Chefs and restaurant owners, this oneās for you.
On two recent outings in Boston and the āburbs, my dining companion and I found ourselves presented with really bad meals. Horrifically, inedibly bad, with dishes that were not only underseasoned and ill-conceived, but somehow managed to be both over- and undercooked at the same time. After a few bites, it was clear that neither of us was going to finish our food.
On both occasions, we considered sending the dishes back. But at one meal, the server made her “How is everything?” stop about five minutes too earlyābefore weād even had a chance to dig ināthen disappeared for the duration of dinner.
At the other place, we got no such check-in, and eventually had to flag down a busboy to take away our (cold) plates. By the time weād gotten any attention, both my companion and I had lost interest in extending the meal by sending the entrees back. As we left, I felt the teensiest twinge of guilt. Had we done the right thing?
Clearly, these were not four-star establishments. But poor service aside, I have a bad habit of not sending food back to the kitchen, even when itās clearly sub-par. This is especially true when Iām dining out with a groupāwho wants to sit empty-handed while everyone else eats, and then have to finish the meal solo while the rest of the table waits?
When Iām in more upscale spots where service is a priority, Iām more inclined to pipe up, if only because I know that the fix will be made promptly (and the server check-in is appropriately timed to make a correction possible). When I do keep quiet, though, I wonder: Shouldnāt I let the restaurant know when theyāve erred? Shouldnāt I give the chef and management an opportunity to make things right? Or are some flubs just too big to fix?
What do you think? When should an unsatisfied diner send a bad meal back? Is it ever OK to stay mum?
Well, the prevailing KITCHEN: CONFIDENTIAL wisdom is to NEVER send food back as it may tempt a line-cook or an ego-mad chef to mess with the replacement or other dishes not yet to come. That said, after the meal is a fine time to call over the manager or the matre d’ and explain your dissatisfaction. Ideally, they will make amends. But I have to tell you — growing up here for my first 25 years, living on the West Coast for 15 and now back for five — the truth is that the New England area has an ingrained lack of concern for service in pretty much all areas, restaurants being the worst. I don’t know if it’s Puritan-origin or weather based, but only back here would the OWNER of restaurant come after me, my pregnant wife and our 18-month old and complain that I left a five for $8 of drinks while waiting for over an hour for our h’ordeuvres and then — after learning of this — still take the $3. I love Boston and the New England area — why we moved back — but I’ve NEVER seen such pride in “piss off” service anywhere else in the country or even, I can’t believe I’m saying this, Europe.
I always make a comment if the food is not what I ordered OR is clearly ill-prepared. It doesn’t matter how many or how few stars the place has, I simply won’t pay for bad food or something that I didn’t order.
Absolutely say something to the server. You are the one who will ultimately dish out the cash for the food and you can never count on the wait staff to read your expressions or plates for signs of discontentment. It is the customer’s responsibility to speak up- whether the experience is good or bad. Let the server know. Constructive criticism or praise can only help the restaurant in the future. Take action!
I opt to send meals back. We went to a place in JP that is known for good bar fare but also has a restaurant attached. My friend had the duck that for some crazy reason they brined and was so salty it was inedible. I had the haddock that was so overcooked it was rubber. We sent both back, they didn’t charge us and asked if they could get us something else. We declined and left.
We ended up going to a bar down the street that doesn’t claim to be anything but a bar and had a great burger.
If you are at an expensive restaurant, I think you are entitled to a meal that’s appropriate to the price. So, I’d complain.
For a small, modest neighborhood restaurant, I suspect the chef would like to know about the dish’s quality. But I might say s/he doesn’t have to replace it. They are probably struggling hard enough in today’s economy. At the minimum, the chef will recognize you when you return. Maybe at that time s/he would give you a goodie to thank you.
Michael Donham
If the food is poorly cooked (raw, well/charred), the food should be returned.
Taste, unfortunately, is arbitrary. What you find too spicy could be exactly what its suppose to be.
My bigger complaint is poor service. This can be a slow server, a slow kitchen, no attention to details such as bread, water, second cup of coffee. My feeling is the server is responsible for my table. if the kitchen is slow, they should be aware of that and “taking care of me” somehow if only to apologize. My wife gets angry with my comments stating “it’s not their fault”. I strongly disagree.
If the food is poorly cooked (raw, well/charred), the food should be returned.
Taste, unfortunately, is arbitrary. What you find too spicy could be exactly what its suppose to be.
My bigger complaint is poor service. This can be a slow server, a slow kitchen, no attention to details such as bread, water, second cup of coffee. My feeling is the server is responsible for my table. if the kitchen is slow, they should be aware of that and ātaking care of meā somehow if only to apologize. My wife gets angry with my comments stating āitās not their faultā. I strongly disagree.
It depends on the establishment and whether you think they can get it right. If so, yes send it back.
I hear the comment that TDS made all the time: don’t send it back as someone might mess with the food. I hope that this actually happens rarely, but who knows. My own practice is always to holler tripe when tripe is served. The way to possibly fix bad food or service is to point it out. Saying nothing doesn’t help anyone.