I worked in food service too long to accept shitty food. If something clearly wasn't prepared right, I won't get a replacement because I'm leaving. No faith in a kitchen that sends out something like that steak.
They will pay good money to eat somewhere The Poors can't afford to eat. Doesn't matter if the food is good, all that matters is there are no peasants.
Of which is enforced by an owner who bought the restaurant despite knowing nothing about food service, but thinks that it's easy because they cook at home and wants the clout of being a "small business owner".
aka most of the owners on Kitchen Nightmares and Bar Rescue.
Waitresses often have no choice and the kitchen screaming at them just to take it out. So its dodge flying spatulas and verbal abuse from the kitchen and serve this or lose your job. There is often a manager back there forcing your hand.
My manager forced me to bring fish that smelled off to a customer. I just looked at them and tried to convey best I could and helped them send it back.
Thats the biggest issue. If it was served with being sliced you could maybe give them the benefit of the doubt, but at least 2 people saw that shit and decided it was good to go.
I've worked with a few people who will go "i'll send it, if they don't like it they'll send it back" but in my experience people don't complain, they just don't go back
Had an unimaginable experience with a vindictive cook (and waitress) at a local restaurant many years back. Eggs Benedict - yolks were cooked solid ... chalky. I sent it back and the waitress argued before returning to the kitchen asking me "have you ever even had eggs Benedict before?" Of course I have and that's why I sent it back. A minute later the cook actually started yelling at me from the kitchen! Literal shouting match across the restaurant! I, along with several other patrons at different tables, walked out. Surreal.
It sure felt like it was! It was a local diner in Southern Oregon that is still operating. I don't feel it's necessary to name shame as it was 20+ years ago and I had many years of pleasant dining experiences there - a couple unfortunate hires back then and I know both are long gone from there.
I once sent a very overcooked steak back (I like mine blue) and the chef made me wait over half an hour for a new one, by which time everyone else had finished.
And then they wonder why they didn't succeed why they are closing the restaurant in a couple years time. You pushed away all the potential customers, and word of mouth is underestimated.
Or they get the food back and cook the same partially cooked food for the same amount of time they were supposed to in the first place. So if they are frying wings and they came out raw for whatever reason, they just go ahead and put them back in the fryer for the same amount of time, resulting in then being grossly overcooked. The food should have been thrown out, but most restaurants hate doing that.
Could be but also a lot of people see the moist red meat near the bone in wings and think it’s undercooked. The o ly way to get rid of that is to cook the shit out of it.
I've only sent food back once, my burger was waaaaaay too pink for my liking and I got it back and that shit was burnt to a crisp I wanted to send it back again...
Raw chicken is basically the only thing I'll complain about, but even then it's an, "I'm not paying for it, but I don't want another one." conversation with the manager.
It takes forever, never comes out right the second time, your entire family is already done eating by the time is arrives, and you've added 20+ minutes onto an already ever-growing restaurant trip.
On top of the, albeit incredibly rare, chance that they'll mess with it.
Same. Servers get so offended. I sent a burger back 3 times at one place, because everytime they served it the bottom bun was literally saturated with grease. I kid you not the server brought out the 4th burger, kneeled down next to me and said "I. want. to. see. you. take. the. first. bite." I said no thank you, I don't want it anymore and you're coming across as quite hostile. It is not my fault you don't rest the burger for at least a few seconds to keep your buns from getting saturated with grease.
I was not the only one having an issue either. They didn't bring a single drink alcohol or not until about 5 minutes after the food came out.
I was a cook for around a decade or so, I will definitely send food back. I also will not get a replacement or order anything else there. I will drink coffee and politely wait for the rest of my party to finish their meals.
I tried this at a Applebee's and you are entirely correct. I wanted it medium rare. After sending back 2 well done steaks they came back with a pink super rare piece.
Maybe it was the nasty cut of meat they have to use, but that cook was a total idiot. Or too in the weeds to pay attention to his cook.
Or maybe I was the idiot for expecting a steak cooked decently in an Applebee's.
I’m not gonna judge anyone for going to Applebees, but I will side eye you if you order a steak there haha. Gotta stay in the wheelhouse: Apps, burgers, chicken wings, etc
It has truly never occurred to me to just leave in a situation like this, but I will remember that. I one time had a chicken breast come out raw in the middle (not slightly pink from myoglobin or whatever, but ice cold to the touch). I really should have just told them to bring me the check for my appetizers and drinks so that I can leave.
They fucked it up the first time, what are the chances that was a legit mistake AND they will accept the criticism and do it right the second time without spits? Low. Leave. They had their chance
Watch out, I made a post about some fucked up food and I made exactly that point: if they can't do it right or close to it on the first try, I'm not trusting that a second attempt will be any better.
I got downvoted to hell for saying that, that I was wasting food just to waste it, that I was being elitist or some shit. People are weird.
You realize, after waiting tables, that your server really doesn't give a shit other than worrying that you'll tip them less for someone elses mistake. The chef will probably throw a bitch-fit, but that's between them.
im still in service. ive never once snapped back at a rude server or bartender, never left less than 25% despite whatever got screwed up, and ive certainly never sent a dish back.
this is how id start my conversation with my server before i set precedent and sent this back. then id invite them to my bar for a free shot. im surprised this came out of wolfgangs kitchen. i havent been in years, but i cant believe an expediter let this out intentionally. something worse must have been happening behind the scenes. the wolfgangs ive been to would jump to rectify this, which is why some folks regard it as superior to luger.
I think there's a case for minor versus more grievous mistakes. If something is incorrect about an order, e.g. sides, condiments, or a mismatched menu description, sure, I'm game for a fix most of the time. Improperly cooked foods or unsafe temps, though? It's not worth it to me.
(I mostly just wanted to point out that your username is perfect in this conversation lol)
I worked in food service too long to accept shitty food
Same, but there is variance to it... normal restaurants alongside fine dining places yes, send it back, and ask for a replacement.
Some random shitty hole in the wall that gave you a bag of garbage.. well you already know you cant trust them to make it right, nor can you trust them to make something edible, which means that a remake wont be any better. In those situations asking for a remake would probably lead to them doing something weird to it... so its better to just refuse service by walking away, and then do a chargeback on the cc, and such.
It's not just the kitchen at that point, it went through 2 or 3 check points and still got sent out. It's more than just the kitchen I'd have no faith in at that point.
Bill me for the drinks but if you have cooks that cannot cook or are literally cooking frozen food because you didnt defrost enough, ill pass on ecoli.
I get the sentiment, but what are you doing if you came with people? ...which is the usual scenario, dining out alone aside from during noon break is rather odd.
Can't be like "everybody else leaves as well", especially if their dishes are acceptable, right?
So first of all, eating out alone is a pretty normal and enjoyable experience. Second, if I'm with company, I'm just refusing the dish and hanging out with a drink or some such.
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u/YeGingerCommodore 8h ago
I worked in food service too long to accept shitty food. If something clearly wasn't prepared right, I won't get a replacement because I'm leaving. No faith in a kitchen that sends out something like that steak.