Was I right to walk out of restaurant ?

Soldato
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8 Oct 2009
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United Kingdom
I walk out all the time if the service is not good enough. When I'm in the supermarket and realise I don't need/want something I just throw it in whatever Isle I'm on. Got to make them earn their wage!
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
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91,158
Honestly 40 minutes isn't an horrendous amount of time to wait if they're busy, you place your order, the waitress/waiter takes 5-10 minutes to put it through to the kitchen (they may have to run drinks, get sauces, clear other tables etc. on the way).

The kitchen might have 10 tickets ahead of you so might not start yours for 5-10 minutes and your food may take 10-20 minutes to cook, then it takes another 3-5 mins to take from the kitchen to the table.

All that sounds completely reasonable for a restaurant that is 3/4 full and may not be fully staffed.

You're well within your rights to leave but you do sound a bit impatient

Depending on party size and how busy they are 40 minutes is pushing it IMO - it is about the point I'd start running out of patience and I'm quite a patient person generally. Bit different if you are a group of 20 or something.

I remember a time as a kid we were visiting Brownsea Island and stopped at a restaurant in Poole. With similar results to OP - but that was like 3 hours later they still hadn't managed to get us our deserts or the bill (my uncle costed it up himself and gave the manager cash). Then the owner came running out and he and my uncle had a blazing row in the car park.
 
Soldato
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Derby
For what its worth to you guys that dont work in restaurants, Just eat, Deliveroo, etc all have priority over seated guests. When I worked at Toby carvery, 90% of the stuff is cooked and just put into take away packaging, but when you have 20 tickets each with at least 3-4 meals, thats a good damn lot of food to pack up. You barely have 5 mins to get an order ready for the drivers. When the drivers are waiting they are losing money and get arsey with the staff. This is my experience from working in restaurants. Obviously not all places use Just eat or Deliveroo etc. So if you are waiting long for your food I can say its because of deliveries if not the fact that the kitchen is probably short staffed as most kitchens are unless is a Michelin gaff.
 
Soldato
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What do those that do walk out, do about their drinks? Normally I find they can be quick enough to take your order and bring drinks over but then delayed with food.

You might not have entered into a contract to pay for the food at that point, but I'm sure by the time you've had a few slurps at your drink you'll have to pay for those.
 
Associate
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30 Mar 2019
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Went through a phase of abandoning the trolley/basket at supermarkets if the checkout queue was ridic, bet they loved having to sort that out.

That’s just daft really and I don’t understand people that do this. Especially the people that have full trollies and just abandon them at the checkout because they can’t be bothered with a queue.

Once you’ve spent the time filling the trolley, why instead of waiting 10 minutes to get through the checkout, would you then spend even more time driving to another supermarket, and then having to fill up another trolley full of goods, etc.

Surely just completing the current purchase, even if there is a slight delay is still the quicker and less stressful option.
 
Soldato
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21 Jan 2010
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22,235
That’s just daft really and I don’t understand people that do this. Especially the people that have full trollies and just abandon them at the checkout because they can’t be bothered with a queue.

Once you’ve spent the time filling the trolley, why instead of waiting 10 minutes to get through the checkout, would you then spend even more time driving to another supermarket, and then having to fill up another trolley full of goods, etc.

Surely just completing the current purchase, even if there is a slight delay is still the quicker and less stressful option.
Agreed. Bizarre thing to brag about.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Dec 2005
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5,007
I walk out all the time if the service is not good enough. When I'm in the supermarket and realise I don't need/want something I just throw it in whatever Isle I'm on. Got to make them earn their wage!

:p

I see that quite often in my local Morrison’s…something from the fridge dumped next to the dog food or something, it’s a tiny shop too, would take seconds to get from one side to the other!
 
Associate
OP
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18 Jul 2015
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439
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London
I walk out all the time if the service is not good enough. When I'm in the supermarket and realise I don't need/want something I just throw it in whatever Isle I'm on. Got to make them earn their wage!
Please don't do that.
Apparently, the staff who stack shelves and work at the back of the store have a hard time.
I know someone who works at a well known massive supermarket. The managers are ruthless.
 
Associate
OP
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18 Jul 2015
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London
What do those that do walk out, do about their drinks? Normally I find they can be quick enough to take your order and bring drinks over but then delayed with food.

