Have you had to send a meal back at a restaurant?

[stevenpatrick]

I have sent a few steak and tuna dishes back for being cooked incorrectly, and my wife has sent a few pasta dishes back for being overcooked. All without drama. But we went out with my wife's high school friend and husband the other night, and they both sent their meals back for what I thought were trivial reasons, and in dramatic fashion. It admittedly made me feel uncomfortable, and I learned later that they probably send back a third of their meals when they eat out, to try to get a discount/free meal.

Admittedly it worked and I was paying, but definitely was not worth the drama that was put forth just to save me close to $100. I definitely have no plans to dine with them again when they are in town.
Anyone else had to go through this?

 

[like-woahh]

I guarantee those two people have eaten their fair share of spit and other unsavory things during their time eating at restaurants. Those types are the absolute scum of the Earth as far as restaurant workers are concerned.

Working in a kitchen, due to my personal ethics, would never do such unsavory things. But I know a lot of people who would.

You should share that with them.

Wise choice to never eat out with them again, you may be considered guilty by association.

 

[longliveCS40]

Never. I just don't go back to that restaurant again.

 

[KitingHigh]

I've sent salmon back for being overdone a few times and finally gave up and won't order it in American restaurants anymore.

 

[Pepperman]

It happens all the time in Iowa. Our restaurants are so bad.

 

[TJ8869]

Never. I just don't go back to that restaurant again.

This. If Mrs. SP's friends can't afford to pay the regular price when they dine out then they should just eat at home and stop wasting other people's time and money. Even the most demanding patron has no reason to send back a meal one-third of the time.

The only incident that comes to mind for me was about ten years ago. I ordered a steak and they brought me the wrong cut. IIRC I ordered a Porterhouse and the waitress brought me a ribeye. It was no big deal except that the steak I ordered was about $5 more expensive. I politely pointed out the error to the waitress and explained that I was happy to eat the steak she served but my only concern was that I wanted to make sure they charged me for the one I received rather than the more expensive one I had ordered.

She apologized profusely and even though I assured her there was no problem, she brought me a second steak - the one I had ordered - and allowed me to keep both. She only charged me for the lesser of the two. I gladly paid the bill and gave her a 30% tip for being so proactive.

 

[BABiscuit]

One time I sent my steak tartare back for being undercooked. It saved me $105 though so I was happy with it.

My wife sent chicken strips back at Chili's one time because they were raw in the middle. When you are eating at a nice place you dont expect stuff like that.

 

[TJ8869]

One time I sent my steak tartare back for being undercooked.

I hate when that happens.

 

[Pepperman]

Usually my McDonald's comes the way I hoped it would, but I've never really thought about tipping? Am I being cheap?

 

[HawkCapt1912]

Didn't send it back but had the waitress talk to the chef about my steak. It was cut poorly. Should've been cut into medallions. My dad was a butcher for 33 years and I learned my cuts. The chef came out and we spoke about it. He agreed, and comped me a different steak. Still go to that restaurant, was there a couple of weeks ago with the Mrs (no pics). Only time I've ever had to mention anything negative about the preparation of a meal.

 

[stevenpatrick]

I've sent salmon back for being overdone a few times and finally gave up and won't order it in American restaurants anymore.

I haven't ordered salmon here in 5 years, and this city gets the best stuff. I learned to cook it exactly the way I like it, so there's no point in ordering it elsewhere.

Pepperman, are you regretting your move back to Iowa? It sure seems like it.

 

[stevenpatrick]

This. If Mrs. SP's friends can't afford to pay the regular price when they dine out then they should just eat at home and stop wasting other people's time and money. Even the most demanding patron has no reason to send back a meal one-third of the time.

The only incident that comes to mind for me was about ten years ago. I ordered a steak and they brought me the wrong cut. IIRC I ordered a Porterhouse and the waitress brought me a ribeye. It was no big deal except that the steak I ordered was about $5 more expensive. I politely pointed out the error to the waitress and explained that I was happy to eat the steak she served but my only concern was that I wanted to make sure they charged me for the one I received rather than the more expensive one I had ordered.

She apologized profusely and even though I assured her there was no problem, she brought me a second steak - the one I had ordered - and allowed me to keep both. She only charged me for the lesser of the two. I gladly paid the bill and gave her a 30% tip for being so proactive.

