Joker Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 We went out to eat tonight. It's not the cheapest place but also not the most expensive. Youngest dd ordered steak (which is why we went there in the first place) and she likes it well done. It was bloody in the middle. I asked for it to be sent back and cooked correctly because she won't eat a bloody anything. Dh and I were splitting a burger because their burgers are huge and they come with two sides which makes one meal for the two of us. We usually all get dessert after. They brought dds steak back the second time, it was the same steak we sent back (but had been thrown back on the grill), it had some type of sauce on it that it normally doesn't, and, of course, she doesn't like it. I ask for them to redo the steak and make it to go. Then, dh and I finally try to eat our food (we've been waiting because we feel it's impolite to eat while she can't) and our burgers look close to raw in the middle. I was just done and asked to pay for our drinks and leave. They wanted us to stay and give us our meal free. We didn't want to eat anything there at this point. We ended up having people staring and it was just embarrassing. We've never had such a bad experience eating out before and now we're wondering if we should have just let them remake our food for free to avoid the scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Seems like you gave them one second chance. It didn't work. So it seems reasonable not to want to give them second second-chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Aw. That's a bad experience! You did the right thing. Having worked in restaurants, I know what happens to the food of people who complain (even if you are super nice about it, but especially if you aren't). I've done the same thing eating out. I got nearly raw chicken one time and said no thanks and waited while everyone else finished eating. I'd rather do that than worry about what they may have done to my food. You made a good decision. I'm sorry your dd didn't get her steak though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 How was it a scene? Were you, your husband or a member of the staff loud? If you were not some crazy, screaming, hysterical mess threatening to call the local news and/or sue, and if the server, manager, and any other staff member you were dealing with was not rude, condescending, or unhelpful I think: 1) it was not a scene 2) staying would have been appropriate 3) leaving was equally appropriate 4) what any other patron thought is immaterial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 I only called it a scene because the seating is all so close together. Our table ended up having our waitress and two managers at it and everyone just kind of stopped what they were doing and watched. At least it seemed that way. :tongue_smilie: We've never had to send food back more than once (that's rare) and we've never just left because it was so bad. It all felt so awkward. The main manager did state a few times loudly that he wasn't going to charge us for anything but he wanted us to get food. We kept having to say, "No thanks." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Yuck. I don't blame you for leaving. You offered to pay for your drinks; that was more classy than what they did. Hopefully this will be a learning experience for the management and the chef. People who want to eat raw meat will order raw meat. Everyone else wants it cooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I'm not sure I understand why you are taking on the responsibility of the "scene". The restaurant made several mistakes. Deciding to not stay was a valid option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong in the situation at all. What I would do on Monday, however, is contact your local health dept about being served undercooked hamburger. That is a potential health problem and sounds like they are due for a reminder on proper cooking. (Dh is a health inspector :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I only called it a scene because the seating is all so close together. Our table ended up having our waitress and two managers at it and everyone just kind of stopped what they were doing and watched. At least it seemed that way. :tongue_smilie: We've never had to send food back more than once (that's rare) and we've never just left because it was so bad. It all felt so awkward. The main manager did state a few times loudly that he wasn't going to charge us for anything but he wanted us to get food. We kept having to say, "No thanks." Aww sweetie, that was not a scene. That was an uncomfortable situation because you are not a drama queen. I do not think you did anything wrong, and I would not worry one moment about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I think leaving was perfectly fine at that point. It doesn't sound like you made a scene, and you're not required to give a certain number of chances or to stay when you'd rather leave. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 Aww sweetie, that was not a scene. That was an uncomfortable situation because you are not a drama queen. I do not think you did anything wrong, and I would not worry one moment about it. This made me laugh. I'm getting the picture my idea of 'scene' is not quite what others picture. I guess I'm really, really glad it wasn't the latter. I don't think I could handle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong in the situation at all. What I would do on Monday, however, is contact your local health dept about being served undercooked hamburger. That is a potential health problem and sounds like they are due for a reminder on proper cooking. (Dh is a health inspector :-) I think this is a good idea. Someone could get sick from eating their food. And yes, you did the right thing in leaving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Free is good. You should have had them give you a gift card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong in the situation at all. What I would do on Monday, however, is contact your local health dept about being served undercooked hamburger. That is a potential health problem and sounds like they are due for a reminder on proper cooking. (Dh is a health inspector :-) Yup. There was the time I sent dd's burger back twice due to trying to serve under cooked food to a child. I had to explain twice that undercooked beef and small children don't go together. That is a potentially dangerous scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I would have done exactly what you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Odd man out here, but I would not have reacted quite the way you did. If this is a restaurant that you have frequented in the past (and even if it was a new place for you) I would have allowed them to try and make it right. Unless I'm misunderstanding, the cook/chef in the kitchen undercooked two items of your order. You sent one item back, they cooked it more, and then you realized that the burger wasn't cooked enough also. They were so eager to make it right that they sent the managerial staff to try and make amends. If I have that right, then I think it was maybe a bit of an overreaction to deny them a second chance to please you and keep you as a customer. As someone in the foodservice industry, I cannot tell you how much it distresses me to make a mistake and have the customer not allow me to make amends. One unhappy experience would not make me write off a restaurant that I'd been pleased with in the past, if they were trying rather desperately