You might not have entered into a contract to pay for the food at that point, but I'm sure by the time you've had a few slurps at your drink you'll have to pay for those.
Is that why they bring the drinks early. As I prefer to drink after a meal.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
18 Jul 2015
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439
Location
London
For what its worth to you guys that dont work in restaurants, Just eat, Deliveroo, etc all have priority over seated guests. When I worked at Toby carvery, 90% of the stuff is cooked and just put into take away packaging, but when you have 20 tickets each with at least 3-4 meals, thats a good damn lot of food to pack up. You barely have 5 mins to get an order ready for the drivers. When the drivers are waiting they are losing money and get arsey with the staff. This is my experience from working in restaurants. Obviously not all places use Just eat or Deliveroo etc. So if you are waiting long for your food I can say its because of deliveries if not the fact that the kitchen is probably short staffed as most kitchens are unless is a Michelin gaff.
There were no couriers coming to collect an order whilst we were seated for over 40 minutes; unless there is a back entrance for them, which I don't think there was.
 
Soldato
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12 Dec 2003
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11,005
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Wiltshire
I walk out all the time if the service is not good enough. When I'm in the supermarket and realise I don't need/want something I just throw it in whatever Isle I'm on. Got to make them earn their wage!

Hope this is a joke? It's akin to going out in a tractor to purposely drive Infront of delivery vans. It's cruel because you know your actions have a negative impact on another human beings life.

Working in retail at some point in your life develops ( well should) empathy towards others.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
24 Sep 2005
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35,492
If I were so annoyed as to leave, I’d be inclined to leave a couple of pounds as payment. In the very unlikely scenario that plod ever showed up and could identify me etc, I’ll then purport that I have paid what I deemed to be appropriate, hopefully saving myself some grief as plod then tells the owner that chasing the balance of any debt is a civil matter.

I’m struggling to think what would make me walk out of an incoming dinz though. Only very rude service, I guess.
 
Man of Honour
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14 Apr 2017
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3,511
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London
I walk out all the time if the service is not good enough. When I'm in the supermarket and realise I don't need/want something I just throw it in whatever Isle I'm on. Got to make them earn their wage!

How is it not good enough service when you’ve picked up something that you don’t need?
Ah but wait, if spelling aisle is beyond you, then that question may be too difficult for you.
 
Soldato
Joined
5 Mar 2010
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12,348
Working in retail at some point in your life develops ( well should) empathy towards others.

Absolutely this. You realise that 90% of customers are absolute *****, and in majority of cases you end up being a **** too without realising.

As for chucking food back on a shelf, i hope it's not perishable food because that would mean the shop would have to bin it as they've no idea how long it's been on the shelf even if it was within the last few minutes.
 
Associate
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And in today’s episode of things I’m going to twist and completely make up by Ballistix......

one of these days they’ll zip that jacket up tight on you if you don’t tone it down a bit.

So explain why you think I would be incapable of providing the customer service example I gave and / or receiving positive feedback for it?
 
Soldato
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3 May 2012
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Wetherspoons
I walk out all the time if the service is not good enough. When I'm in the supermarket and realise I don't need/want something I just throw it in whatever Isle I'm on. Got to make them earn their wage!

Damn right, gotta put those supermarket workers in their place they are sub standard humans after all.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Feb 2006
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9,583
I've voted to leave a restaurant (was more a big cafe) once before. We waited a lot longer then the OP and I was the only one who wanted to leave. Once we finally left after eating and paying for our food everyone said they wish we had left...

They said 5 minutes; you gave up after 40. I think you were more than reasonable TBH.

I read it as a further 10-15 minutes when they said 5. I think it may have been a little premature but as per above, follow your gut feeling OP.
 
Soldato
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18 Jul 2021
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4,356
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Land of Gin (I wish)
I would have walked out. Nothing worse than seeing diners coming after you getting their food before you.

On a few times when I have eaten my meal and getting the bill takes ages, I have left the cash and walked. I always take a note how much the dishes, drinks ordered as many restaurants take the menu away after ordering. A couple of times, my dad has left the restaurant to an ATM to withdraw the cash to do the same.
 
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