Do you accept substitutes

[natedogg323]

Re: Do you accept substitites

EVery single time I've ordered Pepsi at a place that serves Coke I have been told "Is Coke ok?" or visa versa. I have no problem with it as long as I'm told. I guess given the circumstance I would have gotten up and left as well. I've worked in different areas of the food business and I have to say that people get waaaay too uptight about their food. First of all its FUCKIN FOOD. Second of all their are countries in the world that people only get a cup of rice per day to eat, and it probably has flies in it while their eating it. We are way to picky and spoiled fuckin rotten here in America. We probably need to take a step back and get over our selves a little bit! Just a thought?

 

[herenthere]

Re: Do you accept substitites

I worked as a waiter, while I was going to nursing school. My experience was, when someone said a "coke" many were referring to a cola drink, not a Coke product to be specific.

I would always ask if pepsi was OK....

 

[GayBoyKellyCfan]

Considering I use to work with food, and hated how people were when you made a mistake, I'm never rude. I know it sucks working a sucky job for no money, then to have people act like assholes makes it even worse. it's like, c'mon you're spending 5 dollars for a meal, deal with it, you're not gonna have a 5 star resturant type service. But I do nderstand how difficult it can be, dealing with snotty teenagers, but then i usually get a manager involed. I would never just walk up and leave though.

It does piss me off, when the person taking my order, doesn't speak my language. I know they'r ejust trying to make a living, but c'mon, cheese only isn't many words to learn. lol

 

[bacchus]

Re: Do you accept substitites

My experience was, when someone said a "coke" many were referring to a cola drink, not a Coke product to be specific.

not saying that doesn't happen, but honestly i've never known ANYONE in either my circle of friends, or generally anyone on long island to refer to Pepsi as 'coke'

when someone wants Pepsi they always ask for that, and vice versa

the major problem i've seen with soft drinks is with root beer- every resteraunt seems to feel that they are all the same regardless of brand...big shocker to find out that someone actually has working taste buds and wants to know exactly what company root beer they serve

 

[GayBoyKellyCfan]

haha, that's how it is with um Mr. pibb. It taste diffrently people. I swear it does. Don't beleive me? Fuck off, it is so diffrent.

 

[Pegasus69]

Christ, if you're *that* picky on brands, eat and drink at home!!

I think that you may have missed the point on this. Sure, we all have the brand that we prefer, whether it be in the form of soda, beer or what have you. The problem is that there is an assumption made by the server, and that is "you'll get what I give you and you will deal" I have worked as a waiter for many years and made a vey good living at it. The reason why I did was the attention to detail. The details are that you are hearing the customer, you repeat the order back, you enter the order into the kitchen, check to make sure that you entered the order correctly, you pick up the order in the kitchen and make sure that it is exactly as ordered, then you bring it out to the table and place it in front of the person who ordered it.

I do not tolerate attitude by waitstaff very well. I am sorry if they are unhappy in the job they are doing, but that is not my fault. If they are so miserable then they should look for different work. I have had my drink substituted and have asked that they just take it back and give me and iced tea or water or something. The way I deal with waitstaff attitude is that it is well reflected in the tip that they get, this includes failure to inform me if there is something in my order that cannot be met and they just throw in something to fill the spot.

A tip is not automatic and I used to tell myself that TIPS are To Insure Proper Service.

Now, this is someone who, as I mentioned used to wait tables for many years (a mixed drink, when I started, used to cost $.75 in a nice restaraunt). My last year of waiting tables, 4 1/2 years ago I used to take home on average $1,000.00 a week and that was working 4 days. This was at a mid priced establishement, but I had a very loyal clientelle.

Some of the things I have read posted by others in this thread seem to explain so much about the quality of goods in this country. And what does it say when our economy is headed more and more towards a service oriented economy..... I think it says we are in deep shit.

 

[Pegasus69]

Oh yeah, the one thing that I cannot stand when I go out with people for dinner is when the food arrives and the server "Auctions" off the food. You know, "who had the tenderloins, etc,. etc,. It is not hard to have a system in how to serve the food to the right people. Rant over

 

[jaysizzles]

I once was a waiter...we only served pepsi..as was listed in the menu. 99.9% of the time when someone ordered a coke and I'd say we serve pepsi...they'd say fine/ok/whatever taking the substitution without even thinking twice about it...or they'd even be irked that I would make the clarification. Many people would use the term generically meaning they wanted a cola. So I can understand how a server could have just assumed...not making it right by any means and certainly not excusing her remark of "what's the difference". An immediate apology should have been made...and then an attempt to correct the situation.

