BABYFACE

I feel that complaining about the food at TGI Fridays is a bit like complaining about he food at MacDonalds or BurgerKing......surely you expect it to be bad.

As for the service well thats a different matter, you expect service.

Its fast food to fill a hole when there is nothing else available.

If Im hungry and there is no easier or more convienient option than a fast food restaurant I use it, but I dont expect to enjoy it.

If I could stop off and eat a block of polystyrene to do the job, I would.

If you want to enjoy food, take you time to select the best produce, and cook it yourself its not rocket science, even a daft scouser can do it.

Now then where is that tin of "best" baked beans........

StickyMicky

complained about some shocking service in a local burger king, was given free vouchers and the site was shut down a few weeks later

doubt they are connected, but you never know

actually, that reminds me about the letter of complaint i got once for the carwash

addressed to "the car wash over the road from asda" very surprised it even managed to get delivered, was done by some bellend who figured complaining about things we have no control over would end up with them getting free washes

i blew my nose on the letter but i do agree that if you dont complain now and again, nothing will ever get done, and if the complaint has valid grounds, then go for it!

oldsplice

So it wasn't just a one-off (two-off! ) at the Paper Mill then? It's always duff?

scoobynutta555

If the customers expected the food to be bad at McDonalds etc then they would have no customers! Not the healthiest of foods or the very highest quality ingredients, but there's a standard way the food is made, presented and served. The biggest problem I've had with fast food places like these is not 'bad food' but items missing from the order.

I've sent food back in restaurants before and had bad thoughts in my mind about what the replacement dish has had done to it. I simply don't go back to the restaurant again if I think I've been done now.

Mifo

iTrader: (10)

Wouldnt send food back to the kitchen myself as I would spend the whole time thinking somebody has spat in the replacement or something.
If it was a rubbish restaurant I just would not bother going there again.

DYK

I cn't remember ever complaining in a restaurant.But then again,i haven't been to a TG'S in years,infact the last time i had a MC Donalds was about 4 yrs ago.Now i like to go to the local indian,and it has an open kitchen,where you can see everything being cooked.

Shark Man

Our local TGIs burnt diown last week

Foods gone downhill there anyway. 15years ago TGIs used cook their food properly and serve it right, now they struggle to even get that right.

David_Dickson

On another forum I use, someone posted a thread complaining about Little Chef resaurants. There were a few pages of replies, nothing too damning, but generally along the lines of too expensive, limited choice etc. You dont go expecting Haut Cuisine, but for burger chips and beans its passable.
Anyway, Someone emailed a link to the thread to Little Chef customer services. Everyone who had complaied on the thread was contacted through the forum and given £100 in vouchers to spend in any branch along with a bunch of questionnaires to fill out afterwards detailing their thoughts on the place.

That kept me in burgers and beans for a long time!

noobyscooby

You are vlegally entitled to consume a complete meal and then decline to pay for it if you have cause so to do - cold or bad food, erratic service with meals arriving at different times, etc..

Complain politely and firmly EVERY time.

If you are unlikely to return you need to compalin and refuse to pay at the time - no point in moaning afterwards or getting vouchers you will not be using.

I have had an owner threaten to sue me so I left my name and address so she could! However, when the neighbouring three tables also complained about their food as I left the restaurant I never heard another word!!

We don't complain enough about poor products or services. I take the view that I want value for money or my money back.

If you buy something from Waitrose and complain about it, they not only replace it, they give you your money back as well. And if you don't want the replacement, you get back twice the cost of the item. Now THAT is service recovery!

ScoobyWon't

I always trained my staff that if there was a problem with one meal, that they would offer to return all meals to the kitchen so that all people ate at the same time. Common sense really.

These days, the companies are cutting down on the number of staff and increasing the work-load onm the remaining staff which certainly doesn't benefit either the quality of food or customer service.

The other thing that is now affecting the quality of fod you receive is the credit crunch which has resulted in the companies reducing portion sizes and the manufacturer reducing the cosrt of manufacturer. One brewery I know of has cut the size of their steak from 20oz to 16oz, an 8oz burger to 7oz etc. At the same time, the manufacturer will be trying to source the cheapest meat they can. I know of another brewery who have now started buying in pre-cooked sausages and chicken breasts to save on time/labour costs etc.

