To have hoped restaurant might apologise for food poisoning?

[Koulibiak]

Went out with friends and DH on Friday night. Small chain, I think they have three restaurants in total. By Saturday early morning DH was violently sick with food poisoning, this continued for the next 24 hours. It’s pretty clear this was from what he ate at dinner, as we had the same lunch.

I emailed the restaurant to notify them, told them exactly what he had (he was the only one of us to have the chicken), asked them to throw away any leftover chicken from that batch and reminded them to cook meat through (it was done on a bbq).

AIBU to have expected the restaurant to email back, even if just to say sorry? I wasn’t asking for any compensation, but I’d have thought they would be at least a bit concerned that they’re poisoning their customers.

You emailed them on a Saturday and were expecting to already have a response on a Sunday?! It’s highly unlikely that anyone has even looked at the emails since yesterday, let alone consulted with a manager or senior on how to respond. If you were really concerned, you should have phoned!

I would expect them to at least offer sympathy without admitting to anything, but really, he could have picked up a bug anywhere. You'll be ever know without testing samples of his faeces & the food.

They probably don’t want to admit liability, if you did want to try to take it further it would be difficult to prove it was the restaurant that caused the food poisoning. An apology for giving you food poisoning would leave them pretty defenceless I’d imagine.

Hope DH feels better soon.

I wouldn’t if they do they have basically admitted liability

all the have is your word about not eating anywhere else or anything else

Food poisoning is very hard to prove and no establishment would apologise like that.

There is a lot of sickness bugs that come on like that and last that length of time.

It’s not obvious, it could be noro virus or anything really.

Unless other people also suffered the same and reported it then they wouldn’t automatically assume it was due to them. He could have picked up a stomach bug elsewhere for all you know.

Genuine question how could you possibly tell it was food poisoning rather than a bug?

Have you been to a gp and got a sample done?

One thing I learned is that it is very very difficult to prove you’ve been food poisoned unless many people come forward after eating the same meal

there is a lot of 24/48 hour vomiting bugs around right now. He could have caught something from a shop/from someone else he was in contact with etc. I’m not saying the restaurant didn’t cause this but he could just as likely have caught it from somewhere else therefore the restaurant will never admit liability or apologise

I agree you should have phoned them. During busy weekend service they will not be prioritising reading/responding to emails!

I emailed the restaurant to notify them, told them exactly what he had (he was the only one of us to have the chicken), asked them to throw away any leftover chicken from that batch and reminded them to cook meat through (it was done on a bbq).

Fair enough reporting the food poisoning but this is going to far basically telling them what to do.

Also a email isn't a urgent timescale.

They won't say anything as it's admitting liability.

Unless anybody else was sick how can you assume it was food poisoning?

I wouldn't be emailing any restaurant accusing them of food poisoning until you had it confirmed by a GP that was the cause.

It's highly (and much more) likely he could have picked up a sick bug/Norovirus. It's VERY easily spread and symptoms can be seen just 12 hours from contamination.

So you've emailed a restaurant to tell them how to cook, and how to handle food, without actually having proof that your husband had food poisoning as opposed to a virus he'd picked up from somewhere else.

Yes of course you're unreasonable.

Well noro is super contagious and DH is the only one who’s been sick. He WFH and hasn’t been anywhere else. His symptoms started bang about the time they would with food poisoning, and lasted only 36 hours as they would with FP. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…

But you don’t know if anyone else who ate the same has had problems so you don’t know if it walks like a duck really. You are assuming so.

Let me check to see if I have understood this correctly: you emailed the restaurant to blame them for giving your husband food poisoning (an accusation for which you have no proof), tell them to throw away food and remind them how to cook? And you expect a reply?

Ok thank you all. Gotta love AIBU 😂

Yes…..but you have no evidence!

They would be mad to admit liability at this stage, which an apology would be tantamount to.

Sorry did people not agree with you!

Norovirus typically lasts 24 to 48 hours so also fits with the time period.

WFH is irrelevant. Did he use the toilet at the restaurant? Touch the door handle of the restaurant? Touch his chair? Put any food in his mouth using fingers?

No one else would get it as he wouldn't suddenly become contagious, and if care is taken e.g. good hygiene you would have avoided it too.

I have twins and one caught norovirus and the other and rest of us avoided it!

Did he use the loos?

I do think it's a bit out of order to tell them how to cook!

Not exactly unheard of that other people int the same household with norovirus don’t catch it (just look at Covid or other contagious illnesses). My dad had it last week and despite sharing a bed with my mum, she didn’t catch it.

there is also no ‘bang on’ time for food poisoning…it comes on between 30 mins and 24 hours

again, im not Saying the restaurant caused it but there’s no way of knowing…. he may just as likely got some faecal matter on his hands from somewhere else. Theres just no way of knowing unless his stools and the food were sent for analysis