Restaurants and eating out in general

[GiRTh]

I've been getting really poor service recently. I can't believe the number of shows on TV about food and restaraunteering but I cant seem to find a restaurant that can get an order right. My relatives and friends, who live abroad, have all commented on how expensive eating out is in this country and on how poor the service is. Who has any stories of good or poor service?

[Sunny_01]

We are lucky enough to have some very nice restaurants locally who always manage to provide the greatest customer service. I have been to a few on Newcastle though that are not so great.

We went to one Greek restaurant in Toon that was awful, the food was warm not hot, the order was half wrong and the waiter was indifferent about our complaints. He only became interested when I said we would not be paying our bill unless something was done to improve our overall service.

[GiRTh]

Refusing to pay always gets they're attention. I've been kicking off with waiters so much these days that I'm trying NOT to complain. It's hard I can assure you.

[Mrluvaluva]

I once went to a Chinese restaurant, that is situated on the water in a local dock. I was horrified to see a cockroach run accross the table. They were very apologetic and we got some free drinks, but I have never been back since!

[Legend]

A couple of weeks back we got given two extra meals as the waiter brought them to our table along with our order ... I didn't complain. :whistle:

But no doubt the people who didn't get their food weren't happy with their wait so I doubt they'd praise it.

[~Kizwiz~]

My brother works for an environmental health company and covers lots of eateries in London.

He was once doing a job in China town and discovered that instead of beef, this restaurant used pidgin instead.

There was another time when he went to do the vermin control in a busy Pub. My brother pointed out that there was mice footprints in the congealed fat in the frying pan. The woman just turn the hob on, melted the fat and said "what footprints?"

Needless to say, he knows which restaurants to eat in

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by ~kizwiz~
My brother works for an environmental health company and covers lots of eateries in London.

He was once doing a job in China town and discovered that instead of beef, this restaurant used pidgin instead.

There was another time when he went to do the vermin control in a busy Pub. My brother pointed out that there was mice footprints in the congealed fat in the frying pan. The woman just turn the hob on, melted the fat and said "what footprints?"

Needless to say, he knows which restaurants to eat in
I dont even want to contemplate that kind of thng.:yuk:

[Tom]

I never eat in pubs because they are usually dirty. I'll only eat in restaurants that I'm either familiar with or that have been recommended to me.

[~Kizwiz~]

I once ordered a salad...... and a snail popped out of a leaf.

I guess that means it was pretty fresh :bored:

[_Max_]

I went out last night and was given then bill before id even finished my main course. i just said "no thanks ill sit here for as long as i want"

[Chri$]

On my sisters Birthday we went to Cardiff for a Meal out to a place called 'Bella Italia'. My sister was waring a New white top and Jeans she has than day and my mum ordered Coffee ad then the water Came with it and Spill it all over my Sister and She hates the Smell of coffee and it was Boiling hot.

The Server man diffident give us Discount, Free Coffee, Nothing and when we got home my sisters leg was red hot because of the burn lol

But food wise Ive been Lucky in every Restaurant I have been to in any Country :spin:

[Shaun]

Most restaurants around here are very good, there's nothing really to complain about.

Occasionally you get the nasty member of staff who looks as if someone's just slapped them with a fish, but that's not much of a problem.

London, now that's a different story. Went to a Chinese restaurant last...July, for a friend's birthday, and the service, price, quality of food were all awful.

[Christina]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva
I once went to a Chinese restaurant, that is situated on the water in a local dock. I was horrified to see a cockroach run accross the table. They were very apologetic and we got some free drinks, but I have never been back since! Oh my gosh :yuk: x

[Christina]

Luckily most of the resturants ive been to were ok xx

[Conor]

In a Chinese restaraunt near where I live (a weird name I could never spell lol) we were all up at the Athletics tracks annual Christmas dinner thing and the food was good, but the prices were like £3.00 for a jug of water?? £6.00 for a cup of tea?? £65.00 for a mini (4 person buffet)??

All other restaurants I love, and I love eating out! Hate all that proccessed McDonalds junk and Pizza hut. Only fast food I love is probz a Subway :colour: Luv em!!

