I used to think returning a half-eaten meal was always wrong

At a diner in Portland last month, I ordered a salad and found a small piece of plastic in the lettuce after a few bites. I was ready to just push it aside and not say anything, thinking it was my fault for not seeing it. The person at the next table saw me and said, 'You should tell them, that's a safety thing.' So I did, and the manager was really thankful, replaced the meal, and explained they could alert their supplier. It made me realize speaking up about a real problem helps the business, not just gets a free meal. When is it okay to send food back, and when does it cross a line into being picky?

2 comments

2 Comments

lucasking16d ago

That plastic in your salad is a perfect example. It's a clear safety issue, not just a taste thing. The line for me is when the problem is the restaurant's fault and it affects if you can even eat the dish. Like a wrong temp on chicken or a hair in the sauce. It crosses into picky when you just changed your mind or you're trying to get something for free after eating most of it. Good on you for saying something, because that helps them fix a real supply problem.

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alicec8616d ago

Exactly, when it's a safety thing like plastic or undercooked meat you gotta speak up. I once found a piece of metal in a burger, totally killed the meal. They need to know so it doesn't happen to someone else.