When do you complain in a restaurant?

[GuyOverThere]

I never like to cause a scene, so usually just leave quietly.

The fun starts when I get home and leave 1 out of 5 star reviews on Trip Advisor.

[Bluelight]

It really depends on what constitutes "bad service". I used to work in a supermarket, and I once got complained at for not smiling enough... really? B*** shut up lol but I do have to say, that complaint was so stupid that it made me smirk.

[Aike]

I've been working part-time in a fast food place, which has taught me hell of a lot about customer service. The primary goal of restaurants, especially the big chains, is - as private companies - not to provide the best possible customer service but to be as profitable as possible. Consequently we are constantly under-staffed in order to have the labor costs minimized to the utmost. This has generated a whole deal of situations where it's simply impossible for us to live up to the concept of "fast food". And yes, we all get irritated under the stress, and that shows in our work.

Having experienced that it's quite hard for me to get pissed at slow or not-so-friendly service. Especially the fast food workers and waiters/waitresses get completely inadequate wages and are overworked (the situation is definitely not as bad here as in the US where, at least to my understanding, the "wages" consist largely of tips. I'd quit if I had to live on charity!) Recently I went to the nearby Subway, which only had one employee working. Poor girl. Some customers simply left the line because they had to wait for such a long time for their turn. I wanted to leave some written feedback saying that it feels bad to visit the place when you see one stressed out girl doing three peoples' work. But then I succumbed to cowardice. Not proud of that >_>

[phillyboy1234]

I worked in the restaurant biz as a teen, and like everyone else I have had the occasion of poor service when dining. Having seen both sides of the same token, I would recommend being polite with any complaint, and doing it as soon as possible. You will get way more positive feedback if you are polite than if you go at anyone swinging. Addressing it right away addresses the issue, so if it is food you should stop eating it and get it addressed immediately. If you instead eat everything and complain after, you look like someone chasing a free meal. You can also engage the server if the server's attitude seems off, "busy night?" or "seems like you guys are swamped!" etc. Engaging the server reminds the server that you have noticed that they do not seem up to par. Sure, you may complain about them later, but at least you can rest assured that you gave them fair warning. This recently saved me: I was out to eat and the service was awfully slow, I said something like, "the food is really taking a while" and the server responded that someone had walked out on the job and so the rest of the staff was struggling to pick up her tables. We also got free dessert for the wait. But I was glad I said something because it truly wasn't my server's fault, I happened to be at one of the tables of the original server who walked out (literally, as she had been there when I sat down).

Anyway, just some food for thought.

[LJay]

In the case of the cat food or the really dirty conditions in a restaurant or the bad crab, it is always possible to lodge a complaint with the local board of health, especially if the manager of the establishment is not responsive. Believe me, health inspectors are paid attention to promptly. The inspectors also tend to make follow up visits.

[Pix]

In the case of the cat food or the really dirty conditions in a restaurant or the bad crab, it is always possible to lodge a complaint with the local board of health, especially if the manager of the establishment is not responsive. Believe me, health inspectors are paid attention to promptly. The inspectors also tend to make follow up visits.

I wish I'd thought of that!

[Beaux]

The majority of my adult career choices have revolved around the service industry. I spent 22 years working in restaurants and bars before I opened my catering company and, later, my restaurant "Beaux's Steak and Seafood".
I have had numerous people comment on my behavior when I go out to eat. I am very friemdlu with the service staff, and if it is my first time to eat in an establishment, I immediately introduce myself and whoever is dinning with me to the server. I am very exact in the service I require, but not demanding. For example, I always ask for ice water in addition to whatever else I will be drinking, if the place doesn't automatically being water to the table. I also specifically ask that appetizers be brought to the table before the meal but after the salads and/or soup. I ask the server questions about preparation of the entrees (I am allergic to white pepper) so as to avoid ordering something that might not agree with me, request sauces and dressings to be served on the side, ect...
That being said, if I or anyone at my table runs out of ice water and none seems to be forth comming, I am not above finding the wait-station and refilling my own table's glasses...I have also been known to refill the glasses of the tables around my own if they seem to be in need as well.
For all my peculiarities, I have rarely found myself in a position that I feel the need to complain, but when I do complain it is usually due to one of three situations (or some combination of the three):
1) the Server forgot to place my order
2) the Server forgot my order and ordered something I did not want
3) the Server has a bad attitude

The first 2 are pretty self explanatory, but the 3rd is open to some interpretation so I will give an example. When we lived in Dallas, we had some friends come and visit and we took them out to dinner at a new Brazillian restaurant we had heard good things about. We made the reservation several weeks in advance, but when we arrived there was a bit of a wait so we took a table at the bar and ordered drinks while we waited for our table to open up. The bar area was crowded but they had 4 young ladies working the bar area and, though they lacked name tags, one of them promptly came to our table and took our drink order. 20 minutes later we were still waiting on our drinks and, as she passed us on her way to another table, I raised my hand to get her attention. When she stopped, I said "Hey hon, I know y'all are busy but we placed a drink order quite a while ago and we still haven't gotten our drinks". She nodded at me and hurried away. About 10 more minutes passed before she returned with a sign she had made which she folded like a brochure and left standing on our table before she gave me an ugly look and stomped away.
The sign said: "My name is not Hon, Honny, Baby, Sugar, or Darling. My name is Katylin. Until you learn to address me by my name, you won't be getting any drinks."

So, yea....I complained.

[DavidsAwesome]

I don't complain in person, unless the manager specifically does a "Table Touch" and asks how everything is. I see no point in it. In the best case scenario, I get my money back. I guess if the food was inedible I would complain, but other than that... It doesn't really solve much. If there's an online survey offered or something of that nature, I'll complain there, but usually I'm no longer upset by the time that opportunity arrises.

[CellarDweller]

If I have to complain, I don't do it until after the food is done with. LOL

[phillyboy1234]

When she stopped, I said "Hey hon, I know y'all are busy but we placed a drink order quite a while ago and we still haven't gotten our drinks". She nodded at me and hurried away. About 10 more minutes passed before she returned with a sign she had made which she folded like a brochure and left standing on our table before she gave me an ugly look and stomped away.
The sign said: "My name is not Hon, Honny, Baby, Sugar, or Darling. My name is Katylin. Until you learn to address me by my name, you won't be getting any drinks."

So, yea....I complained.

What was the outcome of your complaint?