Doesn"t anyone send back subpar food?

[Dizneydaz]

Yes, I send back "subpar" food. Whether at the World or somewhere else. I started doing it at theme parks some years ago when I realized if I had the quality of some of the food I received at theme parks at a regular restaurant, I would complain, and you're paying a premium at theme parks, so yes, I return it. (Not very often at Disney I should say)

The first time I realized and did this was at DLand many years ago and I got a cold piece of lasagna at Pinochio's in Fantasyland. The manager said they had a problem getting the lasagnas hot. I had pizza instead. The next time we went the lasagna was off the menu.

 

[DaniDownUnder]

After reading some of what has been said about what 'may' happen if a meal is sent back, I'm not sure I'll ever send something back again...unless it is just absolutely not what I ordered.

Ugh.... I'm going to look at restaurant meals very suspiciously from now on.

 

[Peter Pirate]

I find the innuendo that bad things will happen if you send food back very distressing, especially coming from the chef (chesirechik). How can he allow this and still sleep at night? Shouldn't chef's take a stand?

I personally know three chefs and a number of sous chefs at WDW and I am absolutely, positively certain that nothing like this goes on in their kitchens. But I will add that this scenerio is another reason I abosolutely love the open kitchen concept and they are amongst my favorites.

 

[Poohbear123]

with a Friend who ALWAYS sends his food back. Sometimes he gets it before we are thru, other times not. DH and I HEVER send anything back, my DH specifically asks for his steak BURNT! When he gets it that way, he tells the Waiter: "Good Job! My compliments to the chef!" (I like mine Med. Rare, sometimes I get it that way, sometimes I don't) BUT: I never ever never ever send it back!

 

[keishashadow]

positively, absolutely...never can you be certain what happens to the plate once it's returned to kitchen...management (even WDW's) cannot monitor everything & I've heard swaped stories while bartending years ago to curl your hair. Doesn't take long for a frazzled, disgruntled & probably unpaid grunt in the kitchen to decide to take their spite out on the unsuspecting patron.

Other than obvious mistakes (wrong entree, burnt food, etc.) why bother? When you get into subjective areas: taste & appearance; there really is no way to "fix" an entree. Just mention to the server, when they check on you after they deliver said offensive item, that it's not satisfactory & ask for it to be removed/credited to your account...unless you really want to linger over your meal (?)

I find the innuendo that bad things will happen if you send food back very distressing, especially coming from the chef (chesirechik). How can he allow this and still sleep at night? Shouldn't chef's take a stand?

I personally know three chefs and a number of sous chefs at WDW and I am absolutely, positively certain that nothing like this goes on in their kitchens. But I will add that this scenerio is another reason I abosolutely love the open kitchen concept and they are amongst my favorites.

 

[Alan the Foodie]

Subpar food should always be sent back. Subpar is substandard. Not prepared correctly is subpar. Stuff you don't actually like? Well here's hoping another family member will trade with you as I have done with my DW and other family members. But when her meal is not done as she asks, I send it back because I don't want her to be unhappy. She would just not eat it if it were up to her. It happens. Sometimes food must get confused such as a steak left on the grill too long or far too short. I always ask for steaks to be very rare and I have gotten them well done, but I like it that way too so there isn't a problem, but if it tastes funky, then I'll send it back.

I think it is fair to say that no one in Disney will ever spit on your food because if they did, they'd be outta there so fast and they'd never get another job anywhere in orlando. Big restaurants depend on their big reputations, and it's not worth losing it.

Alan

 

[RescueRanger]

I think you are being pretty naive.

 

[SueEllen]

I think you are being pretty naive.

It's illegal and a FELONY! A person at a Taco Bell in VA (Stafford) was just arrested for spitting in someone's drink (the person had given it back to them because it was either missing ice or something and the worker got mad and spit into it--not your regular spit, but a spit you don't ever want to see ) The girl that did it was arrested and it was all over the news (and made BIG news because this is a felony.) This just happened about a month ago.

I doubt very seriously that this happens very often as I would not think people would be stupid enough to risk having felony charges against them for doing something so childish.

If a meal is bad (cooked incorrectly, etc.) then the kitchen staff (or manager) should fix it.
Sue Ellen

 

[Snow_White]

I doubt very seriously that this happens very often as I would not think people would be stupid enough to risk having felony charges against them for doing something so childish.

