Sending food back to the kitchen?

[sqwakvfr]

From time to time the food I order (at a restaurant or delievery) has been unacceptable.  Years ago I would send the food back.  But a few times after eating the food that was redone has given me some stomach issues like cramps and a few times diarrhea.  Since then when the food I ordered is not to my liking I pay and just walk out.  The latest example was a chicken sandwhich that I ordered.  The chicken had consistency of fine leather.  It looked and smelled like it was made days ago. 

 

Also, in the past If I were to complain about food the usual reaction from the local workers has been like as if I had just insulted their mother.  This is just based upon my experience but why does it seem like many Thai people get insulted and at times get upset when I have complained about the quality of the food I ordered.  From my perspective it seems like because i am a foreigner I have lost my right to complain when the quality of the product or service I have paid is not to my liking. This does not happen all the time but it did happen enough times  and  I have decided it is not worth making this into a "federal" case.  

 

So what do others do when the food they ordered is not to their liking? 

[GammaGlobulin]

5 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

So what do others do when the food they ordered is not to their liking? 

 

Tuna:  One can per day

Omelet: One 5-egg omelet per day

Chicken breast: Two per day, but only cooked in my oven, using fresh breasts.

Rice:  A lot of rice, steamed in my steamer.

Bread: Not too much, but only what I bake myself.

 

What could possibly go wrong?

 

I have never sent back food to the cook, in a restaurant.

If I do not like what I am served, then I pay and leave.

 

But, I probably would NOT walk away from a Panang-Gai...

 

 

[Gottfrid]

There are different levels of complaint. As you post, food is not to your liking. That, does not necessarily mean it´s anything wrong with it. That can mean taste, consistency etc.

However, if you can show and prove that the food is undercooked or overcooked, not fresh and so on, then you have the right to complain. 

The bad thing is the reaction from some Thai´s, who live in a culture where they consider themselves perfect and must be without fault. That once again create the face issue, and as you complain they are losing face.

There are different way to complain about food. To just say straight to their face that is bad and wrong, does collide with the cultural norms. Here in Thailand, it´s better to with a low voice or a wink of the hand politely make them attend to your issue. instead of telling them it´s bad , uneatable or wrong, just ask them to look and assume that they have made a minor mistake, and ask them to kindly tell the chef to take care of the issue.

[Ralf001]

22 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Tuna:  One can per day

Omelet: One 5-egg omelet per day

Chicken breast: Two per day, but only cooked in my oven, using fresh breasts.

Rice:  A lot of rice, steamed in my steamer.

Bread: Not too much, but only what I bake myself.

 

 

 

 

 

You order all that in or cook yourself ?

[CharlieH]

Western attitude to Asian situation.Chess meets checkers, different rules of the game.

 

Unless it's absolutely rancid etc and inedible, there is no complaint because " you don't like it" 😉

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

Probably you know already, Thais never complain about the bad food.

One reason is that they don't want the people in the restaurants feel bad.

Another reason is that they don't want that someone spits in the replacement food.

 

Personally, in places where I eat the first time and there is bad food, I just don't eat the food.

Maybe I complain, maybe I don't complain, but I won't eat any replacement, see above.

 

In good restaurants where I go regularly, I sometimes complain, i.e. if I order something which is supposed hot be hot, but it arrives cold. In those places the manager understands why I complain, and they do their best to make up for their mistake - at least that is how it looks to me.

[OneMoreFarang]

Just now, CharlieH said:

Western attitude to Asian situation.Chess meets checkers, different rules of the game.

 

Unless it's absolutely rancid etc and inedible, there is no complaint because " you don't like it" 😉

 

Sometimes it's undercooked, and with pork or chicken that is bad. And there might be other issues.

Some things are about taste. But other issues are just about right or wrong. Half raw chicken is never right. 

 

 

 

[Hummin]

In a backyard restaurant, I never send the food back, but if in a 5 star resaurant, and I ordered medium rare steak, I will do if its to bloody. 

[GammaGlobulin]

28 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

You order all that in or cook yourself ?

 

a. Omelete's are delivered, 20 boxes per delivery.

b. Flour, Rice, Extra-Virgin Spanish olive oil,....Lotus.

c. Chicken breasts...Lotus

d. Tuna...TOPS.....GREAT QUALITY....IMHO

e. Pigeons:  I have already ordered the Havahart Trap.  Maybe TWO per DAY, would not be an over-estimation of what I will catch.

 

 

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

a. Omelete's are delivered, 20 boxes per delivery.

b. Flour, Rice, Extra-Virgin Spanish olive oil,....Lotus.

c. Chicken breasts...Lotus

d. Tuna...TOPS.....GREAT QUALITY....IMHO

e. Pigeons:  I have already ordered the Havahart Trap.  Maybe TWO per DAY, would not be an over-estimation of what I will catch.

 

 

Right..... so nothing relevant to the OP's question.

[GammaGlobulin]

2 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Right..... so nothing relevant to the OP's question.

 

I already stated:

 

I NEVER, EVER send food back to the kitchen, in Asia.

 

I have NEVER, EVER done this...

