How often do you send food back?

478085 How often do you send food back? Thu Jan 10 13:46:29 -0800 2008 17 29 Not About Food 0 3282305 I wanted to edit the OP in my "Do you send food back often" thread http://www.chowhound.com/topics/477965 since now I'm curious. How often (percentage of dishes) do you send food back? This should normalize for the "anticipation factor" (if it's an expensive resto, it better be right). Me? 0% Thu Jan 10 13:46:29 -0800 2008 148300 filth 1 3283160 Historically, I think I would place myself between 1 and 5%. It's been years, though. In fact I can't remember any one specific instance. I just remember doing it (always at chains for some reason) a few times. Thu Jan 10 17:26:26 -0800 2008 3282305 142652 madgreek 1 3283227 I have trouble with steaks at most chain places (Outback, Longhorns, Fridays..ect..). They never seem to understand what rare means. Probably because of all the people who THINK they like a rare steak, and then when they actually see a rare steak, they change thier minds. I'd say I send steaks back maybe 10% of the time. Other food, hardly ever. Thu Jan 10 17:49:35 -0800 2008 3282305 153163 Ranger05 2 3284067 and I like my burgers and steaks cremated to death so I have to be very specific when ordering these, and probably send them back about 20% of the time. Other than that, rarely do I send food back unless it is not hot enough. Fri Jan 11 02:14:16 -0800 2008 3283227 22559 smartie 2 3284159 I'm with Ranger on this. I've had some food that wasn't particularly good, but I find it hard to send something back just because the dish itself is simply not good (I just don't return to the place). But steaks that are not properly cooked to order (they are nearly always overcooked) are sent back. Of course, this is also the reason I don't go out for steak very often. I'd rather cook it at home and at least have it at the correct level of doneness. It really boggles my mind that places, ESPECIALLY a place that pretends to be a steak house can't cook a steak to the proper temperature, even if I make a point of explaining that, yes, I really want it medium rare and no more and asking if they know how do to that... Fri Jan 11 05:11:56 -0800 2008 3283227 124339 bnemes3343 2 3284237 Did you ever try ordering black and blue? At a Ruth's Chris, or Mortons, 99% of the time are on target, but at these places you list, maybe you need to take it down a notch. Fri Jan 11 06:08:28 -0800 2008 3283227 10147 michele cindy 1 3283485 I don't know I could assign a percentage to it, but I'd say my frequency is not often, but it happens. I have a food allergy (effects are not life threatening, but certainly unpleasant), and when the server fails to communicate effectively with the kitchen, back it goes. I let the server know I'm not offended or annoyed or anything, but it's gotta go back, and be made fresh, not just have the offending item removed from the plate. I don't let it effect tip (except in the most egregious cases), but I never feel bad about sending something back if eating it will make me sick. Thu Jan 10 19:15:37 -0800 2008 3282305 47694 litchick 1 3284207 Significantly less than eating meals that are not well done or not very good. Jfood slogs through waaaay more meals that go on the DNR list than sending back. Fri Jan 11 05:48:06 -0800 2008 3282305 11290 jfood 2 3284234 I believe I fall into the same category as jfood on this one. I have rarely if never sent back a dish when dining out. Typically if the food is that poorly prepared I put the place on my "DNR" list as well. One strike and your out in my world. Fri Jan 11 06:07:46 -0800 2008 3284207 26725 swsidejim 1 3284223 I can't recall ever sending food back but I won't finish something terrible and will politely point out the issue if they ask if everything was ok. And I certainly won't return. I've become more selective of my restaurants (in part thanks to Chowhounds!) so it's less of an issue these days. Fri Jan 11 05:59:10 -0800 2008 3282305 101907 ms. clicquot 1 3284270 A small % maybe 3%. 2 times a year perhaps. The funny thing is we are having a lunch today with one of our vendors. I swear everytime I go out with this guy, my dish is awful. The last time I ordered a dish that was a rice bowl dish, there was murky water surrounding the rice, another time I had a ceasar salad, the dressing was separating into a oil slick mess. Each time the dishes were inedible, so I sent them back. I don't want anyone to have to pay for a meal no one should have to eat. Fri Jan 11 06:22:00 -0800 2008 3282305 10147 michele cindy 1 3287768 I think we sent back food once in the past year--fries at a bar that were cold (burgers were hot). Other than that, nothing. I'm with jfood in that if we didn't like the food in general, DNR list time. Sat Jan 12 06:10:23 -0800 2008 3282305 109573 coney with everything 1 3288385 I've only ever sent one thing back and that was because it was inedible. It was a vegetarian "duck" dish that tasted like the seitan had been soaked in soy sauce and vinegar. Nothing more. It wasn't comped or replaced either. Looking back at it I should have kept it and picked out the veggies. The only other reasons I'd send something back are if it isn't even what I ordered, or the temperature is severely wrong. If I didn't enjoy a dish I'd just chalk it up to ordering badly. Sat Jan 12 11:02:28 -0800 2008 3282305 83462 Lixer 2 3310454 Soup should be hot, steaming and not luke warm or warm temperature. That bothers the heck out of me when I am cold and expecting a hot bowl of soup to warm me and its practically cold when I get it. This also happens a lot with tea or should I say the water they bring me for tea. It's hardly ever hot. Very rarely though do I ever send it back. Fri Jan 18 18:31:23 -0800 2008 3288385 135375 shesallthat 1 3312833 Put me on the "do not return" list. I can only remember sending food back once - shrimp with the poop vein still left in...urk. Sat Jan 19 17:43:19 -0800 2008 3282305 13564 Snackish 1 3312857 Only once, when it was in vogue to cook and serve beans al dente... no amount of nuking could fix it. Sat Jan 19 17:55:10 -0800 2008 3282305 10877 Sarah 1 3312972 i sent back a slice of pie once. It had been served to me frozen. Sat Jan 19 18:51:18 -0800 2008 3282305 108538 hala 1 3332249 Having worked in the f&b industry for 30 years... I am always leary of sending my food back... some cooks get insulted and you just never know how they may reserve it to you@! Yes, unfortunatly some of those stories you hear are true. Fri Jan 25 10:54:57 -0800 2008 3282305 12606 MeffaBabe