What if you hate your meal in a restaurant?

Question

If you order something and hate it... (But it was not cooked wrong or defective, but just something you wanted to try but couldn't eat). What would you do? 1) Send it back and request something else? And pay for it? 2) not pay for it? 3) pretend you like it? The restaurant probably wants to make you happy but if it isn't their fault you don't like it, then what would usually happen? Hmmm.. I just never order anything I don't know I'll like so I'm probably missing out trying new things so this has never happened to me. But if I did, what would most people do in that situation?

Answer 1

I'd send it back, request something else, and pay for it, since it is a matter of taste, and no fault of the restaurant's that I didn't like it.

In my experience, you want to make it very clear to your server that it's not the cooks' fault when you send it back.

Answer 2

Okay here's the deal.  I've been managing restaurants for quite a while and this seems to come up more and more.  If you are not sure you'll like something, you probably shouldn't order it.  Especially if it's something you've never had.  If you're looking for something new, ask the server what they eat.  Most times they'll tell you the best way to eat a particular dish, a way to have it prepared that's not on the menu (different sauce ect).  If you are unhappy with your dish, just ask the server if there is a way to tweak it more to your liking.  Otherwise talk to the manager and politely explain your position.  I'd rather remake something then have you leave unhappy or worse, still hungry.  But I will complain behind your back as I fix your new dish :)

Answer 3

great question!!!

i would eat as most of it as i can and act like i am full and say whens desert you can eat all of that then

Answer 4

If restaurant cooks food on their standard and you did not liked their manu then its not their problem, but if you explain it to waiter / manager about your custom taste, and see if they can do anything for you, then you should give extra tip. you should not hold any money for product you did not liked. you should not tip them if they did not treat you right that should be OK and make sure u put a note that tip was not illegible for service.

Answer 5

You don't have the right to send it back if you don't like it.  If you choose something off the menu which you dislike, it's your hard luck, unfortunately.  You can only send a meal back if there's something wrong with it, e.g. overcooked, undercooked, cold, not fresh etc.

In that sort of situation, they have an obligation to replace it, or even offer you a free meal, but if you don't like the meal, that's not their responsibility.

Answer 6

Keep the food, buy new food.  I am sure you can take it home and find someone who would like it.

Answer 7

why would you send it back i mean what is the restaurant supposed to do with it serve to someone else? I would never order it again and i would pay for it cause it is not the restaurant's fault you did not like the food.

Answer 8

It depends on the restaurant and the type of restaurant.  In some of the "finer" places when they ask if "everything is alright" and you indicate that the food is not to your pleasing they will let you reorder something else.  This is an individual restaurant's policy.  If I was unhappy with my meal, I would ask the server to remove the meal, and if necessary I would order a replacement.  I would expect to pay for both meals in this case since the chef had presented the first meal as ordered and it is not their responsibility if you happen not to care for it after ordering.  If it were something I could fix at home to be  more suited to my taste I would ask to have  it wrapped to go and order something different.

Answer 9

Well, this would depend on the restraunt.  At some restaraunts, (one I know of is California Pizza Kitchen) they allow you to order a pizza, try a slice and if you don't like it, you can order another one and just pay for the second pizza.  However, if a restaraunt does not have that policy, you should send the food back, pay for it, and order something else.  However, make it clear that the food was prepared correctly etc..and it was just a matter of personal preference.

Sidenote:  If you're into sushi and want to try new things, many times if you go to a sushi bar, the people around you are very friendly and are willing to trade pieces of sushi so you will be able to try new things.

Answer 10

send it back and request somethig else

Answer 11

Well, before you order it, ask someone of their opinion. Is it good? Spicy? Popular? Etc. If it's something you usually order but are just unsatisfied, ask to speak to a manager and in a polite way explain the situation to them. Your satisfaction makes or breaks the tip, right? Oh, and please keep in mind that the server DOES NOT cook the food. Most people seem to think so. Servers are just "messengers", if you will. Your server should try to do everything to get you the most delicious meal you have ever had.