This can be a frustrating moment. It may be the case that food intended for another table has landed in front of you. Perhaps the waiter didn’t write down your order or forgot your specifications. It’s a tense situation but don’t fret, this is our handy guide for what to do if a restaurant gets your order wrong.
You’ve ordered the fish but a salad sits before you? Politely ask your waiter straight away and do not touch it. The table next to you may be similarly perplexed at the arrival of a barramundi fillet, a switch that can be made in seconds provided hygiene hasn’t been compromised.
Most restaurants will happily accommodate dish changes but if you don’t have an allergy, have the dish as the chef intended it. Flavours, textures and temperatures are all considered for a long time before they land on a menu. Let go and trust that these people know what they’re doing.
If you’ve got allergies or even just a serious aversion to certain foods, have a look at the menu online scan for potential offenders beforehand. Prevention is better than cure, right? If possible, include a note on your booking too – you’d be surprised how many times in a sitting the staff will check the booking system and any notes will be clocked.
Ask any restaurateur and they’ll agree, it’s better to say something on the night. If you’ve received the wrong order, it may be a fleeting moment of awkwardness but it can be fixed by taking a deep breath, flagging your waiter, and asking for it to be corrected. You may feel flustered but don’t take it out on your waiter, mistakes happen. You don’t know what went wrong or who’s fault it is. If you really can’t bring yourself to say it to someone’s face, a discreet email the next day is far better than heading to Yelp and having a whinge there. These little reviews can make or break a restaurant. And finally, a correction is reasonable, but demanding a free meal or a refund rarely is.
