Are you a complainer?

[Maestro]

I once got a hotel's Best Western franchise yanked because I wrote the hotel's management a letter complaining about the quality and security of the hotel and then CC'ed it to their corporate headquarters. Corporate considered my letter "the last straw."

As for food, if it's awful or unhygienic I'll send it back.

However, I tend to be an anti-complainer. There are a lot of times that I've asked to see a restaurant (or store manager even) because I've been pleased with the service, or wrote a letter about it. About eight years ago we were eating at the Outback in Rochester, MN. The waitress did the usual "Hi, how are you," bit. When we did it back, she lamented that she was having a rough day. It really wasn't the answer we expected, nor was it inappropriate either. She provided some of the best service we've ever had in a restaurant. We had a word with her manager after dinner, and the manager was floored, to the point of asking, "This really isn't a complaint?!"

Hey, one of your waitresses said she was having a shitty day and then bent over backwards to provide us good service ... no, this isn't a complaint!

I was coming home from a music conference in Chicago right before Christmas. Had to detour to drop some colleagues off, and something went funky in my car's climate controls en route. I stopped at a McDonald's, tired, frustrated, and ready to kick something. I'm filling up my coke and the gal brings my to-go order to me. As she's walking away (and she could tell I was in a foul mood), she turns back and wishes me a Merry Christmas. I wrote her manager the next day.

We're having dinner at the Olive Garden. It's packed. Our waitress is overwhelmed with customers (and she was a great waitress, they were just busy). I observed another waitress randomly helping our waitress out. In fact, she voluntarily took the tray with our food from our waitress and served us so that our waitress could get another order out to another table. We had a little chat with the manager too.

We were at a local Macaroni Grill-style restaurant in St. Louis. Our waitress seemed like she was up for a little customer playfulness. So we quizzed her about the wine list -- "I'm only 19, I can't drink. Let me check with the guys at the bar." She comes back with a bunch of great recommendations for wine. We quizzed her about what was good at the restaurant. Again, great recommendations. She played along with "be chatty with the waitress," and she busted our ass to serve us. Again, talked to the manager.

Bad service happens. Bad food happens. It's part of life. However, I'd rather celebrate the great service, hoping it will encourage others to follow that example, than constantly bitch about minutiae.

On one of our other trips to OG, my wife ordered one kind of noodle for her noodles and marinara, and got a different type. No problem, she started eating, and we chuckled about it. When the waitress came back to check on us, my wife casually mentioned it. You would have thought that we found a human body part in the food! The manager came right over, and apologized to the point of annoyance. Then she turned around and comp'ed my wife's dinner, my glass of wine, and my daughter's ice cream sundae. What. The. Fuck?! It was the wrong noodle, not a finger!

 

[Amaris]

I'm a rare complainer, and I am always polite. If I'm in a McDonald's and someone forgets my fries, I just smile, say "Excuse me Miss/Sir, I don't mean to trouble you but I didn't get my small fries." To which 99.9% of the time, the cashier apologizes and quickly gets my fries. I say "Thank you. You have a good day/night", smile and go about my business. That's usually as bad as it gets.

In the rare event something major happens, like a server drops my order and picks it up, dusts it off and tries to give it to me, I refuse it and politely request a new order. I have never found the need to get angry, although I'm sure it happens.

J.

 

[freak]

I'm a complainer. I'll send something back if it's not good. I guess I get that from grandfather..he used to send his food back SEVERAL times when we were at a resturant with him. If it wasn't EXACTLY correct to his specifications, he sent it back. Sometimes he sent stuff back like three times. He was indeed a complainer as well and didn't have any trouble showing it either!

 

[An Officer]

^ Family tradition, eh.

I once got a hotel's Best Western franchise yanked because I wrote the hotel's management a letter complaining about the quality and security of the hotel and then CC'ed it to their corporate headquarters. Corporate considered my letter "the last straw."

As for food, if it's awful or unhygienic I'll send it back.

However, I tend to be an anti-complainer. There are a lot of times that I've asked to see a restaurant (or store manager even) because I've been pleased with the service, or wrote a letter about it. About eight years ago we were eating at the Outback in Rochester, MN. The waitress did the usual "Hi, how are you," bit. When we did it back, she lamented that she was having a rough day. It really wasn't the answer we expected, nor was it inappropriate either. She provided some of the best service we've ever had in a restaurant. We had a word with her manager after dinner, and the manager was floored, to the point of asking, "This really isn't a complaint?!"

Hey, one of your waitresses said she was having a shitty day and then bent over backwards to provide us good service ... no, this isn't a complaint!

I was coming home from a music conference in Chicago right before Christmas. Had to detour to drop some colleagues off, and something went funky in my car's climate controls en route. I stopped at a McDonald's, tired, frustrated, and ready to kick something. I'm filling up my coke and the gal brings my to-go order to me. As she's walking away (and she could tell I was in a foul mood), she turns back and wishes me a Merry Christmas. I wrote her manager the next day.

We're having dinner at the Olive Garden. It's packed. Our waitress is overwhelmed with customers (and she was a great waitress, they were just busy). I observed another waitress randomly helping our waitress out. In fact, she voluntarily took the tray with our food from our waitress and served us so that our waitress could get another order out to another table. We had a little chat with the manager too.