[GiRTh]

Conor's post reminds me of a point I want to make.

I'd rather spend over 15 quid on a main course or 5 quid than anything in between. I think the restaurants where the main courses are 7-12 quid are the ones that are letting the industry down. I also think that pub franchises need to take a serious look at themselves. I live less than five minutes away from one of those pub franchises. I try to avoid the place because I've had so many bad meals there.

[Retroman]

On a slightly related subject...
Ive noticed a lot of poorly set up takeaways around the country, usually seeming to be run by turkish/curdish/greek people etc, that always get the orders wrong in some way or another.

The only thing they even need to concentrate on is getting the orders right, but a lot of places either forget to send you something, or send something you didn't ask for. Or in extreme cases, send you somebody elses meal >_<

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by Retroman
On a slightly related subject...
Ive noticed a lot of poorly set up takeaways around the country, usually seeming to be run by turkish/curdish/greek people etc, that always get the orders wrong in some way or another.

The only thing they even need to concentrate on is getting the orders right, but a lot of places either forget to send you something, or send something you didn't ask for. Or in extreme cases, send you somebody elses meal >_< Agreed. Also, a friend of a friend does a similar job to Kiz's brother. He tells me that good chip shops are much cleaner and better organised than most take aways.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Tom_
I never eat in pubs because they are usually dirty. I'll only eat in restaurants that I'm either familiar with or that have been recommended to me.

That is not my experience of pubs, I even have a website devoted to eating meals in pubs (http://www.pubmealsreview.co.uk)

Pubs are mostly owned by national chains so have good standards to live up to.

The one place I eat just about every week is the Fox and Hounds on the West Road out of Newcastle.

[Harry!]

Loves the Harvester in Portsmouth!

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by SticksThat is not my experience of pubs, I even have a website devoted to eating meals in pubs (http://www.pubmealsreview.co.uk)

Pubs are mostly owned by national chains so have good standards to live up to.I dont agree at all. Just about all of the poor service I've had recently has been in pubs. As I posted earlier, I live five minutes away from an Embers pub. It's dire. There is no pleasant way of putting it. UItter sh*te. I've complained so many times I can't even remember. It used to be good but now I dread going in there. I think the franchise pubs are one of the problems within this industry.

[Retroman]

The Brewers Fayre? pubs are rather nice...
They're all of a good standard from what ive seen.

You can quite often find rather posh looking pubs that serve food in the middle of nowhere too, but I suppose it all depends on your personal experiences.

Carvery's are nice too.

As for the chip shops comment, Id second that.
Seaside chip shops especially, as well as chip shops all over the country that have won awards for being so well run.

One in Skipton that has an eating area outside, with benches overlooking a river, a spotless place with fast service for example.

Never seem to see that with takeaways, not even sure if they get awards at all?

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by Retroman
The Brewers Fayre? pubs are rather nice...
Brewers fayre are OK. I wont include them with the other franchise pubs.

[Hugo]

I L O V E eating out

[Dan_]

I don't often eat out in Stevenage, aside from the Harvester there's not exactly many places that have a good reputation, so me and the family often go to some of the little village pubs in the surrounding area and they all seem to be of a very good standard.

There was an article in the local paper this week about the local authority going around all the restaurants in town and marking them from 0-5 on hygiene and I was shocked by the amount that were on the lowest level.

I've had two really bad experiences with restaurants here.A couple of years ago we went to the local Indian and as I cut apart the chunks of chicken you could see that they were uncooked, they must've only been in the oven for a few minutes.

The worst one was at the local beefeater.I went out with the family to celebrate my Auntie's 40th birthday and I was the only one out of the 6 of us to get the right order! Most of the food was also stone cold or just undercooked.My dad complained and the manager was just so sarcastic and unhelpful and basically told us if we didn't like it we could leave,which we duly did and never returned there again.

I think the only thing well cooked in the whole restaurant was the sunburnt waitress!

[x.Nicola.x]

I've not really got a problem with any of the restaurants in my area. There's a couple of really nice ones. There's a good Italian one, which sells some of the most gorgeous food, but is soooo expensive! There's a couple of general restaurants around aswell, one is very good and reasonably priced. There's one though which sells the minimum amount of food, for some of the highest prices I've seen!

