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Original poster

Anyone else get food order disappointment when they go out for a meal?

58 replies

Monr0e · 04/12/2021 17:19

I get this all the time! I don't eat out very often so when I do it's a treat. So when I order something and it doesn't live up to expectations I have massive order regret and it stays with me for days Grin

Today I went out with a group of friends I hadn't seen for a while. Took ages to pick my meal and when it came even though it was nice, I couldn't stop wishing I'd ordered one of the other options. I'm still thinking about it now, it's like a wasted meal choice, especially as I know it will be months before I'm out again for another meal.

I'm seriously considering getting a takeaway tonight to make up for my disappointment.

OP posts:
coodawoodashooda · 04/12/2021 17:21

Get the takeaway. What was so disappointing?

Dozer · 04/12/2021 17:21

Lots of UK restaurants are disappointing IMO!

Dozer · 04/12/2021 17:22

If am somewhere I really like though I hardly ever regret the menu options that I’ve chosen.

Oatsamazing · 04/12/2021 17:22

Always! I also get takeaway disappointment. I'd rather have a jacket potato at home, it's less traumatic for me Grin

SunshineInMySprocket · 04/12/2021 17:24

I get this with takeaways so rarely have them unless it’s a reliable option.

UserOfManyNames · 04/12/2021 17:26

Always, and as a veggie my options are limited.

I can cook something myself much more tasty, cheaper, know how fresh it is and have control of hygiene which is why I rarely eat out except on holiday.

Original poster
Monr0e · 04/12/2021 17:27

The food was nice enough, I just thing the other option I was dithering between would have been more satisfying.

It was a bottomless brunch thing. I had a pulled chicken roti, which was essentially a nice chicken wrap.

OP posts:
dameofdilemma · 04/12/2021 17:28

To be honest I go out for meals to catch up with friends, the food is secondary. If it's great it's a bonus but not really the focus. So many restaurants are hit and miss.

Takeaways are a total disappointment so I don't bother with them.

I think as well if you don't eat meat (I don't) a lot of veggie options are an afterthought for some restaurants.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 04/12/2021 17:30

I always end up wishing I had ordered somebody else's Grin

3dogsnorth · 04/12/2021 17:41

I'm quite lucky as we eat out fairly often, not anywhere any fancy but I sometimes think I could have done better myself! I totally get the order disappointment! Get a takeaway or a nice Markies meal and enjoy!

IcedWinterPenguin · 04/12/2021 17:43

@UserOfManyNames

Always, and as a veggie my options are limited.

I can cook something myself much more tasty, cheaper, know how fresh it is and have control of hygiene which is why I rarely eat out except on holiday.

DH is vegetarian and it is increasingly the case he cannot be bothered to go out because veg options are so often an afterthought- or at least it feels that way.

We have just ordered a chinese takeaway and ordered the vegan set menu- it looks amazing. Tofu with cashews and yellow bean sauce , garlic mushrooms.... lovely!

user1471554720 · 04/12/2021 17:46

I get the same. It can be lessened by asking the server if it is a reasonable sized portion. I usually order a piece of chicken as it is usually a reasonable sized portion. Then I ask if it comes with potatoes/chips. A meal can be prohibitively dear if you have to order the carbohydrate as a 'side' and just get chicken by itself on a plate.

As you like eating out, could you try and go a bit more often, even if it is for a nice lunch with a friend or an earlybird with dh. I don't know if this is possible with your routine.

When my dcs were young, between paying for childcare and working fulltime I would only get out for meals about twice a year. I often nearly cried if the wine or dessert wasn't nice or if it was very dear and the food only ok.

I got around this by taking a day off work a few times a year, going to a larger town for a day out. Then I would order Italian. They would do lunch deals in the larger town and the restaurants were nice. I would order wine and dessert after the pasta meal. At least I would feel I was getting out. Friends were rarely available for a lunch and eves out meant getting a babysitter and driving home 15 miles.

fussychica · 04/12/2021 18:01

Agree and its so expensive which makes it even worse. We effectively stopped eating out when we came back from living abroad as we found the high prices and poorer quality difficult to accept.
We only eat out in the UK now when we meet up with friends at a pub or restaurant at some point halfway between us as we don't live close to one another. Sometimes it's fine other times it's a disappointment. Never bother with takeaways either.
My son and his partner have lots of takeaways and eat out a lot more than us but they live in London so the choice is huge.

BookFiend4Life · 04/12/2021 18:03

Yes this happens to me when I'm very hungry and usually immediately after I order! I partially mitigate this by always choosing two things with my husband that we then split, or even better go to a small plates places and get 6-8 dishes to share. All the tastes!

Ragwort · 04/12/2021 18:06

Frequently - I can rarely be bothered to eat out these days, I can cook a decent meal at home and so often am disappointed with the quality.... not to mention poor service. And I worked in hospitality for years so I feel I am fairly knowledgeable about cooking and customer service.

iklboodolphrednosedpaindear · 04/12/2021 18:07

It's a family joke that the restaurant will have run out of what I want. Nearly every time. Now I have to choose 2 or 3 things I might like just in case. I've been disappointed a few times. I ordered sea bass fillets which I love. I think they served me minnows they were that bloody small.

Bluntness100 · 04/12/2021 18:10

No, I don’t get this, for me, the food is secondary it’s about the experience of going out with my companions. I can’t imagine obsessing over what I ordered and then thinking about it for days after unless it was shit.

Your obsessive thoughts indicate to me an issue with food.

Haggisfish3 · 04/12/2021 18:11

This is why I’m very fussy about where I will eat out-I have to know it will be better than o can cook myself!

TowandaForever · 04/12/2021 18:21

@IcedWinterPenguin

Where do you live that has a set vegan menu? I'm jealous!!!

CurlyMango · 04/12/2021 18:26

Absolutely, can cook very well and with the general uk service mindset it can very much be an expensive disappointment

IcedWinterPenguin · 04/12/2021 18:27

[quote TowandaForever]@IcedWinterPenguin

Where do you live that has a set vegan menu? I'm jealous!!![/quote]
I know! I am thrilled! (Hampshire).

Woeismethischristmas · 04/12/2021 18:28

I’d agree it’s so disappointing to get something a bit disappointing. I rarely eat out. I do get fish and chips once a month as a calorific treat, can’t fake that deep fried in beef lard texture.

rifling · 04/12/2021 18:28

No but I live in Italy. In the UK I am often disappointed. Sorry.

TheLadyGrayson · 04/12/2021 18:40

Me too OP! I’ve been focused on losing weight for most of the year as well so takeaways or meals out have been rarer than usual - I’m always paralysed with choice now and then when I end up with something disappointing, I’ll fume about it for days afterwards 😂🤦🏻‍♀️

Original poster
Monr0e · 04/12/2021 18:43

Thanks for the armchair diagnosis Bluntness but I can assure you there's no food issues, just a wish I had chosen something else. And judging by the responses I'm not the only one who gets this.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the company, I didn't sit staring mournfully at plate 🙂

We are planning an evening in next time so we can take as long as we need to catch up, so it will either be a takeaway or we all bring nibbles and stuff. If it's a takeaway I better start checking the menus now, wouldn't want to be disappointed again 😉

OP posts:
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