The first thing that I do in situations like that is to see if there are on-line review opportunity then air my experience there. Restaurants are more likely to have internet reviews than any other merchant.

I did that recently with a service that unduly cost me over $1000 (Middleton Pest Control for the record).

Yup, service is horrible at a lot of places now. That's why I will go out of my way to go places that have good service. I even use companies for my house that are more expensive than their competetors, but actually offer good service. I'd rather pay the extra $20 and have the worker show up when he is suppose to (or call if he runs into a problem) than deal with a less expensive company that gives me a six hour window and is still late!!!

Joanne

I'd do as Cathy suggested.
I've always been very quick to publicly acknowledge and praise good service, but I'm also just as quick to complain when I don't get it.

And since you'll never go back there, could you phone in a large order from them and cancel at the last second, claiming: "Oops, I meant to order from another, more reliable establishment. Oh well, mistakes happen." Click.
[jk]

Sol

And since you'll never go back there, could you phone in a large order from them and cancel at the last second

IMO, two wrongs don't make a right. i can't imagine any person in business would consider something like this; afterall, would you want someone doing that to you? even in gest, this is s mean solution to a terrible problem.

i too am a real picky person when it comes to customer service, no matter what the business. i have recently refused two major companies any business for some home repair/remodeling due to their lack of it. one of the companies calls constantly always lowering their price. i finally had to tell them to remove my number from their records or i would file harrassment charges.

we are unfortunate in that gone are the days of the service station wiping your windshield, checking your oil and filing your tires with air, all with a smile and a "come again".

what bothers me is that nowadays you have to pay for everything up front before you even get an order. more than once i've gotten a refund and left a store.

maryanne

Maryanne, note the "JK] at the end. It stands for JUST KIDDING!

Disclaimer: Reading my satirical comment above may be too intense for some viewers. Said comment is meant to induce laughter. It also does not cover misuse or milk coming out of your nose due to laughter. It does not cover volcanic eruptions, tsumanis or any other acts of God. Read at your own risk.

Sol

LOL, Sol, I know you'd never do that, but it makes me smile to THINK about it. The best revenge is always stuck somewhere in my head.

We owned a bar and grille for years and I hired good waitresses and bad ones. Of course, there were the patrons who wanted everything in an impossibly short period of time, of top quality and at a price below cost. That's me. LOLOL I still expect above average service.

Actually, my pet peeve is the gum popping, tongue ring wearing, hair flipping clerk. I've been known to tell them that the noise from their tongue ring chipping their teeth is screwing up my hearing aid, could they please stop talking? Having a 19 year old who waits tables at a local Applebee's and who knows how to bite her lip, smile when someone makes a crude remark or when a kid just spit milkshake at her and still makes a lousy tip gives me a whole different attitude, she's much better than I am.

At any rate, I'd complain, and I'd complain loudly. In person, in writing, and on line. Give them lots and lots of bad publicity, it hurts them worse than anything else. That door swings both ways, though, I'm also quick to praise good service, and reward excellent service. I do much of my business with small local businesses because they seem to care more about getting my business and the service is better because of it.

Annie

I worked at a deli for a while. Some people are good at remembering long lists of things, I had a hard time with more than one sandwich at a time. Not because I'm dumb, but because my memory doesn't work well like that. There's no excuse for rude service, but mistakes can happen.

Like most of us I'm sure, I've received plenty of incorrectly fulfilled orders in my life. Now when I go to a deli and order more than one thing, I write down the order and hand it to the clerk. I've NEVER had a problem when I've done that.

When we were doing custom sandwiches in our deli, we had a printed order form for the customer to fill out. No mistakes that way! It also really made the process faster when we were busy.

Customer service starts with the owner/mgr. If they don't put emphasis on it employees won't. The first thing I always told employees was, "The person walking in the door comes first. Without that person the store couldn't be here." I truly believe that. We just needed more people coming in thru that door.....a whole different topic.

Eileen, glad to hear you are really researching the whole business, it will help you decide what to do.

Nancy

Eileen - glad I saw your post (sorry for the bad service!).

You don't have an email option on your page. I don't know if you are still in the market for a camper - I just got an email from my friend who is selling their fifth wheel. Email me if interested.

I recently ordered a shirmp parm hero and I got chicken parm and when I called them to tell them they didn't believe me! Eeerrrrr.

I don't eat subs (submarine sandwhiches), but DD and DH do. I have to admit though, some of the commercials look so darn good! We have two sub shops here, Mr. Subs and Quiznos. Never been to Quiznos, but at Mr. Subs you stand there and tell them what you want them to put on it. Each sub is made to your specifications, even white or whole wheat, heated or not.