If a meal is bad (cooked incorrectly, etc.) then the kitchen staff (or manager) should fix it.
Sue Ellen

I'm sorry, but you're also being naive. This happens ALL THE TIME, in crappy restaurants like Friendly's and in nice restaurants as well. This isn't an urban legend, it's true (unfortunately). Please just do yourself a favor and NEVER, EVER send your food back. Just talk to the manager and try to get some money taken off your bill...you'll be much better off.

 

[RescueRanger]

It's illegal and a FELONY! A person at a Taco Bell in VA (Stafford) was just arrested for spitting in someone's drink (the person had given it back to them because it was either missing ice or something and the worker got mad and spit into it--not your regular spit, but a spit you don't ever want to see ) The girl that did it was arrested and it was all over the news (and made BIG news because this is a felony.) This just happened about a month ago.

I doubt very seriously that this happens very often as I would not think people would be stupid enough to risk having felony charges against them for doing something so childish.

If a meal is bad (cooked incorrectly, etc.) then the kitchen staff (or manager) should fix it.
Sue Ellen

If you do not think it goes on, then you too are being naive. There are lots of things that are illegal, but people still do them. As a law enforcement employee, I can assure you of this. Disney is not immune to having bad, ignorant employees who would do such a thing. I would never send food back, period. I have heard many disgusting stories from very reliable sources, and I have seen actual police reports from instances as well. Why is it that people think that WDW is perfect and everyone that works for them are perfect little angels.

 

[firemanx]

Keishashadow:"Doesn't take long for a frazzled, disgruntled & probably unpaid grunt in the kitchen to decide to take their spite out on the unsuspecting patron."

sorry to say this, but this may be the most uncalled for, untrue statement that i have ever heard in my life!!

#1 have you ever worked in a restayrant
#2 do you know anybody who works in a restaurant
#3 do you personaly know any cooks in restaurants

Now im hoping your refering to fast food chains, and not your normal restaurants. I've been working as a cook for the last 5 yrs to pay my way thru school, and would never do anything like that to anybodies food. Frazzeled - im not, disgurntled - nope sorry, unpaid - dont think so. I'm not trying to single you out and know your not talking in specifics, but please dont generalize any group or job type as you cant judge a book by its cover, and never really know whose back there. While im sure in a few places this may happen, but its not a fairly common practice in the restaurant buisness.

 

[stemikger]

Originally quoted by kcrew
I've read hundreds of reports on this board about disappointing, poor quality, poorly prepared, overcooked, undercooked, ect. , ect. food at. dozens of the restaurants. However, noone ever mentions that they complain, ask for a replacement, an alternate choice. or just have it removed from their bill. I don't understand. Is this just accepted at WDW? At the prices they charge? If I were to go to Denny's and order a meal for $9.99 and it was not properly prepared I would sent it back! ????????????????????

I guess you have never known anyone who worked in the food industry. Sending food back is the kiss of death and about 99% of the time, they take it out on you by doing some nasty things to your food. My uncle and my father-in-law worked their entire careers in this industry and this is a fact, not a rumor. None of them would ever do that, but they have seen it time and again and in several different places.

There was one story in particular, whenever someone sent something back the first thing this person would do is drop it on the floor and then put it on the grill, this same guy would also spit on it before sending it back.

I rather just take the loss and complain to the manager on my way out, but knowing what I know about the food industry, some of the kitchen staff take this stuff very personal, and not everyone has morals - so I rather just not eat it and complain later.

 

[Acklander]

I don't usually send food back at restaurants - Disney or anywhere else, because it's a big hassle and then everyone else has to wait for me to finish, or their food gets cold, or whatever. I've heard stories about what happens to your food if you send it back to the kitchen, but I worked for years in the restaurant industry and I've never seen any cooks do anything bad to food. Usually they just roll there eyes and make a new item. If I don't like how it's prepared, I don't order it that way again. And if it's not prepared properly, I just don't go to that restaurant again. No biggie, there are zillions of restaurants to choose from and I'm not a fussy eater. I can't remember the last time that I've considered the food prep to be so bad that it's not worth returning to the restaurant again.There have only been 2 times in my entire life that I've sent an item back to the kitchen. Once for a steak that had gone bad and once for a shrimp dish where the shrimp had an ammonia smell/taste to it. With the steak, I saw the cook taste it from the other end and he agreed with me that it had gone bad. With the shrimp it was at a thai restaurant and when I tried to explain the problem to the waitress she pretended that she didn't understand English. I've been back to the restaurant that served the bad steak; I never went back to the Thai restaurant.

