Do you tell the waiter/ess if you are unhappy with your meal?

[chappie]

I am a coward and I never do. However bad it is, I say "It's fine thanks". Anyone else a big chicken like me?

[mccfluff]

nope i take it back/ or complain, i've been a waitress and am a bar person and as far as i';m concerned your paying for your meal if it isn't right then complain!

[sandrajo]

Of course I do, I'm paying for a service and expect it to be good.

[legend006]

You should always be asked how it is anyway , thus giving you the opportunity to complain if unhappy.A goood waiter will ask a great waiter willl remedy the problem to your satisfaction.


DID THIS HELP ?

[sandrajo]

I mean whats the worst they can do, spit in your meal!!!!

[Eve]

I hate complaining and wouldn't unless there was something really really wrong like dangerously undercooked meat.

If I did have to say something I'd do it quietly and politely as often it's not the fault of the person you approach and no need to take it out on them.

I used to be a waitress and work in a kitchen so always been especially nice to waiting staff.

[legend006]

No decent waiter etc would do that to yourfood.I can assure you.Good service gets good tips.I know and can assure you that the sort of dump where folk wouold do that should be closed and id imagin e the staff to be filthy to look ata anyway .


Disgusting thought.

[Goodsoulette]

Chappie what you should remember is that if you are unhappy, it is ok to complain. It's the manner in which you do it, that is important. I have seen people get rude over the tiniest things, yet often those that have the absolute right to complain don't. They just grin and bare it, when you know full well it was rubbish or something drastic went wrong. I've also seen people dish out abuse to the schoolgirls delivering their meal to worrying levels. It's unlikely you'll get a flob steak if you treat the waitress nicely.

[Psychick]

9 times out of 10 I will call the waiter/waitress over and state my complaint quietly and politely and smile nicely and say thank you if it is sorted. If it doesnt get sorted, or the waiter/waitress is rude, I get loud :)

[chappie]

Thanks folks for all your replies.

I know I should complain, I just feel awkward doing so!!

My OH is the opposite - he'll send stuff back - I just sit there looking embarrassed.

[sandrajo]

Don't kid yourself legend006....I know of people who 'wait' in very exclusive restaurants and have heard some tales of what they do to your food!!!!

[legend006]

psychik did u follow my advice at pizzahut?

[rabbitygirl]

Re spitting in food, I once had a joker of an uncle who worked in a pie factory. I asked him what he did and he said he lifted the pie lids, spat in each one and put it back.

Of course he was joking but It was years before I ate a meat pie.

[annie0000]

I always complain if it is somethig downright dangerous like undercooked chicken or not fully reheated food.

If I just don't like it, but it is perfectly competently cooked then that is my problem and I would keep it to myself..

As for the other times, when the food is just not any good, I will point it out, but I usually refuse a replacement ( to avoid the spitting in your dinner)

I have found the easiest way to broach it is to wait until they ask, which they usually do, and just say "actually, the meal is not very good/overcooked/or whatever the case"

If you don't give feedback, you are not giving them the opportunity to improve and therefore their business will go down the pan and they wil not know why, you do get the odd occaision when they couldn't give a toss - usually if they have a lot of tourist business, and don't really rely on their reputation.

Sounds like I complain a lot, but I don't proportionally, I just eat out quite a bit!!

[sandrajo]

Hi rabbitygirl, how do you know he was joking? I've a mate who works in Swords the bakers and you won't believe the things he's told me they do to a scotch pie now and again!!! bleugh

[Buenchico]

Over twenty years ago, my father and I had a steak meal in a pub. My 'rare' steak was cooked to at least 'well done'. My father's 'medium' steak was delivered as two separate lumps of charcoal. Neither of the offerings looked like they could possibly meet the 'pre-cooked weight' that was shown on the menu.

The landlord made the mistake of asking us if we were happy with our meals. I told him (politely but firmly) that were not. A few minutes later he returned to refund our money. However, his manner was far from apologetic. He slammed the money down on our table and then retired to his stool by the bar to tell his little clique of 'regulars' exactly what he thought of me and my father. (There was no attempt to keep his voice down. We were meant to hear his comments).

Last year, I visited the same pub and got into conversation with the present landlord. I told him just how terrible the landlord had been 20-odd years ago and that he should never have been allowed to run a pub. Shortly afterwards, the barman told me that the current landlord was the longest serving landlord in the county, having run that pub for over 30 years. Oops! ;-)

Chris

[Psychick]

Legend that was so long ago now I cant remember! Strangely enough, we havent been to pizzahut since last year though lol

[rabbitygirl]

I prefer to believe he was joking sandrajo, but who knows!

[legend006]

Welll follow my advice and u cant go wrong .

[wendilla]

Last Sunday we went to carvery sunday dinner where we had previously been a few times but this time no carvery so as there was 5 of us and 2 children we had this new platters for 4 .So we had 2 of them.The potatoes were burnt ,the yorkies were flat and floppy.We complained about potatoes and was brought another dish which were just as bad. When the waiter came to clear the table we complained politely and asked why carvery had stopped. We were told it was under new management but we got free dessert for all of us.Just shows you how a place that we knew was good can change. So it always pays to complain but do it politeley.