We were at a local Macaroni Grill-style restaurant in St. Louis. Our waitress seemed like she was up for a little customer playfulness. So we quizzed her about the wine list -- "I'm only 19, I can't drink. Let me check with the guys at the bar." She comes back with a bunch of great recommendations for wine. We quizzed her about what was good at the restaurant. Again, great recommendations. She played along with "be chatty with the waitress," and she busted our ass to serve us. Again, talked to the manager.

Bad service happens. Bad food happens. It's part of life. However, I'd rather celebrate the great service, hoping it will encourage others to follow that example, than constantly bitch about minutiae.

On one of our other trips to OG, my wife ordered one kind of noodle for her noodles and marinara, and got a different type. No problem, she started eating, and we chuckled about it. When the waitress came back to check on us, my wife casually mentioned it. You would have thought that we found a human body part in the food! The manager came right over, and apologized to the point of annoyance. Then she turned around and comp'ed my wife's dinner, my glass of wine, and my daughter's ice cream sundae. What. The. Fuck?! It was the wrong noodle, not a finger!

Guardian good service inspector of waiting staff. Fantastic! I love that sort of stuff.

 

[melancholymecha]

I don't complain in public, so the answer to the opening question is probably no. But boy can I complain my ass off in private. And do I ever.

same here.

I dont usually complain b/c if the other person is one of those intimidating asshole types that doesnt really give a flying fuck that youre unhappy & stares you down or challenges you I can just see myself shrinking back into a corner whimpering & that will just be a lot worse...

 

[Emher]

I'm a polite complainer. I don't get upset, use rude words or anything of the sort, I just go "Excuse me, this isn't what I ordered" and explain it calmly. But I don't back down. If I pay for something I better get what I payed for. Also when I buy something big I'm informed beforehand. So basically I'm a salesmans nightmare. I'm going to be a real challenge for the slaesman when I finally buy the Camaro

When I went and saw "Star Trek" for the second time the theatre that it showed in did not have a separate subwoofer which lead to the speakers distorting when the really deep tones played. Not quite what you want when you pay full price for a movie (especially at the biggest cinemaplex in central Stockholm), so I wanted to go ask for half our ticket price back. My mom and my friend convinced me otherwise since they wanted to go home but I would have done it otherwise.

Anyway because of my polite manner I've never come to blows over something in these areas. Also helps that I'm a 6'3" bulky dude

 

[kimc]

I don't care much for whining (or whiners) but if something is bad enough I'll bring it to their attention usually with some kind of a joke. In the case of your blood-soaked hamburger bun I'd probably say something like I'm afraid it's going to walk off my plate, could I get one a bit more stationary?

Usually if you do it with humor they'll accomodate. In the rare case where they're rude at me for saying something I will leave no tip.

 

[Gaseous Anomaly]

It all depends on the severity and frequency of the mistakes. This place I order pizza from is forever making mistakes on my order. Just the other night they neglected to put pizza sauce on my Mexican pizza, what kind of pizza has no pizza sauce? Yes I did call and complain, it was one of about 3 times over hundreds of times. Like I said it all depends.

 

[Captain Ice]

Say if the manager you spoke to did nothing and was also rude, what then?

Been there, done that.

About a year before they closed, I went into a Circuit City to purchase a video card for my PC. Before I went in, I'd selected the one I wanted online, and printed the page with the model number amd price clearly labelled. The page that I printed came off of their own website.

When I went in to purchase that afternoon, I noticed that the price on the shelf was higher than the online price. So, I mentioned this to the cashier and was told that she did not have the authority to change the price. When I asked to talk to a manager, I was told they were all in a meeting and refused to come out and talk to me. When I asked to speak to whoever they'd left in charge of the store, I got a blank stare.

So, I took my printed page, walked out of the store and drove the 2 blocks to the nearest BestBuy. I picked up the item I wanted, and the cashier adjusted the price to match Circuit City's website price.

The next afternoon, I stopped at another Circuit City and spoke with the management there. They were extremely helpful and put me in contact with their regional manager, who said he'd have to talk to the manager of the other store.

When I had not heard back from him within a couple of days, I called Circuit City corporate. When they would not do anything about it, I called the Better Business Bureau. That got their attention and the regional called me back and also arranged to have a gift card waiting for me at the store where this had occured. I stopped and picked up the giftcard, and used it to buy DVDs in another Circuit City near where I worked.

 

[CaptainStoner]

I am a complainer, but, I am also a fixer.

 

[Lookingglassman]

If it is an accident I dont get upset. Everybody makes mistakes and why should I add to a person's misery who made the mistake?

 

[royalfan5]

It generally has to be a pretty big mistake to get me excited about complaining. Otherwise I just let it slide. It helps that I'm not very picky at all.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Being socially phobic there have been times in the past when I haven't complained even over trivial things. I have actually been in a Subway and watched them make a sandwich different than what I ordered because I am too nervous to say anything. I have eaten plain hamburgers because I am too nervous to ask for mustard. That kind of thing I have largely outgrown though. It is much easier for me to complain when it is not in person though. I once wrote an airline a complaining e-mail after shoddy service and got a free trip out of it.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Say if the manager you spoke to did nothing and was also rude, what then?

