Upset about my food...

[Deactivated member 42515]

I don't know what to do... I ordered some takeout yesterday but didn't actually get a chance to eat it because some things came up. I decided to eat my food for lunch today. Microwaved it and took a bite and realized that there were tiny pieces of pork or chicken in my food. I'm vegetarian and I specifically asked them if this meal had meat it in. (it was a tofu meal) And the person that took my order said no meat, that it was only Tofu, Green Beans, Carrots, and sauce made from vegetable stock. And now, I have eaten something that has meat it in and I feel sick. Not literally throwing up, but just the thought that I ate something that had meat it in is making me wanna hurl. Some people might not understand, and I understand this too because even my husband says I overreact about animal cruelty sometimes... but the bottom line is that I asked for a specific thing and was promised a specific thing but did not receive.

I would call or go and ask them what happened but they are closed today and Monday and it seems silly to wait 2 more days to call them and complain...

Sigh... that is my rant

 

[CJ2008]

I'm not a vegetarian.

But I don't think it's silly at all. If you feel that way, there are others who feel that way. If you call and let them know what happened, you'll be educating them that they need to be more careful about answering specific questions about the food.

The reason you asked could have been allergy-related, too...

I know if I were the boss or owner of the place, I'd want to know that my workers are not properly informed about the food.

 

[Kaleigh]

First world problem. Hoping you feel better soon. BTW, my DD is a vegetarian so I get it. But in the span of life and all that goes on... Yanno??

Had they put peanuts which is a severe allergy to many, then I would be all up in their face.

You can try calling and placing a complaint but I doubt they will do anything..

 

[justginger]

CJ is right - it would most certainly not be a "first world problem" if an allergy were involved. I would phone them on Monday and let them know what happened. A very specific question was completely disregarded. Had it been seafood or peanuts in that meal, the outcome could be life-threatening. A simple human error, but if it had been my business' mistake, I would want to know.

 

[CJ2008]

CJ is right

It's not often I hear that so I wanted to make it stand out.

I think if you approach it from a perspective of "informing them" rather than complaining you won't feel as conflicted about telling them what happened. I really do see it as a "service" to others who may feel like you do, and to the restaurant - who will always be better off if their workers are informed. There's a reason you asked the question - you should have gotten an accurate answer.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

I agree it is a first world problem and that it is my own choice of life. I try to make sure that I am not a burden on people because I know that I am the one that is different. That's why I feel bad whenever people make mistakes because I feel like in the end, it was my fault. That's why I dunno what I should do.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

Thanks CJ, Kaleigh, Justginger, for your responses. I would never call them and get mad at them and yell. I understand that sometimes the people that work in the food industry don't get the respect they deserve. So I would kindly inform them of what had happened.

 

[madelise]

I don't know if you are vegetarian for moral reasons or for religious reasons (not that moral reasons are to be taken any less serious than religious reasons). I take that sh*t seriously. I have ALOT of friends who are vegetarian for religious reasons, and no, it is not okay to f*ck with a vegetarian's food! One year, a friend lied to another friend that the mashed potatoes at our Thanksgiving dinner was made with vegetable brother. The vegetarian friend ate it, and later saw the trashcan with the broth's can.. CHICKEN BROTH. She was furious and cried at a social function. She had never touched meat in her whole life, and here she was, "tainted" with chicken broth.

I don't think restaurants screwing up stuff like that should be taken lightly.

I'd go batsh*t crazy on the restaurant. and I have. SO doesn't eat pork. We always clarify if items contain pork. SO was served pork. I had to be dragged out of there.

I don't think it's a "First World Problem" at all. People sue for less serious stuff.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

I don't know if you are vegetarian for moral reasons or for religious reasons (not that moral reasons are to be taken any less serious than religious reasons). I take that sh*t seriously. I have ALOT of friends who are vegetarian for religious reasons, and no, it is not okay to f*ck with a vegetarian's food! One year, a friend lied to another friend that the mashed potatoes at our Thanksgiving dinner was made with vegetable brother. The vegetarian friend ate it, and later saw the trashcan with the broth's can.. CHICKEN BROTH. She was furious and cried at a social function. She had never touched meat in her whole life, and here she was, "tainted" with chicken broth.

