Do you complain in restaurants?

OhMeOhMy · 11-05-2011 10:49PM #1

Was in a restaurant in Limerick for lunch and there's this couple sitting across from me. The woman is bitching about the food saying that the cheese on top of the cottage pie is mank and the sauce is really heavy.

From what I could gather, restaurant had been recently taken over by new management and the manageress came down and was chatting to the couple who it seemed that she knew. She asked how the food was and the couple were all smiles praising the food.

What do you do? If something isn't up to your expectations do you send it back?

DublinWriter · 11-05-2011 10:57PM

The one and only time I was in Patrick Guilbauds I complained to one of our many waiters (?) about an entreè that consisted of seafood hard purée, but made to look like a miniature pint of Guinness.

It tasted indescribably bad, maybe I just don't have a palette sophisticated enough to appreciate the unique taste combination of brine and liquorice.

Anyway, the water looked like I had just propositioned him to commit an act of buggery in the gents. He just wasn't programmed for such a customer reaction in the high cuisine temple of Guilbaud.

Several pints later we ended up in Eddie Rockets.

11-05-2011 11:06PM

If there's something genuinely wrong, like the time a friend found a bolt (an actual metal bolt) in her meal at the Bad Ass Cafe, then yeah I'll say something.

But if it just hasn't met my "expectations", of course not.

It really bugs me when people get what they paid for but think they have the right to complain that it's not how mama made it.

The Scientician · 11-05-2011 11:12PM

I have done once or twice. You gotta weigh up your fear that they'll go make you something else and do something manky to it. Some managers in restaurants are assholes. This guy was defending the mouldy bread he gave us with our dinner one time in a pub/restaurant, "well it's really warm in the kitchen!" I don't give a feck, just give me bread without mould on it or get out of the restaurant business.

3hn2givr7mx1sc · 11-05-2011 11:16PM

"..you make me cry, you're such a good-lookin' woooomaan."

Blondini · 11-05-2011 11:21PM

It's a fact that they will either :
piss/****/snot/buttfloss/****/knob-polish/flaps-freshen/armpit-wipe
on your replacement dish if you complain.

Forest Master · 11-05-2011 11:29PM

I'll complain if I'm not happy with something - but I can never go back again, because I'll be "that guy".

Dangerous Man · 11-05-2011 11:35PM

Yeah - I'll complain. Three reasons: (1) I'm paying for this and (2) if they care enough, they'll fix the problem and (3) if they really care, they'll appreciate that someone brought up the problem to begin with.

mlumley · 11-05-2011 11:42PM

My wife and I went for a meal and she ordered fillet steak. Wend she was eating it she came accross a piece of grissel :eek:. Now, from working in hotel kitchens I know fillet doesnt have grissel. We complaind, got a fresh meal, with no grissel, and a pint for me and a glass of wine for her. It was arround the time of the Brazilian import of cr*p meat was going on. Im MHO, it was not fillet. They corrected it, fair play. Never went there again.

bnt · 11-05-2011 11:49PM

I probably would if there was something obviously wrong, but it hasn't happened to me yet. I have had the opposite experience: ordered the chef's speciality without knowing it, complimented it, and had the chef come out to chat about it.

OhMeOhMy · 11-05-2011 11:49PM

That reminds me of a time myself and my mum were out for dinner and she ordered cod. Food came and she was convinced it was not cod she was given. Management refuted this.
Mum took a piece of the fish and brought it to the fish monger to analyse and low and behold....it's yer cheap ol' coley. Mum went back in demanding an apology and got it!
What a legend

Also can't stand when restaurants advertise their desserts as home made when it comes and has clearly been bought in. Have enough experience of dishing desserts onto plates to feed the throngs to know the difference!

mikemac · 11-05-2011 11:49PM

mlumley wrote: »

It was arround the time of the Brazilian import of cr*p meat was going on. Im MHO, it was not fillet. They corrected it, fair play. Never went there again.

Places that import Brazilian beef and don't advertise that or pass it off as Irish need to be named.

Do you want to name it?

My name is URL · 11-05-2011 11:52PM

I just mutter incessantly and nod my head when the waitress asks if everything is okay

jdooley28 · 11-05-2011 11:55PM

Any time anyone has ever complaimed and got me to bring the food back to the kitchen no chef/waiter/manager has ever spat/wiped/throw on the floor any meal. they mite not b happy but I really don't think anything will happen to your food if you send it back, its just a myth

Storminateacup · 11-05-2011 11:58PM

I will if
- Its cold.
- Theres something in it that shouldn't be in it. (Hairs, ect)

I hate waiters/waitresses who hover over your table, waiting for you to swallow the last bite before grabbing the plates.

11-05-2011 11:59PM

I have said something before when my steak was not done as I ordered - it was still nice and I still ate it, so I just mentioned it as an fyi to the waiter when he was taking the dishes. The manager still came over to apologise and took drinks off the bill, which I wasn't expecting or looking for.

mikemac · 12-05-2011 12:00AM

Blondini wrote: »

It's a fact that they will either :
piss/****/snot/buttfloss/****/knob-polish/flaps-freshen/armpit-wipe
on your replacement dish if you complain.