Been there, done that.

About a year before they closed, I went into a Circuit City to purchase a video card for my PC. Before I went in, I'd selected the one I wanted online, and printed the page with the model number amd price clearly labelled. The page that I printed came off of their own website.

When I went in to purchase that afternoon, I noticed that the price on the shelf was higher than the online price. So, I mentioned this to the cashier and was told that she did not have the authority to change the price. When I asked to talk to a manager, I was told they were all in a meeting and refused to come out and talk to me. When I asked to speak to whoever they'd left in charge of the store, I got a blank stare.

So, I took my printed page, walked out of the store and drove the 2 blocks to the nearest BestBuy. I picked up the item I wanted, and the cashier adjusted the price to match Circuit City's website price.

The next afternoon, I stopped at another Circuit City and spoke with the management there. They were extremely helpful and put me in contact with their regional manager, who said he'd have to talk to the manager of the other store.

When I had not heard back from him within a couple of days, I called Circuit City corporate. When they would not do anything about it, I called the Better Business Bureau. That got their attention and the regional called me back and also arranged to have a gift card waiting for me at the store where this had occured. I stopped and picked up the giftcard, and used it to buy DVDs in another Circuit City near where I worked.

Gee and Circuit City went out of business you say. I wonder why.

 

[RandyS]

Depends on the degree of fuck up. I try not to sweat the small shit or take it personally. A long of what I do is dictated by whether I think it was an honest accident, stupidity, or someone just being a ass.

You took my answer. Should I complain?

 

[Maestro]

I had two reasons to complain tonight at Tony Roma's, although they're funnies and not actual problems:

1.) My ribs were so moist that they literally fell right off the bone. I had to eat them with my fork. My complaint is that I got gyped the fun of eating with my fingers.

2.) They comp'ed my daughter's ice cream sundae and gave no explanation. Was it because she's so damn cute?! Well, I wanna see the manager, because I never tire of hearing that!

God, what a great Father's Day meal.

 

[Daneel]

Sure, I complain about stuff... then I post it anonymously on the internet like everyone else.

No, I'm not much of a complainer. If someone screws up my order, depending on the severity of the screw-up, I will either let it slide or politely ask the server to rectify the mistake. If it was something potentially unhealthy (like meat not thoroughly cooked), I'm more likely to choose the latter course of action. Otherwise, I'll probably stay silent.

I think complaining about stuff must skip a generation or something, 'cause my parents are notorious complainers. There are times my sister and I are embarrassed to be out in public with them. I've heard the words, "I'd like to see the manager please" more times than I'd care to remember, and I find the stuff they complain about to often be quite trivial. I'm still surprised that we're not banned from most of the restaurants in my hometown.

Ah well, what can you do... I still love my parents, and hey, on the plus side, it's gotten us a free meal on occasion.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

When son was still a baby we went out for lunch with my Mum to a local pub. Choose a table, parked baby seat and I went and got drinks. Perused the menu but when I went to order we were told children were not allowed. 'But you saw us come in, sit down and let us order drinks' ~ 'no children' and no sorry I noticed. I wrote to the head office, they were part of a small local brewery chain, and did get a sorry and a voucher for a meal for 2. We never went, I thought they might spit in the food

Whilst working for the biggest prat of a boss in the world we had our Christmas meal at a local restaurant. About 10 of us and when the bill came it included a service charge which was normal and pointed out on the menu for groups of over 6. Well this asshole of a boss went mad. Called for the manager, who he then interogated to see if he was 'really in charge'. Demanded the service charge be removed in a very loud and obnoxious manner, whilst the rest of us slid under the table. Once the manager realised life was not long enough to be dealing with this creep he changed the bill. Boss then worked out and left the exact same amount as a tip That is the kind of complaining I abhor, for no reason more than 'a matter of principle'

I had a gorgeous steak in an Italian recently, half way through I found a long black hair in the sauce. Descreetly pointed in out to waitress who delivered it to kitchen. Manager came over, apologised and offered another meal which I declined due to being full already and the £16 steak was removed from the bill. Left good tip ~ problem was dealt with smoothly and efficiently

I get embarrassed complaining, but will. I would be interested though if anyone has had a good result from a big corporation though from a letter of complaint. Especially about broadband service

 

[Michael Chris]

I used to be. Now, not at all. Too much so actually. I would have lost a scholarship worth about $30,000 if someone wasn't there to complain for me. So yeah. I just take stuff.

 

[Maestro]

My Dad tends to complain a lot about his steaks. I totally agree with him. He ordered a "medium" at a local restaurant. It came "done." He complained and he and the chef got into a massive argument. The chef's position was that he has to cook the meat to a certain temperature so that there's no danger of people getting sick. My Dad respected his concerns but still found it unacceptable. He and the chef talked a bit more and their chat ended amicably with the chef telling him that the next time he was in to just ask to see the chef when ordered, and he would honor Dad's request for doneness. Pretty cool.