All of the above combined results in you not receiving the best meals that you could have done.

jods

Bit harsh, the wife and I went to IKEA (for a laugh) Could NOT believe the absolute sh1te they sell there even though it is dirt cheap - Having said that, went and tried the meatball meal and it was LOVELY - Really - It was scrummy. Still walked out with a dedication to buying our furniture from these guys Hammonds Bedroom and Home Office Furniture

Great Quality - Great Workmen - Quick-ish (8 weeks from order to fitment).

Gutmann pug

I once complained in a huge chain eatery. The manager was out, as was the assistant manager so I was asked to write my compaint on a form and put it in there suggestion box. I was given a form and when I asked for a pen they couldn't find one so I was offered a crayon from the kids play area - PRICELESS

rallychick

Gary, I hope you wrote in big Yellow letters

YOUR EFFING RESTAURANT SUCKS

P1Fanatic

I complain if its really bad or if they ask me if everything was alright and it wasnt. I also dont tip if it wasnt good.

Went to Ask in Marlow a few weeks back and mrs had a tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad and I had a chicken caesar. When they collected the plates and asked if it was all ok we said well actually now. Mrs salad had loads of sea salt sprinkled on it. The cheese was already salty so no need and she is quite capable of adding more salt if she wishes. Mine was fine other than the fact the chef had decided to put the croutons at the bottom so by the time I got to them they were soggy cubes of bread. This was just honest feedback as they asked for it.

Tbh these days I try and eat in local non-chain restaurants as I find they care more about the food they serve and the service. Chains just seem to be full of useless staff serving low quality food as no one cares and there is normally no one to be seen managing them. Id rather pay more to enjoy good food than pay less and eat rubbish.

Simon

OllyK

Yes, if I'm not happy with a product or service I'll complain, regardless of what it is.

Haven't yet been to a Frankie and Benny's without complaining. I know, don't go any more, but I usually end up being invited by somebody else and despite telling them it's crap they still want to do.

scoobynutta555

Surely not worth an infraction for Babyface (Yoza?).

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Not sure that's true. The reason (most) places ask if everything is ok is to give you a chance to speak up at that point.

We once had a guy try this one on, saying his food was ok, eating it then refusing to pay because his new potatoes were cold.

Luckily a couple ofthe local CID were at the bar and actually offered to nick him for theft if he walked out!

5t.

Luan Pra bang

No you are not if there is a dispute about the quality of food you have eaten you would be expected to pay 1/3 the food price and 100% of drinks price and leave your name and address so the premises can persue it further. Failure to do pat for food you have actually eaten would be considered entering the premises with no intention to pay and is a crime.

Luan Pra bang

If you do not eat the food send it back. Eating it then refusing to pay is theft. Certain types of people as a matter of course go into places with the intention of complaining so they do not have to pay and they are nothiung other than thieves in my opinion.

P1Fanatic

Funny you should say that. I went once in Bracknell for first time and it was rubbish. A month or so back me and the mrs went to Basingstoke and fancied a Pizza. Used to be a nice place on Leisure Park so drove over and found it was now a Little Bennies. As I was hank marvin by this stage we decided to try it. I didnt realise til I sat down it was just a small Frankie & Bennies that did lighter meals, breakfasts etc. So didnt think it would be up to much but the rack of ribs I had were lovely. Possible due to the fact that standards are higher with a recent launch to get punters in.

Simon

EddScott

No mate, that counts as sport

On the subject of Frankie & Bennies, only went once in Swindon and it was rubbish. Whats that other one thats usually next door - the Mexican one???? First time we went it was really good. Last time it was a bunch of kids running it. Food was OK but the service was rubbish.

I notice no one has mentioned Witherspoons. I have to say we've been to the nearest one in Carmarthen a few times and last week went to one in Bridgnorth and for a cheap snack and a beer its perfectly fine. The little one has the Spag Bol which she leaves a clean plate every time (not sure if thats good or bad).

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

F&B = Flaming Bollocks. If you ask me. We went there for a 'meal' one time when my bro-in law (ish... don't ask complicated ) got employee of the month and stupidly spent the money in that cess pit.

