There's always that awkward moment when you've received your food or drink order and it tastes nothing like what you expected. In fact, it's just inedible and you're now watching your company enjoy their meal while you're having an internal struggle on where to go from here.
There are those who immediately flag down a server and demand something be done about this atrocious meal and then there are those who sit there sheepishly wondering if the server will hate them if they speak up.
The consensus among dining experts is that it's OK to send food back to the kitchen if you're not completely happy with it. Here's how you go about it the right way.
Speak up soon
If there's something off about your food or it's just not what you expected, make sure to speak up as soon as you can. The longer you wait the more awkward things can get.
"It’s a bit impolite to consume the majority of a dish and then relay negative feedback," says Caroline Potter, OpenTable’s chief dining officer.
If you wait until the end of the meal, the staff has no opportunity to fix it and make it right for you.
Give a specific reason
Although you can technically send a dish back and simply say "I didn't like it," experts agree you're better off giving specific reasons. This helps you and the chef.
"If a guest changes their mind after receiving a meal, its key to be up front with the server and specific in terms of what exactly they didn’t like as the description of the item may need to be tweaked in the future," says Eric Marx, co-owner of The Wayfarer.
It's always best to pinpoint a reason as to why the dish didn't meet your standards. Saying something like the food was too salty or the temperature was off is helpful.
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"Good chefs want to hear feedback," says Micah Paloff, director of operations at Alice at the 1 Hotel West Hollywood. "And they often will go out of their way to make something guests will really enjoy."
Be Polite
Potter says that a good waiter may already be able to anticipate when you don't like your food or drink. But if that gets lost in translation, make sure to flag down the server and politely let them know.
"Use language that isn’t overly critical." Potter suggests. "For example, 'This dish looks wonderful and I’m sure others enjoy it, but it’s not for me. Would I be able to order something else?'"
Being discreet and respectful is also a part of good manners as many people worked hard to bring this dish out to you. So make sure you're not causing a scene.
"As long as it is done in a respectful manner, and not offensive, guests should feel comfortable asking for a dish to be remade," Paloff says.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/06/17/how-send-food-back-restaurant-without-making-things-awkward/1446991001/ 2019-06-17 17:22:00Z
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