London Restaurant News

We don't mean shouting to staff or whining to friends, we mean politely complaining to the right people about faults with your breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The one golden rule is this; complain immediately (not when the bill arrives) and most restaurants will try and resolve the problem quickly with minimum fuss and upset to your meal. Above all don't be shy or bashful - you're paying for a meal to be cooked to your liking and to be waited on, nothing should spoil your enjoyment.

The following are some scenarios you may find yourself in:

1. The Food Takes Too Long To Arrive
What is 'too long' anyway? Longer than anybody else we think. Call over the waiter and ask how long before your meal arrives, as you have waited long enough. If they do not know, ask them to check with the kitchen staff. If the time they give you is not acceptable then you are perfectly within you rights to cancel your order, ask and pay for the bill (if you've had drinks or starters). Or if you are not in such a rush, you can ask for the manager and explain the situation them, recommending that they knock an agreed amount off the total of the bill.

2. You And Your Partner's Meal Arrives At Different Times
A tricky one, but not if you speak to the waiter straight away and ask for the other meal. If the response is more than a few minutes, the best option is to return the meal and ask for them to be delivered at the same time. We don't really think this warrants money off the bill total, but perhaps a reduction in the tip - unless of cause you then progress to scenario number three.

3. Your Meal Is Cold (When It's Suppose To Be Hot!)
Returning your meal (and your partner's if necessary) should be done without thinking. Just don't do this if you've ordered Gazpacho soup

4. You Can't Bear To Eat The Food
You don't like the food. You didn't know they were going to be anchovies in it did you? If items like this are not mentioned on the menu, then complain and ask for something different. Admittedly, this one takes a bit of bottle, but if you send you meal back and ask for something else and do this immediately (without eating half of it first), many restaurants will only charge you for the one meal. Check that this is the case when re-ordering.

5. The Portions Are Too Small
Big plates and small portions are common in restaurants offering unusual dishes. However, they should be accompanied by side orders of vegetables or potatoes. If you need to order extra, ask how long they will take to arrive. With any luck you will have gone for the set menu anyway and can look forward to pudding. If you are not eating nouveau cuisine and are disappointed by the size of a dish, then again, immediately get the waiters attention and ask if what you have received is a normal size portion for this restaurant. Also, complaining to the manager about the meal being 'not good value', will in more cases than not result in a bill reduction.

6. The Waiting Staff Are Rude
This is unacceptable, ask the to see the manager at end of the meal and explain the situation. The manager will probably be grateful you mentioned it. Obviously, tipping is out of the question no matter how good the food was.

7. Somebody Is Smoking In The Non-Smoking Area
If you don't want to confront the person being anti-social then of course it is the restaurant's duty to enforce the no smoking policy. Ask the waiter to do the honours on your behalf. However, if you are on the edge of the non-smoking area and the smokers are sat at a smoking table, then it's a bit trickier. We at LondonEats.com, would ask to be moved to another table and explain why to the staff. If you liked your meal and want to return then just remember this for next time.

8. The Food Is Not Cooked Enough (Raw Like Sushi!)
This is completely unacceptable and if dealing with chicken or some types of shell-fish, then it could be dangerous as well. If this is the case, ask for the manager immediately, explain the situation and ask for a new meal. If this upsets your partner's meal, then return it also. However, if we are talking about a steak that should be cooked a little more - it probably can be rectified quickly without too much upset. (By the way, if the steak is overcooked then asking for a new meal is also okay).

9. You Have Been Automatically Charged For Service That Was Poor
Unless you've already complained, then you don't really deserve to get anything (including service) knocked off the bill. If you don't believe it stated on the menu that the service charge was mandatory, then ask to see it (it has to state this fact by law). If it doesn't then refuse to pay the extra charge and take the matter up with one of the consumer organisations listed below.

10. You Don't Like That Expensive Bottle Of Wine You Ordered
If you are sure the wine is 'corked' (i.e. gone bad), then explain to the waiter that you normally drink this type of wine, it is bad and you would like another bottle. If however, you just don't like the wine and there is nothing wrong with it apart from it would spoil your enjoyment of the meal then complain anyway. This is not as bad as it sounds, the restaurant will probably re-use the bottle by selling it by the glass.

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