How Flexible Are You When Brought The Wrong Dish Of Food In Restaurants

[Jingthing]

A bit of bad luck lately.

Three times in one week, brought the wrong dish in Thai restaurants.

Coincidentally, all incidents involved getting pork instead of the called for seafood item, and all dishes were 100 baht or less.

I think I am getting more flexible about such incidents, even if unwelcome, which they are.

In two cases it was a regular place and I did mention the mistake but accepted the dishes anyway and said, next time.

In one case, also a regular place, not only did I not mention the mistake but it was a treatment of pork (deep fried crispy fat) that I won't even eat.

It feels better not to make a thing about every mistake.
There are so many mistakes here, but three times in a week is a bit much.

That said for higher priced dishes, like 200 baht plus for example, and especially if the dish is something I can't/don't want to eat at all, I still would attempt to send the dish back. That can be especially unpleasant in Thailand. So better if you can avoid it.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Jingthing

[Spoonman]

Ive never bought the wrong dish, a few have been delivered though and these promptly get rejected.

[Jingthing]

Sometimes it pays to make sure the waiter confirms the order verbally to you. I don't like to do that every time because it kind of feels caddish to push that and it's sort of saying I don't trust them.

[canuckamuck]

I usually eat what they bring if it is just regular Thai stuff. They don't get it wrong often, but when they do it is likely more my fault than theirs.

I usually do not wish to wait for another dish either. When i am hungry I have no patience.

If it is more expensive stuff, it depends on what the mistake was. Sometimes what they bring is as good as what I ordered.

[Jingthing]

Sometimes it is an opportunity to try a different dish, at least once.

But I am sick of being brought pork so often. I think I will resolve to be more caddish when ordering for awhile.

[BookMan]

When I order it can be a bit of a lottery as to what I will get, especially in places with no photos to point at.

When my GF orders for us we have a pretty good rate (95%+?) of getting what we order.

If my GF has ordered then she will ask for the correct dish to arrive. Maybe a couple of times we have kept the incorrect dish because it looked tasty.

If the order was from me and the wrong dish comes I generally eat it as the fault most certainly lies with my atrocious Thai, or maybe my octopus like pointing arms? . Gives me a chance to try different dishes, some of which I would never have tried. They are normally close-ish to what I wanted anyway.

There is not much I wont eat, except for somtam, so ill generally eat what they bring me.

[Jingthing]

I think maybe people are being a little charitable to restaurants making mistakes. It is the waiter's JOB to get the order correct. I feel I am being liberal letting the mistakes go. I know perfectly well how to say pork in Thai and there is no way my called for seafood sounded anything like that.

[OldChinaHam]

Since I don't know what I order, I don't have a great deal to complain about.

And when I am not in a restaurant, it would not matter even if I were living on food from cans with lost labels.

Probably the days are coming when all our food will just be reconstituted from the same generic goo, and made to appear and smell different.

I am now gradually conditioning myself to not be shocked by the future.

One other point, in this land of smiles, I do not prefer to be the first to provoke my server's frown.

[OldChinaHam]

"It feels better not to make a thing about every mistake"

Probably your gut feels better, too, that you did not make a stink and get food poisoned.

That has happened to the best of us, sometimes even without our knowing.

[TexasRanger]

Everyone makes mistakes but it would depend on how I was feeling about it at the time, and the attitude of the servers.

In one restaurant we were brought a more expensive fish than what we had ordered, they said they would change it for us but the staff would have to pay the difference. We agreed to pay for it but afterwards I thought it was a bit of emotional blackmail, not sure I would do it again. Its not about the price, just the principle.

[OldChinaHam]

Yes, you would.

All those who come from The Heart of Texas have

Big Ones

[Ulysses G.]

I have a feeling that most restaurants are not overjoyed to see Jingthing walk in the door.

[Sydneycraig]

At a posh Phuket restaurant I got my desired meal but it was awful..cooked to destruction and cold. I sent it back and instead of cooking a new decent version they brought me a totally different dish without asking...when I complained I was offered a lemon cello shot by the "fawlty towers" manager... I haven't been back to the place since!

[OldChinaHam]

"when I complained I was offered a lemon cello shot by the "fawlty towers" manager"

'Lemon Cello'?

You should have ordered solo violin, Bach, played by YoYo Ma.

[OldChinaHam]

Sorry.

I meant "Violin of Solo"

[Jingthing]

I have a feeling that most restaurants are not overjoyed to see Jingthing walk in the door.

You would be wrong.

[harrry]

I have a feeling that most restaurants are not overjoyed to see Jingthing walk in the door.

You would be wrong.

Cannot compare when compared to the joy they feel when we walks out.

[Jingthing]

I mostly go to places that I either already like or love. So in general I am greeted warmly.

[Radar501]

Since a little boy, I have always associated 'moo' with cows.

I've done it a few times, ordering something 'moo' and expecting to get beef, but, of course, getting pork.

If only the Thai word for pig was 'oink', I wouldn't keep making the same mistake.

[Stradavarius37]

I mostly go to places that I either already like or love. So in general I am greeted warmly.

Like the place that banned you? 555

[OldChinaHam]

I am full of pork.

Every meal when not opening cans, I order MuShuRou (MooShuRou)

[Jingthing]

I mostly go to places that I either already like or love. So in general I am greeted warmly.

Like the place that banned you? 555

Are you needing help with the meaning of the phrase: in general?

[OldChinaHam]

I think Stradavarius has been listening to too much Rostropovich.

[smokie36]

I mostly go to places that I either already like or love. So in general I am greeted warmly.

Like the place that banned you? 555

Are you needing help with the meaning of the phrase: in general?

Ignore it JT....you invoked an emotional response....and that's good enough.

[IvanLaw]

I mostly go to places that I either already like or love. So in general I am greeted warmly.

Like the place that banned you? 555

Are you needing help with the meaning of the phrase: in general?

Making love to a member of the armed forces?

Getting me coat now

[TheSpade]

I usually just eat it. What I don't get is when you go to a food stall that only sells say chicken and rice and ask for some and the server looks confused at you and don't seem to know what you want...I mean what else can I want considering they only sell chicken and rice?

I really don't get that.

[OldChinaHam]

Smokie says:

"Ignore it JT....you invoked an emotional response....and that's good enough. "

Good advice to all.

But why would anyone wish to go to the trouble of invoking it, when evoking an emotional response is easier?

[OldChinaHam]

Alfred Hitchcock On Evoking An Emotional Response

[Payboy]

That can be especially unpleasant in Thailand. So better if you can avoid it.

Must you set yourself up for a McJob every time, JT?

[CWMcMurray]

I normally will just put a confused look on and advise them politely in Thai I am sorry but believe they must have brought me another customers food by accident as I ordered ...... .

Will do this with a smile on my face and the waiter will normally smile, laugh and say sorry.

I will of course smile and tell them no problem and they will pick up the plate and go... And come back with my order shortly.

Although have to admit that this happens very rarely... Maybe a couple of times a year at most..

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Edited May 4, 2013 by CWMcMurray