Christ - not one person got a good meal. Even his 3 yr old daughter said the food tasted like poo.

Suffice to say he hadn't have complained his Dad was going to, and watching HIM on form is a sight to behold!

ScoobyWon't

Tomorrow my staff get to cook a new menu for the first time. We'll be using approx 140 items in order to prepare the meals.

As we've only seen the meals once before we'll be cooking them solely for the Front of House staff purely to give ourselves experience of the new products, timings, portion sizes, kichen layout, equipment etc and asking them for constructive criticism before we open to the public for the Bank Holiday weekend.

We've even arranged for the tickets to be rang through to us at the fastest possible rate of table turn-over to simulate a worst-case scenario of being at capacity.

Should be fun...

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

If you have any veggie stuff - do you need a taste tester? I would willingly volunteer my services!

ScoobyWon't

We'll be doing free two-course meals on Thursday for invited guests. If there are any spaces left on the reervation sheet then I'll drop you a PM. From what I've seen so far, most of the veggie stuff is pasta, salads, etc.

I'm expecting to get hit by tables of four ordering sharing starters, main meals and then sharing deserts in order to get a three course meal for free.

I'm going to be handing out a load of "Free Pint" vouchers to my mates

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

My Wife is driving then

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Just got back from in indian. Four of us went and cos its a week night they had a special. We didnt know until we got there. Starter, Main, Desert and Coffee for £9.95p. Bargain. Until i asked for a side dish.

Ahhh well, you cant half the special price if you have a side dish, not even if you pay extra for it. Ooooookkkkkkk.

Waited over an hour for our main course, food was good but then asked for the dessert menu. Guess what. NO DESSERTS!!!!

Should really have complained but didnt. Didnt think til we got outside, if we'd ordered and stuck to the £9.95 jobby, we couldnt have had any dessert anyway.

Rip off! Ahh well, just wont go back there

ScoobyWon't

I've taken to ordering from Indian restaurants online. The one's I've used give you a set price, choice of starter, main and accompaniament e.g. naan or pilau rice.

Every single one that has arrived has turned up with extra pilau rice, poppadoms and a 3 flavour pickle tray.

Not bad for £7. Can't fault it

Shark Man

You can't knock wetherspoons for prices. Yes most stuff on the menu is microwaved crap, but its edible. And for the price - what do you expect? I lived off the "beer and a burger" offer for 3 years whilst at uni


Frankie and Benny's - One near us is utter crap. But the one at BHX airport is not too bad (probably the overly efficient Polish staff), but at their prices, I should bloody well hope so.

Vintage Inn chain pubs seem pretty good with the food quality, expensive. But its the only pub in my area that seems to employ a chef which can actually cook a steak properly.

I suppose it shows how bad the eating places are where I live (or the outer suburbs across the UK)...even the high class independant "steak house" thats been around for 30years gave me a Fillet steak that was like the sole of a leather shoe (and that time I did complain...I paid £20 for something I could have cooked better myself using a toaster).

Pizza take-aways are an issue round here too - they all use the same ****e supplier for their bases. Its one step better than the Doninoes bases which I'm sure are made from recycled cardboard. But its rank. What happened to proper hand-made bases, made the same time as the pizza is made, and properly stone baked? There used to be one place that did do this, sadly it shut, no doubt priced out by the cheaper places and the feejits that think pizza bases are supposed to taste like damp cardboard.

Curry houses. Don't start me. Firstly none of the Indian restaurants round here are proper Indian. Its either Bangladeshi or Pakistani. Fine, its all similar stuff from that part of the world ( ) but they should say its Bangladeshi or Pakistani. But generally I find the proper Indian houses run by people with roots to India tend have food that tastes alot more accurate to what you order. Whereas the others seem to be a random mix where picking something on the menu generally just hints on if you want something spicy or mild. One place I can have a Madras and it taste like innards of a Bounty bar, another place will send my face bright red and chug down my pint to quench the afterburn. One place will have a Korma thats bright yellow, yet another will look like someone with loose bowels took a dump in my bowl. Yes ok some may have their own "style" or "tweek" to a dish, but should the same two dishes taste totally different?