 

[NMW]

If something was really, really cooked incorrectly, and I mean really bad, than MAYBE I'd send it back. However, in general we do not send food back and we eat out a lot. I think I can think of 1 or 2 times in 12 years and that was at the servers insistance. I was a waitress the summers I was in college-TGI Fridays and Outback. I have seen horrible things done to the food that was sent back by the servers, food prep people, etc., it's just not something I feel comfortable doing, even at Disney.

As for just not liking the item I ordered-taste, texture, etc...I feel that's my problem because I was the one who ordered it. DH feels the same way.

 

[NMW]

I'm sorry, but you're also being naive. This happens ALL THE TIME, in crappy restaurants like Friendly's and in nice restaurants as well. This isn't an urban legend, it's true (unfortunately). Please just do yourself a favor and NEVER, EVER send your food back. Just talk to the manager and try to get some money taken off your bill...you'll be much better off.

I agree, you are being completely naive. It does happen, and spit is not the only thing. The kitchen staff/servers are not going to "tell" management on each other! The first time I saw it at a TGI Fridays, I just thought to myself that I am never, never sending food back! My sister-in-law worked at a 4 star restaurant in Philly with a famous chef, while in grad school and she told me gross stories too. In truth, her stories were way worse than anything I ever saw. Maybe because people expected everything to be "perfect" because of how much they were paying for dinner.

I think the best thing is just to have the manager remove the item from your bill.

 

[CheapMom]

I worked in restaurants for years and never heard of a cook doing anything to food. I had to return plates to cooks/chefs many times over the years and other the worst I ever saw them do was just let out a heavy sigh or utter an expletive... then they do their job - end of story. I did know a couple of servers who 'did things' to food if the customer was a rude jerk- but I never saw a kitchen person do it.

 

[kcrew]

Wow, I guess this thread has confirmed my original post that people pretty much accept and pay for subpar food, but not for the reasons I expected....! Granted I am not from a large metro area, but Disney menu prices are by far higher than anything I have ever paid in a restaurant, and its really disturbing that at those prices you assume cooks will spit in your food or worse...

 

[Peter Pirate]

I'm happy to hear that not all people who work or have worked in the food service industry (the naive ones) aren't adding to this hopefully exaggerated, all be it probably true consequence. Further, I am real distraught that many have obviously seen this happen and have not had the moral fortitude to stand up to it. It's a sad commentary on our society today that so many people can just stand by and let disgusting wrongs like these be carried out no matter what your personal justifications for overlooking them might be.

Back to Disney, FF and CG (for example) have open kitchens, if you send something back you can watch what goes on (I have). Further, the staff at Disney signature restaurants are not of the same professional quality as Bennigans or Fridays or Chili's for example.

I think it DOES behoove people to be careful about your complaint and certainly the way it is presented to the server or manager. Certainly just "not liking" the preperation of a food isn't a good reason to send the food back but ordering a steak rare and getting one well done certainly has to be addressed, IMO.

This is a very disconcerting thread.

 

[SueEllen]

Naive I am not.
I have worked in the restaurant industry (it has been quite a few years ago) but I worked as a server when my daughter was very young. I have worked in fine dining and also in casual dining atmospheres. In addition my sister owned a restaurant for a number of years and I have very close friends that not only own restaurants, but I'm friends with many of the servers.
Saying that food is being spit on or worse often because it is sent back is just not true. Does it ever happen? Maybe, but it is the exception rather than the rule. Have I seen chefs/cooks mad that the steak came back 2 times saying it was undercooked still (and seen them throw it in the microwave to get out all of the pink--or overcook it until it's dry and hard)? Yes, I have see that, but I have NEVER seen anyone intentionally try to sabotage someone's food with any bodily fluid.
I think that the assumption that it happens all of the time is just doing nothing more than stirring up fear among people who send back food that is subpar. If you are paying for a meal then you deserve to get an edible meal.
And again--anyone who is caught doing this (spitting on food, etc.) can be arrested and charged with a felony. I'm sorry but I don't know many people who are willing to risk a felony charge for some "revenge" on a diner who just wants their meal prepared properly.
Sue Ellen

 

[zurgswife]

I have worked many years from about age 16 on until way after college in the food industry and a variety of different types of food services restaurants in many different states and I have never seen this done. EVER!!

I do return food but mostly it is steak because I order my very very very very RARE....and 70% of the time it isn't even close.