[MrGaryy]

My dad owns a chain of restaurants and I used to constantly have people in primary school complaining to me. Need less to say I didn't tell anyone when I went to secondary school!

[Captain.Remy]

I had no problem with eating out in England and even in France I never had.

[Sunny_01]

Oh I agree Girth I really dislike chain pubs food, it is usually dry, uninteresting rubbish served with the minimum of customer service required to get the food to your table whilst still on the plate. Yak just wouldnt do it. I do go to our local pub for Sunday lunch but it is a small family pub with lovely clean open kitchens.

On the other hand I would like to big up a restaurant I ate at in Leeds. I cant for the life remember the name but as you come out of the train station, turn right and it is down that road on your right, it is literaly right on the doorsteps of the station. Yummy food, lovely staff.

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by Retroman
On a slightly related subject...
Ive noticed a lot of poorly set up takeaways around the country, usually seeming to be run by turkish/curdish/greek people etc, that always get the orders wrong in some way or another.

The only thing they even need to concentrate on is getting the orders right, but a lot of places either forget to send you something, or send something you didn't ask for. Or in extreme cases, send you somebody elses meal >_<

I cannot remember the amount of times something has been missing from my order when delivered from a take away. There have been so many instances.

[Dr43%er]

I have 3 mates who chef in pubs. One is in O'Neill's. A chain pub. Now the food is never going to win any awards, but for the price it is ok. The kitchen is spotless. No one would dare leave Cath's kitchen in a mess. She is of the Ramsey style. When someone has ****ed up before she has thrown plates at them.

Next is the Globe over the road. This is a non chain pub. A bit nicer and a bit more expensive. Had a very nice Stilton and bacon sandwich the other day. Once again the kitchen is spotless. In fact the EHO was there yesterday and they had one of those fly on the wall film crews tagging along. Should be fun to watch when it is aired.

Next is me mate Steve. He now works at the Red Lion Inn in Stathern (near where you are planning to be Kiz. Try it.) The press on the place specks for it's self.
http://www.theredlioninn.co.uk/editorials.asp?d=2&c=18

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva
Originally posted by Retroman
On a slightly related subject...
Ive noticed a lot of poorly set up takeaways around the country, usually seeming to be run by turkish/curdish/greek people etc, that always get the orders wrong in some way or another.

The only thing they even need to concentrate on is getting the orders right, but a lot of places either forget to send you something, or send something you didn't ask for. Or in extreme cases, send you somebody elses meal >_<

I cannot remember the amount of times something has been missing from my order when delivered from a take away. There have been so many instances. Dont get me started on takeaways. I was once called a muth*****a by a bloke behind the counter at a take away simply because I relised he was ripping me off. Strange, he could barely speak Enlgish but some how he knew that word.

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by GiRTh

Dont get me started on takeaways. I was once called a muth*****a by a bloke behind the counter at a take away simply because I relised he was ripping me off. Strange, he could barely speak Enlgish but some how he knew that word.

He called you a mf? Why? What happened?

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva
Originally posted by GiRTh

Dont get me started on takeaways. I was once called a muth*****a by a bloke behind the counter at a take away simply because I relised he was ripping me off. Strange, he could barely speak Enlgish but some how he knew that word.

He called you a mf? Why? What happened? He did a special of a curry with popadoms and pickles. I ordered it but also requested extra naan and chapati's. Apparently, because I'd ordered extras then he had to break the prices down thus costing almost double the cost of the special. I objected then refused to pay so he used his limited vocabulary to vent his disappointment.

[Sunny_01]

I have issues with takeaways as well.

A local pizza shop never ever got our order right, and the one time they did it was stone cold. I phoned and was asked "are you never happy" lol, they came over to take food away and the delivery driver stuck his hand on the pizza to check the temp!! nice eh? Needless to say we no longer use that shop lol.

[GiRTh]

I've just had the 2.99 fish and chips special at a Weatherspoons. Not good.

[Sticks]

Originally posted by GiRTh
I've just had the 2.99 fish and chips special at a Weatherspoons. Not good.

Should have tried the treacle sponge pudding :whistle: