Bad restaurant food... to pay or to not?

[T.H. Oughts]

If you go to a restaurant and the food is not up to the standard it should be. Do you refuse to pay for it, or pay and then never go back and then tell all your friends how bad it was?

I never pay for what I don't expect to get for my money

 

[JennyOmanHill]

I know too many people involved in the restaurant profession, so I would definitely pay the bill (and try and remember it has nothing to do with the server of the meal!). However, if I didn't return the food after taking a few bites, I would make sure I ask to speak with the manager and make an official complaint. If the manager's response is lacking, I would then write a complaint letter the next week, and not bother going there again.

 

[T.H. Oughts]

(and try and remember it has nothing to do with the server of the meal!).

Oh yeah, don't you hate people who blow out the waitress when really it is not her fault. Managment are the ones to address the problem too

 

[VanB]

More often than not bad food and bad service go hand in hand.

I'll always pay for the meal but would make my disatisfaction known and possibly follow up with a letter of complaint if it was truly awful.

I never tip bad service as it's inexcusable in a service industry and can completely ruin your enjoyment of the meal.

 

[T.H. Oughts]

can completely ruin your enjoyment of the meal.

MMmmmmmm always like to enjoy a goooood meal

*lol sorry, just can't help myself.... I'm gonna go get some sleep*

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Generally, I send it back, and if nothing is done, I ask to speak to the manager. I pay, if asked to, generally, they don't want me pitching my voice to carry, and talking about how revolting the food is. One of the general rules of thumb is one taste, if it is not good, have your friend or dining companion take a taste. If you both agree, have it sent back. If you are dining alone, call the server over and ask them to sample the dish. It generally works, because you have two people who agree that the dish is definately not up to standard.

 

[MorgaineLaFay]

here here!

Having worked on both ends of the industry, I know what it takes from my server as well as the chef to make my visit enjoyable --- if I have been there before and things are not up to par I may question the chef cooking...but I always pay ...

 

[T.H. Oughts]

here here!

Having worked on both ends of the industry, I know what it takes from my server as well as the chef to make my visit enjoyable --- if I have been there before and things are not up to par I may question the chef cooking...but I always pay ...

Yeah, but why pay for something that you are not going to eat? You would take back a chair to a shop if you got it home and discovered it only had 3 legs not 4

 

[MorgaineLaFay]

Point well taken ... and no, lol..I woul dnot take that chair back.

But what I do know is that it takes several parties in a resaurant to make a visit good.

Truly if the food was not good, then don’t pay for it. I may not, depending on my mood, normally I would though. But that doesn’t mean I would not let my voice be heard, But that is just me.

 

[MorgaineLaFay]

it is sooooooooo time for this little girl to go to bed...

Yes I would take that chair back ... tbut the above still applies

 

[T.H. Oughts]

But what I do know is that it takes several parties in a resaurant to make a visit good.

That's a new party trick

 

[MorgaineLaFay]

lol...Did you see that I was awake?

 

[lobito]

If the food sucks, then I TRY to speak to the person in charge, as VAN said, bad food and bad service sometimes go hand in hand, so if the service is lousy, then the waiter or waitress will know it when I leave, so will the manager.

I don't look for a free meal, but I won't go back, because I'm surely not the only one complaining about how lousy the place is, and most likely the food and service WON'T be any better the next time.

I won't discuss my tipping practices for lousy service, because I got reamed, (and not in a good way), last time I said anything, but I will say that I always tip, where tipping is allowed.

I was in a place last year on my B-day, started of the day all wrong, it only got worse from there. I was supposed to get certain things with my meal, and our "waitress" was actually the manager that day. I asked her several times if I was going to get what I ordered, and always got, "sure hon coming right up". When the bill came, I complained I didn't get what I ordered, adn was charged for, the owner who was ringing people out, told me, it wasn't a big deal, it wasn't a significant art of the meal anyway, and that I had to pay for it.

ARGH! SOME owners of restaurants can be real assholes sometimes, SOME. Which explained why his "help" were assholes too!

*through ranting*

Lo

 

[T.H. Oughts]

lol...Did you see that I was awake?

No, but nothing like bumping your own thread up at the beginning of the day, lol.

You have a great day

 

[Wiggles]

As a person who's only worked in the restraunt industry (because I'm a big dork), I would say definitely complain to the management.

They can do one of two things, apologize and give you what you wanted, or apologize and give you a ticket for a free meal.

If they don't do either, they're really a bad manager. Many restraunts rely mainly on repeat business. If your not happy, and they don't accomodate you, then don't go back. And tell all your friends how much it sucked.

This is a manager's worst nightmare.

 

[Schumi48]

bad restaurant

I m a very good cook myself and if I have
this problem in a restaurant I stop eating immediatly
and ask for the cook or manager, and make
my complaint discreet and with low voice.
Generally they ask to make a new order and
give a drink as excuse.
If they disagree I pay and leave and never
come back.

 

[lobito]

Re: bad restaurant

I m a very good cook myself and if I have
this problem in a restaurant I stop eating immediatly
and ask for the cook or manager, and make
my complaint discreet and with low voice.
Generally they ask to make a new order and
give a drink as excuse.
If they disagree I pay and leave and never
come back.

It may be me, but I fail to see how a "free" watered down drink is going to make things better. Agred that they should do something, anything they can to keep your business. But if that's all they can offer, then they aren't worth going to again.

If it's a chain, then ALWAYS get the district Managers phone number, or at least hint that you will call, THEN something may come of it.

 

[tigerjen]

If you go to a restaurant and the food is not up to the standard it should be. Do you refuse to pay for it, or pay and then never go back and then tell all your friends how bad it was?

I never pay for what I don't expect to get for my money

I know I wouldn't pay for real crappy restaurant food...I
expect well-prepared, delicious food when i go out, and
good service!

If I ever had a bad experience, I'd certainly let friends
and family know.......they then can make the choice to
go to that place or not.

tigerjen