17 Answers

I did it often when I could afford to go out for meals, my belief is "if it's not as good as they say it is, it goes back to the chef" I've never had a problem with refunds or stroppy owners or chefs, Brits are not renowned for complaining but I like to get what I'm paying for!

Only once that I recall.  I had ordered a steak, medium well.  The vegetables and the mashed potatoes were soaking up the blood....yuk!!!  Just looking at it, made my stomach turn.  They replaced the whole meal and the chef came out from the kitchen and apologized!  The second meal was delicious and I still go there.

The dish delivered to us with the pubic hair on top was sent back to the kitchen with a request to please have employees wash their hands when their done using the bathroom.

country bumpkin

It was yurk!

It's been a long time but yes I have it makes me nervous as to what they do with the food..

I did! only once 3 times I sent the food back! Same meal! Finally took the meat home. The cat would not even eat it! Never went back there and never recommended the place either!

Yes, because they were cold, because they were overcooked, and once because they left the head on a fish (fancy french restaurant- someone ordered for me) That time the waiter treated me with discust when I asked..I simply said that I could not eat with it's poor desperate dead eyes staring at me...finally he took it, probably spit onit and removed the eyes- I only ytook two bites (it was ok but the entire experience killed my appetite.   I have also gotten things taken off the bill, a few meals and a coke that had a chunk of glass in it (glad I used the straw!

Ducky

It's not unusual for a restaurant to serve the whole fish, head and all, especially for a small variety but I agree with you. If I know that in advance, I ask for the head to be removed before serving. (eeewwwwwww)

A long while ago. We went to a fish fry and the fish we were served was fried with a piece of cardboard underneath the fish. We did not return the whole meal, but asked for a different piece of fish. We had eaten many times there before and the food had always been good. When it came to pay the bill, the owner apologized and told us the meal was on the house. We felt bad, because it was a simple mistake. I am sorry you had a bad experienceUsually restaurants have to be very competitive in order to survive. I also agree with Vinny on everthing. Ma and Pop Restaurants are still the best. We were lucky to have found one where we live now. No one can beat theire food and service.

Dinner was ordered, the salad arrived at the table, my lettuce started to move, and a roach appeared. I called the waiter showed him the salad moving. Suddenly the food appeared. I refused the food and refused to pay for it. He threatened to call the police, I threated to scream at the top of my lungs about the moving salad. I did not pay for that dinner.

Once only and too long ago to remember why and where. My wife and I  don't go out often because we cook at home and we have complete control of what goes into our meals which are quite simple yet very tasty. Whenever we go we know the food  is very good and we are rarely disapointed. 

 My daughter and I visited Tofino and I believe we had dinner at Shooner (probably) and we loved it. During same visit we went to another place very nicely located with very disapointing food.

I like my meat well done and have often sent it back to be cooked more. This is after I asked the wait-person to tell the chef to burn it. I mean it.....

YES, told them it tasted like SH*T, then the waitress had the nerve to ask, "What's wrong with it", I kindly told her, "I just told you, IT TASTE LIKE SH*T".  That's when, I learnt to eat pizza, only after a dare/offer.

I have done it soooo many times that now my Husband dosnt take me out for meals anymore  as I am sooo fussy and anyway I think and know I can cook better than any food you get in a resturant  and I am not saying that there are fab resturants out there but not in Lancashire the food is gross and I am not saying that I am a fanstic cook either but I have worked as a waitress when younger and some nice resturants in London you dont want to know behind the kitchen doors  

I never returned any meal back but there is one time I got a milkshake and there was a fly in it.So I returned it back to them and they gave me another one and I did not drink the milkshake because I don't know which Bug might get in to the milkshake. AGAIN !

OH WAIT I GOT ANOTHER ONE. If your Drinking something do not read this comment.

There was one time I was in a country ( I don't remember it's name ) I was in a park where there was a lot of bugs. It was so hot, I bought a cold water and in two minutes it became hot. It was so hot I almost fell down. Then I saw a boy holding a milkshake from BR ( Baskin Robbins ). So I knew I was near to BR so I went there and bought a milkshake. I drank I little bit of it then suddenly I need to go to the toilet so I asked my brother to keep the milkshake with him. When I came back I saw my Brother gone and the milkshake is still on the table so when I look in it I saw a bee, Wasp, and lots lots of flies. I was going to return it but I my brother told me that this is a park and there are a lot bugs.

And that's way I don't go to the park so often

A bad meal really makes an impact on an otherwise wonderful experience.  I have returned things on more than one occasion, the most recently being in Carmel, California, which is a very high-falootin' coastal town in California.  
My friend and I ordered salad and soup (clam chowder....bowl for her, cup for me).  My salad was excellent, as was hers.  She got her soup first (smaller salad) and suffered her way through it.  
Mine came.  The "bowl" was square, about 2 1/2" high, and the soup filled less than half the "bowl".  I tasted it and put the spoon down. It was horrible (the potatoes had been put through a food processor...like little bits of tapioca).  I finally got the server and simply said I couldn't eat the soup.  She offered to bring something else, but I declined and the soup was removed from my bill (of course). 
By the way, the service was seriously lacking and it should have been "top drawer".  The gratuity was very small.  The server's JOB is to provide my food at the right temperature and without undo delay. A "tip" is appreciation for a job WELL done, not just done. 
 

We had hamburgers at a tiny restaurant by the Eel River on the North Coast of California. There were no other diners. There were no other places to get a meal. My hamburger was bad. Old meat. I told the waitress as nicely as possibly. (I was aware of how remote this restaurant was) She turned dark and mean and I don't remember whether we got our money refunded. I took one small bite.

We left and walked toward our car. Right as we were about to get in a group of dogs came barking and snapping after us. My husband says they were Rotweilers. We didn't have a cell phone. Those dogs would have killed us if we hadn't fled.He said there were two. I think there were many more.      

Terrifying. Maybe the scariest moment of my life. 

No, I never have, although I probably should have. There are several restuarants in town that I will not go to because of their past service. I am also not bashful of saying why I won't either.

One place served me this plate with gravy that actually had congealed grease on top of it. Then, one other time I decided to give the place a second chance. The dinnerware I was given the second time I visited the place, had old food stuck between the tines of the fork. (That was disgusting!) Then, while waiting for the food to come, I looked up and there was a bunch of cobwebs hanging from a light coming down from the ceiling almost above us.

I'm not fussy, but I'm not into paying good money for eating out of what comes across like I'm eating cold food, on dirty silverware, in a barn. If I wanted to eat in those conditions, I sure as hell wouldn't be paying to do it.

The other place had some disgusting health department write-ups that were published in the paper...and I just don't go there.