Do you just eat it or send it back?

[justabeachbrat]

Having worked as a waitress, steak house, while in college, I had no problem if people wanted food sent back if it was not what they ordered/or how they wanted it cooked. Getting pissed off at the waitress, no. I send stuff back if order is messed up, but am polite about it. A friend won't send a messed up order back but will go on and on about it, to the point I want to say, check please. I have asked to her to either send food back or just tone it down, and she says she doesn't want to get anyone in trouble.

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

My husband and I recently went to a nice (read really f-ing expensive) Steakhouse and when the waiter brought me my food, she asked me to cut into it and then she took out a little flashlight to shine on it. Well I had ordered it medium-rare and as soon as I cut into it, she said that it was NOT medium rare- it was medium well. So she took the plate back and had the kitchen re-make the steak. I would have just eaten it the way it was!

The manager ended up coming over to apologize and he comp'ed our appetizers.

So, no, I don't usually send it back but this time the waiter sent it back for me!

Originally Posted by SthrnZeta

I've NEVER heard of that happening, I hope you tipped her well!

It does happen. The more chances you have to go to nice (dimly lit) restaurants -- you will get the "flashlight treatment" AND the good service from the front of the house that goes along with that.

[Tom Earp]

The servers do just that, serve! They do not cook. Be nice to them as they work thier rears off and be very helpful in most cases. A smile and thank you is a great place to start.

Two things I cannot stand, bad food and poor service!

If it is not right send it back and state why or what is wrong with it.

If the service is bad, do not be bitchy about it, just do not tip well, they do not desearve it!

If the server is great, they get a much bigger tip from me along with a smile and a thank you!

They work for a living just like the rest of us do. Do the job right and the rewards follow!

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

It does happen. The more chances you have to go to nice (dimly lit) restaurants -- you will get the "flashlight treatment" AND the good service from the front of the house that goes along with that.

I was at Morton's one night for a work-related dinner meeting in the private dining room sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. These things are the best -- not only do I get loads of pens, post-its, and highlighters from this company...they pay for my steak and wine too!

Anyway, I ordered my filet Medium-Rare. When I got it, it was Medium-Well. I hate dry steak. I knew that I wasn't paying for my meal (the Pharma company's credit card was!) so I didn't play diva. Still, the server looked absolutely mortified that my order got screwed up and quickly took it back to the kitchen. He returned 2 minutes later with the GM, who presented me with a $50 gift certificate for my next visit. Not only that, he told the Pharma rep that they'd be comp'ing my meal.

[Benzgirl]

It depends on the definition of "not right".

If they brought me broccoli instead of green beans, I wouldn't send it back. I would bring up the error, not to be mean, but as a "training opportunity" (lingo from work). I would let them know that personally it was not a big deal since I like both veggies.

Now, if you brought be steak instead of chicken (I hate steak), I would send it back. If I ordered something and they put yellow mustard on it without my asking, I also would send it back.

Either way, don't blame the server. They didn't buy the food, they didn't cook the food and they didn't mix your drink. Always treat your servers like royalty, and they will do the same to you. Case in point, a few of us went out for pizza last night, and the waitress kept apologizing for the delay in the kitchen. We told her it was ok since we were in no hurry and taking the time to visit. I saw her talking to her mananger, and he sent appetizers out for us complimentary. We were not expecting the extras, but this was a very nice gesture.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

Either way, don't blame the server. They didn't buy the food, they didn't cook the food and they didn't mix your drink. Always treat your servers like royalty, and they will do the same to you. Case in point, a few of us went out for pizza last night, and the waitress kept apologizing for the delay in the kitchen. We told her it was ok since we were in no hurry and taking the time to visit. I saw her talking to her mananger, and he sent appetizers out for us complimentary. We were not expecting the extras, but this was a very nice gesture.

I waitressed for a short time at a restaurant that was horribly slow at getting food out - especially on Saturday night. I had a table of younger girls (low 20's) come in, and I warned them that it was going to be a pretty long wait. I checked on them constantly, and I kept their drinks filled, and them updated how long the wait was going to be. They ended up leaving me a $20 for about $30 of food.

the majority of the time whatever i ordered turns out good. There has been a few instances that it has happened and if your polite and nice about it then it turns out well. The times i had sent it back it turned out correct. Though there have been times with friends who send it back and they have gotten snotty attitudes from the server

[Honeykiss1974]

It depends on what's wrong with it, but in general I usually don't send anything back (like if its missing a veggie, or med rare and not med well). If its something that I can not eat at all (like cantelope) then I just order something else.

