When I order a meal at a restaurant, I tend to take what I get. Even if it’s not exactly what I ordered.
I’m just not a food-sender-backer. For one thing, I figure that even if the kitchen made a mistake, if the food is still good, I can live with it. Everyone makes mistakes, and I’d rather not cause the waiter or waitress any hassle.
For another thing, who wants to sit at the restaurant all day, waiting for your food to be cooked again? Not me. I’ll just eat what I’ve been served and go home, thankyouverymuch.
But recently, I sent back a steak. I hate to even admit that. You should know, I suppose, that I love a good steak. You should also know that I like a little pink in my steak. A steak cooked to medium is perfect, and I’d never ask for one well done. Ever.
Alas, the steak I ordered (medium, of course) arrived at our table exceedingly well done. Nary a hint of pink was to be found. Just brown, through and through. That’s okay, I thought, I’m sure it’s still good. So I tried a bite.
And it was…meh. I mean, it was still meat that came from a cow. But it was not what I’d been expecting. And when I thought of what we’d be paying for that filet, I thought perhaps I should send it back.
After all, Chad had also ordered a steak cooked medium and his was perfect — just the right amount of pink in the middle.
However, I have a mental block against bothering waitresses. Perhaps it’s because I spent one summer in high school working as a waitress and I can commiserate with all the hassles they have to deal with every day. I prefer to be a good, hassle-free customer, and then go on my merry way.
But the steak was really well done. (Have I mentioned the steak was well done? Because it was. Are you getting the feeling that I feel compelled to over-justify my actions? Yeah, me too.)
Reluctantly, the next time the waitress stopped by to see how we were doing, I showed her my plate, and asked if maybe, perhaps, I could have a new steak.
She was happy to oblige and agreed that something must have gone horribly wrong. A new steak was prepared, my family waited patiently, and in the end, I enjoyed a very delicious filet, cooked perfectly.
Still, I felt a little guilty.
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The only other time I’ve sent something back to the kitchen was when I ordered a BLT at a diner and it arrived without any T. No T at all. Not even a sliver, not even a seed. A BL just wasn’t going to cut it.
And really, I wasn’t asking for it to be redone, I was just asking for some tomato. They could have brought me a slice or two on a plate and I’d have been just as happy.
As for Chad, he’s not a sender-backer either.
Well, except for that one time, early in our marriage, when his salad arrived at our table with a cricket on it. Yes, a cricket. Not a dead cricket either. It was mostly dead, but still twitching. Lovely image, no?
I don’t know how the waiter transported the salad from the kitchen to our table without noticing that — Hello? There was an insect sitting right on top of the lettuce!
The restaurant was happy to send out a replacement salad, but part of me always wondered if they just took the cricket off and sent the bowl back out to us. Oh well. It wasn’t my salad. And Chad suffered no ill effects as a result of that meal.
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What is the point of this post? I don’t suppose I actually have one, other than to confess that I sent a steak back to the kitchen and I still feel a little guilty for bothering them, even though technically it was their fault.
And also, I’m wondering what your policy on sending back food is. Have you done it? What does it take to convince you to flag down the waiter?
One time my family came up to visit. We went to a very well known chain restaurant. It was my fist time there. I ordered what should have been a pretty soft meal, because I had oral surgery the week before. My meal came to me burnt. Not just burnt but black. How do you burn mashed potatoes? On top of that it was cold. I wonder if they didn’t just give me someone elses meal. The manager apologized and they would get me a different meal. 45 minutes later, (everyone else finished their meal) they brought me another plate. It was ice cold. I told them to take it back. I refused to pay for it. They didn’t even apologize for it. I won’t ever go back there again.
I never sent anything back until I started dating my husband. He is a big believer in getting what you want. And you know what I’ve found out? If you’re pleasant, wait staff are happy to oblige. Dh’s theory is the happier the patron, the bigger the tip (and yes he used to wait tables!) So I’m ALSO nice about it, but I send stuff back. (I also tell them when it’s my birthday, ask them not to sing — just bring me the free dessert!)
I’m a server and have no problems sending stuff back for you.
I want you to be happy, afterall, you’re MY customer.
What DOES bug me is when people expect free things for their birthday!!
Why should you get something for free? I’m not your husband or family or friend. I don’t know you, so why do I need to give you something for your birthday?
The instance of mine that came to mind when I read this was when I sent a burger back. We had stopped at a local pub for lunch and I ordered a burger. I have a strange habit of turning my burger upside down to eat it. Imagine my surprise that when I turned my burger upside down and the whole bottom of the bun was moldy. That burger got sent back pronto. To be fair, the manager did come over and apologize and lunch was free for us that day so it wasn’t all bad.
This made me laugh. I order my steaks medium-well, and the problem I get is that they are undercooked. If the steak is mooing or bleeding, I send it back!
I also ordered some iced tea once that was grim and asked for a Dr. Pepper instead.
But most things I’ll just deal with because I know I’m relatively picky.