I don't think restaurants screwing up stuff like that should be taken lightly.

I'd go batsh*t crazy on the restaurant. and I have. SO doesn't eat pork. We always clarify if items contain pork. SO was served pork. I had to be dragged out of there.

I don't think it's a "First World Problem" at all. People sue for less serious stuff.

I am a vegetarian by choice for moral reasons. Animals have had a very big impact on my life and I don't want to eat them

 

[madelise]

I don't know if you are vegetarian for moral reasons or for religious reasons (not that moral reasons are to be taken any less serious than religious reasons). I take that sh*t seriously. I have ALOT of friends who are vegetarian for religious reasons, and no, it is not okay to f*ck with a vegetarian's food! One year, a friend lied to another friend that the mashed potatoes at our Thanksgiving dinner was made with vegetable brother. The vegetarian friend ate it, and later saw the trashcan with the broth's can.. CHICKEN BROTH. She was furious and cried at a social function. She had never touched meat in her whole life, and here she was, "tainted" with chicken broth.

I don't think restaurants screwing up stuff like that should be taken lightly.

I'd go batsh*t crazy on the restaurant. and I have. SO doesn't eat pork. We always clarify if items contain pork. SO was served pork. I had to be dragged out of there.

I don't think it's a "First World Problem" at all. People sue for less serious stuff.

I am a vegetarian by choice for moral reasons. Animals have had a very big impact on my life and I don't want to eat them

Regardless of reason, even if your religion doesn't dictate it and you aren't be threatened to be tossed in hell, it still should be taken seriously by the restaurant. I don't see how diet restrictions should be viewed any differently for moral reasons, religious reasons, lethal allergies, or even just disliking something.

 

[junebug17]

I think you should tell the restaurant YayTacori - just as a reminder that that they need to be more vigilant in their food preparation. I don't blame you for being upset - you purchased something and it wasn't what it was supposed to be. People make mistakes, but they should also be made aware of those mistakes so that they're not repeated. If that restaurant has its act together, you'll get a refund for your meal!

 

[Haven]

I would call the place whenever they're open next, ask to speak to the manager, and tell him or her what happened.

I was raised vegetarian, and while we didn't eat take out very often (my parents are ethical vegetarians, and they wouldn't eat a vegetarian option from a place that sold meat products if they didn't agree with the way the place procured said meat products, which significantly limited our options) every once in a while we ended up with food prepared elsewhere that had meat in it. Whenever that happened, they just called and told them the situation. People make mistakes. I can't imagine it was intentional.

I chose to leave vegetarianism behind when I became an adult, but I'm pregnant right now and so I'm avoiding lunch meat. I recently picked up a sandwich from Jimmy John's, ordered the vegetarian, and went home to open it and found that they accidentally made a turkey sandwich, instead. I called and asked that they deliver a veggie to my house, since I wasn't going to haul my pregnant arse back out, and they were very nice about it.

 

[aviastar]

I am not suggesting that you fly off the handle....but I did have a friend who was in this exact situation (religious vegetarian) and she did get, um, rather in their face about it and she ended up with a $1000 gift card to the restaurant. I mean, seriously, people's morals, religions, and allergies are important! You asked, they failed, they should at least comp you the meal.

