Doesn"t anyone send back subpar food?

[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! ????????????????????

 

[zurgswife]

I have always sent subpar food back....and especially at the prices disney charges.

 

[dbm20th]

Interesting...

I think there are a couple of variables here. If they food is ill-prepared, then yes and I think many also would. By that I mean, the steak under-cooked, pasta is too soft, soup is cold, etc., etc.

But just plain "bad" food. Like, this sauce is not to my liking? No, I don't send that back. Because it was my choice to order it. Some things are good and some are not. I don't feel I am entitled to trying everything on the menu until I find something I like., nor is anyone else. If you didn't like it, that's tough luck for you. I think this is the area where reviews get fuzzy. Was the food over-cooked, or just not very tasty?

 

[chesirechik]

DH is a chef and we don't send food back.....ever. He's worked in to many kitchens and has seen what goes on.

If we are really bothered by a dish that is prepared properly (not cooked properly) we'll speak to the manager and have it removed from the bill.

 

[pozey]

dbm20th is correct.

There is a difference between "bad" food and improperly prepared food.

If the food is not prepared the way you ordered it - like a steak being too rare or overdone, then, yes, I will send it back.

But if the food doesn't suit my taste, then, that is not grounds for sending it back.

But you have to realize, that food, and restaurants in general, is very subjective. What is the best ever to one, may be the worst ever to another. So, when you read reviews, you have to realize you are going to get some glowing reviews and some I'll-never-go-back-again reviews.

 

[Priorityonecb]

I usually don't. Because by the time my new plate arrived, my family would be almost done with their meals. I did return a plate once. I ordered salmon, and it came with mashed potatoes drowining in *beef gravy....so much so that there was a puddle of it under my mango chutney salmon...just not right! I did send that back and had to take my food to go in a box because everyone was done by the time a new plate was brought to me. It's really uncomfortable to be sitting with nothing to eat while everyone around you eats...for me and for them.

 

[mlwear]

I'm with dbm20th. If I ordered and it is prepared properly but I just don't like the taste, then too bad for me. However, I have been to many restaurants (not wrting of Disney here) where the server will see that I haven't eaten much and will ask if it is OK. I am honest and tell them that it was cooked properly, I just don't care for it and they have graciously replaced my meal. I think it is nice, but not necessary or expected.

If it isn't cooked properly, heck yes I will send it back. The bad part of this though is that the rest of your party is eating while you are waiting for the correction and then they have to wait on you to eat when they are often finished. I think it very smart of some restaurants to ask you to cut into your steak and be sure that it is cooked to the correct doneness (is that a word?) before leaving. Probably saves them a lot of steak, too.

I had a horrible steak(? ) at the Concourse last year. It was supposed to be a filet, but it wasn't a filet by any stretch of the imagination. I don't even know what you would call it. I tried to make the best of it and just asked that it be returned to the kitchen to be cooked as I requested "medium well". I tried desperately to enjoy the steak, but it was so tough and full of fat and gristle. I just called the manager over then and he agreed it wasn't a filet. Of course, I'm not not accepting this and paying for a filet!

I have heard that they do gross things to your food if you send it back (not necessarily Disney, though). I hope that isn't true. I am always courteous.

 

[allegracristina]

DH is a chef and we don't send food back.....ever. He's worked in to many kitchens and has seen what goes on.

If we are really bothered by a dish that is prepared properly (not cooked properly) we'll speak to the manager and have it removed from the bill.

I couldn't agree more with you. If something is unsatisfactory enough, I will have it removed from my bill.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I've never had a badly cooked meal at Disney but I have had meals I didn't care for.

We went to Tony's for lunch and they brought me the wrong meal so they went to get the meal I wanted made. Everyone was done eating by the time I got mine and the manager (with no "How dare I wait for my meal! I demand my meal be free!") not only took my meal off of our bill he gave us all front of the line passes to any ride at MK. I would never expect something to be taken off of my bill (I did get to eat something and whether it was their fault or not, I could never ask for something I had eaten to be free-I just would not go back to that restaurant if they didn't care to fix it).

That being said, if I did ever order a meal at Disney that was not cooked to my liking I probably would not send it back. I'm pretty easy to please (I like steak cooked every way but very rare, for example, and even like dry meat - which my family teases me about) and even though we do love our relaxing TS meals, I really do not care to spend an extra 20-30 minutes waiting for my meal and having everyone else wait for me to finish eating to go back to the park. Just my opinion...

 

[Ladybugsy]

I too would never send a meal back after working in a restaurant and seeing what happens when someone sends their food back. Cooks do not appreciate being told they did it wrong. May not be right, but I'd rather be safe than sorry...lol.

 

[Laura]

I've sent back food that wasn't prepared correctly, or the wrong thing. Example: getting a beef burrito when you ordered bean kinda sucks. Until the bean burrito is free!

I must say it's happened very rarely.

 

[ptrbryant]

I too would never send a meal back after working in a restaurant and seeing what happens when someone sends their food back. Cooks do not appreciate being told they did it wrong. May not be right, but I'd rather be safe than sorry...lol.

