To not want him to complain in restaurants?

Some members of my family can’t go for a meal without complaining about something and it makes me cringe eating out with them. But then I’m a serial conformist, people pleaser and non complainer unless something is awful. I’m sure there is a happy medium in there somewhere…..
Yanbu.

I stopped going out with a friend of mine who complained about every single thing when we went out for a meal. To the point of sending things back, asking for refunds. I found it very embarrassing.

Tell him it’s not very relaxing or enjoyable when he behaves like this on a night out and if he can’t refrain then perhaps you shouldn’t dine out together anymore.

If everyone gives the obligatory response of it was lovely thank you then how are restaurants meant to know anything was wrong?

He's showing off, and doing it at the expense of your comfort.

Tell him to pack it the fuck in, if he thinks he can do better, then he is welcome to try it at home.

In a posh restaurant, it tastes the way it does because the chef likes it that way, if he doesn't like it, the chef really couldn't give a fuck, but will think he is a twat.

(If he were genuinely complaining about things being burnt or cold or bones in things that shouldn't have bones in... then yes thats fair enough, but the 'oh I think this is underseasoned/this needed less salt/this flavour doesn't go with that flavour' is performative wank of the highest order.)

It bothers you and he is still doing it. I'd stop going out with him.

This would give me the full ick

Dear god, man discovers he can cook, then obviously he's got to be better than everyone else, even the experts, it's amazing the amount of blokes who really believe they're top dog, egotistical pricks.

Who does he think he is Egon Ronay?

In your opinion.
There's no alternative if it annoys you and you can't stop it and you need to ask others advice.

But if he's complaining because things aren't exactly his personal taste? Eg gravy slightly too salty. That's a personal preference, very different from the gravy is inedible because it's far too salty.

Op, does he go into art galleries and declare 'I could do that!'

He doesn't sound very sophisticated and I would be embarrassed too.

Good luck getting a server to return in good time to ask you this in most restaurants. They often seem to be avoiding catching your eye when you're trying to flag them down, so if the issue isn't apparent when the dish is delivered to you (literally not what you ordered), it's not so easy.

What a ridiculous comment.

@BIossomtoes He could eat in better restaurants. I also think diners should expect different flavours and food combinations. Thats what high end restaurants are about. They are not replicating what you do at home. Why pay for the same as you cook? You don’t need to lie. You just say it was “interesting” or you “haven not tasted that combination before”. There are ways of saying something was not to your taste without being directly rude.

Stay at home if it's that bad.

He’s not complaining, he’s being honest when asked how he found the food as the plates are cleared. Do you think he should lie @MayaPinion?

We ate at a GBM winner's restaurant after DD graduated. It was such an amazing experience.

There was no menu and the waiting staff just told us what was in each course rather than the name of a dish. If I was with someone who criticised the food I would be so mortified.

I thought we would be the only plebs taking pictures of the foid, but everyone was doing it

What a knob. The time to complain about the food is just after you taste it. That way the restaurant have a chance to put it right. Complaining about the food when you're sitting in front of an empty plate is a shitty thing to do, and nothing more than negging to make yourself feel superior.

@FirecrackerK I don't think you're being unreasonable at all, and I'm American (only mentioning as the culture is presumed to be generally more direct/vocal than the UK when "dissatisfied")!😅sounds like your DP is heavily engaging in "Performative Wankery" as @WhereYouLeftIt so eloquently put it 😁 don't blame you at all for just wishing for a simple "Fine, thank you" when asked how the professionally cooked meal was!

Worked both sides of the pass and couldn't agree more. Just made a comment on a similar thread about how the show off constant complainers get 'talked politely about' behind the scenes. If only they knew.

@FirecrackerK Just save up and go to the better restaurants. He really won’t dare do it to a well known chef! Aldo in this type of restaurant they don’t ask you how the meal was. They know it’s perfect. That’s what you are paying for. They tell you what’s in the dish but you don’t discuss it afterwards although I don’t if I found it exceptional. If you eat top class food enough you do appreciate the unbelievable talent chefs have. Just look at the Great British Menu and go to their restaurants. He would surely be happy with everything.

I work serving food and drinks and if I ask "Is everything ok with your meal?"
I'm asking in case it's got the wrong sauce or the chips are cold or there's something missing so I can rectify the problem.

I couldn't care less about some wannabe chef boring on about what they think should be done differently. I definitely don't pass it on to the kitchen either unless I'm complaining about what a dick they are.

Exactly. Waiters clearing your plates saying "how was your meal?" don't actually want to know that you personally wouldn't have cooked the carrots with ginger and perhaps the salmon would be better with a parsley sauce. Complain at the time if they burnt your steak of undercooked your potatoes. But if you think you could cook it better no one wants to hear. Just smile and say "lovely thanks".

It is like when you go up to a bank teller and he says "how are you?" and you say "Well to be honest, my left knee is giving me a bit of trouble and I feel like I need to see someone about my eyes"

If there is a problem with the food, you say during the meal so the chef has an opportunity to do something about it. Don't wait to the end, otherwise it's just obnoxious, and nitpicking. It can't have been that bad if your plate is clean.