Sorry this happened to you, it's so jarring when you do your due diligence and it still goes cattywhompus sometimes. But, if it helps, I personally feel that intention has a lot to do with morality. It was never your intention to eat the meat and you even asked all the right questions to avoid it, and then you stopped when you found out the food contained meat, so I think you are morally in the clear.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Definitely tell them what happened. If nothing else, I think its good for women, in particular, to practice the fine art of making their needs, expectations, and disappointments known without apologising or becoming shrieking harridans. So think of it as practicing personal growth And doing the business a favour. If it was me I would call and ask to speak to the manager and say, "Hello, I wanted to let you know that I ordered a vegetarian meal from your restaurant and received a meal with pork or chicken in it. I was very upset about this and I thought that you would like to know of errors being made by your staff. I also wanted to let you know that I will not be eating at your restaurant again, because I was very clear in my request for a totally venegtarian meal and do not want to risk this mistake again." Spoken clearly and matter of factly. Then you move on.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I don't know if you are vegetarian for moral reasons or for religious reasons (not that moral reasons are to be taken any less serious than religious reasons). I take that sh*t seriously. I have ALOT of friends who are vegetarian for religious reasons, and no, it is not okay to f*ck with a vegetarian's food! One year, a friend lied to another friend that the mashed potatoes at our Thanksgiving dinner was made with vegetable brother. The vegetarian friend ate it, and later saw the trashcan with the broth's can.. CHICKEN BROTH. She was furious and cried at a social function. She had never touched meat in her whole life, and here she was, "tainted" with chicken broth.

I don't think restaurants screwing up stuff like that should be taken lightly.

I'd go batsh*t crazy on the restaurant. and I have. SO doesn't eat pork. We always clarify if items contain pork. SO was served pork. I had to be dragged out of there.

I don't think it's a "First World Problem" at all. People sue for less serious stuff.

I hope this is hyperbole Madelise. Calm and assertive actions usually are more effective than wild, over-emotional ones in my experience, when it comes to motivating others to do what you want.

 

[decodelighted]

At what stage in life does one need advice about how to complain about an error in a food order? Or how to feel about it? SERIOUSLY?



If you just want to vent, uh, okkkkay. (And by the way there's a general thread for that very purpose.)

 

[madelise]

I don't know if you are vegetarian for moral reasons or for religious reasons (not that moral reasons are to be taken any less serious than religious reasons). I take that sh*t seriously. I have ALOT of friends who are vegetarian for religious reasons, and no, it is not okay to f*ck with a vegetarian's food! One year, a friend lied to another friend that the mashed potatoes at our Thanksgiving dinner was made with vegetable brother. The vegetarian friend ate it, and later saw the trashcan with the broth's can.. CHICKEN BROTH. She was furious and cried at a social function. She had never touched meat in her whole life, and here she was, "tainted" with chicken broth.

I don't think restaurants screwing up stuff like that should be taken lightly.

I'd go batsh*t crazy on the restaurant. and I have. SO doesn't eat pork. We always clarify if items contain pork. SO was served pork. I had to be dragged out of there.

I don't think it's a "First World Problem" at all. People sue for less serious stuff.

I hope this is hyperbole Madelise. Calm and assertive actions usually are more effective than wild, over-emotional ones in my experience, when it comes to motivating others to do what you want.

Depends on your where you draw the lines on where "bat sh*t crazy" starts. I got angry. I raised my voice. Why should I suppress my anger because someone else screwed up? Eating pork is against my SO's family's religion. He doesn't eat pork. We clarified that with the waitstaff. I wasn't being "over" emotional because the waitstaff screwing something up like that is serious. It's not a "meh"-type of situation.

If someone told the waitstaff that they are severely allergic to shellfish, and they brought them shellfish to eat, and goes into anaphylaxis, would yelling be considered an over reaction? Would one then be calm and assertive? What is there to motivate?

Or is a special diet due to moral or religious reasons not as "serious" as a health concern?

I'm not saying to scream and cry, and toss your body on the floor like a 4 year old. But the food industry isn't just an "oopsy" industry, like retail where, say, ordering a wrong size dress can just be fixed. Special diets need to be catered to properly, and treated sensitively.


ETA: maybe I should also add the detail that they had suggested we just pick out the pork because that was supposed to appease the situation. That's what got me the most upset.

