To have walked away from a "posh" restaurant without paying this afternoon?

[queenbanana]

The last few times I've visited it was fantastic.(a couple of years ago)

I have never moaned about anything in my life (under my breath and that's the extent to my protest)and have always been a quiet admirer when I see someone complaining in a queue or restaurant. I have never been assertive but today after years of accepting crud service and being pushed around I decided I wasn't going to have it anymore and took control.

Despite reminding the waitresses several times that we had ordered our drinks they didn't come for almost 30 minutes, then our meals arrived and our children's sausages were so rock hard I thought it looked like they'd been microwaved before being pan fried- we couldn't cut them but they made excellent drum sticks when we knocked them against the tables.

So I asked for service and told the waitress that I wasn't happy with the sausages and could we have some fresh ones- she made such a faff about taking all of the plates but having now sat down for 30 minutes with four tired hugry children I told her to just take the sausages away and bring fresh ones- she told me she couldn't do that and when tackled about not being allowed to do that I asked for the manager. She came over and agreed that they could bring some fresh sausages-

Ten minutes later she brings a plate with some sausages (the alfresco area was packed BTW)and when I went to cut them, they oozed pink and on touch were frozen inside

Whilst I was waiting for the waitress I then noticed that instead of French Dressing they had put gravy on my salad and dressing on my husbands roast dinner....arghh.. losing the will to live I went inside (away from the packed out dining terrace) found the manager and gave her the sausages- she said there was nothing wrong with them and they would be how she would serve them at home

I told her enough was enough and that I was not prepared to risk the so called chef making us anything else and I would not be prepared to pay for any of the meal given that it was such a cock up/a disgrace and frankly laughable that she would charge me almost £85 for it and that I would leave very quietly if she agreed to this- she told me to go then.

And I did, I have never done anything like that in my life and feel great for doing so- we don;t get to go out as a family and I was treating my dad.

Complain people! Do it! I will never go there again, I won't recommend it to anyone and if I ever get offered crappy food like that again I will brace myself and do the same.

Hello by the way this is my first post and judging by how some of these threads go I'm hoping it won't be too stormy an introduction.

Hello.

[TennisFan]

Go girl - I am usually appalled at the service in UK restaurants

[3littlefrogs]

Pleeeease name and shame...............Go on............

[kitbit]

Good for you for standing up for yourself! I hope a strongly worded letter of complaint is to follow...and a name and shame for us nosy mnetters!

[McDreamy]

What a great first post! Welcome to mumsnet

Well done, what a shocking restaurant - what a shocking "chef"!!!!!

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

Well done you!
I mean, ffs, sausages that were frozen inside....
I think you handled it well wrt telling her you weren't going to pay and would leave quietly - much more dignified than making a scene and more honest than walking out without telling her.

[mmrsceptic]

yanbu, good show, great name.

[AnAuntieNotAMum]

You did the right thing. They were probably totally overwhelmed by the extra custom brought on by the unseasonably nice weather but they should have been honest and turned people away rather than try and cope.
I'd also be tempted to let environmental health know as those part frozen sausages were definitely a health hazard.

[queenbanana]

Oh my. I thought I would get flamed but felt so strongly about my experience I had to post.

It is an idependent Gastro type place near me, not a chain. I half expected to be chased out side by a burly waiter.

What are the legal implications to me naming?

[hatwoman]

sounds fair enough. you told the manager what you were going to do and she didn;t try to stop you

[mmrsceptic]

but can i ask 85 pounds for three adult meals and four children's meals by jingo, wow that's a lot of money

[WhereYouLeftIt]

Well done!

[queenbanana]

Really? My husband was a little mortified but thankful that we wouldn't have to pay and then eat toast 20 minutes later!

[TeamEdwardTango]

Great first post!

I'm certainly one for complaining in restaurants. What we eat is very important.
Only one thing I would have done differently from you - I would not have agreed to leaving quietly. I'd be very tempted to be say loudly to my children "Well it's a shame your sausages we not cooked properly and Daddy had salad dressing instead of gravy on his dinner - we'll just have to eat elsewhere!"

[BitOfFun]

Agree- name and shame! Or big hint anyway...

I can't believe that's how she would serve sausages at home- she must have permanent squits.

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Lol at gravy on the salad and dressing on the roast! You couldn't really get more gross could you? YANBU at all!

[weebleswobble]

Yes we need to know so we never go there...it's your duty and well done you for complaining and standing your ground. It's only because so many put with lousy service and food that they get away with it.

[LadyoftheBathtub]

There's no problem with you saying honestly what happened to you in a particular place - restaurant critics do it all the time.

[diddl]

It sounds as if non of it was fit for eating, so I think you were quite right to leave.

[HerHonesty]

yes. good for you. people power! my mother is from the continent and still gets very annoyed with how much british people still allow themselves to get walked all over.

wish more people were like you.

but you must must must name and shame!!

[PeachesMcLean]

What a cracking first post! Welcome to MN

LOL at them putting gravy on your salad. That's cracking.

Gwaaaan, I think you need to name and shame. If you haaven't whilst I've bbeen reading your OP.

[PeachesMcLean]

No legal implications, I'd have thought. Given your comments you're not being unfair. AS long as you're telling the truth. We're not going to launch a MN campaign against the place (or at least not yet mwah ha ha ha haaaa!)