Most of us have experienced a time out of the home where we are paying for something and it just wasn’t good. I’m not saying you didn’t like it because it had a vegetable you don’t eat. This is a time when the quality was lacking, which may include the food not being done properly leading to you not liking it. Why not tell the waiter/manager/chef at a restaurant that the food wasn’t good? (You can also tell them if you enjoyed it as well.)
The meaning of good being what you might have expected it to be as good is a subjective notion. Also, something is worth only what others value it at. Yes, i can be influenced into thinking something is ‘worth’ more or less and therefore the value changes. And i would argue that dealing with a bad time by leaving a poor tip in places that tip (no tipping in some service oriented societies) is passive aggressive and may not truly reflect the overall experience and it’s something that gets displaced to the server, who might suck and deserve a low tip.
There have been many times and there will be many more when the food or service i expected was just wasn’t delivered. This might be the service from the staff as well as the quality of the food. I don’t always say something but that’s more the exception than the rule. If i’ve been to a place before, sometimes many times before, i am much more likely to say something as i know what it was like before and expect a certain level at that point. At any point i still have a minimum standard that should be met. Should, not must, because if it’s the only place around that’s open and i’m hungry, i may not have the option to be picky or i won’t eat. When i’m with someone else i know i hear about how i shouldn’t say anything or should just let it go. My arguments are 1. I am a paying customer and have that minimum standard for a certain level of service; 2. What if there was something wrong with the food or a new preparer or something and they didn’t know about it. I would want to know if i was cooking something and the food wasn’t coming around correctly or the staff weren’t meeting my standards. One could make an arguement about catching flys with honey but i’m only in the habit of having honey on me during the winter season and yeah, not so interested in catching flys.
Most of the time if i just didn’t like the taste of the food but it seemed done properly i will wait for the sometimes prompted questions of “how is your meal” and preface my talk with the waiter/manager/chef (to be defined from now on as ‘them’) with the idea that i’m not looking to replace the food, unless i am, but it just wasn’t something i liked. Sometimes they might offer a free dessert but i usually turn that down. I also sometimes wait until after i’ve paid to give my feedback. I’ve had the chef, rarely though, come out because of something i’ve said and i gave my opinion directly. I’ve never had it taken badly or gotten a glare or hateful words back although i’ve heard that happens. I think he/she truly appreciated someone taking the time to taste the food, be it liked or not, and not just gobble it down. As a foodie it’s quality over quantity.
The paying for service idea applies to car parking, flying, the movie theater, etc., any place you pay for something where i think there should be expectations. So yes for the most part, when you get something for free or attend something for free, i’m not so sure i have any examples of when i would say you could demand replacement but you can still say if it was good or not.
They are exchanging a service for your money. Something of a verbal contract. So don’t be an ass and complain if it was something new to you that others liked and you just didn’t like the taste and just don’t want to pay for it, that’s part of the gamble of trying something new, but don’t sit back and accept a bad meal/service. If you’re on a flight and are thirsty and want some water, that’s what the attendant light is for or just politely asking as someone walks by. They’re probably ok with it. The same applies if things are turbulent and they can’t get up to serve any snacks or drinks. Stuff happens.
Try and be nice even if you can’t be good. Don’t be passive aggressive and let your voice be heard, you paid for it.
-Santa’s Fallen Angel