 

[beebrisk]

At what stage in life does one need advice about how to complain about an error in a food order? Or how to feel about it? SERIOUSLY?



If you just want to vent, uh, okkkkay. (And by the way there's a general thread for that very purpose.)

^^What Deco said.^^

I live in NYC where take out is a way of life. If I had a nickel for every mistake made on an order I could hire a chef and have dinner waiting for me every night. Move on...

 

[TooPatient]

I understand your frustration. It isn't the end of the world, but still upsetting when it happens.

I picked up veggie salads to go with pizzas for a 13th b-day party. It was all supposed to be vegetarian from a place that prides itself on great options for vegetarians and vegans. Yeah...
Got it home and my mother quietly asked me if I realized it had chunks of bacon in it ! I couldn't believe it! To make matters worse, half of the guests keep kosher so I had to stop everyone (since we were already eating!) and announce that the broccoli salad had chunks of bacon

Life goes on. It sucks. Lived. Learned. Will look much closer next time before leaving the store.

 

[Missy]

So sorry this happened YayTacori. I think I feel more strongly about this than other people here. A vegetarian (for whatever reason) eschews meat and it is so *not* OK to make a mistake with that. It isn't that different than a peanut allergy IMO (many vegetarians feel very strongly about not eating meat- it can be psychologically traumatic if one accidentally does)- must one say they are allergic to meat to be sure of (if you are a vegan or vegetarian) not getting it in one's order? I understand that if you want to be totally safe you should only eat at vegan or vegetarian places but still, if someone asks for no meat in their order that is exactly what one should receive.

That would be upsetting to me YayTacori as well. And I would definitely call the manager or owner of that restaurant and explain what happened and how upset I was and probably would not order from them again. If they don't take a vegetarian's order seriously I would not take a chance again.

Truthfully, I don't love eating out that much anymore because I always wonder exactly what I am getting and the pickier one is (and I am picky about my food) the more of a chance you are taking. There are some restaurants I feel very sure about and those are the ones I continue to frequent but I rarely do takeout for that very reason. I don't trust it.

 

[Missy]

I understand your frustration. It isn't the end of the world, but still upsetting when it happens.

I picked up veggie salads to go with pizzas for a 13th b-day party. It was all supposed to be vegetarian from a place that prides itself on great options for vegetarians and vegans. Yeah...
Got it home and my mother quietly asked me if I realized it had chunks of bacon in it ! I couldn't believe it! To make matters worse, half of the guests keep kosher so I had to stop everyone (since we were already eating!) and announce that the broccoli salad had chunks of bacon

Life goes on. It sucks. Lived. Learned. Will look much closer next time before leaving the store.

That is upsetting! In fact, for someone keeping kosher I am surprised that they would be OK with ordering from a restaurant that serves bacon! There is no way I trust they would use different utensils/stoves etc to prepare the kosher dishes.

 

[Maria D]

I agree it is a first world problem and that it is my own choice of life. I try to make sure that I am not a burden on people because I know that I am the one that is different. That's why I feel bad whenever people make mistakes because I feel like in the end, it was my fault. That's why I dunno what I should do.

This doesn't sound like a problem in dietary restrictions or ethical standards at all. The problem is your complete discomfort with being assertive. A customer placing an order is not a burden to a business. It's not like you were at a friend's house for dinner and requested that she make something completely different for you to eat. You ordered something specific, took the time to clarify that it met your requirements, paid for it -- and got something else. Why wouldn't you let them know? You couldn't eat it so at the very least, they owe you a refund. It's perfectly OK for you to let them know that it was upsetting to you to find out you had mistakenly eaten meat because you don't eat meat. That's all you have to say -- you don't have to go into wanting to hurl or the fact that some people think you're too sensitive about animal abuse. They don't have to understand your feelings; this is about business not personal relationships. All they have to understand is that it's important not to screw up like this or they're going to lose business from vegetarians, and that they may have already lost a customer.

