So tired of ordering steaks rare and getting them well done.

emay

My bf had this problem once (in a well known pub chain) and when he complained was told,
'the steak has to be a certain temperature in the centre'
(in other words, doesn't matter how you want it, you'll get it well done!!!)
He doesn't order steaks in pubs any more!

fridge_raider

To the people saying 'This is what you get at a pub chain, etc...', I know what you mean, because I have experienced it, but surely it is still completely unacceptable? You've paid for a meal, they've asked how you want it cooked, surely the type of establishment you're eating in is irrelevant? You want it cooked as requested. Fair enough, the meat quality won't be as good as in a higher end restaurant, but if they don't cook it how you asked, send it back!

JReacher1

fridge_raider wrote: »

To the people saying 'This is what you get at a pub chain, etc...', I know what you mean, because I have experienced it, but surely it is still completely unacceptable? You've paid for a meal, they've asked how you want it cooked, surely the type of establishment you're eating in is irrelevant? You want it cooked as requested. Fair enough, the meat quality won't be as good as in a higher end restaurant, but if they don't cook it how you asked, send it back!

It's not completely unacceptable. The standard of food and cooking is relative to the eating establishment you are in. If you pay £6 for a steak you can't expect it to be cooked with the same skill as at a place where the steak costs £30.

There is no legal right to be able to send food back if it doesn't meet what you want. You can reject it but they don't have to repeatedly attempt to cook a steak to match what you believe a rare steak would look like.

On a side note I would guess they use frozen steak at spoons so you're probably best getting it cooked through.

fluffnutter

Chomeur wrote: »

I always order rare steaks in restaurants. In spite of this, at least half the time they come well done, at least in the UK. I hate to complain because I know the restaurant will have to find another steak and be unhappy about that and then I have to wait again for my meal.

I'm thinking that the answer might be to print off a small card to keep in my wallet and show to the waiter when I am ordering so that it's clear what I mean. There's a good one here http://fuuka.warosu.org/data/ck/img/0043/92/1365906584492.jpg. If I have done that then I will feel better about making a fuss if it comes well done. Is that too rude? Maybe I should just restrict myself to doing it at cheaper restaurants where the chef is less likely to be offended by his supposed lack of culinary knowledge.

Ha ha ha ha! You're taking the pee, right? 1) If your steak's not cooked how you requested, then tell the staff, politely, 2) get over yourself with your 'lack of culinary knowledge' nonsense and your snobbery about cheaper restaurants.

fluffnutter

JReacher1 wrote: »

In addition the quality of meat is so poor at a spoons that its probably not a good idea to have a rare steak!

What nonsense. Either you're suggesting that the hygiene standards are poor at Wetherspoons therefore it's wise to have a well-cooked steak to ensure all the bugs are properly killed by heat or you think that a poorer cut of meat won't hold up to being served rare.

If the former, I'd be interested to see the evidence that Wetherspoons have a poor hygiene record and if the latter, perhaps it's worth your knowing that actually the better the steak the better it copes being longer cooked. The cheaper the cut, the rarer the better, not the other way round.

fluffnutter

JReacher1 wrote: »

There is no legal right to be able to send food back if it doesn't meet what you want. You can reject it but they don't have to repeatedly attempt to cook a steak to match what you believe a rare steak would look like.

There's a legal right to refuse to pay and it's in the restaurant's interest to serve you something you're prepared to pay for rather than leave you sitting there either eating nothing or munching on something you didn't ask for.

DigForVictory

My son likes rare steak. On the occasions we get out and steak is an option, he tells the waiter "I like it runny"...

So far, even in Wetherspoons, this has raised eyebrows, but sir has got the steak barely cooked the way he likes it. Me, I'm gradually going thin veggie, as watching his plate dribble red does nothing for my appetite.
I can't honestly say I'd advocate using an eight year old's language buit in this case, on this subject, it seems to work.

JReacher1

fluffnutter wrote: »

There's a legal right to refuse to pay and it's in the restaurant's interest to serve you something you're prepared to pay for rather than leave you sitting there either eating nothing or munching on something you didn't ask for.

Yes but they're not going to recook a new steak more than once for a customer and if the chef can't cook a rare steak the customer has to eat it or eat nothing.

JReacher1

fluffnutter wrote: »

What nonsense. Either you're suggesting that the hygiene standards are poor at Wetherspoons therefore it's wise to have a well-cooked steak to ensure all the bugs are properly killed by heat or you think that a poorer cut of meat won't hold up to being served rare.

If the former, I'd be interested to see the evidence that Wetherspoons have a poor hygiene record and if the latter, perhaps it's worth your knowing that actually the better the steak the better it copes being longer cooked. The cheaper the cut, the rarer the better, not the other way round.

Poor quality frozen steak won't cook well rare. It will be very tough.

MattGoku

This is something that I feel strongly about. I enjoy steak and when I eat out I expect it to be cooked the correct way, which in the case of steak is how the customer asks for it. I ordered medium-rare last week and was given well done, I just don't think that it is acceptable. With regards to the points about the chef and establishment, I agree that they are factors but I still think that it comes down to the fact that if they ask the customer how they like it, then that is how it should be served-nothing else should matter!