Sending something back at a restaurant....?

Question

Recently I ate a swanky restaurant $45 plate of salmon, it was overdone and dry. I sent it back to get redone. Behind the scenes - What to the Chef's attitude when something gets returned?

Answer 1

Generally, its no problem if you send something too rare or underdone back because they can just throw it on the grill again, but chefs don't like getting overdone meat or fish back, because they have to throw it away.  I wouldn't recommend it unless you like dirt or spit in your food.

Answer 2

I've worked in fine dining for years and I can tell you that if your food was in fact poorly prepared, the chef probably had no problem making it for you again.  There's a decent chance the chef didn't even see it before it went out, though.  Salmon should be served medium and if it flakes, it's overcooked and he would see that and have no problem fixing it.    When people send back food that there is nothing wrong with, that's when chefs get angry.  Say you order a well done steak and send it back because it's not juicy.  Well no kidding you ordered a well done steak.  It depends on the situation and the reason for sending the plate back, but generally if it's poorly prepared, he or she will recognize that and have no problem making you another dish.

And to all the people claiming food gets spat in... that doesn't happen at upscale restaurants.  Chefs take pride in what they do.... your local Applebee's line cook could be a different story though

Answer 3

i think when we go to a restaurant we go to expect a service and the chef should take special care and make sure the food going out is fresh, the chef probably doesn't like it when something he prepared gets sent back, but hey nobody likes criticized!

Answer 4

If it is a class act restaurant, they will apologize and ask if you wish them to try again or select something else from the menu. THEY WILL NOT SPIT IN YOUR FOOD, BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE THE FAULT IS CLEARLY THEIRS.  This is provided you do not make a big scene, discretion is clearly the course of action here. I would not be surprised if they provide desert, gratis  for your discretion.

Answer 5

just imagine, huh!

Answer 6

I really would not want to eat it if it came back again. I think I would request a free meal or a refund of some kind. we have all seen the horror stories about what happens when you make the people in the kitchen mad.

Answer 7

At that price it will depend upon if the actual chief Chef did the work or a member of the junior staff. If it is junior staff they may or may not care unless they get busted for doing it wrong.

If they are the owner or Chef, well then they care. A trained chef would have noticed it was too dry and not sent it out unless he was really overworked.  In most cases it is a junior staff and the chef was ticked at who sent it OUT not who sent it in.

I would never send something back twice in any event.  Just call it quits and go somewhere else. If they don't get it right, and I mean perfectly right  the second time,  they never will.

Answer 8

I think it depends on the restaurant...$45 for salmon better be d**n good, and the restaurant builds cred on guest satisfaction.  If it's a junkie place like Applebee's or Friday's...then I would NEVER send it back...they don't have a "chef" per se...but mostly junior staff (kids who think: it's us against them).  Be discreet and polite, talk to a manager, they will usually bend over backwards for you.

Answer 9

you never know....i've heard some crazy stories. if i ever have a problem with my food, even at mcdonalds, i just ask for my money back, and give the food back. just in case i end up with the cook who has had a bad day.

Answer 10

Hello:

I have been warned by many many many people NEVER to send food back if it is wrong,because the kitchen staff will do some really nasty things to your food out of retaliation. I have heard many people say who have worked in kitchens that customers have no idea what extra ingredients that chefs or the kitchen staff will do to someone's food if they send it back to the kitchen because it wasn't cooked the way the customer wanted it.

I would just advise that you ask for your money back and don't ever send it back to get it fixed because you never know what extra ingredients that the kitchen staff will add to your food such as spit,and other things,not kidding!

Answer 11

They get mad and some times spite it your food or worse.