I have asked for and gotten refunds for far more trivial take-out order mistakes! For me, it's about cutting calories. If I ask for dressing on the side and the salad ends up drenched in dressing I don't want it.

 

[NovemberBride]

I don't know if you are vegetarian for moral reasons or for religious reasons (not that moral reasons are to be taken any less serious than religious reasons). I take that sh*t seriously. I have ALOT of friends who are vegetarian for religious reasons, and no, it is not okay to f*ck with a vegetarian's food! One year, a friend lied to another friend that the mashed potatoes at our Thanksgiving dinner was made with vegetable brother. The vegetarian friend ate it, and later saw the trashcan with the broth's can.. CHICKEN BROTH. She was furious and cried at a social function. She had never touched meat in her whole life, and here she was, "tainted" with chicken broth.

I don't think restaurants screwing up stuff like that should be taken lightly.

I'd go batsh*t crazy on the restaurant. and I have. SO doesn't eat pork. We always clarify if items contain pork. SO was served pork. I had to be dragged out of there.

I don't think it's a "First World Problem" at all. People sue for less serious stuff.

I hope this is hyperbole Madelise. Calm and assertive actions usually are more effective than wild, over-emotional ones in my experience, when it comes to motivating others to do what you want.

Depends on your where you draw the lines on where "bat sh*t crazy" starts. I got angry. I raised my voice. Why should I suppress my anger because someone else screwed up? Eating pork is against my SO's family's religion. He doesn't eat pork. We clarified that with the waitstaff. I wasn't being "over" emotional because the waitstaff screwing something up like that is serious. It's not a "meh"-type of situation.

If someone told the waitstaff that they are severely allergic to shellfish, and they brought them shellfish to eat, and goes into anaphylaxis, would yelling be considered an over reaction? Would one then be calm and assertive? What is there to motivate?

Or is a special diet due to moral or religious reasons not as "serious" as a health concern?

I'm not saying to scream and cry, and toss your body on the floor like a 4 year old. But the food industry isn't just an "oopsy" industry, like retail where, say, ordering a wrong size dress can just be fixed. Special diets need to be catered to properly, and treated sensitively.


ETA: maybe I should also add the detail that they had suggested we just pick out the pork because that was supposed to appease the situation. That's what got me the most upset.

You should suppress your anger because that is the way that adults act. Was your SO ranting and raving, or just you? Most people would agree that getting angry and yelling is not the proper response to being served food that was different than what was ordered. I completely respect people's right to vegetarianism for any reason, but your SO calmly explaining that his food was not as ordered and he required that they fix him a new dish would likely have been much more effective. I don't understand what there is to be angry about or why raising your voice helped.

 

[ruby59]

I also take this very seriously - from a medical point of view. As a diabetic I have to be very careful of what I eat. I do not eat out often, but when I do I need to be sure that my dietary needs are not disregarded. When trying a new restaurant, I always ask first to make sure if my needs can be met. If there is a problem, I expect them to tell me, and I will go elsewhere. But if you tell me you can meet my needs, it better not be liptalk. For moral. religious, medical reasons, restaurants have an obligatiom to make sure that what they say, is what you get.

As an example, in my area there was a restaurant specifically advertising that some of their meals were based on the Atkins diet, which many diabetics follow when they eat out. It turned out to be false advertising. Believe me, I complained and reported, until I got them to change their menu. It was too important an issue, for me anyway, to ignore.

 

[aviastar]

At what stage in life does one need advice about how to complain about an error in a food order? Or how to feel about it? SERIOUSLY?



If you just want to vent, uh, okkkkay. (And by the way there's a general thread for that very purpose.)

^^What Deco said.^^

I live in NYC where take out is a way of life. If I had a nickel for every mistake made on an order I could hire a chef and have dinner waiting for me every night. Move on...

Harsh, dude. She asked for a gut check, nothing wrong with that.