There's a great article about getting good customer service, in the brand new Reader's Digest.

We recently had an issue with Fry's Electronics - we still do. But we're just not taking the computer back there. Instead, we'll hire a friend of our daughter's. Wish I'd just done that in the first place, honestly!!!!

We don't go to fast food places much any more, but if/when we do, we always check the order before we leave the drive-through. It's just too much hassle to drive back to get the RIGHT order!

DonnaR/CA

I don't eat Heros/Subs either. I've never cared for them. But Matt use to eat them. Most of the sub places I've been to, make the sandwich right in front of you so it is easy to see what they are putting on.

Occasionally I'll go to Burger King and I always check before leaving to make sure that they get my order right. Usually they have it marked right on the wrapper NO KETCHUP, but I check just to be sure. But to be honest, I really don't get bent out of shape when a fast food place makes a mistake. I guess I just don't expect outstanding service from any fast food outlet.

Ann

Having spent most of my adult life in the restaurant business, in every capacity, from server to manager, in a variety of establishments, from fast food to foo-foo, overhead tray service in black and whites, I urge people to report to the manager on duty any incidence of bad service.

There are many people out there who want jobs, particularly in nice restaurants where one can actually earn a living. And many in line might be more than happy to treat customers as though they actually want them to return, while one who has obtained the job is ruining the experience for the customer.

As a restaurant manager (and as a waitress also), I always preferred the customer who spoke up about their dissatisfaction. If someone told me they were unhappy about something, I could take steps to remedy it...if they didn't, they just walked out angry and told their friends what a lousy time they had. This is death to a restaurant trying to make it in a very competitive industry.

If you have never worked in the industry, some things that might strike you as bad service may be out of the server's control. On the other hand, there is absolutely no excuse for rude behavior or a bad attitude.

Mistakes happen, it is inevitable. The sign of a well run establishment and a professional server is how the mistakes are dealt with. Is an explanation, solution/compensation offered promptly? Good. Do you have to complain, and then argue your case and possibly put up with bad attitude before some solution/compensation is offered, grudgingly? Bad.

Granted, you can't expect the same level of service at your local diner as you expect at a four star restaurant, but there are basics...a pleasant demeanor, attention to your needs, and a prompt response to requests are basic to any level of service establishment.

There is a great pizza place a few miles away, but several years ago when you called you got the gruffest angriest voice on the other end of the line. It got so that I really didn't even want to bother ordering. Thankfully management changed hands and they are quite pleasant to deal with now. I don't expect friendly banter or chit-chat, but please don't yell at me when I'm trying to order a pizza!

Duane

Unfotunately the man who made my sandwich was the owner and the person who I called was his wife. I just cant believe they are so popular when they are so rude...hmmm...note to self... treat the customer horribly make lots of business! LOL!!!

I ALWAYS check to make sure I have exactly what I've ordered.

Had one lady get huffy with me once.

"Your order is correct."

"Then why is THIS (I slammed an egg salad sandwich down on the counter) in my bag and the correct sandwich isn't?"

I can't really tell any stories of genuinely bad service in restaurants, only indifferent service, but I did stop buying fried chicken (the best in the city) from my favourite fast food restaurant for nearly a year because a girl who served me licked her fingers after some chicken fat leaked on her hand when she was getting my order ready, and didn't go to either wash or santitize her hands afterwards - just went and served the next customer. I would have gotten my head chopped off if I had done that when I was working in the food factory where I had a summer job as a teenager.

Netla, Yuck--on that same note it makes my cringe when the check out personnel licks their fingers while getting the bag or tissue paper to package my purchases.

I love a good well made Italian sub or hogie! Can't stand Subway or quizon's or any of those chain things.
But a large roll of good Italian bread, with capiacola, provolone, mortadella, salami maybe a bit of chicken ( not that stuff that's preformed!), lettuce, fresh tomatoes, red onion, a generous sprinkle of black pepper, some oregano and a very generous drizzle of olive oil and a few rings or hor banana pepper....wrapped and allowed to sit for about 20 minutes for the oil to soak in...
OH MY!...
What's not to like?
Linda C

Today at my local sub shop the girl scratched the back of her head and then continued making my sandwich. She was not wearing gloves, tho they are available. I took my sub home, pulled it apart, looking for hairs, there weren't any, so I re-assembled it and ate it anyway. But I won't be going back there. There are 2 other delis in town. I'm also in Long Island.

