Walking out of a restaurant

ID1052

Not sure where to post this... but looking for advice/thoughts

So I went for dinner in a restaurant which was fairly empty with just 2 other customers who had already ordered. We ordered fairly quickly 2 simple dishes (rice stir fry) and just tap water and started waiting...

Just after a huge table of 8/9 people arrived... and around 10 minutes later they placed their order (I could hear)

15 min later their food start to arrive but still no sight of ours and the waiter said he will be right back... 5 minutes later the second batch of the big table food arrives with basically the same food (limited menu) so as it was almost 30 minutes I walked to the restaurant owner/manager and told them I wanted my order cancelled and left.

The restaurant didn't say much, Asian with language barrier so I am not even sure they understood. I didn't do a runner after eating my food though I wonder whether legally it's okay to do that, there was no theft as the food never made it and I had free tap water, restaurant must provide reasonable service and 30+ minutes for a simple order is a tad too long with another table being served first making it even more frustrating.

foxtrotoscar_2

ID1052 wrote: »

Not sure where to post this... but looking for advice/thoughts

So I went for dinner in a restaurant which was fairly empty with just 2 other customers who had already ordered. We ordered fairly quickly 2 simple dishes (rice stir fry) and just tap water and started waiting...

Just after a huge table of 8/9 people arrived... and around 10 minutes later they placed their order (I could hear)

15 min later their food start to arrive but still no sight of ours and the waiter said he will be right back... 5 minutes later the second batch of the big table food arrives with basically the same food (limited menu) so as it was almost 30 minutes I walked to the restaurant owner/manager and told them I wanted my order cancelled and left.

The restaurant didn't say much, Asian with language barrier so I am not even sure they understood. I didn't do a runner after eating my food though I wonder whether legally it's okay to do that, there was no theft as the food never made it and I had free tap water, restaurant must provide reasonable service and 30+ minutes for a simple order is a tad too long with another table being served first making it even more frustrating.

What you did was fine.

foxtrotoscar_2

Les79 wrote: »

Well, I think it is poor form from you to be honest... Language barrier or not, I don't think it would have been impossible to get across the question of "where is my food?" to the staff first of all!

Also, for all you know:

- The group could have been a pre-order and the staff were in the process of preparing their order when you walked in. (so you'd end up behind their order but, depending on how the service is carried out, could think that you have been jibbed off)

- The company could have been halfway through cooking your meal when you walked out (possible waste of food).

I find it very tricky when it comes to restaurants, because I personally wouldn't be assed about a 30 min delay (so I don't *get* why you were so upset here)! When I home cook a meal typically takes 20-30mins to make from raw ingredients anyway. So what is reasonable and unreasonable?!

THEORETICALLY, they *might* have scope to chase you for any losses incurred (not theft) but that would never ever happen! Any losses they incurred here will just be written off as waste. In other words, you'll be fine and the meals you ordered are probably in the bin

Next time ask them about the delay before waking out.

Did you read the OP properly? They spoke to the owner/manager before 'waking out' as you put it.

warby68

I don't think 30 minutes is excessive, and I can see why a restaurant might have prioritised the large group 'party' order over your rather 'economical' one, perhaps not right but I can see why.

However if you complained about the perceived delay and they did not satisfy you either with service or an explanation, and you hadn't had anything to pay for yet, then leaving was a legitimate option.

POPPYOSCAR

I would do the same.

Was once staying in a hotel with my adult daughter where the evening meal was included.

We noticed that other people that sat down after us were being served before us and we were waiting a very long time.

The waitress was not very friendly when I asked if it would be much longer as we had been waiting for quite a while.

We got our meals eventually but I did not leave a tip. Had the meal not been included I would have told them I was not prepared to wait any longer and left.

Manxman_in_exile

We've walked out of more than one restaurant in similar circumstances. Nothing wrong with that.

Jimmithecat

I did the same recently when visiting Byron Burger at lunchtime- even though it was not particularly busy we were completely ignored - they did not even take a drinks order and served everyone around us - after 20 minutes we walked out and speaking to the manager on the way out she was not bothered either -
I left a trip advisor review as I think good service is a reasonable expectation when visiting a restaurant

Sea_Shell

Personally, I would wait, as I'd presumably be very hungry by then and to leave would mean starting the whole process again in another establishment.

Unless I was prepared/able to get fast food quicker instead, then yes I would bail.

It would depend entirely on the individual circumstances /occasion/ location that I was in.

comeandgo

Totally agree with you walkIng out. I've done it before, especially when you only have an hour lunch break or it's a pre theatre meal and it does not appear within an acceptable time. Ive even had a hotel not charge for our drinks when I explained to them why I was leaving. Poor service is not acceptable in my eyes.

shaun_from_Africa

Les79 wrote: »

Sounds like it was a bit of a one-way conversation if you catch my drift....

And whose fault was that?
The OP made an attempt to communicate with the owner/manager to voice their displeasure and if that owner/manager couldn't understand, what else was the OP expected to do?

shaun_from_Africa

Les79 wrote: »

Are Asians unwelcome in the UK?

Someone disagrees with you so you immediately cry racism where no such thing was stated or even implied. (except by you).
Comments such as the one above actually demean real racism.