We’ve all been there: finally scoring a table at the hot as hell restaurant that’s all over Insta, taking a friend to somewhere you had THE BEST MEAL only last week, or revisiting an old favourite, only to be sadly let down by the food.
Times are tough for restaurants, as we’re often told , but they are tough for us customers too. We are all facing rising bills and have less money to spend on optional extras and meals out are usually optional: a treat, a break, someone else cooking, washing up, choosing the menu.
I love eating out. I love everything about it from finding a restaurant , to checking it out on line ,then reading the menu in anticipation of the meal. I’m not fussy liking greasy spoons as much if not more than white cloth places. Noise doesn’t bother me much, having spent a lifetime working from home being among people always offers opportunities for observation and if i’m honest a bit of fun checking out clothes, manners and maybe even being a little judgemental about what others are ordering.
I am also quite forgiving, if the service has been ace, the vibe good and the welcome warm I don’t need the food to be amazing. But the deal is it should be good : tasty, hot or cold, as described on the menu, a portion size that mirrors the price and freshly prepared.
And three time recently, in different places the food has not been good and so I’ve been thinking about what my reactions were and what they might be in the future.
First up we took friend to a highly lauded place , I’d been three or four times before and had really lovey food. This visit coincided with the head chef being away. Chefs need holidays, I would not for all the money, work the hours they do. I have total respect for them , but as a customer should I have to play roulette on the chefs day off. The dishes were the same but lacklustre and poorly plated. the seasoning was off and we didn’t stay for dessert. I’ve not been back, harsh I know but at £75 a head am I going to risk it again?
Next up I asked a friend to lunch with me at a much fêted noodle popup. I had read of the intensity of the broth, the sublime silkiness of the noodles, the deep roasted garlic infused dressing and finally the texture and bite of the crisp chicken skin topping.
What we were actually served was a bowl of something a little less tasty than a Pot Noodle, but other wise pretty much indistinguishable. Tbf the chicken skin was good.
This time I though about telling the server, but she had been delightful and frankly she wasn’t responsible for the meal she had just served it with a smile. So I filled in the “ how was your meal” follow up email giving my feeling about the food and the awful lack of atmosphere in the barn like empty restaurant.
Thirdly we had lunch at a local gastro pub where prices are pretty West End heavy, choice limited to five options for starter and main and with a friendly modern vibe more restaurant than pub but very pleasant .
The pub is closed on Monday . So on Tuesday at lunch I had the chicken dish. I can’t prove it wasn’t freshly cooked obviously, but it was hard, dry and had the “fridge taste” poultry gets when chilled for a couple of days then reheated. The portion was small, its a gastropub not a fancy restaurant and I do think that size matters. My husband was taking me out as a treat.
This time I told the owner on the way out so had the double hit of having a dud meal and then having to tell an embarrassed man , who may have taken it on board…..
Should I have call the sever over on any of the three occasions above, said my piece before I paid up and left the restaurant?
The pro for this are I might have not been quite so annoyed but then the con is that making a “fuss” when you out with friends rather ruins the mood.
What would you do?
The few times we have been out since Christmas the bill has been hefty but the food very disappointing. To be frank, I’m a good home cook and if I go out for a meal, whether a Gastropub or restaurant , I expect the food to be at least as good as at home otherwise what is the point? I know how much I pay for fresh meat, fish and veg and don’t like to feel ripped off. I know overheads are high but even so I won’t support a restaurant where the food is less than good no matter what the atmosphere is like.
It is a tough one. If asked ‘how did you enjoy your meal?’ I try and give honest feedback without being too frank especially if with a friend or someone who’s treating me. But sometimes you feel the request is formulaic and that they’d actually rather not know!