Ever sent your FOOD back ?

Easy 10 · Sep 10, 2015

Not always an entirely advisable course of action I grant you, being as there is a very distinct chance of it coming back with some form of human secretion embedded within its folds. And I'm British, so complaining isn't really in my DNA. But tonight, I just had to. The venue ? The Longshore, Shoreham. My daughters birthday. Not my first choice, but its very local to her, and she likes it, it was her idea, her birthday, I've been before and it was ok so I had no violent objections, so there we are.

So I order a starter. Chicken wings with the hot habanero sauce, side salad, and a cool blue cheese dip. £4.45.

What arrives is 3 wings. 3 scraggy chicken wings with some droopy lettuce and a dip. THREE. I call them over.
"Is this what I get for £4.45 ? Three small wings ?"
"Ummm..well, that's whats its always been"
"I was here in May. There was a lot more than this" (and there most certainly was - six at least. Its why I went back to them in the first place, they were great.I pointed this out.)
"Well...err..that's the starter..."

So I tell the chap to take it away and STRIKE it from my bill. Which they did. And I just had a pretty average rack of ribs for the main, no starters. Irritating. Not really good enough is it ? About £1.50 per WING, are they taking the preverbrial ? Outrageous liberty. The people at the next table were disappointing. I was expecting some quiet moral support. A knowing nod. An acknowledgment of my plight. A subtle shrug at least. Instead, one of them looked at me like I'd just groped his sister.

These people.

Bry Nylon · Sep 10, 2015

Hope you enjoyed the jizz on your rack of ribs... :lolol:

pastafarian · Sep 10, 2015

Easy 10 said:
Instead, one of them looked at me like I'd just groped his sister.

These people.

all tripadvisor entries should really be ran past NSC first,its important observations like this about the indifferent planks you sometimes have to share oxygen with in restaurants that can make all the difference.

Westdene Seagull · Sep 10, 2015

Hell yes ..... many a time.

Best time ( that should probably be worst ! ) was when we stayed at Camber Sands. Now I knew the on site restaurant would be chav like but I do expect the food to at least be edible.

Menu looked OK - very Beefeater / Harvester like but it was better than cooking that night ..... or so we thought.

The five starters arrive, for there were five of us, arrive in dribs and drabs and were at best average. It would have been nice if all of us could have had our starters at the same time. The mains then arrived - once again in dribs and drabs - and not a single dish even remotely resembled what was on the menu and most had items missing. My step daughters Mac Cheese might as well have been a bowl of puke it tasted that bad.

Call the waiter over and ask to speak to the manager - "The manager isn't in tonight"

Really, a Saturday night ? Oh well, please could I speak to Duty Manager then ? "We don't have a duty manager" - Really ?? But I worked in hotel and catering for a decade in over a dozen places and you ALWAYS have a duty manager ? "What I meant is I'm the duty manager" - that's a sudden promotion isn't it ?

It was one of those pay up front places so I demanded all starters and all main courses be refunded. "Sorry sir, we don't give refunds. Besides what's wrong with the food ?"

After 10 minutes of 'banter' I really lost my rag and stood up, shouted at the top of my voice "Well I wouldn't serve this shite to my dog and yet you won't ****ing give a refund ?" The junior Westdene's faces were a picture and Mrs Westdene tried to hide behind a menu. Strangely I got my refund and the juniors got free ice cream ( oh and the table next to us then demanded, and got, refunds as well ).

I really don;t get why people won't send stuff back. If it's crap or not what was ordered then bloody well say something.

Bombadier Botty · Sep 10, 2015

pastafarian said:
about the indifferent planks you sometimes have to share oxygen with in restaurants

Indeed. I think I'd get my stuff and move to another venue if I ever ended up seated in the same breathing space as a tedious bore like Easy10.

Easy 10 · Sep 10, 2015

Westdene Seagull said:
After 10 minutes of 'banter' I really lost my rag and stood up, shouted at the top of my voice "Well I wouldn't serve this shite to my dog and yet you won't ****ing give a refund ?" The junior Westdene's faces were a picture and Mrs Westdene tried to hide behind a menu. Strangely I got my refund and the juniors got free ice cream ( oh and the table next to us then demanded, and got, refunds as well ).