 

In over 45 years.

 

Too late for me to learn new tricks, from newcomer Farang, on TV, I guess.....

 

[GammaGlobulin]

13 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Right..... so nothing relevant to the OP's question.

 

I have, actually, never had a bad meal in China.

But then, I have never eaten from the gutter in China, either.

 

I recall a nice meal of Suckling Lamb in Dalian....

 

It was so very good, that i would never have given it up...until the last bite.

 

However, in Dalian, if I had sent my food back to the chef, in that particular restaurant, then, in effect, I would have just been ordering ...

A Hawaiian Punch....

 

I have, also, almost never had a bad meal in Thailand.

 

I once bought something bad (just one time) from a street vendor near Lang Mo.....

Took one bite, then chucked the rest out the back of the Rot Deng.

 

Honestly, I have had ZERO experience being served a meal that was not wonderful, whether it be in China, Thailand, or Taiwan.

 

One time, I had a bad meal in HK, but then....I was not so stupid as to send it back to the chef......!!!!!!

 

What....

Do you REALLY think that I am that NUTZO?

Sending food back......!!!!???

 

And, where do you think you ARE....anyway.....?

The Vatican City?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

45 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

In good restaurants where I go regularly, I sometimes complain, i.e. if I order something which is supposed hot be hot, but

 

I agree.

 

When I order food spicy, but it's not HOT enough...

Then I complain.

And then, the chef gives me more chili.

 

Nothing worse than food which is not hot enough...IMHO.

 

 

[G_Money]

I’ve given up ordering eggs over easy.  
 

Now only scrambled.  Makes life much easier.

[GammaGlobulin]

Has anyone here ever heard about.....Loss of Face...in Asia?

 

Sending food back to the chef....would....definitely be...

 

Construed by all at the restaurant as Loss of Face for the chef.

 

Why would you ever DO that????

 

Boggles the mind.

 

Just feign an upset stomach, ...pay....., and then leave.

 

No need for you to ever return to the same restaurant.

 

=========

 

Or, what about eating at a noodle shop?

 

And then....

 

You complain:

 

My Noodle is too soft.

 

Would you not then be the laughing stock of the entire noodle shop?

 

 

Or...

 

Dear Chef,

 

My noodle is not LONG enough.

Please take it back!

 

 

Ridiculous, really.

 

Never seen, in all my born days, anyone in Asia return food to the chef.

 

Someday, maybe....

I will live to see the day....

 

 

Edited October 13 by GammaGlobulin

[Dcheech]

No, I do not send food back, or, in this case, take it back.

My go to western comfort food is a Reuben. One of the few places in town that make it turned out this for a take away order between last Xmas & New Years. Two pieces of toasted rye cut in half, no butter, no cheese or sauerkraut or TI dressing - nothing - just bread & partially burnt pastrami. Looked like it had been stir fried in a skillet. That was it. They had also upped their price a hundred baht to 375B.  I have had decent Reubens there in the past and it wasn't the price.  I was back home before I opened it up.   Eff me I cannot recall an order this bad of Thai or western food. All I did, could do, was put it on the verboten list.

Maybe a new cook, and they have decent baked goods, but never again. They lost more than one customer. A couple friends & I meet for coffee & breakfast at different places once a week. Used to have this place on the rotation; coffee & huevos rancheros. Which was good, BTW, but  ... nevermore.   

Defamation laws prevent me from naming the restaurant.

[GammaGlobulin]

NO WAY I would ever send this back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Since the year, 1979, I have never sent back something like this.

 

Unheard of !!!!!

 

 

[SingAPorn]

In Thailand, and especially if one is a farang, no point to complain and send it back to the kitchen as they will just slightly refresh or re heat or worse...spit in the dish or put toilet bowl water. I worked in a restaurant in my teen years back home outside Thailand and saw how they treated difficult customers of the restaurant.

 

Just pay, leave the food, make that arrogant frown face and shake your head (as they do often here)  and walk out. Never go back.

 

Then slam the restaurant on Google and ask all your friends, acquaintances to do so, until the ratings fall.

 

That's the only way they learn.

 

Of course, due to the harsh laws in Thailand, only slam on the internet, when abroad or get people abroad to do it for you.

 

 

Edited October 13 by SingAPorn

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

In a backyard restaurant, I never send the food back, but if in a 5 star resaurant, and I ordered medium rare steak, I will do if its to bloody. 

 

Re-heating might not be tasty.

 

Better ask for a completely new steak.

 

(And, ask for the under-cooked failure to be put in a doggy bag, for your dog.)

 

[UWEB]

I just pay and leave, off course no Tip, and never come back.

[Will B Good]

2 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

From time to time the food I order (at a restaurant or delievery) has been unacceptable.  Years ago I would send the food back.  But a few times after eating the food that was redone has given me some stomach issues like cramps and a few times diarrhea.  Since then when the food I ordered is not to my liking I pay and just walk out.  The latest example was a chicken sandwhich that I ordered.  The chicken had consistency of fine leather.  It looked and smelled like it was made days ago. 