Hey Jannie where do you live??? I love a good sub too Linda! I really cant stand Quiznos and Subway I always opt out when the rest of the family wants it YUCK!! terrible IMO! Ive spoke with the board of health and I can and will take there free food safety course which is I believe a 10 hour course and you can bring 1 employee for free! I really want to be top of the game with that and also too I take pride in cleanliness which most sub shops I have gone into lack..BIGTIME!!

The other night we went to the local pizza place and the couple we were with ordered garlic rolls. My husband and I have never once in 4 yrs had a good garlic roll from this place, they microwave the rolls before bringing them out which as you know, makes them very tough and chewy. Not good. And more times than not, they've been microwaved beforehand and then brought to our table cold.

So we don't order them anymore. But since this particular couple did order them, we each had one and it was the same thing, tough, chewy yucky. So I said to the waitress, who had a really funny personality, witty, fun, joking with us..... I said, "I'd love to come teach them how to make a good garlic roll" so she said, "Can you be here at 9:30 tomorrow morning?" I said, "Sure!"...... I knew she was joking - she knew I was joking. Well, minutes later the manager was at our table all in a huff because I didnt' like his garlic rolls. So I was honest and told him it was true, I really didn't. He said his restaurant is "known" for their garlic rolls and I was the only one who didnt like them.

Ummmmm everyone I've spoken to that's eaten there HATES their garlic rolls. So I dont know what he's talking about.

Anyway he admitted that they do nuke the rolls before bringing them out to the tables. He also admitted that he hates nuked bread too but that is how they do it.

I was embarrassed because I never intended to insult the manager and I was a little PO'd w/our waitress for sending him over. If I wanted to complain to the manager I would have asked that he be sent over.

It was obvious that he has no plans to change how they re-heat their rolls.

Heating bread in a microwave is the worst! I don't know enough about how microwaves actually work, while the bread comes out soft & moist, the moment it cools down, it is drier than it was before and tough. I'd rather have the bread unheated!

How strange. Obviously, since they bake pizzas, they must have ovens. Even if they don't want to buy a separate bread steamer (though as restaurant equipment goes, they aren't all that expensive), they could keep a steamer pan in the oven or on the stove to heat the rolls...if they kept it there, it wouldn't take all that long to heat them.

One of my husband's pet peeves is when the waiter/waitress comes to a table of men & women and addresses them as "you guys".

One of mine is when service has been fine all through the meal, until you want to leave and can't get the check!

Another thing I'm kind of funny about is when I go to wash my hands in the restroom, and have to wait ages for hot water to come out of the tap...it always makes me wonder whether the employees are paying attention to the sign about washing their hands before they return to work. Worse still is when I meet an employee coming out of the restroom, and find a dry sink when I enter.

I had a similar experience at a steak house. The baked potatoes were awful...obviously nuked, gummy, & held in a warmer for G@d knows how long. By the time the potatoes reached the table they were cold & gummy. Ick!

I also mentioned it to our waiter & didn't think much more about it. Well, this is a small town & the very next morning I got a phone call at home. It was the steak house manager. He sounded just crushed that I'd not liked his baked potatoes that he said were "essential" to a good steak house (I agreed with him on that!).

Anyway, we chatted & he asked what I'd do different. Apparently, the potatoes were not nuked but rather baked in the oven. I was surprised because of the texture. So, I asked him what kind of potatoes he was using. Yukon Golds. Bingo! I told him, IMO, the best for baking was Idaho Russett & explained how I baked them. When done, I always give them a little squeeze to keep the interior flakey & fluffy. He complained that the price of baking quality russetts was high but said he'd give it a short-term try. Well, a couple weeks go by & I'd forgotten all about him. I get another phone call...it's him. His potatoes are now getting rave customer reviews & he's added just a baked potato topped with sour cream, steak slices, green onions, & a bit of cheese to the entree menu by popular demand. I'm feeling smug but just congratulate him. Then he told me that he'd named his new entree, "Tricia's Tater"! I was soooo embarrassed. Come on, guys...it's just a potato. Anyway, I'm memoralized on a local menu in big bold letters. Too funny!

/tricia

Well look at you! I'm glad he took your advice and bettered his taters!

Waiters or waitresses that address customers as "You guys". Clerks (no, they are NOT associates!) who stare at you when you put your purchases on the counter as if they really do not know why you are bothering them. Personal phone calls being conducted while a customer waits to be served. "We're outta that" instead of an "I'm sorry, we don't have that item now, would you like a rain check?" And the ultimate--a manager who says that the calf-eyed, pierced and tattooed creature he hired is "just human." Could have fooled me!
When we all insist upon service, we'll get it. Until then, we have to insist loud, long and persistently.