to fix the problem. Oh, and the restaurant where I work would have also done everything they could to please the customer, and in restaurants where they care that much, your food is usually safe if you politely return it to the kitchen for a little more time on the grill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhschool Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I want to know what happens to the food of people who complain. From a PP. I never heard of anything. Now I want to know... BTW I think what you did was fine, and I wouldn't count it as a "scene." Big deal if people stared. They should have been minding their own business. I wouldn't eat raw meat either. I like the post that says staying would have been fine but leaving was just as fine too...it's all good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Odd man out here, but I would not have reacted quite the way you did. If this is a restaurant that you have frequented in the past (and even if it was a new place for you) I would have allowed them to try and make it right. Unless I'm misunderstanding, the cook/chef in the kitchen undercooked two items of your order. You sent one item back, they cooked it more, and then you realized that the burger wasn't cooked enough also. They were so eager to make it right that they sent the managerial staff to try and make amends. According to the OP, they cooked it more but they also added a sauce that was not originally on there and that her dd didn't order. So, twice they didn't cook the item correctly to order, plus the burger was undercooked. While she didn't state that the burger was ordered well done, ground beef should not be nearly raw. It can be pink as long as it gets to the proper temperature. OP, I think you did fine. It wasn't a scene, and you didn't berate anyone. You just didn't want to keep trying to get what you ordered. I also sympathize with your dd as I can't stand bloody meat either. I rarely order steak at a restaurant because it never gets done correctly, but it took me years of not getting what I ordered before I just gave up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I have worked in kitchens- we would have probably just cooked it some more or started again if that wasn't feasible. It wasn't mentioned on the menu the burgers are served medium-rare unless otherwise requested? Sometimes it is and people don't notice. I do remember one lady who specifically requested rare steak and then sent it back each time it went out until it was well done ,- that was hilarious although it might not have been so much if it had been a busy night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 In restaurants with unscrupulous staff..... Sneezers Spitters Dropped food put back on the grill. Worse. I personally have never done the above, but I make it a point to never complain to people who are cutting my hair, cooking my food, serving me drinks, fixing my car (I complain after the job is done and my car is out of the garage), etc. A funny aside: I worked at a bagel bakery in college. A lady ordered a cinamon raisin bagel with the "strawberry" cream cheese. We tinted the LOX spread pink to make it stand out for us to differentiate. I explained it was LOX. I said it was fish. She still pointed to it in the case and insisted on the "strawberry". After 5 minutes of arguing, I said, "Ok." And gave her lox spread on her cin-rais bagel. It was a take-out order. Oh, how I wish I could have seen her bite into her yummy, sweet/fishy treat. The customer is *always* right. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 It doesn't sound like you made a scene, but I do understand your discomfort. We cancelled an order and left once when our order was not processed in ages and ages. We paid for drinks and I don't think anyone at all noticed, but I still felt bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashfern Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Reminds me of an experience we had. DH & I were on a lunch date. I was very pregnant & very hungry. The restaurant was not crowded. We ordered burgers (him medium and mine well-done). I always cut my burgers in half at restaurants basically to check if it's done enough before biting into it. Mine was extremely rare. It was cooked less than my DH's. :glare: Of course we had to wait forever for the server to check on us. I sent my meal back. They cooked a new burger and the manager brought it out. He waited while I cut into it. It was just as undercooked as the first one At this point, my DH was done with his meal and I was ticked off. The manager offered to make me another burger "to go" but I refused. He didn't charge us for DH's food. It was over a year before we went back to that restaurant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMS83 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 If the restaurant offered to make it right, and the customer still wants to leave, further offers of "fixing the situation" by offering food is no longer "making it right" because at that point they're disregarding the wishes of the customer in order to preserve their own reputation. The best response is to be profusely apologetic and if possible, offer a gift card for their next meal and hope they return. If I felt pressured to stay and have more food when I'd already expressed a desire to leave, it would guarantee I would never return. And don't feel about about the scene! They are the ones who crowded around the table. The manager could have handled it alone and quietly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Honestly, it would have completely depended on my mood. Sorry you had a bad time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwg Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I agree you did nothing wrong! But I can see how you would have felt like you did. I woud have felt awful having everyone stare at me. I think you did great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 You did the right thing. I never send food back. Ever. Ever. Ever. My husband waited tables for many years when we were in college. I never send food back. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 You did the right thing. I probably would have kept sending it back, but I think you were right to leave, in fact I know that is what should be done. In my head I know that the kitchen staff is not the nicest to people who send back their food. It's not worth staying. We've had issues at a local chain. The first time we just sent stuff back, and we waited a ridiculous amount of time for it. The next time we just took the wrong order instead of compaining, but we will never go back there again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I go through this a lot when I eat out. I like thing well done. I will say, "Please have it well done. Not like a hockey puck, but cooked through." It'll still be pink. Seriously, people. I know the food people think they know what I want - but they don't. I think you did the right thing. I know it's likely urban legend - but I'm always afraid someone will spit in my food or something if I send it back more than once. So I'm with you - once is fine. Twice, I'm leaving. Sorry it stink!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I would not have wanted to eat food from that kitchen after they botched it twice already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I would have wanted to leave as well. Agreeing with previous poster's, you did not cause a scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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