To feel patronised in this restaurant

[madamehooch]

Finding ourselves childfree, DH and I went for a meal in a restaurant we've been to a few times and enjoyed. Mid-priced food @ £15.00 for a 8oz steak.

Said steak arrived. I took about 3 mouthfuls and every one was full of fat and gristle! Steak knife wouldn't cut - saw would be more appropriate.

Explained very nicely to waitress that I couldn't eat the steak and she took it away to get me a new one. Two minutes later, the restaurant manager comes to the table with my original steak asking me to explain exactly what is wrong with it which I did, complete with demonstration!

5-10 minutes later, new steak arrives via restaurant manager who puts it in front of me with what can only be described as a lecture on how steak normally does have fat in it, the implication being that there was nothing wrong with the original one.

The new steak was lovely, I was not expecting any reduction in bill etc but as evening wore on I could feel myself silently seething at his tone and insinuation that I could not recognise a piece of poor quality meat.

AIBU to feel patronised and that this is a very poor way to deal with a customer complaint?

We went for a family meal out to a chain. Dd had a burger which she said was too spicy. She eat most of the rest of the meal. When we mentioned it to the waitress they asked if she would like something else instead. She said no, just ice cream. They than took the cost of her whole meal off the bill. Now that is good customer service. Not what you experienced op.

YANBU

We went to a chain place once and the waitress got the order completely wrong. We said that we hadnt got what we ordered and she went off the get the manager.

Manager comes and asks what the problem is and as i was explaining that there had obviously been a mix up the waitress was interrupting saying "I only wrote down what they said, it isnt my fault they changed their mind" and so on! The manager sorted it out and when the waitress came bacck with the right food she said that it was all our fault and that if she got sacked then that would be our fault too. Then with the mains she said that it wasnt her fault she got it wrong as her dd had a bad urine infection and she was worried about her.

We never went back.

This happened to us on our wedding anniversary. The landlord argued with us about how we should eat a steak and when we said we wouldn't be paying for it he threatened to call the police. Trouble is the chap that owned the pub was also a prat so we wouldnt have got far in making a complaint. Totally ruined our night.

Turned out a few other people had had appalling service from him so it wasn't just us. We've never been back and we've made it known.

What an idiot he was! He shouldn't have brought the steak back out, asking you what was wrong - he should know that the customer is always right and should have just changed it without question.

YANBU

YANBU! Was it Brasserie Gerard by any chance? Had a TERRIBLE meal there, along with waitress and manager patronising us etc etc. I complained, the manager phoned me and tried to justify it all by saying the entire staff had the flu! We were invited back for a free meal and that wasn't great either. I agree that 'chains' now are displaying bad service and bad cooking. Must be something to do with all the discount vouchers!

It was Ceno's. No previous problems but won't be going back in a hurry.

Very bad attitude - I wouldn't go back there and would write and let them know why. Similar thing happened to me in Harvey Nicholls restaurant except it was a piece of lamb. The restaurant manager was watching me try to eat it and making faces and telling my partner, and as soon as I looked at him, was over to me. No arguement or fuss, told me I could choose anything else on the menu and would send the waiter over, and whipped the lamb away. Waiter appeared immediately, I chose a different main course which was delicious, and on getting the bill, found that I had not been charged for my main course at all.

So I had still had a nice meal which was not spoilt in any way, it was merely a tiny blip that was fixed, no-one was stressed or made to feel bad, and I've been back since. Surely in a customer service industry, thats what should happen?

Complaint time and name and shame it the restraunt.

DH and I once went for a meal and the off duty staff were having a party on another table. The waitresses kept sitting with them and chatting so nooone took our order for about 30mins and while we were eating our mains they were discussing poo and sick. Nice

The real test of customer service is how they deal with complaints.

A good stiff letter of complaint is needed here

That's dire. Review it on TripAdvisor

The one is Southampton? We have had brunch there, and the waitress was a sneering twit!

When I explained I did not eat eggs, and could I possibly replace them with mushrooms I was told 'NO'. When I asked why she simply replied, 'I said no, no swapping allowed'. I requested they were left off my plate (I really hate them) and she said I should pick a no egg option......the only option on the entire menu was a BLT!

She made me feel like a first class idiot and given that everyone (8 of us on a weekend away) had ordered and already had tea/coffee I simply didn't eat!