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What would you do re: eating out

Here's the scenario: You and a friend go out to a fancy (read: expensive) bistro for dinner and drinks. Your friend orders what sounds like a pretty tasty mexican style "pizza" with chorizo sausage...recommended by the waitress. When it comes, she really doesn't like it. She won't send it back or complain, she's not like that. You finally mention it to your waitress, she feigns shock. The waitress asks your friend what she'd like to do (ie order something else). The friend asks the waitress what is done in these circumstances. The waitress basically says they will charge full price for everything she orders, even if she hates it! lol They will not offer any sort of discount or anything as there is "nothing wrong" with the food. In the end your friend sucks it up, has them pack up the pizza (hoping she might find someone to take it off her hands lol) and decides to hit up McDonalds on the way home :( When the bill comes, they give her 2 $10 off certificates...but only if she orders 2 appies and an entree the next time she's there! lmao Nice.

What would you do if you were her? I honestly couldn't believe that she didn't insist that they at least take some off the bill or something. It just seems like good customer service. She asked me not to make a big deal of it, but it took everything in me not to ask to speak to their manager.

 

Re: What would you do re: eating out

  • Honestly, I'm with the restaurant. If there was nothing wrong with the food, I don't think you can return it. There is no universally liked food, and I don't think a restaurant should be expected to cater to everyone's individual taste. Whenever I go to a restaurant and dislike what I ordered, I just make a mental note not to order that item again. 
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  • I'm with the restaurant too - I wouldn't give a discount just because someone doesn't like something.  Everyone has different senses of taste - it very well may be that most people who order this like it, and your friend just didn't.  I think they went above what they needed to do by giving the coupons (even if they won't be much use)

     This is exactly why I don't order crazy things when I am at a restaurant - because I get what I'm pretty sure I'm going to like.

     Going by your logic, why wouldn't EVERYONE say they didn't like their dish, to get a lower bill.  The restaurant has to protect itself somehow.

  • I do agree that the restaurant can't be expected to discount or comp everyone's meal just cause they don't like it...but this meal came recommended by the server (she practically talked my friend into it). and then they didn't want to help satisfy her, except for a few "coupons" that required her to spend even MORE money there. It just bothered me. This wasn't a $10 meal, it was insanely overpriced for what it was, and she couldn't even eat it.
  • Ya, I still have to side with the restaurant. Although the server thought the meal was to die for, other's have different taste buds. And, since there was nothing wrong with the meal and your friend just didn't like it, I don't see why the restaurant should comp her meal.

    The gift certificates is still some good will, and even though she needs to order 2 appies & entree, the gift certificates pay for the appies more or less. 

    I worked in a restaurant for years waitressing, and although I may have loved a dish, I would explain to the customer that it is my recommendation and that their opinion may vary. If there was something wrong like a hair in the food, over/under cooked steak, etc...then yes, I can see a comp. being done. 

  • imageMrsVicki:

    The gift certificates is still some good will, and even though she needs to order 2 appies & entree, the gift certificates pay for the appies more or less. 

    lol If only! There is not an appie on the menu for less than $14 (most are over $20 *each*). Entrees startat $22. Good will, yes. Reasonable? Not really.

  • Even with your update I'm still with the restaurant too.  Even if someone insists your friend could have ordered something else.  She didn't have to try it.  She could have picked something safer or said "I don't care for spicy food, is this spicy?" before ordering.

    When we went to the Dominican DH didn't like most of the food.  He insisted it tasted odd, he finally decided they were using a spice he didn't care for the taste of.  I have no clue what he's talking about, I loved everything and even when he said "Here, eat this and you'll taste it" and I ate a piece from his plate I still didn't taste anything odd.

    Or he hates cilantro (it wasn't that though, he knows what it tastes like), so anything with cilantro he will just dislike.  I don't mind it and will love something and recommend it to him without thinking about it.

    It's the same thing, it just cost her money this time.  And it's not their fault. 

     

    I'd be on your side if the pizza crust wasn't cooked through or something.

  • Yep  - still with the restaurant.  The server could recommend the most amazing seafood bisque and rave about it, but I do not like seafood and hence would not order it.

    I

    went to a deli last week and got the navy bean soup.  I normally like bean soup, but not like this particular soup.  I was bummed, but would never expect a refund.
  • I'm also with the restaurant -- particularly because your friend took it home. It shows there was nothing wrong with it other than personal dislike. She obviously thought someone else might like it.

    That said, most restaurants do what to keep your business and will do something about it. I have been in situations in restaurants where I have been unhappy with my order choice.  If I simply don't like it, which is what seems to be the case with your friend, I don't think it's the restaurants fault at all and they should not be responsible.

    However, if, for example, it's plain old yucky and bland, I might ask the waiter for a sauce or seasoning and let him know that I feel it's bland. Generally they'll offer to replace the meal, but I wouldn't ask or expect. 

    The other scenario where I'll say something is if the meal does not reflect the menu description. For example, if it arrives and is very spicy, but the menu didn't specify, I'll usually let them know. Again, generally they'll offer to replace the meal. I would likely expect them to replace in this situation.

  • I would have spoken to the manager.  The meal came recommended and if you are going to spend a fortune on it you should get something for it.  Like let her order something else and comp the cheaper order.   They would do it if she spoke to a manager.  They will comp wine if you don't like what they serve you, so why not food?
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  • How is it the restaurants fault that she didn't like what she ordered? I am with the restaurant on this one since there was nothing wrong with the food.
  • Oh and to me it doesn't matter if it was a $30 pizza or a $5 pizza. It is still not the restaurants fault that she didn't like it (recommended by the server or not).

     

  • Sorry about all the duplicate posts!  I don't know what happened, and it won't let me delete them.  Stupid nest.
  • what restaurant in regina was it if you dont mind me asking? As a long time worker in the restaurant industry I would have offered a discount, not entirely take it off the bill but apologize and ask the customer if there was anything else I could do to make her happy.  Its wrong to just assume that the customer will be happy with 2 gift certificates. But I do agree with the restaurant in that it is not their responsibility to have everyone love their food.
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