What is acceptable to say?

[river]

I was in a pub at lunch time I waited 40 minutes for a, wait for it...crayfish SALAD! when I got it it was served in bread which I asked specifically not to have because I cant eat bread. She took it away bought it back and it was in a salad but had also been smothered in pesto! Dont like it didn't ask for it!

All I asked for was the filling of the crayfish sandwich and salad I even said just lettuce leaf is fine.

Clearly this is terrible service, not what I ordered and in the end I had 10 minutes to eat it. There wasn't enough time to get anything elses and it may sound like I was being fussy with a bit of a DIY dish but they had nothing on the menu that was both wheat free and suitable for a vegetarian so what was I meant to do?

Anyway the question centres around...while I was eating it the waitress asked is everything ok? and I just glared at her I really wanted to say NO because it clearly wasn't! NO just didn't come out! I was bought up to be polite so maybe thats why but -

What should I have said?
What can they actually do? and lastly
Has anyone else actually said no actually its not ok?

By the way the waitress hardly spoke English Either...hopeless totally hopeless

[reachesme]

I always complain when my food is not correct, I want what I ordered. Subsequently, i am never ill as they all spit in my food and i have built up the most sophisticated antibody system known to man.

[Loosehead]

If the meal is not fit for purpose you can leave your name and address and not pay. So on that basis you could quiet easily have aid NO it's not ok and what's more I'm not paying.

However in this case I would say that you are tempting fate by expecting a boozer to take any notice of your foibles. Yes you have right to what you asked for but it's like going into joes cafe for a tornedor Rossini, he could probably knock up a bit of fillet steak and gravy but it would be what you asked for.

I have done the above myself and nothing come of it. NEVER EVER l;et them tak it away and bring it back. The kitchen staff will do unspeakable things to it!

Please help me with this though, why are you eating crayfish if you do not eat meat? sorry if I'm being thick here but fish and crustaceans etc are animals too.

[Gromit]

I assume you will take your foibles elsewhere in future, I would.

If I had asked for a pint of bitter and was served half a larger, then I would complain and get what I ordered before paying. If I didn't get what I ordered, then I wouldn't pay. If you bought your meal in a pub then I guess you paid upfront which makes things trickier if you don't get what you ordered. You probably should have asked for the manager rather than the hopeless waitress.

If you can be bothered, you could send a brief letter or email explaining why you won't be going to that particular establishment again: poor service, no vegetarian option etc.

[redhead23]

river , this is the thing about us british we are too shy to say when something is wrong , my nan is irish and she would always be direct if something was not up to standered

if i was you i would write to the company stating your case and to keep your custom and as a gesture of goodwill they may give you some vouchers

but next time if you are paying for a service and are not happy you should complain!

[joko]

they really should have had a vegetarian option, most do these days - but seafood and fish is NOT vegetarian.


i once went for a set meal with my family and we had to agree to the set menu in advance - when i asked what the veggie option was, they weren't sure, but assured me it would be veggie

i was served a monstrosity of seafood - i was furious.

i am always offered fish when i say I am veggie - it is very irritating.

vegetarian means - no living creature to be eaten - that includes, cockles, mussels etc

i have even seen menus with little V's beside all the fish dishes!

i think restaurants should make an effort to make sure all staff learn properly what these terms actually mean, that includes gluten intolerances, lactose, and generally any kind of food preference or intolerance.
even just some sort of wall chart for them to refer to would be better.

it would also be an idea for diners to be clear and understand too - claiming to be vegetarian and then ordering fish is confusing.

[agamad]

I went for a family meal at a well known restaurant brand and they just about got everything wrong. In order not to upset my elderly parents (who were paying!), my brother and I said little other than sending the wrong meals back. However, I went onto their website and got an email for the customer services. I then sent them a long email detailing my dissatisfation and suggested they respond to my dad personally. They did and were very apologetic.He also received �25 in vouchers in the post.

Sometimes they do listen.

[NJOK]

Brought up to be polite?

Isn't it ruder to glare at her than just say that the food isn't right?

[joannie10]

you are allowed to be fussy in a restaurant as you are paying for a service but as long as you make it clear what you want or do not want. I do think it is important to complain if not happy but feel that this should be done in a pleasant manner if possible. If you do not like to complain at the time certainly send a letter/email. If I really dont like something I cant eat it so therefore would definately say at the time 'this is not alright and I cant eat it because..........' I do understand that some people might feel a bit awkward doing this though. If you specifically asked for crayfish and lettuce and then got it with pesto then I feel you would have been better to say this is not what I asked for. if the crayfish filling included a pesto sauce on it this should have been mentioned.

[Lonnie]

I follow one simple rule if i'm eating out. If I have a complaint, and the food is taken back, I don't pay, just get up and walk out, because if you've upset one of the staff, who knows what they might do to it ince its out of your sight.

[tubeway]

Does it matter to you that there was no vegetarian option as you are not a vegetarian (crayfish are animals, I am not vegetarian, but I still hate it when people think that eating fish or even chicken is OK as a vegetarian option)
You should have told the waitress that you were not happy with the service (or even better tell her Manager/supervisor). If you dont tell them them how will they know - I know that it should be obvoius but some people do need to be told.
The best way is not to eat there again - that way they lose your business and if more people feel and act in the same way they will have to change or close.

[snug]

You may have been fussy as to your order, but they contracted to supply your dish. Tell them it was unaceptable. They may try harder next time. If nobody complains then they will think they are doing it right.

[brionon]

You should have walked out as soon as you got the wrong meal. Never send food back, you never know what they do to it. I was once told by an ex Buck House servant that Princess Anne has eaten Gallons of Spittle owing to her bitchiness to those serving her.

[gina32]

if something is wrong tell them, if you dont how will they know, then get up and leave, why should you pay for something thats not right,

[Whickerman]

your first mistake was waiting that long. At lunchtime, 5 minutes is the absolute limit.

But, when the wrong food came, you should have left then.

[willowman]

Quote "All I asked for was the filling of the sandwich"
So why not just take it off the bread, eat the filling and leave the bread on the side of the plate.
Or were you expecting more of the filling for your money because it wasn't on bread?