When I was in high school, I lived in a resort area and many of my friends worked at resort restaurants during the summer. I remember it was not uncommon to hear gross stories about food being sent back to the kitchen with a complaint and returned to the diner after being spat on, etc. I have no idea if this would happen at WDW, but ever since hearing about it, I just can't bring myself to take the chance! Not only that, but there was a recent legal case where I now live where it was proven that, after a restaurant patron sent his subpar meal back to the kitchen, someone actually urinated on the steak and sent it back to him. The man became very ill and it was through some medical detection work that it was proven.

I'm all for talking to the manager on my way out, though!

Karla B.

 

[KarenAylwood]

I totally agree with dbm20th. I hardly ever send food back.

DH is a chef and we don't send food back.....ever. He's worked in to many kitchens and has seen what goes on.

If we are really bothered by a dish that is prepared properly (not cooked properly) we'll speak to the manager and have it removed from the bill.

I don't agree with this. I've had chicken undercooked before and send that back in a heartbeat. I'd rather eat a newly prepared meal and take my chances with what could "happen" in the kitchen than sit and go hungry just to have it taken off the bill. If my steak isn't cooked to my liking, I keep it and would rather eat that than wait another 15-20 min while the rest of my party eats.

I think I've sent back food about 3 times in my life before. I only do it if the food is not cooked properly. If I just plain don't like it because it's not my thing- I don't complain.

However I have complained if something is not properly described. For instance, I HATE capers. HATE them. I got a meal one time covered in them- couldn't even taste anything but the capers. Funny thing- not even a mention of them on the menu. You better believe I complained.

 

[mytwotinks]

When I was in high school, I lived in a resort area and many of my friends worked at resort restaurants during the summer. I remember it was not uncommon to hear gross stories about food being sent back to the kitchen with a complaint and returned to the diner after being spat on, etc. I have no idea if this would happen at WDW, but ever since hearing about it, I just can't bring myself to take the chance! Not only that, but there was a recent legal case where I now live where it was proven that, after a restaurant patron sent his subpar meal back to the kitchen, someone actually urinated on the steak and sent it back to him. The man became very ill and it was through some medical detection work that it was proven.

I'm all for talking to the manager on my way out, though!
Karla B.

Well I certainly won't be sending anything back after reading this!

 

[Slapster]

DH is a chef and we don't send food back.....ever. He's worked in to many kitchens and has seen what goes on.

If we are really bothered by a dish that is prepared properly (not cooked properly) we'll speak to the manager and have it removed from the bill.

I'm confused by this statement. What does your DH see that goes on? I've worked in kitchens too, and I'm not sure what you're getting at?

 

[WeddingPavilion]

I'm with dbm20th. If I ordered and it is prepared properly but I just don't like the taste, then too bad for me. However, I have been to many restaurants (not wrting of Disney here) where the server will see that I haven't eaten much and will ask if it is OK. I am honest and tell them that it was cooked properly, I just don't care for it and they have graciously replaced my meal. I think it is nice, but not necessary or expected.

If it isn't cooked properly, heck yes I will send it back. The bad part of this though is that the rest of your party is eating while you are waiting for the correction and then they have to wait on you to eat when they are often finished. I think it very smart of some restaurants to ask you to cut into your steak and be sure that it is cooked to the correct doneness (is that a word?) before leaving. Probably saves them a lot of steak, too.

I had a horrible steak(? ) at the Concourse last year. It was supposed to be a filet, but it wasn't a filet by any stretch of the imagination. I don't even know what you would call it. I tried to make the best of it and just asked that it be returned to the kitchen to be cooked as I requested "medium well". I tried desperately to enjoy the steak, but it was so tough and full of fat and gristle. I just called the manager over then and he agreed it wasn't a filet. Of course, I'm not not accepting this and paying for a filet!

I have heard that they do gross things to your food if you send it back (not necessarily Disney, though). I hope that isn't true. I am always courteous.

As for doing gross things to your food when you send it back,it's true. But it's not because you send it back, it's how people treat their server as if it was their fault.

 

[Amyrlin]

Being typically British I do not like to complain and also do not like to send food back, but will have quiet word with the mananger so as not to disrupt the meal and get the item removed from the bill.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

I saw a show on TV which showed what they did to food that was sent back so I would NEVER do it! Really Disgusting!!!

 

[Aimeedyan]

I try to not send food back because it scares me Usually the food is cooked properly, though, so I don't run into it often.

For my birthday a few years ago we went out for steak at a local place. My filet was not worthy of the title of "filet." I had their filet many times and this was not the norm. I finally told out waiter that this was a really bad cut of meat and showed him the fat and grizzle on it. He offered to get me another steak - I took him up on it. The manager came over soon after that, apologized, agreed it was a bad cut and said he went and picked out another cut for me himself.

I am choosing to believe that they did nothing to my steak the 2nd time around =) It was a fabulous cut and what I had been used to and the staff was very kind about it.

 

[the Fidge]

I did tell Boatwrights how disastisfied I was as the dish was nothing like it described as well as being cooked improperly. I worked as a waitress for several years and will never sned it back. Just have it removed formt he bill. No need to tell you what happens, jsut rather suggest you don't do that.\

At the yachtsman Steakhouse both DH and my steaks were 80% flubbery fat. We wqere both too tired. Had I not been using the DDP I would have delfinitely said something at $42.00 a steak. Will not reccommend and will not go back.