 

Also, in the past If I were to complain about food the usual reaction from the local workers has been like as if I had just insuled their mother.  This is just based upon my experience but why does it seem like many Thai people get insulted and at times get upset when I have complaiend about the quality of the food I ordered.  From my perspective it seems like because i am a foreigner I have lost my right to complain when the quality of the product or service I have paid is not to my liking. This does not happen all the time but it did happen enough times  and  I have decided it is not worth making this into a "federal" case.  

 

So what do others do when the food they ordered is not to their liking? 

 

 

 

BKK.......My sister sent her chicken salad back....undercooked chicken.....she went back to the UK medivac, semi-conscious.

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

11 minutes ago, UWEB said:

I just pay and leave, off course no Tip, and never come back.

 

Yes.

This is the way to go.

Agree.

 

[scubascuba3]

Kinda pointless complaining here, if it's a one off place, I don't go back, if a regular place, usually it's better next time

[KannikaP]

In a restaurant last Wednesday. Me....beef on spicy spaghetti, step daughter....noodles with pork,  grandson.......fried rice. Mrs.....pork chop with rice & salad.

Mine came first, then the noodle, then the rice, then 20 minutes later, the Mrs chop. When I asked why, they explained that the chop was frozen and had to be defrosted.

Quite correct, but guess where we shall not go again.

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, Dcheech said:

My go to western comfort food is a Reuben. One of the few places in town that make it turned out this for a take away order between last Xmas & New Years. Two pieces of toasted rye cut in half, no butter, no cheese or sauerkraut or TI dressing - nothing - just bread & partially burnt pastrami.

 

I recall the Reuben.

 

 

 

I love DELI food.

 

i NEVER send it back to the chef, either.

 

Last time I was at Hymie's, must have been..... The Summer of 1969.

 

Great food at Hymie's.

 

I once lived near Merion, so Hymie's was, thankfully, close by.

 

No Way you will get this food in Thailand.

 

Better just have a Panang-Gai, instead.

 

Eat Chinese food in China.

Thai food in Thailand.

Deli food in NYC, or in Philly....

 

How much would it cost to fly one of these Reubens over here, do you think?

 

 

PLEASE Note:

 

If you stick by these rules, then you will have far less need to send anything back.

 

Chinese in China

Thai in Thailand

Deli in NYC and Philly.

 

It's worked for me, for sure...

 

 

 

Edited October 13 by GammaGlobulin

[Regyai]

40 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Re-heating might not be tasty.

 

Better ask for a completely new steak.

 

(And, ask for the under-cooked failure to be put in a doggy bag, for your dog.)

 

 

 

That might be a good repost to receiving a bad meal don't send it back, rather do the theatrics (head shake, scowl. etc) and ask for it to be bagged. Pay up and leave then in full view give it to the soi dogs outside

[NativeBob]

Generally they do not qualify to cook. Even wash dishes. 

[GammaGlobulin]

18 minutes ago, Regyai said:

 

 

That might be a good repost to receiving a bad meal don't send it back, rather do the theatrics (head shake, scowl. etc) and ask for it to be bagged. Pay up and leave then in full view give it to the soi dogs outside

 

Nope....

 

This is just TOO Passive-Aggressive...for me.

 

I would NEVER do that, either.

 

Just walk away.....

 

Pay up, and walk away.

 

Also, follow my three rules....

 

In China, eat nothing but Chinese food.

In Thailand, eat nothing but Thai food.

 

On the MainLine...then GORGE on Reubens, and plenty of other Deli Food.

 

You can't go wrong.

 

And, I have NEVER sent anything back....in my entire life....TRUE....

(no need)

 

 

 

[steven100]

41 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

In a restaurant last Wednesday. Me....beef on spicy spaghetti, step daughter....noodles with pork,  grandson.......fried rice. Mrs.....pork chop with rice & salad.

Mine came first, then the noodle, then the rice, then 20 minutes later, the Mrs chop. When I asked why, they explained that the chop was frozen and had to be defrosted.

Quite correct, but guess where we shall not go again.

 

That's a good point you make ....   Thais haven't got a clue about running a proper restaurant.  

When a table of four come in and order,  the food should ( in a proper restaurant .. all come out at once ) or as close as possible, not one dish.. then 10 minutes another dish and then another later, and this has always happened here. 

 

They don't realize that the plates should be warm so food doesn't go cold quickly,  plates are always cold ....  and try and tell the owner or manager that ...    you'll get the ' there's no way a farang's going to tell me '   look. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 13 by steven100

[Sandboxer]

At regular Somchai hole in the wall kind of joints, complaining, even discreetly, is about as useless as teats on a bull. Their sensitive fragile little egos can't handle it and there's about a 70% chance of getting unwanted DNA in a re-done dish (on the off chance they even give a flart) . That and their main tool of the trade is a meat cleaver 555.

 

At classier joints/hotels, especially places with Western style management/training like Wine Connection for example, no problem provided it's a legit issue and not some woke retarded weirdo feeling offended that his seared LGBTQ rainbow trout doesn't come with an instruction booklet on how to ask its gender identity.

 

 

 

Edited October 13 by Sandboxer