🚀 go-pugleaf

Ol' Harv writes (in response to a thread about a disappointing meal at a
usually-better-than-that restaurant):

  Which brings up an interesting - and I'm sure controversial - topic: what
  should one do in response to such an experience? Tip less? Ask to speak
  with the manager/maitre'd/owner and let them know? Never go back? Give it
  "just one more try"? Write a letter (a) to the management (b) to the Post
  (c) to Food & Whine (d) to dc.dining?

I have pretty strong feelings about this.  

First of all, DO NOT TIP LESS.  Unless it was the fault of the wait staff,
there's no reason to penalize them for problems in the kitchen.  Granted, it
can be hard to feel generous when you've just had a mediocre $100 meal, but
try to be reasonable.

Second, do ask to speak to the manager/maitre'd/owner, and tell him/her why
you were disappointed with the meal.  Be polite and calm, but don't pull any
punches.  The management almost always wants to know what you think about
your experiences.  Often they will do something to try to make it up to you.
If enough people complain about the same issues, management will usually try
to do something to fix it.  And occasionally you get entertaining excuses.
My favorite was from a high priced meal in Lake Tahoe (CA) that was not only
excruciatingly bad, but served ice cold.  By way of apology, the manager
said, "I'm sorry, the chef is sleepy tonight."

Larry

PS: And, of course, you should whine to dc.dining and save the rest of us
the trauma of repeating your experience....


--
Lawrence Hunter, PhD.
National Library of Medicine
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