Got Horrible Service. So Why Do I Feel Bad Ranting?

[326MOD10]

I used to be an outward jerk but have worked hard to be an inner one the past several years.

Have gone through some stuff and have tried to understand what really is important and how most things that were upsetting me weren't.

So I go to a sandwich shop and drop $29 on two subs, one cold and one hot. Get the cold one and sit down to wait. Get a phone call and realize after a bit everyone who came in after me is gone.

MGR comes over and ask if I got my order. Tell him no, so he ask what was it. I tell him and he comes back and goes I am sorry, not sure where your order went. What did you have again. I tell him and he goes we will get it

Now when I came in the clerk helping me put my cold sandwich in someone else's bag and handed it to me. I corrected that and now figure that is what happened to my hot one.

So get my food and head home.

Open the hot sandwich and not even close to what I ordered.

So I return and am not flying off the handle but expressed my displeasure about how I was not remotely happy.

They fix the order and I find myself apologizing for being rude. Why do I do that? I have every right to be angry but somehow I feel like I have done something wrong.

On a side note they put a guys sandwich into my return bag and tried to give it to the next guy in line after me.

 

[sigp220.45]

I would chalk it up to life and move on. Will getting stressed make it better?

 

[Kevin J.]

It’s totally normal to angry and even healthy to vent and express it as long as one stays in control.

^^what sig says. Let it go and move on. One thing other than Darwinism that is great in weeding out the weak is the free market. Never go back and let others know why.

 

[ladder13]

I’ve given many restaurants slack since the Wuhan bug. Many are having issues hiring people who can walk and talk.
I give one more chance and then move on, too many nice places to eat around here.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I've found myself not buying fast food for just that reason, mainly, among others. These people are working fast food for a reason; it's not their fault they're stu...unintelligent. Of course students are there temporarily, hopefully. Where I live it's best to drive out of the city for decent service. Thank goodness the cash register does all the thinking for them as far as making change.The managers usually have been there since high school.

 

[326MOD10]

Oh I was in control but stern.

I realize the service industry has lost sight of 'service" lately. If I stopped eating everywhere that has screwed up an order the past 2 years there would be nowhere left to eat.

Just don't get while I feel bad for complaining when clearly complaining was warranted.

Oh well. Sig is correct. I vented and moving on.

 

[Babysitr]

Sounds to me like life is getting good for you!..I've been working on that also since this Covid buisness started

 

[Jessie]

You gotta do what you gotta do to vent sometimes or some poor shmuck down the line is going to get the riot act read to them for something they didn’t do.
Holding it in just leads to blow ups but try and be as diplomatic about it as you can when you vent while still getting your point across.
Nothing to feel bad about at all.

 

[Kevin J.]

Just don't get while I feel bad for complaining when clearly complaining was warranted.

I am the same way. As I see it most of us are general decent nice guys and we don’t want to be “that guy”, but something’s you just have to.

After I don’t dwell on it but I do an “after action review” in my mind. Just to check that I was in bounds and ask myself if I could have handled it better.

 

[moosedog]

You're ok. I had a very similar thing happen yesterday at a McDonalds in town. Too long and involved to go over, so I won't.
Makes me appreciate that fact that I cook most of my own meals.
Why did you feel strange after getting a bit upset? Because you have a good sense of what's right and wrong and are on a road to self-improvement. We all should be on that road.

 

[pharmer]

I used to be an outward A-hole but have worked hard to be an inner one the past several years.....They fix the order and I find myself apologizing for being rude. Why do I do that? I have every right to be angry but somehow I feel like I have done something wrong.....

At least you are self aware, something 80% of folks don't have. Being a generally loud mouth Italian from NJ, I tend to come off as rude sometimes just talking. My wife is a proper 6th generation Fort Worth girl and I sometimes think she would like for me to wear a shock collar when we are "social." Joe

 

[swsig]

Sorry, I blanked on the rest of your rant when I read you spent $29 on two subs.

 

[LVSteve]

I realize the service industry has lost sight of 'service" lately. If I stopped eating everywhere that has screwed up an order the past 2 years there would be nowhere left to eat.

What a wonderful piece of understatement. It's even happened here in Vegas, and this place sinks or swims on service.

The same happened after 9/11, and my first wife and I pretty much abandoned going out to eat. Steaks that would serve better as shoe soles, service with a grunt, if any at all, fouled up take out orders, to the point that even now I won't go through a drive-thru unless it is absolutely necessary, you get the idea.

 

[ancient-one]

I don't blow up but instead ask some questions to the manager like is your menu too complicated for your employees to understand when preparing an order? Do you have anyone except you that can read the numbers your cash register spells out? Do you have anyone that knows the difference between a hamburger steak and one that has been pounded? There are all kinds of options.
I don't say any thing the first time unless my food is completely different than what I ordered or not eatable.

 

[GaryS]

There was a new Panera near us that didn't get one order right for the first three years they were open.

They fixed the problems every time and gave us gift cards for free meals every time. How they stayed open, i could never figure out.

 

[Kevin J.]

There was a new Panera near us that didn't get one order right for the first three years they were open.

They fixed the problems every time and gave us gift cards for free meals every time. How they stayed open, i could never figure out.

Most likely not a local franchise but a corporate store….much deeper pockets.

 

[Moo Moo]

I'm in my mid 40's. I find as I get older, I am becoming more like "that guy" when dissatisfied with a product or service. It never happened when I was younger. Is it the case that as you get older, you become more intolerable?

 

[Absalom]

Maybe it’s my winsome personality or cheerful outlook on life, but I generally get what I order, and I’ve been getting a lot of take-out. Can’t for the life of me remember the last time I would have even had the slightest opportunity to feel aggrieved by food, except stuff I myself didn’t microwave long enough.

 

[Rustyt1953]

OP, I'm glad you put it behind you.

Food establishments around here remember me for my patience, understanding and humor. If I receive glaringly atrocious service I put them on my "lesson learned" list.

The shorter my time grows the harder it is to rile me.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I believe the underlying problem with any of the service industries has been multiple "store generations" of no training. Things that were common knowledge in the 60's have been left untaught by managers/trainers over and over until it is unheard of today. Last Sunday we ate after church at "Old Bag of Nails". I not only watched as wait staff didn't remove plates from earlier courses. I watch the "hostess" seat people at tables full of the last customer's dished! I saw the little folios that your bill and change is in build up on a table for three sets of customers!

Not only are Free Refills (coffee, ice tea) hard to get, but paid refills (beer, mixed drinks) were nearly impossible. Not one of the wait staff had more that 4 occupied tables!

Of course, I am the jerk for leaving the McDonald's sized tip for McDonald's sized service! Restaurants are expecting 20-25% tips now on bad service, 50% higher prices than pre covid, and smaller portions/lessor quality. (I actually pay that at the sports bar where we often eat weekday lunch, because they hustle, smile, and actually say Thanks for coming in!)

My wife and I could make our own meal at home, but I'm trying to make the day special. The poor expierance sucks the joy right out of it!

Ivan