Getting up and walking out because you got a wrong drink order or splenda instead of sweet'n low, along with a bit of attitude seems to be an overreaction... to me anyway. Afterall...nobody is perfect...and anyone who expects perfection is usually going to be disappointed. I know I was good at what I did, made a lot of cash and had many repeat customers requesting my station...but I can't tell you the number of times I screwed up an order or gave someone (unintentionally) bad service. That kind of shit happens in the food service industry, especially when it's busy. Most people are understanding and forgiving once an apology is issued and the correction made. I could see if you repeatedly got bad service or bad food from a place...but one strike and your out seems a bit rash...especially since it was the server that made the mistake and the comment...not the management. If it's a big deal...make management aware of the problem and ask for a different server....they won't know there is a problem if you don't tell them...or just reflect the poor service with a bad tip.

I do think all servers should make the patron aware of what they are being served and correct them when they mis-order (that's a big part of their job)...especially in this day and age when a lot of people have food allergies, intolerances, high blood pressure, diabeties, etc... people need to know exactly what they are eating. Under no circumstances should food be substituted without the customers consent and knowledge. The customer has equal responsibility to read the menu and ask the ingredients if they have issuse...as I need to do and always do. For example, if you don't eat dairy and the dish comes with cheese...say something before it's served to you! I know mistakes are made...and I even expect them ...so I usually try to make sure that foods/issues that effect me are bought to the servers attention so they can help take any necessary precautions...and it generally works to my benifit.

 

[jaysizzles]

^ In additon and to answer the poll question...sometimes I accept a substitute and sometimes I won't...but that isn't one of the options so I didn't vote. I at least want to know what/why/when a substitution is being made beforehand.

 

[The_Reaper]

Well, here in Canada....

In a resturant or anything, if you order Pepsi but they only serve Coke...They'll tell you before they run back and get you anything. Usually with a,

"We don't have Pepsi, is Coke alright?"

Or at least, thats how things work in Canada.

 

[just_mills]

Any place Ive been to here, and i've asked for coke, i'll get a coke, or a pepsi.. it always happens. its just something that's never bothered me.. so much so, that i dont even hesitate to think which of the two i'll get..

if i know they only serve pepsi, i'll still ask for coke.. and get the pepsi..
i dont worry about it.. its like if i asked for a 7-up and got sprite.. i'd still drink whichever one i got.. theyre both lemonade..

obviously if it was completely different, i'd say something!

 

[justsimon]

Any good waitperson will notify you of changes to your order. I've never had someone bring a substitution without asking first.

 

[josefjosef]

I do not take crap from any restaurant - best to worse - I pay and I want what I want, and it is always best to leave and never send anything back. One would not go to Bloomingdales and buy a blue shirt and end up with yellow. The consumers must stand up and revolt - they are paying the bill not the restaurant owner.

 

[Smitho]

Obviously if I asked for beer and got a glass of orange juice I would complain, but Pepsi / Coke, they are basically the same thing! I'd just roll with it. I would also expect, and probably deserve a sarcastic comment if I did complain about that!

 

[tx_doc]

last night I had a waiter bring me pink lemonade instead of regular lemonade. I told him I didn't want pink lemonade. He said that's what I ordered. I asked him to get the menu; he brought it to me and the only thing on there was "lemonade" - no mention of pink. I refused the drink. He began arguing with me about the beverage. I asked for the manager. Later when he brought my food, he spilled sauce from the plate on my friend who was sitting by me. We ended up getting our entire meals comped, a dry cleaning certificate for my friend's "sauced" dress and a $90 gift card to the restaurant.

 

[dynk]

Re: Do you accept substitites

I work part time in the service industry. I'm always careful to mention we have pepsi products for fear of customers like you, dynk.

She wasn't very smart, but you didn't have to walk out like that. It was just a soda.

Anytime a person who is supposed to be serving me, sarcastically says "what's the difference" I think walking out is not that bad of a reaction. I do not need to be in an establishment who treat people like that. She was just attempting to put me down with that statement. Up hers.