To think this is dick behaviour

[lipsticknothing]

Not a big deal really but just made me a bit annoyed.

Pre Xmas meal with four old school friends. Lovely, busy place, staff working their arses off.

Dinner is good, friend grumbles to me her chips are a bit burnt (imho they aren't really but whatever). She eats everything except the so-called burnt chips.

Everyone finished. Waiter collects plates and friend chooses that moment to complain about chips being 'inedible'. Lovely waiter gets our (soft) drinks taken off the bill as apology.

Feel slightly embarrassed. Surely she should have said something during the meal when they could have quickly replaced said chips? Was always of opinion it's poor form to complain after situation can't be rectified.

Just left a bit of a bad taste (and I'm bored today so wanted to get opinions)

I couldn't get worked up about this. Your friend may not have wanted to ruin your meal by summoning the waiter so may have felt that doing it after the meal was best

You're overthinking it.

I'm with you op.
Have old school friends...we get together about 4 times a year for lunch. One is like this.. but she is antagonistic anyhow.. got to moan at something..
I'd have said.. it's okay I'll still pay for my drink, because my meal was lovely.

Chips probably cost a fiver and if they weren't nice I'd say something too.

You sound hard work

Chips were part of her meal. I'm not hard work. I said it was a small gripe. I just don't like when people don't ask for things to be rectified at the time but then say it afterwards. Anyway yeah I guess she might not have wanted to say something during the meal itself.

I spent years in the hospitality industry and completely agree- you say something at the time so it can be rectified. Usually the server would ask during the meal if everything was OK, and that is the perfect opportunity to say something.

"I'll pay for my drink"

God i rolled my eyes so hard at this... well done you!

🤣

My poor mum works in hospitality and has been subjected to a catalogue of dick behavior like that of OP’s friend all week leading up to Xmas, and worse. It’s not on. She was pulling a fast one to get some money off.

A lot time if there’s something wrong with my meal I don’t care enough to complain and go through the hassle of waiting for a replacement, but I do want to bring it to the attention of the restaurant so they can can keep it in mind for future orders. Or not keep it in mind, whatever.

If they can't get it right, that's their fault not mine. I'm not going to upset my dining companions by making a fuss during the meal, but I will mention it after when the plates are collected.

It isn't difficult to check the meals before they go out to the table.

But Happy what is the point of that?

I agree OP and I think people who do this at the end of a meal are cheap, petty attention seekers.

@PrincessofWells I thought the chips were fine, these things can be subjective (I like mine a bit charred and crunch in parts). So I don't think checking them is the point

I don't think she did anything wrong. Wasn't a big fuss or anything. Can't tell if she had any other opportunity to let the waiter know. And like a previous poster said maybe she didn't want to wait for half her meal to be redone.

But they weren't your chips . . . and it wasn't your meal.

And there's a perfectly nice and non upsetting way to bring things to staff's attention eg 'excuse me, these taste a little overdone to me. Any chance you could replace them?'.

@PrincessofWells my point is, the waiter wouldn't necessarily have noticed they weee 'burnt' going out to the table. I saw them as 'just right' and chances are he would have too

i would have been annoyed too. even if the meal isnt perfect, why ruin a day out with friends. embarrassing.

Yes there is, but some places act like total dicks and won't, which is why some people don't mention it during the meal.

@PrincessofWells most places are decent I find. But there are always exceptions.

As for if she had the opportunity to say something during the meal, waiter did come over during the mains to check and also a few other times to top up wine, take away plates etc.

Ha I've got a friend like this. We had several friends over, had provided lots of drinks and drink options, some light snacks etc. We order a cheapie takeaway, this guy gets a meal deal of a burger, chips and a can of diet coke.

Takeaway arrives, his can of diet coke is missing. We say never mind, we have plenty of diet coke cans anyway and offer him one. He flat out refuses to take it, and instead insists the takeaway driver goes all the way back to the takeaway and drives this one diet coke can back to him. Honestly it made me mad just from an environment perspective alone, it was nuts.

Hard work? For asking our thoughts on a situation? Behave yourself.

I can't be doing with people who quibble over tiny things in restaurants. So the chips weren't entirely to her liking, big deal. They clearly were not 'inedible' and she was making a fuss about nothing. And, as you say, she should have said something straight away and got him to bring her a fresh meal if she was that bothered.