And I'm always nice to my server anyway (I was a waitress for 2 weeks and that was enough!) so my demeanor doesn't change or anything.

[cheerfulgreek]

I remember I ordered dessert after dinner which is rare for me, but the apple pie with ice cream looked really, really good, so I ordered it. The server was such a bitch from the beginning. When she brought my pie, it was cold, so I asked her if she could heat it up. I was really nice about it...at least I think I was. When she brought it back, the ice cream was melted and the pie was so hot it was smoking and the color changed slightly to a darker brown. When she put the pie in the microwave, she didn't even bother to take the ice cream off. I didn't eat it. Oh, and I left a penny for her tip, and I told her manager on her.

[kathykd2005]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Oh, and I left a penny for her tip, and I told her manager on her.

I remember when I was about 10 my older brother did this to a server at Friendly's. It was cruel, but she really deserved it.

[AGDee]

I took my kids to Buffalo Wild Wings last week and my daughter ordered a different sauce for her boneless wings than she usually does. Turned out, it was way too hot for her. When the waitress came by to ask us if everything was ok, I started to tell her that the sauce my daughter ordered was too hot for her and I was going to ask if I could order an additional plate for her but the waitress said, before I could finish "I can get her a different one!" I tipped her very well. It didn't seem fair that they had to toss a whole plate of food like that and I was willing to pay for a new order, but they were great about it.

[Buttonz]

I always send it back. I'm paying for it, I want it the way I want.

One of the few times I don't send back something is in Friday's if I order my steak medium rare and it comes rare, I deal with it because I like rare,but I prefer medium rare lol

[AlethiaSi]

I am a waitress now, and have been in the industry for about ten years. I've worked in family style places to friendly's to top notch. If someone is nice to me, I'll go out of my way to help them, plain and simple. (I also send over a tasting plate, give a free dessert, etc if things aren't great, sometimes even if i really like the table i will) If they are being rude, have a condescending tone of voice, or don't even say thank you, it's hurtful and I have learned not to take it personally, but it still gets to me sometimes.

I have never ever done anything to anyone else's food, but I have seen it done (they were always above and beyond obnoxious for this to happen), and its usually the back of house that gets mad that the server is upset and does something about it, not the server doing it.

Either way, be nice, courteous and appreciative, and tip appropriately. I expect 20% and it is amazing how many people don't do this.
When I go out to eat, I tip a crazy amount, 20% if the service isn't even good, and 25-30% if it is.
I don't usually send back food, but I will if I just can't eat it, and I'm super nice about it, explain that i'm also a server and understand it's a pain. That usually gets good results, and sometimes some extras!

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

Well, to be perfectly honest, even if you are POLITE, there are waiters and waitresses who could care less, and would still get annoyed by you sending something back. Because he has worked in the business for so many years, it's easier to simply order something else, as opposed to sending it back, and not getting what you WANTED in return.

Still, I must disagree. As a waitress, I'd be much more aggravated if the customer ordered a completely different dish. It's a headache for me, for the kitchen and for the manager who has to change the tab. It takes more time, which - regardless of the fact that they decided to completely change their order - means a lower tip, 99% of the time. If I bring back a steak and say, "Hey guys, this was done wrong, can we get it redone?" it'll take the shortest time possible. Entering another dish into the system puts it to the back of the line. I can ask them to rush it, but it's a pain for everyone.

Point is, I'd be pissed if someone ordered a completely different dish.

As to your last sentence quoted, if I order a new dish I'm not getting what I wanted, am I?

[kathykd2005]

That's not what I was insinuating, at all. What I meant by my last sentence was, getting something disgusting in return for being annoying and saying, "This isn't what I wanted, re-do it." I don't think you're understanding what I am saying here, or maybe we're just coming from two different perspectives. From my husband's perspective, he would rather have--as a chef--made something else for the customer if it was not to their liking, as opposed to taking back a piece of meat that was probably cold by the time it was returned, and put it back into the oven. Also, if a waiter/waitress is not in a good mood, he or she could drop it, or do something else (more disgusting) to it on the way to the kitchen.

Of course, there is always the option of "tipping" the server well, but in some instances, some people take offense to that--it could backfire; they may think you are talking down to them, and want to do something even worse to your food. Now, I'm not saying this is always the case, but I would rather be safe than sorry. Because my husband has worked in kitchens for many years, he knows what really goes on back there. I could tell you horror stories about some of the best restaurants, but no one wants to hear that. Just be careful when you go to a restaurant--that's all I'm saying.