Do you just eat it or send it back?

[kathykd2005]

DSTCHAOS,
I knew there was at least one person who was understanding where I was coming from. I'm not saying, nor have I ever, said that EVERY restaurant sucks and will give you bad service or poisonous food. Nor am I saying that I have NEVER sent food back at a restaurant--because I have. That one time I sent back a dish was because the chicken was RAW and could have given me salmonella. All I'm saying is, be careful where you eat, and what you send back. Don't walk into a restaurant and simply assume that they know health codes, because they might not. You really just don't know. Would you walk down a street you don't know, alone, without knowing where you were going? Of course not. It's the same thing when you walk into a restaurant. Don't get a false sense of security anywhere.

[kathykd2005]

And even that, like you said earlier, is no real indication of their performance on a day-to-day basis. I have seen restaurants get a passing grade the time I went there, and be closed the next time. They just happen to catch them doing what they do all the time, at a certain time.

[kathykd2005]

That's a shame with the Jamaican restaurant, since it seemed like you really liked the food and I'm sure the environment was fun. Again, sometimes it just comes down to ignorance--not knowing, not stupidity--that we are talking about here. There are certain places that employ individuals who don't know not to cut raw meat on the same cutting board as they cut a salad. This seems like common sense to some, but these people really just didn't know. It's crazy when you think about how many times these things really happen. There was a news story recently where a restaurant got closed down for rats. In the previous inspection, though, no rats were found. You never know. I'm not saying to be afraid, just educate yourself.

[KappaKittyCat]

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

Again, sometimes it just comes down to ignorance--not knowing, not stupidity--that we are talking about here. There are certain places that employ individuals who don't know not to cut raw meat on the same cutting board as they cut a salad. This seems like common sense to some, but these people really just didn't know. It's crazy when you think about how many times these things really happen. There was a news story recently where a restaurant got closed down for rats. In the previous inspection, though, no rats were found. You never know. I'm not saying to be afraid, just educate yourself.

How can I, the consumer, educate myself, though? I mean, really? It doesn't matter what the sanitation score says; you're right, that's just one day, and who knows what they do the other 364? But if I can't walk through the kitchen and check that separate cutting boards are used for meat and greens, make sure there aren't dirty dishrags in the food sinks, and inspect under the employees' fingernails, how else am I supposed to educate myself?

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

Whoa. See now, that is scary. That's why there are signs in the bathrooms of restaurants telling employees to "wash their hands" before returning to work.

I was at a restaurant in Pearl Ridge a couple of months ago and went to the bathroom while my friends and I were waiting to be seated. Another girl and I came out of our stalls at the same time and started to wash our hands in the sinks and then saw a server come out of a stall and walk right out without washing her hands. The other girl and I just stared at each other, and then I said, "I hope she's not my server." I scanned the floor when we got out to our table and didn't see her anywhere, so I guess she went home. Still, if I had seen her waiting tables, I would have grabbed a manager and ratted her out. I'm sure everyone's skipped handwashing once or twice, but when you're serving other people's food, you should at least try to be sanitary.

[Tom Earp]

In the view of our Federal Government, they decided to tax tips at a rate that they could collect and charge.

I am a firm beleiver that a server can make or break a eating place!

Act like a biotch or s o b, no tip and never go back! Oops out of job and business!

[texas*princess]

When I was 16, I worked at a fast food restaurant as a cashier. I quit because the conditions of the kitchen grossed me out and I couldn't deal with it anymore. Not to paint all fast food places with the same brush, but I hardly ever go to fast food places because of that. I'm sure that not all restaurants (that aren't fast food) are pristine, but like KKC said, how are the consumers supposed to know?

[OOhsoflyDELTA#9]

whoever said tip on to go orders is smoking something good....if I walk inside and get it to go why would I tip?? I will give a buck or two for the curbside pickup but thats about it...when dining in, I usually double my tax and add a dollar...that makes it more then 15%...

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by OOhsoflyDELTA#9

whoever said tip on to go orders is smoking something good....if I walk inside and get it to go why would I tip?? I will give a buck or two for the curbside pickup but thats about it...when dining in, I usually double my tax and add a dollar...that makes it more then 15%...

1. The server still gets taxed on it.

2. You order soup, salad, or a dessert. BESIDES the other tables that a server has, they are most likely working on your order as well... which means boxing things up instead of bringing it out to a table.

3. Do you think you order the food and it just magically appears put together? Someone is still providing a service for you.

You walked inside a restaurant to pick up your food... you're also walking inside to go sit down and eat.