Absolute lies.

In a kitchen the head chef will have other chefs watching and they take their reputation seriously. Even in a pub with one chef there the kitchen porter will be watching

Enough of your urban myths.
Watch less TV and go work in a kitchen

bluewolf wrote: »

I have said something before when my steak was not done as I ordered - it was still nice and I still ate it, so I just mentioned it as an fyi to the waiter when he was taking the dishes. The manager still came over to apologise and took drinks off the bill, which I wasn't expecting or looking for.

Fairly standard realy.
They know that while Irish people might not complain on the night, they'll badmouth the place to family and friends.
To keep you and your husband happy, two drinks was nothing and worth every cent if you'll recommend to family and friends

12-05-2011 12:03AM

feelingstressed wrote: »

Fairly standard realy.
They know that while Irish people might not complain on the night, they'll badmouth the place to family and friends.
To keep you and your husband happy, two drinks was nothing

My husband??

:D

I did feel a bit guilty using the diner card after that :pac::pac:

OPENROAD · 12-05-2011 12:03AM

Bought a latte the other day, asked for it extra hot, took a sip from it and it was not extra hot, brought it back and very politely asked for another one, no problem.

As for restaurants, yes I would, but again I would do it as politely as possible and I would tend to make the initial complaint to the manager rather than waiting staff.

Ruu_Old · 12-05-2011 12:06AM

I used to run a hotel in Torquay, the amount of complaints I've had to deal with was absurd! :mad: Nothings ever good enough!

OhMeOhMy · 12-05-2011 12:08AM

Ruu wrote: »

I used to run a hotel in Torquay, the amount of complaints I've had to deal with was absurd! :mad: Nothings ever good enough!

Place musta been sh*te!

mikemac · 12-05-2011 12:08AM

bluewolf wrote: »

My husband?? :D

I did feel a bit guilty using the diner card after that :pac::pac:

About time you settled down.
So Bluewolf, when are you going to give us a day out?

D1stant · 12-05-2011 12:14AM

I sent back 3 steaks in one place. The family were sitting there for an hour waiting for me to get one I approved of. I asked medium rare and they were all way over cooked. 'Strange they said as our head chef is working tonight' I even offered instructions on how to cook it

I hardly ever order steak, but I mean if a place is going to charge you a 20 quid premium for 2 minutes of cooking the meat, then they better a) serve good quality meat and b) cook as ordered

Anyway... The 4th one was really tasty - must have been all the jizz on it :rolleyes:

Im actually not a prick. Honest

12-05-2011 12:22AM

feelingstressed wrote: »

About time you settled down.
So Bluewolf, when are you going to give us a day out?

You can have a day out any time you like, im not stopping you!!

i71jskz5xu42pb · 12-05-2011 12:23AM

OhMeOhMy wrote: »

Place musta been sh*te!

Please! Try to understand before one of us dies.

nearyj · 12-05-2011 12:27AM

If there's a problem, most certainly though thankfully it has been a rare occurance. The odd time a steak hasn't been cooked as requested; another time the side salad came with a slug. A sign that it was fresh

These things happen, human error. I would be discreet. I definitely won't be the schmuck who complains privately and then says everything is fine when asked by the waiter.

I've the same mentality when in a pub. If I get a bad pint, it's going back.

dark crystal · 12-05-2011 12:28AM

Ruu wrote: »

I used to run a hotel in Torquay, the amount of complaints I've had to deal with was absurd! :mad: Nothings ever good enough!

I once ate in a hotel restaurant in Torquay - the manager was some mentaller with a bandage on his head, raving about 'The Germans'. He was also quite sadistic towards his staff.

Never went back.

OPENROAD · 12-05-2011 12:30AM

Ruu wrote: »

I used to run a hotel in Torquay, the amount of complaints I've had to deal with was absurd! :mad: Nothings ever good enough!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj9TRVZo5Nc

magentas · 12-05-2011 01:24AM

D1stant wrote: »

I sent back 3 steaks in one place. The family were sitting there for an hour waiting for me to get one I approved of. I asked medium rare and they were all way over cooked. 'Strange they said as our head chef is working tonight' I even offered instructions on how to cook it

I hardly ever order steak, but I mean if a place is going to charge you a 20 quid premium for 2 minutes of cooking the meat, then they better a) serve good quality meat and b) cook as ordered

Anyway... The 4th one was really tasty - must have been all the jizz on it :rolleyes:

Im actually not a prick. Honest

Really?!:D

D1stant · 12-05-2011 12:35PM

magentas wrote: »

Really?!:D

Nah. I am really

Misticles · 12-05-2011 12:56PM

I only complain if:

They mess up the order
Foods cold (even in Mc Donalds) :P
Dosn't taste right - for example, tastes like its gone off! easily detected when eating something with Dairy.

Do you complain in restaurants?

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