Poll: What do you do when you have a bad experience at a restaurant? / LJWorld.com

Previous poll Next poll

Response		Percent	Votes
I do nothing, but don’t return.		61%	894
I complain to the manager.		26%	383
I complain to the wait staff.		7%	114
I do nothing.		2%	38
I file a complaint with the health department.		1%	16
Total	1445

Discussion

LJWorld.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.

5 July 2009
at 1:13 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Pywacket (Anonymous) says…

How bad? This is way too vague.

If the staff puts forth their best effort but the food is just bad, or the place is dirty, or whatnot, I'd probably say nothing but not return.

If the food is actually cooked wrong (well-done steak when I ordered rare, or scorched eggs, for instance), I would tell the waitstaff and give them a chance to right the problem.

If the staff is surly and incompetent, I'd tell the management why I would not be returning.
5 July 2009
at 6:55 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

grammaddy (Anonymous) says…

If the problem is with the wait staff, I let them know what the penny tip is for. Anyone else, I'll speak to the manager.
5 July 2009
at 7:07 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

xbusguy (Anonymous) says…

If it is a bad experience like being seated next to my ex-wife, I would leave…. pronto
5 July 2009
at 7:42 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

dulcinea47 (Anonymous) says…

It totally depends. If it's a bad waitperson (and I can see that it's not that they're really busy, but that they're just not paying attention) I'll leave a small tip. I might give the place a second chance if the food is good.

If my order is wrong I ask the waitperson to get it done right- I know they can't see the inside of my steak. If there's a further problem I'd ask for the manager and expect some $$ off the bill. If this isn't happening I'm probably not going back.

If the food is bad I'm not going back, period. I eat out rarely b/c I can eat well and much much cheaper at home, so when I do eat out, I want it to be good.
5 July 2009
at 8:26 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Anonymous) says…

I take the caps off all the condiments before I leave.
5 July 2009
at 8:27 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

consumer1 (Anonymous) says…

I have noticed that Lawrence has a “victim” mentality. Most people here do nothing but take it up the wazoo without so much as even a whimper. That equalls easy prey. or victim.
5 July 2009
at 9:46 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

cms (Anonymous) says…

Depends on the offensive. Once I wrote letters to the restaurant manager and the state Department of Health when I saw an employee sitting on a prep counter with his feet on the prep surface. Grossed me so much I have never returned to the restaurant and I told all my friends too. I also post restaurant reviews on yelp which is a good way to publicize the state of service and cleanliness in a restaurant.

5 July 2009
at 9:50 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

yankeevet (Anonymous) says…

Many times i have had too send food back as it was not cooked properly; ie; scramble eggs; steaks; etc……….most restraunts comply……..if they don';t i don't eat; i just leave…………
5 July 2009
at 12:47 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

del888 (Anonymous) says…

There should be one more option: I tell everyone I know so they don't get ripped off like I did.
5 July 2009
at 12:57 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

persevering_gal (Anonymous) says…

or….I email the company and receive free coupons. It really just depends on how bad the service is. If a tip is involved, I usually tip less or not at all.
5 July 2009
at 1:29 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

coolmom (Anonymous) says…

usually i talk to the wait staff, then if it is not fixed i never return. i will tolerate a lot if the service is great but if its ho hum or lazy then i assume the training is bad and dont return. i do have a lot of tolerance as i think it would be a hard job and i doubt customer service would be my forte.
5 July 2009
at 3:22 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…

Better to run this when the student help is in town to read it.
5 July 2009
at 5:38 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

mike_blur (Mike Blur) says…

grammaddy (Anonymous) says…

If the problem is with the wait staff, I let them know what the penny tip is for.
===========================
grammaddy, the following link is for you:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/…
5 July 2009
at 7:48 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Crossfire (Anonymous) says…

The best thing to do if you get bad food or bad service is to make sure you get a take home menu.
I take this and scan it and use the image to make up coupons for free dinners and drinks at the restaurant.
This might keep them busy for a while.
5 July 2009
at 8:20 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

Throughout my life I have known and talked to wait staff who have received miniscule tips. They think you are a cheapskate. If you leave a “penny” tip or single-digit percentage tip, your point is being lost on them. Think about it, the true cheapskates are going to leave nothing or very little. How are they supposed to tell you apart from them? They can't and they don't. They probably all think they are doing a great job and most of them are probably doing a good enough job. So, don't leave the tiny tip if you actually want the person to get the message that they were awful.

5 July 2009
at 8:39 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

beatrice (Anonymous) says…

puke?