[kathykd2005]

Originally Posted by KappaKittyCat

How can I, the consumer, educate myself, though? I mean, really? It doesn't matter what the sanitation score says; you're right, that's just one day, and who knows what they do the other 364? But if I can't walk through the kitchen and check that separate cutting boards are used for meat and greens, make sure there aren't dirty dishrags in the food sinks, and inspect under the employees' fingernails, how else am I supposed to educate myself?I was at a restaurant in Pearl Ridge a couple of months ago and went to the bathroom while my friends and I were waiting to be seated. Another girl and I came out of our stalls at the same time and started to wash our hands in the sinks and then saw a server come out of a stall and walk right out without washing her hands. The other girl and I just stared at each other, and then I said, "I hope she's not my server." I scanned the floor when we got out to our table and didn't see her anywhere, so I guess she went home. Still, if I had seen her waiting tables, I would have grabbed a manager and ratted her out. I'm sure everyone's skipped handwashing once or twice, but when you're serving other people's food, you should at least try to be sanitary.

You can educate yourself by checking up on sanitation scores in newspapers, asking around, and by looking around--just the way you've been doing.

[cheerfulgreek]

Does anyone remember when Taco Hell employees didn't use gloves to make the tacos? I remember that. I thought that was SO gross.

I still don't like eating at Taco Hell. I will if it's the only place open though.

[kathykd2005]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Does anyone remember when Taco Hell employees didn't use gloves to make the tacos? I remember that. I thought that was SO gross.

I still don't like eating at Taco Hell. I will if it's the only place open though.

Actually, on many sanitation tests, it is even more gross when they do wear gloves, because they don't change them regularly, so their hands are dirtier than they would be if they just didn't wash their hands...

[sageofages]

Originally Posted by KappaKittyCat

How can I, the consumer, educate myself, though? I mean, really? It doesn't matter what the sanitation score says; you're right, that's just one day, and who knows what they do the other 364? But if I can't walk through the kitchen and check that separate cutting boards are used for meat and greens, make sure there aren't dirty dishrags in the food sinks, and inspect under the employees' fingernails, how else am I supposed to educate myself?

I did some temp work at a company that repaired restaurant equipment. It was the most eye-opening enlightening lesson on where to eat and where NOT to eat in Des Moines. The repair guys loved to tell stories about the stuff they found (like the time a milkshake machine quit working and they found a mouse body in the mixing shaft! OMG)

If you really want to know what is good and where to avoid ask someone in that line of work!

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Does anyone remember when Taco Hell employees didn't use gloves to make the tacos? I remember that. I thought that was SO gross.

I still don't like eating at Taco Hell. I will if it's the only place open though.

They still don't.

It depends. If I ordered a ravioli and I was brought fetticini, then that goes straight back. If I ordered no onions and there's onions on it, I'll just pick them off, but even that irks me because what if I'm allergic to whatever I asked you not to put on? If you thought "Oh they can just pick it off, I'm not making that again" and I eat it without knowing you screwed up my order, that could be my life right there. It pisses me off when people make mistakes with my food, but if I don't feel like I can put on my fakest smile and happy voice so I don't find something floating in my soup, then I'll just be quiet about it.

[KappaKittyCat]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

...what if I'm allergic to whatever I asked you not to put on? If you thought "Oh they can just pick it off, I'm not making that again" and I eat it without knowing you screwed up my order, that could be my life right there.

I have several friends with severe, life-threatening food allergies. When we go out to eat together, they are crystal clear with the servers: I will become incredibly ill or DIE if I have this. They do this because they know that if they don't, the server and/or chef will just think "oh, picky eater" and ignore their request. Most restaurants of any quality are paranoid about food allergies and will take extra good care of those who have them (provided basic standards of politeness and courtesy are met). I've encountered several places where the manager personally escorted our meal through the kitchen to make sure that offending ingredients stayed away from them. And we always tip a base of 25% to those servers who are good to our friends.

My point is that you're kind of comparing apples to pomegranates. There's a difference between being picky and having a medical condition. If you have an allergy, and you don't make it crystal clear that you're not just another annoying patron, and you get fed something you can't eat, then it's at least partially your fault.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

They still don't.

It depends. If I ordered a ravioli and I was brought fetticini, then that goes straight back. If I ordered no onions and there's onions on it, I'll just pick them off, but even that irks me because what if I'm allergic to whatever I asked you not to put on? If you thought "Oh they can just pick it off, I'm not making that again" and I eat it without knowing you screwed up my order, that could be my life right there. It pisses me off when people make mistakes with my food, but if I don't feel like I can put on my fakest smile and happy voice so I don't find something floating in my soup, then I'll just be quiet about it.

That doesn't surprise me, but the Taco Hell that I go to...they wear gloves. I wouldn't eat there if they didn't. And what really makes it so bad is they make the tacos after touching money too. That's disgusting.

I know what you mean. That's so annoying when I go through the window and order, and then it's all wrong. I hate mayo, and Wendy's is good for getting my order wrong by adding gobs of mayo on my hamburger. I don't eat fast food often but out of all the fast food places, Wendy's is the best at screwing up an order.