Dear Barb:
Hi, I have a really good friend whose brother opened a new restaurant. A bunch of us went there one evening for dinner and we didn’t like it. The service was slow and the food was not good at all. I know Carol is going to ask me what I thought and I don’t know what to say to her. Most of my friends didn’t like it and said they would never go back. Should I be honest with her and risk ruining our friendship, or should I lie and say I loved it? Carol and I have been friends since high school and I would not want to lose her as a friend. Looking for some direction. Thanks Jodi
Hi Jodi:
Great question, but not an easy answer. I don’t think you should come right out and say you hated it, nor should you lie and say you loved it. Perhaps you could find something positive to say about the restaurant, for example, the decor is great, or the menu offers quite a variety, or the prices are good. This way you are sidestepping actually saying the food and service were bad. If the food and service are bad, it will come out and at least you will not have been the one to say it. Hope this helps.
Dear Barb:
My wife and I were out for dinner last Saturday night. We went to a restaurant that we had been to many times and the food was always great, but not this time. I ordered liver and onions and was very disappointed. The liver was gristly and tough and the bacon was barely cooked. I wanted to send it back, but my wife didn’t want me to. She didn’t want toscene and the cook would get angry and spit in my food. I didn’t agree with her and decided to complain to the waitress. She was very accommodating and told me they would take it off the bill and asked if I wanted a different meal. I chose not to order something else because my wife was angry and she had put the thought in my head that the cook may spit in my meal. I wasn’t sure what I should have done in that situation. What is your opinion? Thanks James.
Hey James:
I agree with you. If you order a meal at a restaurant, you should be able to get the best meal available. If it had been me I also would have sent it back and ordered something else. Whether the cook or server would spit in your meal is debatable. If you treat your server with respect and explain why you don’t feel the meal is what you ordered, chances are there will be no problem. In a decent restaurant I believe the owner/manager will do their best to avoid hiring immature, resentful people who would stoop to the level of spitting in someone’s meal. Becoming a chef is a very prestigious profession and I believe, for the most part, a good chef takes pride in the dishes they prepare. Good question James.
Email your questions to voice@voicemagazine.org. Some submissions may be edited for length or to protect confidentiality; your real name and location will never be printed. This column is for entertainment only. The author is not a professional counsellor and this column is not intended to take the place of professional advice.