That's good service. Where was it? My wife ordered a shrimp pasta dish a month ago, and the one she got had scallops. She pointed it out, and they brought the shrimp dish out too, without charging for either. Even though they made an epic mistake, they will still get our business due to their honesty.

 

[Pepperman]

Pepperman, are you regretting your move back to Iowa? It sure seems like it.

Not at all. I'm happy with my decision. I had some fun and did well in a different place, but ultimately realized I like living here and enjoying this lifestyle... but that's just my opinion. Thanks for asking, though. Now, if I may, why are you so insecure that you start all these threads with the ultimate motive of eventually insulting Iowans? It is a tired act and clearly I am not the only one that has caught on to it, but you are fun to wind up!

 

[HerkyHopeful]

The last 3 dinner meetings I've had at work were inedible, raw meat each time. Typically I would send the dish back, but I never want to make a scene in a meeting. It's amazing that it's always the midlevel priced places (20-35 dollar plates) that screw it up

 

[TJ8869]

That's good service. Where was it? My wife ordered a shrimp pasta dish a month ago, and the one she got had scallops. She pointed it out, and they brought the shrimp dish out too, without charging for either. Even though they made an epic mistake, they will still get our business due to their honesty.

I don't recall the name of the place. It was a family-owned restaurant in a small town in northern Ohio. The type of place where the employees take a personal interest in making sure the customers are happy. I love places like that.

 

[ParkerHawk]

Never. I just don't go back to that restaurant again.

This, except once I was starving and what I ordered was so ridiculously salty I couldn't choke it down

 

[iowalaker]

I ordered a steak rare once. It was too rare, so I had them put it back on the grill for a bit. Completely my fault, no harm done. And I apologized for it.

I never send anything back if it's their fault. No way. I just won't go back there again.

 

[hawkeye54545]

No, but I'm not an insufferable douche.

Well, maybe I am but just not that big of one.

 

[hawkeye54545]

This, except once I was starving and what I ordered was so ridiculously salty I couldn't choke it down

A splash a semen will do that to a dish.

 

[iavagabond]

Never. I just don't go back to that restaurant again.

Same here. What I know that is probably happening means I wouldn't eat the food that comes back anyway. If they can't get it right, I just do go back.

 

[Kinnick 4 Prez]

I don't think I've ever sent anything back. My wife had a steak returned because it was undercooked. She likes a little pink at most and it came out red. The staff knew right away when she cut the meat it wasn't to her liking. They came out with a new one. No issues and a free dessert.

 

[jellyfish10]

Typically I go the other way. Sometimes when service is poor or the food is bad, I just keep my mouth shut and don't reflect my dissatisfaction in the tip. We did send a meal back over spring break in SC...my son wasn't feeling frozen corn dogs. Pussy.

 

[TJ8869]

A splash a semen will do that to a dish.

You say that like you know from experience.

 

[hawkeye54545]

You say that like you know from experience.

Fortunately no but in all seriousness, about 5 years ago in I believe Ottumwa a guy was doing that to food at a Chinese restaurant. The lady it happened to got a pretty hefty settlement.

 

[KitingHigh]

I ordered a steak rare once. It was too rare, so I had them put it back on the grill for a bit. Completely my fault, no harm done. And I apologized for it.

I never send anything back if it's their fault. No way. I just won't go back there again.

You probably like medium rare and got a true rare. Most places, except the really high end ones, cook to a level above the actual request. I typically order mine blue, which is more rare than rare and sometimes requires me to explain it to the waiter. The result is typically that I get an actual rare steak.

 

[Rustys Dad]

I can probably count on one hand how many times I have sent something back. Usually it would only be if the meat was undercooked. Otherwise, either eat it or don't eat it. Either come back to the restaurant in the future ... Or you don't. I am not too picky when it comes to food. My real only expectation is that it is cooked properly. People who send back many of their dinners are usually just ahole people in general.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

That's good service. Where was it? My wife ordered a shrimp pasta dish a month ago, and the one she got had scallops. She pointed it out, and they brought the shrimp dish out too, without charging for either. Even though they made an epic mistake, they will still get our business due to their honesty.

Did she eat both?

 

[stevenpatrick]

Did she eat both?