I guess it all depends on your definition of “bad.”
5 July 2009
at 9 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

pace (Anonymous) says…

I have always expected an reasonable experience, getting the food, as ordered. Service within the confines of the environment, how busy, etc. My extra demands are preferences, I don't like a lot of personal remarks, I don't want to know what their wife did to piss them off, etc. I care about clean kitchens more than new chairs and tables. I care the food is as described. If the waiter is alert, looking around, attentive to their environment, great. If I get the refills on the coffee, they remember the cream, then 20 to 25 percent.
IF the the food is burnt or spoiled, which has happened, I inform the wait person and expect to be served a dish that isn't burnt or to not pay for it. If the server can't address this, I then go to the manager. If the server is really bizarre I call the owner. I owned a cafe and wish I knew the early evening waiter was a roaring idiot.
I sometime wish I could teach a 4 hour class in table service. A lot of waiters are totally untrained. They should be taught how to address the costumer professionally, to place and remove plates, to survey their customers for needs, to properly communicate about orders. I have actually needed to hold a plate and tussle with waiters who are clearing, without listening. The idea that all personal and professional issues should be in the back and not in the dining rooms is a little point. When I ask for and receive a special order or attention, I tip extra and say thank you. I admit that occasionally when I receive loony service I might make caustic comments but usuall I don't.
5 July 2009
at 9:19 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Jane (Anonymous) says…

I waited tables when I was a twenty-something in a high end restaurant. On the night of a formal event at the university (not KU) I received a penny tip from a table of eight college students. They were obnoxiously drunk when they arrived, took forever to eat and basically ran my arse off the whole time. Knowing from past experience that students generally don't tip well, if at all, I gave them minimum service, but attended to their needs. When I saw the tip, I picked it up, when to the front desk where they were waiting to pay. They were suprised to see me, and when I spotted the woman who's place the tip was left, I threw it at her and said, 'i think you need this more than I do'. I sh*t you not, the penny flew right into her purse and I laughed my arse off. Yeah, I could've been fired, but they knew they were wrong and I knew they wouldn't speak with the management. It felt soooo good to get vindication for every watri person who has ever been short tipped.
Boooyaaa indeed!
5 July 2009
at 10:52 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

tangential_reasoners_anonymous (Anonymous) says…

I complain to the manager.
I complain to the wait staff.
I file a complaint with the health department.
I do nothing, but don't return.
I do nothing.

Ah, restaurant clientele… complainers and do-nothings.
5 July 2009
at 11:01 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Newell_Post (Anonymous) says…

In all seriousness, about every 2 or 3 years, I eat in a nice (or even expensive) restaurant and then get sick 5 or 6 hours later. No bad enough to go to the ER, but barfing, diarrhea etc.

I'm not joking, but what should I do? Sue them? Report it to the public health department? Go the the ER anyway, even if I'm pretty sure I won't die?
6 July 2009
at 1:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

gccs14r (Anonymous) says…

It really depends on the offense and the steps taken to correct it. I try to let the waitstaff correct the problem, but will escalate if need be. If the kitchen blows, that's not the fault of the waiter. If the kitchen can't get it right after a couple of tries, you bet management is going to know about it.
6 July 2009
at 4:41 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

yoornotmee (Anonymous) says…

I'm holding a baby so I won't take the effort to elaborate, but I've reported the Subway by Target to the corporate people twice and next time I'm contacting the heath department (though I doubt I'll return). There is a specific rude employee who consistency disregards health codes.
6 July 2009
at 10:15 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

RonBurgandy (Anonymous) says…

Usually, we write a letter to the corporate office if it is pretty bad. Works out pretty well because we most times we get coupons to the restaurant to return and an apology.

I don't complain about the food being bad, and I rarely say anything to the wait staff because most times they are just understaffed and doing the best they can.

6 July 2009
at 3:15 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

edjayhawk (Anonymous) says…

do not go to ihop! Do not pass go, do not collect $200.
6 July 2009
at 5:07 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

notajayhawk (Anonymous) says…

del888 (Anonymous) says…

“There should be one more option: I tell everyone I know so they don't get ripped off like I did.”

I seem to recall the ratio (from an article in one of the hospitality trade magazines) is something like the average person tells 2 other people when they have a good experience at a restaurant, and 10 if they have a bad one.
6 July 2009
at 5:21 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

deskboy04 (Anonymous) says…

I almost always get treated well in a restaurant. The wait staff is usually very good. I can honestly say that I can't remember the last time that I was treated poorly in a restaurant.
6 July 2009
at 5:43 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

pfunk81 (Anonymous) says…

I can't believe one of the choices is “file a complaint with the health department.” If that's one of the ways you deal with bad experiences at a restaurant, I'd imagine there is just no pleasing you anyway. Unless you see the cook stick something in his pants or there's cockroaches crawling on your legs.
6 July 2009
at 6:35 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

sbdad (Anonymous) says…

What restaurants, should learn from this informal poll is customers complain in the worst way…with his/her wallet. Happens everyday, in all businesses. If you spend money on advertising and the like just to get customers into your business, better take care of them once their in there, very simple.