]

I can't remember ever sending food back. I am not an adventurous person especially when it comes to food. I usually order chicken strips, because how can you mess up chicken strips? ;) I have received ice cold fries or something like that. I just don't eat them. I hate drawing attention to myself.

[kuhio98]

Yes, I'll send it back if it's wrong -- against my specific instructions. Like, if the meat is undercooked or if I there is mayo anywhere on the plate when I specifically said no mayo.

But, I won't send it back if I just don't like the taste -- I figure they made it correctly (according to their recipe), but turns out I just don't like their seasoning or something.

I don't regularly eat at chain restaurants so recipes and seasonings can differ quite a bit.

[caseysmom]

We don't eat out much, even with my broken foot we haven't. Its so expensive and I would rather buy a nice cut of meat and throw it on the grill, its just to easy to be bothered with going out.

I don't think I have ever returned something when going out though, I have even sat and ate the wrong thing before.

[Medusa]

I didn't check off anything because my answer isn't on the poll. If I have to send something back, I leave. I don't trust them not to retaliate. Besides, if they don't get it right the first time, it's unlikely that it'll suit me the second time around.

[Casper]

Paranoia keeps me from eating out anywhere. I only eat what I fix myself. :)

[smokey the elder]

I would send it back if something about the prep struck me as unsafe (undercooked poultry or pork, "off" odor, etc.) If it's not what I ordered, but ingredients I don't like are either absent or can be separated out easily, then I'll chalk it up to a brain f@rt. If it has something I don't like as a key component then it would go back.

[beeniesmom]

I fit in the sometimes category.
I send it back only in two cases:
1) I recieve something I did not order... like fries instead of a baked potato.
2) If something is really cold I ask if they could kindly pop it in thier microwave because 'I took too long to eat it' and prefer it hotter.
They usually end up redoing it because they understand that it was thier mistake... not mine. :)

[caseysmom]

We went to Bubba Gumps in San Francicso once and my daughter ordered "bucket of boat trash" or something like that...it was gross...we tried to talk to the server and he didn't even care...I told my daughter I will just order you something else but he never came around again.

I wrote a letter to the management, they called me and apologized, they had since taken that item off the menu and they sent me a $100.00 certificate for another dinner...I ordered the steak:D It was actually pretty good, most of their seafood is just too deep fried. It was an excuse to drive to San Francisco and have a night out again.

[Edwina's Secretary]

We eat out one or two nights a week. I have been known to send things back. I do not like to as I get more annoyed as I wait for it to come back.

I have told the server that while I am eating it - it is not cooked the way I ordered.

I guess I know how tough the business is and so if it falls within "acceptable but not what I wanted" I tend to accept it.

However, we do have a "three strikes and you're out" rule. If a restaurant messes up food or service or we are not happy for whatever reason...that restuarant comes off the list.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

We always do! of course we always stay correct and friendly; no need to be rude !

[AllAmericanPUP]

I am never unreasonable when i go out to eat and i most definitely never get snappy with the waitress about the food because it's not her/his fault. The only time i send food back is if it's meat and undercooked..otherwise I'm really not that picky unless it's just completely unacceptable in some way or if i get something i didn't order.

I hate going out with people who are ridiculous and get b***y and are just plain embarrassing.

[caseysmom]

Have to agree with you there! I went to macaroni grill with my sister in law and right off she said "make sure our bread is fresh" I thought oh crap I'm gonna be eating spit:eek:

[carole]

I rarely eat out, but when i do , yes i sometimes would send it back, depending, once i got toasted sandwiches which were burn't and i tried to eat them, but couldn't so i sent them back, and i specifically ordered a bagel without cranberry sauce, and it came with it on, as i cannot eat that, i sent it back, joking with the waiter i hope it does not come back with spit on it, as there had just been a big write up in the paper about that, i was a tad worried, but all was fine.

We don't tip in NZ, however our wages are higher, so i expect good service just the same.

[RICHARD]

Rules to eat by?

1. Ask, don't order a dish that you suspect may have an offensive food/spice in it.

Personally, I will hate you until you send me a Christmas card if you embarass me when I break bread with you.

"OH, I am allergic/don't care for XXXXXXX is it in any of your dishes?
I like that! I'll eat pretty much anything, but I have rules about eating out!

Don't be a prima donna and then spit out the offending food in front of me because you are too effing stupid to lay out the rules before you get served.

"OH I TASTE XXXXXXX, EWWWW, UGHHHH." gag, spit.


-------------------

One of my pals would find anything to complain about to get a discount, coupon, freebie.....