 

[JewelFreak]

If it's a case of an untrue description of ingredients & medical necessity, making a strongly worded complaint is understandable -- but still, a complaint within civil parameters. While I feel as strongly as you do about animal cruelty, in this case you're way overboard. No restaurant has a duty to conform to each of its client's deeply held beliefs. They probably made a mistake. Behaving as if they'd purposely put cyanide in your food shows a sense of entitlement you'll need to get over because life doesn't serve up perfection every time. I think you need to chill & save your uproars for the big fights; believe me, you'll come across enough of them.

--- Laurie

 

[NOYFB]

As a vegetarian myself, I completely understand where you are coming from and would have been upset as well. I take this very seriously, too. The same thing happened to me a few months ago. I ordered some fried mac and cheese bites as an appetizer, and no where in the menu's description did it mention anything about having any type of meat in it. However, after I took a few bites I realized that there were small pieces of BACON in it! I almost threw up right there and then, and was so disgusted that I couldn't eat the rest of my meal.

I would definitely call the place you ordered the food from and ask to speak to the manager. They may just apologize and call it a day, or they may offer you a gift card or something to make up for their error, although after what happened I'm not sure I'd ever feel comfortable ordering from them again.

 

[CJ2008]

I am perplexed by some of the responses here. It doesn't seem at all to me that Tacori had any intentions of going ballistic...or that she was being driven by the idea of a refund (although not that there would be anything wrong with wanting one - like Maria said she paid for something that she was not able to eat.) I think she was just sharing how she was feeling internally/privately.

I think it's also a very simple solution and not one that would require tons of time and energy - it's a 5 minute call.

Call the restaurant, ask for the owner or manager.
Tell him you ordered a, making sure to check and triple check there was no meat in it.
It had meat. You were upset because you have reasons why this is important to you, which is why you asked.
If their attitude is good, they take it seriously, great. You may choose to continue to eat there. A refund is icing on the cake.
If their attitude is lacking, or if in any way they make you feel like you're being ridiculous, you won't go there again.

That's it.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

If it's a case of an untrue description of ingredients & medical necessity, making a strongly worded complaint is understandable -- but still, a complaint within civil parameters. While I feel as strongly as you do about animal cruelty, in this case you're way overboard. No restaurant has a duty to conform to each of its client's deeply held beliefs. They probably made a mistake. Behaving as if they'd purposely put cyanide in your food shows a sense of entitlement you'll need to get over because life doesn't serve up perfection every time. I think you need to chill & save your uproars for the big fights; believe me, you'll come across enough of them.

--- Laurie

I don't understand what you mean. I never ever once gave any hint that I was going to cause an uproar or that I had a sense of entitlement. I clearly even stated that I know that people in the food business don't get enough respect so that if I was to say anything, I would say it in a kindly manner. I'm sorry, but I don't think that I need to chill because I have not done anything wrong to make it seem like I am going overboard. I did not state the name of the business, their address, nor did I post on Yelp or any other website telling people never to go. Please read my posts again because I really don't think I ever said that I was going to cause an uproar.

 

[mrs taylor]

Sheesh. I have celiac disease and get VERY sick if my order is incorrect. Which it has been, many times. In fact, more than once I didn't realize it until later when I was miserable. My daughter also carries an epi pen for an anaphylactic reaction to shellfish. Luckily we've never had to use it due to restaurant error, but I know people who have.

Never once have I raised my voice to anyone because of these things. I have complained, I have expressed my dismay, and I have told restaurants that I would not be patronizing their establishments in the future. But I have never verbally attacked another person for what, ultimately, would not have been their fault, but the fault of their employees.

For crying out loud. We're all human. Human beings make mistakes. They do need to be held accountable, but they do not need to be screamed at or verbally assaulted in their place of business.

OP, I would call to let them know about the error. I would express my concern about eating there again if you feel that way. I wouldn't expect anything necessarily, but I would be courteous and treat them with respect. With luck they'll refund you, or offer a credit. And I certainly would have been upset in your shoes, for the record.