I used to be too timid to ever send anything back. but my husband’s philosophy is that you’re spending good money on food and you need to get what you ordered, and if there is a problem, the staff needs to know about it so they can correct it. He’s very nice about it, and usually the staff is as well. So I’ve gotten bolder over time. To me it’s not just that one piece of food — it’s the anticipation and then the disappointment when something isn’t right. I may not ask for a replacement for every little thing, but if it is something that bothers me or lessens my enjoyment of the meal, I do — but nicely so they know I’m not just being cantankerous.
I’m more apt to let it go at a drive-through because I don’t want to bother to go back, but once I got some nearly cold chicken nuggets and wondered how long they’d been in that state and whether they’d started breeding bacteria from sitting out and not being kept hot, so I did take those back — I didn’t want to risk getting sick and figured they needed to know their product was going out cold. Usually I’ll check right there at the drive-through or at least before leaving the parking lot to make sure I have everything I ordered. My husband doesn’t, usually, until he gets home, and if it is not right, he’ll call them. They usually offer to send out a coupon, which is nice, but what we want more is to get our order right the first time so there’s not the frustration of dealing with it.
I’m also a stickler for getting beverages right because I can’t have caffeine due to a heart rhythm problem.
Barbara H.´s last post ..Wednesday Hodgepodge
The cricket on the salad is absolutely REVOLTING!
And I wish I had yoru problem. I usually order things very well done and they come back pink. Drives me nuts.
Sometimes I send it back (if it’s really pink) and sometimes I Just eat around it, depending on who I am with and if I think it’s going to take a long time. THat’s generally my only reason for sending food back – excepting if I find hairs or something which I think is just disgusting.
Most of the time though, I choose not to send back. But sometimes you just need to. =P
I, too, used to wait tables. My husband is finally used to my big-tipping ways and desire to practically bus the entire table myself, even at a sit-down restaurant.
If food is bad, don’t eat it. But make sure to talk to the manager about not paying for it, either. That’s how I prefer to handle situations where food isn’t prepared correctly, or it’s simply the wrong thing. You hear stories of people doing yucky things to food that is sent back. I’m paranoid about that.
One time my husband was forced to call the manager’s attention to his chicken sandwich, which was clucking raw inside. Cold, even. The manager of what I’ll call Bed Bobin was mortified and comped our entire ticket.
I’ve been a waitress, so I have a bit of insight on this. I have no problems sending food back if it is sent out wrong. I don’t mean they put tomatoe on my burger & I’m too lazy to take it off myself. But if I said I wanted my burger med well & it’s still bleeding, I AM NOT eating that! Unfortunately it usually comes back WELL DONE & chewy. If they send me fries instead of mashed potatoes, as long as I like fries, I’ll just eat it.
As a waitress, it didn’t upset me for a customer to send back food that wasn’t done properly by the kitchen. I was upset when my tip got reduced because of it.
I usually don’t send things back, either. But my husband has started making a habit of it. No matter where we eat, he almost always orders a grilled chicken sandwich withOUT mayo. He hates mayo. I’m pretty sure if mayo was the last thing on this earth to eat, he wouldn’t. And almost every single time he orders it without mayo, no matter where we are (with the exception of maybe McDonald’s, go figure), they always forget and slather it on. He’s actually starting to get quite mad about the whole mayo thing, and that’s saying something because he is about as even-tempered as the come!
Andrea´s last post ..Hi Ho- Hi Ho- Its Off to Work We Go
I’m not that picky either, but the mold on the fruit salad was a bit much. I did get a free dessert out of it.
I waitressed one summer, too, and we had one cook who was an absolute moron. One couple, soon after I delivered their food, politely called me back and explained that wasn’t what they ordered. It seems we were out of chicken fried steak, so the cook substituted chicken patties instead. Same thing, right? Right??? Don’t you feel good knowing people that intelligent are preparing food for you to consume?
Blogging IS excellent therapy!
I don’t generally send something back, and neither does my husband, but in the case of a steak that was 2 steps overcooked, I would definitely ask for another! I think that with steaks they are pretty understanding.
Jennifer, Snapshot´s last post ..South Asian Author Challenge-2010 complete- 2011 signing up
I feel like I am in the minority here–because I am a sender-backer! Eating out is a treat to me, and expensive, and when I order something, I want what I am paying for. And it needs to be prepared the way I specify, especially when they ask me how I would like it! I am nice about it though, and we never reduce the tip–that would be mean. But, we have gotten pickier about our tips where it comes to the service we receive.
Now stop feeling guilty! I am glad you were able to enjoy your steak.
So funny I should read this just now.. we went out for steaks last night.. I am so not a sender backer either! Unfortunately mine was a little too under cooked.. I however didnt send it back.. I just ate the pieces around the edges and left the center to take home.. my husband will eat it
Lindsay @ BytesOfMemory´s last post ..A Little Bit of Snow
I’m currently a waiter and have been since college and I’m perfectly ok with guests sending stuff back.
I want you to enjoy what you’re ordering, you are paying for it.
What bothers me is when someone suffers through their meal and complains to me at the end and expects compensation. I can’t fix it if I don’t know it’s broken.
I appreciate it when the customer is nice too. I’ll admit that sometimes it IS the servers fault things aren’t done correctly, but sometimes it is the kitchens too.
So, yea. Coming fomr a current server, DON’T feel bad about sending stuff back. Just please be nice and remember that we all make mistakes.