He would go into an Italian Restaurant, then complain that the food was not like his mother's fare.:confused:


2. Figure out what they payment arrangement is before you order.

3 Tip well.

[ramanth]

I put sometimes. I've never sent food back because it wasn't made how I expect it. I've had "meh" meals, but never bad ones.

I once ordered fish and it was only partially cooked. I wasn't going to complain (I wasn't really that hungry anyway) when the manager just happened to walk by and ask about our meals and my boyfriend spoke up about the fish. The manager was horrified and I assured him it wasn't a big deal. A whole new plate was brought out.

At Friday's, I ordered a sandwich, the order came out promptly and I dug in and then part way through realized that it wasn't what I ordered. It was really good though so I just didn't bother saying anything.

[Daisy and Delilah]

I eat out quite a bit. I am pretty reasonable with what I'm served. I'm not real picky either. I go into a restaurant and I try to show respect for everybody. I have a friend or two that I refuse to go out with because of their behavior. They go into the restaurant and complain about everything. Some people are so rude, they belong at home all the time.

I've been pretty fortunate to have good luck over the years. I usually get what I want and it's prepared the way I asked. If I have to say anything about the meal, I'm always polite. Being rude might get you something you don't want.:eek:

Getting takeout is another story. So many times, I had problems with takeout. Now, I know it pays to check the bag before I leave with it. If I do get home and have missed something, I always call the restaurant when the issue is enough to mention it to a manager. Every manager I've ever spoken to has been nothing but nice.:)

[Pinot's Mom]

I eat out quite a bit. I am pretty reasonable with what I'm served. I'm not real picky either. I go into a restaurant and I try to show respect for everybody. I have a friend or two that I refuse to go out with because of their behavior. They go into the restaurant and complain about everything. Some people are so rude, they belong at home all the time.

I've been pretty fortunate to have good luck over the years. I usually get what I want and it's prepared the way I asked. If I have to say anything about the meal, I'm always polite. Being rude might get you something you don't want.:eek:

Getting takeout is another story. So many times, I had problems with takeout. Now, I know it pays to check the bag before I leave with it. If I do get home and have missed something, I always call the restaurant when the issue is enough to mention it to a manager. Every manager I've ever spoken to has been nothing but nice.:)


I just want to agree - being polite is always the way to go, that Outback thing was just SO over the top!

[kitten645]

"Have to agree with you there! I went to macaroni grill with my sister in law and right off she said "make sure our bread is fresh" I thought oh crap I'm gonna be eating spit:eek:"

That made me laugh but ewww! I thankfully have never had a dinner companion that embarassed me like that. "Make sure our bread is fresh" as an order or assumption that it wouldn't be I feel is rude. I'd wait for the bread to arrive and it wasn't fresh, I'd just politely "I'm so sorry. This bread is a bit stale. Do you mind replacing it?" I don't see how anyone could take offense to that. Hence, no spit!

I swear at my job, I've had some ***hole customer say something like "Can you make sure that's NICELY wrapped?" Assuming I'm going to do a cr*p job? Makes me just want to give them what they initially expected just to prove a point!

[blue]

Ever watch the movie Waiting?

[CountryWolf07]

Ever watch the movie Waiting?

I have... and I've seen episodes on real TV about how chefs, waitresses/waiters, etc. have spit in their customer's food, etc. etc. Goodness.. could not believe what I saw! :eek:

I rarely send food back. My boyfriend and I went to Smokey Bones for dinner a couple weeks ago, and I ordered a half slab ribs.. and it was not AT all, very good but however I still ate it. I just figured it was how they cooked it, etc. All ribs are cooked differently I suppose.. Should've picked a different type of BBQ for that dinner, though.

[K9karen]

We don't tip in NZ, however our wages are higher, so i expect good service just the same.

The NZ'ers and Aussies LOVED me (and my fellow travel agents) 'cause we felt guilty NOT tipping, 'cause the service we had everywhere was excellent and plus, we LOVEd the accents. One waitress tried to give the tip back, but we explained, we tip for good service in the US, and, he**, we're on holiday, so take it. She hugged us. It was worth it.

I've rarely sent food back. Maybe I just eat at places I know. Once, the food was on the cool side, and I got back a fresh plate. Another time, the ice tea tasted moldy (brewed wrong? it was foamy) and I got soda instead with no problem.

I've seen people scream and yell and carry on. That's not my style. Seriously, I don't expect it taken off my bill, just made right. I've come home with free desserts because the waitress liked us. She said if the pies or cake are crushed or broken, they can't sell them, so she gave me the whole pie 2x ,for free in a take home container. John and I became good friends with her after that. If the service is good, we are good tippers. Although times are rough, I still think good service deserves a reward. It's hard work, serving the public and sometimes it's not the servers' fault.