Step 1
Mistakes happen. We are human. If we mess up your order we will be glad to fix it and make it right for you. However we do not appreciate it when you yell, scream, curse and insult us. It doesn’t help the situation and it is unnecessary to verbally harass us. It’s been my personal objective when a customer starts verbally harrasing me I ask them to stop using that kind of language because it upsets me when someone is being mean and rude. We know you are upset but we are sorry and you need to let us resolve the problem for you.
Step 2
Promotions and coupons. If you visit a chain restaurant from time to time they run special promotions or coupons. Keep in mind that not all restaurants participate in promotions or honor coupons. I know it is frustrating you go to a restaurant and they are not accepting the coupon or running the promotion you saw advertised. A lot of places I have worked each state is drawn into regions and each region is given certain promotions or coupons to run. Usually on the coupon it states what region/cities are accepting coupon so you really need to check the fine print. Also it depends if the restaurant is franchised or corporate. If it is franchise the owner/operator can make the decision what promotion or coupons to run. It does not do any good to get mad at the employee because it is not their decision.
Step 3
Special requests, substitutions, and restaurant polices. Some restaurants do special requests and substitutions depending on what they are. However, if you have a request or ask for substitution sometimes you can be denied because it is against policy. Again it may seem trivial to you and do not understand why it is not allowed but please keep in mind corporate and owner/operators make their own rules. If you are complaining to the employees you are complaining to the wrong person. If you really feel that issue needs to be addressed than by all means contact corporate headquarters or the owner/operator. They are the only ones who can change the policy. Please whatever you do do not try to persuade or ask the employee to let you get by just one time. Not only is unethical it puts their job in jeopardy. If they get caught breaking a rule it can cost them their job. Let me ask you what would you do if the situation was reversed and you were the employee. Would you break a rule to satisfy them when it might cost you your job?
Step 4
Prices and extra charges. Corporate or each individual owner/operator set their prices. Discussing how expensive your meal with the employee is going to get you nowhere. They cannot change the price for you no matter how much you try. The same goes for restaurants charging you extra for condiments or for substitutions. The reason they do this is because food prices have soared and if they kept letting people getting extra condiments or substitutions they will not have enough for all their customers. Usually the the charge is at cost so they are not making any money off you.
Step 5
Service/Quality. If you have a issue with the service or quality please speak to a manager. Do not cause a scene by yelling and swearing so everyone can hear you. Most issues can be dealt with privately with satisfactory results. Managers want feedback on their restaurant’s performance and if there is a problem then can find what is going wrong and fix it as soon as possible.
Step 6
Health codes and regulations. If you believe an employee or the restaurant itself is committing a health code violation please let a manager know as soon as possible so they can take immediate corrective action. Do not announce to the whole restuarant that you know they are practicing unsanitary food procedures. This issue is serious but can be taken care privately and immediately as soon as you call attention to it to a manager.
Step 7
Equipment failures and low product. Usually restaurants do equipment inspections on a regular basis but sometimes you are in the middle of the dinner rush and it just stops working. Try to be understanding and not criticize to the employees that you have to wait or you had to order something else. In addition I want to add about restaurants running low on product or out it completely. KFC free grilled chicken coupon is a perfect example. KFC was advertising for free grilled chicken and then Oprah mentioned it on national television and people rushed to the stores to get free grilled chicken. KFC did not anticipate such a frenzy for the promotion that a lot of stores ran out leaving customers angry and had to offer rain checks. So keep in mind if a restaurant is advertising a special or promotion be prepared if you have to wait for them to make it or they be completely out of it. You cannot predict how poplar an item is going to be. However most restaurants will offer you an alternative or a rain check to compensate you.
Step 8
Wait times. Depending on what kind of restaurant you go to the wait time varies. If it is fast food it is usually quick but if they are in rush sometimes they do hold on a product and ask you to pull up if you are in drive thru. Do not throw a fit and refuse to move from the window. Please pull up because it is much easier to pull you up instead of making people run around your car to give other customers their food. Restaurants need to keep that drive thru lane clear to service their customers quicker. In reality you are making the problem bigger by having other people wait behind you it stalls the line and can cause accidents. Believe me when a customer refuses to pull up and all the other customers who know that person will not pull up get very irritated and I have seen them honking their horns and yelling at the customer to pull up. Also may I add having you pull up because your food is not ready ensures you are getting hot fresh food. If it as sit down restaurant of course their is going to be a wait time because they have to prepare your food fresh and it also depends on what you order. If you order lobster and baked alaska do not expect it in 15 minutes. However if you order was simple and it is taking awhile you may want to ask your server how long it will be before you will receive your food and most times they will go check to see what can be done to get your food to you or they may even comp your whole meal for you for your wait.
Step 9
Manners in a restaurant. People work in a restaurant to serve you and cannot tell you how to act but I feel it is important to address. You are there to eat not to make a mess by dumping you food all over the table, throwing spit wads, and unscrewing the tops off the salt and pepper shakers. Please behave in a restaurant as if you were eating with your parents. A big pet peeve with many waiters/waitresses/fast food workers are parents who do not watch to their children. We welcome children to our restaurants but we are not babysitters. I have seen countless times when parents are not paying attention to the kids and we find the kids running around the restaurant disrupting other customers or actually coming into the kitchen area. I might add please turn off or set your pagers, cellphones or any other electronic devices to vibrate. We have had customers complain to us about other customers whose phone would go off every 5 minutes or they talked loudly the entire time on the phone while they were eating. Please show some common courtesy for your fellow diners.
Step 10
Filing a complaint with the restaurant’s owner/operator or corporate headquarters. If you spoke to a manger and you did not feel they resolved your problem satisfactory than by all means call the 1-800 number or email a complaint. However it should not be something petty like they forgot to give me ketchup for my fries or your dessert was too cold. Problems like that could be easily fixed by your waiter/waitress/fast food employee. You should only call or email when it is a serious issue involving quality, service or safety. If you think calling the 800 number because they forgot to give you a straw with you drink is going to get the restaurant in trouble than guess again. It only counts against them if it is a serious quality, service or safety issue.
Tips & Warnings
Be calm when you have an issue with a restaurant. Do not use abusive language and do not get violent. If you do they have every right to ask you to leave or to call the police to escort you out because they are protecting the safety of their staff and other customers.
When encountering a possible health code violation please do not tell us you know for a fact are in violation and that the health department should shut us down. A lot of those responses are from people who visit restaurants that do not wear gloves in preparing food. Keep in mind each state, county and city have their own local polices and it up to the discretion of the local health department if a restaurant is committing a health code violations. A lot of restaurants I have worked in the health department did not require us to wear gloves but to follow a strict hand washing policy. In fact studies have shown strict hand washing was the best way to protect against food borne illness versus wearing gloves.
Please do not be intoxicated when you go into a restaurant. It is not fun trying to take your order while you are stumbling around and slurring your words. We have every right to take down your license plate number and notify the police there is an under the influence driver on the road. Also please act your age. It is not cute to answer your questions when you are giggling, screaming loudly or asking questions you already know the answer too. Please do not flirt with the employees when they are trying to work.