You are, officially, my HERO :lolol:

Easy 10 · Sep 10, 2015

Bombadier Botty said:
Indeed. I think I'd get my stuff and move to another venue if I ever ended up seated in the same breathing space as a tedious bore like Easy10.

Well then at least we'd BOTH be happy eh :thumbsup:

Triggaaar · Sep 10, 2015

Bombadier Botty said:
Indeed. I think I'd get my stuff and move to another venue if I ever ended up seated in the same breathing space as a tedious bore like Easy10.

This is over my head, what have I missed?

pastafarian · Sep 10, 2015

I did witness a guy once who complained about his Special of the day Roast Pork,there was nothing actually wrong with the dish itself but he was unhappy it wasnt Roast Chicken.There followed a bizarre conversation about there being no roast chicken on the menu that day and if he didnt want pork perhaps he should have ordered something he did want etc etc.
The coup de grace came however when he started waddling around the restaurant clucking like a chicken very loudly.
Him and his wife were finally ushered out after much persuasion and were even absolved from the bill,much to the astonishment of a bewildered but thoroughly entertained clientele.
They guy was either madder than a wet hen or an utter genius.

AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit · Sep 10, 2015

No, but I have bought from Food Front.

W.C. · Sep 10, 2015

pastafarian said:
I did witness a guy once who complained about his Special of the day Roast Pork,there was nothing actually wrong with the dish itself but he was unhappy it wasnt Roast Chicken.There followed a bizarre conversation about there being no roast chicken on the menu that day and if he didnt want pork perhaps he should have ordered something he did want etc etc.
The coup de grace came however when he started waddling around the restaurant clucking like a chicken very loudly.
Him and his wife were finally ushered out after much persuasion and were even absolved from the bill,much to the astonishment of a bewildered but thoroughly entertained clientele.
They guy was either madder than a wet hen or an utter genius.

Really? That's brilliant.

Herr Tubthumper · Sep 10, 2015

I have done a few times but it depends on the establishment and the circumstances. A new place finding it's way with enthusiastic people will get a different response to a **** up than, say, the up-his-arse arrogant fool who ran Due South (god that bloke annoyed me)

Tricky Dicky · Sep 10, 2015

Never heard a decent word said about the Longshore. I appreciate it was your daughters choice, but we have quite few quality places to go to in Shoreham, I would never venture there.

Incidentally, not dinner, granted, but given a tenuous Shoreham conection I'll just mention that I had a very nice full english breakfast in Millers Pantry in the high street yesterday. Never been in there before, but will be going back, nice place.

Herr Tubthumper · Sep 10, 2015

Westdene Seagull said:
Hell yes ..... many a time.

Er, about that bet.......

:smile:

BigGully · Sep 10, 2015

The British bit isnt so much the reluctance to complain, but the catering providers not to acknowledge a customers disappointment without actually rectifying their position by bringing back a big plateful of decent food to try to placate an otherwise never returning customer.

I always try to think 'how would things be dealt with in the USA' .......... it tends to make me more angry.

DavidinSouthampton · Sep 10, 2015

My wife sent a steak back in a decent restaurant once because it was overcooked. She had ordered medium-rare, and it was closer to well-done.

The waiter had to agree and did everything necessary to put it right, being apologetic without being obsequious. We gave him a decent tip, have been back since and have recommended it to other places. Decent customer service makes sense.

I have always wanted to send a bottle of wine back because it was corked, but have never had the opportunity to, because it's always OK.

Herr Tubthumper · Sep 10, 2015

BigGully said:
I always try to think 'how would things be dealt with in the USA' .

Normally armed invasion.

Herr Tubthumper · Sep 10, 2015

BigGully said:
I always try to think 'how would things be dealt with in the USA' .......... it tends to make me more angry.

Seriously you make a good point. I really like the US up-beat service especially in bars.

Pantani · Sep 10, 2015

The Longshore! That place has been terrible in a variety of guises for north of 30 years. Big pubs on roundabouts? Normally best avoided in my experience.

Cian · Sep 10, 2015

In Garfunkels (my mothers insistent choice of venue) many years ago. Didn't get charged for much of the meal in the end.

I've had a waitress send a steak back herself before getting to the table - in a pub, not even a posher place - as it was obvious it had been incinerated when I asked for medium rare. Came over and apologised for the very brief further wait.

I find the contextual ads on here for Iceland slightly telling - "oh, they're reading about crap food..."

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Ever sent your FOOD back ?

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