The restaurant boxed up the one with scallops and sent it home with us. I ate it the next day for lunch.

 

[ANYCHawk]

One time I sent my steak tartare back for being undercooked. It saved me $105 though so I was happy with it.

I don't believe this to be true. No steak can be undercooked.

(yeah so what I like my steak to moo when I stick in a fork in it)

 

[stevenpatrick]

Not at all. I'm happy with my decision. I had some fun and did well in a different place, but ultimately realized I like living here and enjoying this lifestyle... but that's just my opinion. Thanks for asking, though. Now, if I may, why are you so insecure that you start all these threads with the ultimate motive of eventually insulting Iowans? It is a tired act and clearly I am not the only one that has caught on to it, but you are fun to wind up!

I wasn't the one that brought up Iowa in this thread. You were. And your second post kind of reiterated the first with the McDonalds "joke." My OP had absolutely nothing to do with my home state. And your posts about our home state since you moved back haven't seemed overly optimistic. But I suppose you normally don't exude sunshine with your posting anyway.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

We have a friend whose girlfriend regularly complains about any and all things dining out, so we regularly avoid going out with them. But one time at the Perkins in Clear Lake, my wife found a little green thing crawling through her salad. The poor waitress was more appalled than my wife. Anyway I was glad I had finished my pancakes.

 

[BABiscuit]

I wasn't the one that brought up Iowa in this thread. You were. And your second post kind of reiterated the first with the McDonalds "joke." My OP had absolutely nothing to do with my home state. And your posts about our home state since you moved back haven't seemed overly optimistic. But I suppose you normally don't exude sunshine with your posting anyway.

Not a lot of "teenagers" in DSM suburbs so Pepperman is probably loving life.

 

[Pepperman]

We have a friend whose girlfriend regularly complains about any and all things dining out, so we regularly avoid going out with them.

Similar story here - we dined three times with some "couple friends" at (same restaurant each time) and he ordered a fish dish every time, despite the menu having many different options. Each time he complained that it was over-cooked, and each time he refused a new dish, just saying "Hey, I just want you to know this is over-cooked, but I'll eat it." That stuff gets embarrassing quickly, especially when you look at the fish and it doesn't look bad at all.

Since SP clearly wasn't out for an Internet fight, and pardon me for thinking he ever would be, I'll answer honestly now. I don't think I've sent more than 2-3 meals back in my entire life. There has to be something glaringly wrong for me to do that.

 

[Pepperman]

Not a lot of "teenagers" in DSM suburbs so Pepperman is probably loving life.

You are absolutely correct that I am loving life. Also spot on that I have no desire to interact with urban black culture.

 

[LunchBox50]

You probably like medium rare and got a true rare. Most places, except the really high end ones, cook to a level above the actual request. I typically order mine blue, which is more rare than rare and sometimes requires me to explain it to the waiter. The result is typically that I get an actual rare steak.

My brother eats really rare steak, but he always called it “unicorn” rather than blue.

As for the OP's question, I've sent two meals back in my life. One had chicken that was raw on the inside, the other was a Thai dish with so much pepper it was inedible.

 

[PerkyForHerky]

My steaks at Applebees and Outback are usually fine. Maybe a little more or less done than I'd prefer. But not a big deal.

 

[CuttyDoesIt]

My steaks at Applebees and Outback are usually fine. Maybe a little more or less done than I'd prefer. But not a big deal.

You need to eat at better restaurants.

 

[TankHawk]

"But we went out with my wife's high school friend and husband the other night, and they both sent their meals back for what I thought were trivial reasons, and in dramatic fashion. It admittedly made me feel uncomfortable, and I learned later that they probably send back a third of their meals when they eat out, to try to get a discount/free meal.

Admittedly it worked and I was paying, but definitely was not worth the drama that was put forth just to save me close to $100. I definitely have no plans to dine with them again when they are in town.
Anyone else had to go through this?"[/QUOTE]



I don't understand. Why were they worried about getting a free or discounted meal if you were picking up the tab? Were they worried you could not afford it?

 

[fredjr82]

My steaks at Applebees and Outback are usually fine. Maybe a little more or less done than I'd prefer. But not a big deal.

You need to eat at better restaurants.

 

[ping72]

Only if we got the wrong food.