“I’ll have the fish and chips please” .. yum yum!
It was our first time eating at this busy restaurant that we had heard a lot about including the multiple awards it had received in recent years.
The Fish and hand cut Chips with mushy peas caught my attention – I fancied that with a pint of Murphy’s.
In the meantime we ordered some starters and chatted.
The fish and chips arrived, nicely presented with a slice of lemon, tartar sauce and a mini bowl of frozen peas.
Had I read the menu wrong? …I didn’t think so, it was mushy peas – for me fish and chips just isn’t the same without mushy peas
I tucked into the meal and it just wasn’t quite the same with the frozen peas – I took one mouthful and just left them behind. Not the same ..
“Is everything ok with everyone’s meal?” the waitress asked.
“Yes thanks” I didn’t want to be a crank about the peas so I said nothing and besides on a night out when you want to relax the last thing I wanted to do was complain.
At the end of the meal our plates were cleared and in my case a mini bowl full of frozen peas were returned, pretty much the way they had arrived – I wondered had anyone wondered why.
At some point someone in the restaurant decided it was easier or ok not to serve mushy peas – after all, it’s not really too big a deal and the chances are no one complains so why not do it again the next night and the next night and so on?
And besides, if people weren’t happy wouldn’t they complain..wouldn’t they?
For me instead of being the award winning restaurant it’s the place that tells me I am getting mushy peas but serves me something else – I won’t complain but I probably won’t be back.
At times do we all serve something that’s not quite what we described on our menu?
Greg Canty is a partner of Fuzion
Fuzion are a Marketing, PR and Graphic Design agency in Ireland with offices in Cork and Dublin
Tags: Fuzion, Greg Canty, Mushy Peas
Greg Canty Fuzion Blog 
September 24, 2013 at 4:19 pm |
Probably not going back is the best way to complain. I was recently working away from home and testing out the local hostelries. I found this particular restaurant/bar that had the races on tv while I eat my meal with a pint of Beamish. I had a main course which cost 11.99 the first 2 nights. The third night I went for a cheaper option at 9.99.
When I got my bill I was charged 11.99. I did not complain but did not return again.
September 24, 2013 at 4:24 pm |
Michael – and they probably still think they hot away with it!
September 24, 2013 at 5:11 pm |
Would have to complain in a nice way about that…. you have to have mushy peas…the only reason I would order it in the first place is the combo of the fish and mushy peas…
September 26, 2013 at 9:09 am |
so right Oonagh …thanks for reading and for the feedback x
September 24, 2013 at 6:08 pm |
Hi Guys,
I can see why you didn’t complain, personally I always complain in cases like above. In the case of the bill it may have been a genuine mistake, the peas ( which incidentally would have had me wrecking the joint, mushy peas are the ONLY accompaniment to fish & chips) they may have run out, although if this was the case then you should have been told.
I would give the place another try, if a repeat performance, not a word would I say, bur everyone I know would be told.
Having said all that, if the peas were returned I would have expected someone to ask what was wrong.
September 26, 2013 at 9:08 am |
Steve – you are right, it has to be mushy peas with Fish & Chips. If I had known beforehand I would have passed on it
September 26, 2013 at 11:15 am |
Good article Greg and your approach is probably the same as most people. They say that we have turned into a country of complainers, but I don’t think that’s right. A person who goes to the trouble of complaining should get special treatment. Why. Because they have put effort into it. For your own reasons you decided not to complain.
In my training courses, especially for a restaurant, I encourage the owner to observe. Observation in your case would have told them there was something wrong.
For a restaurant owner, the worst word in the english language is ‘fine’. “How was your meal sir” “it was fine”. Fine says I don’t want to complain.
Unfortunately, voting with your feet probably won’t work for that owner either. Because they won’t know why.
September 29, 2013 at 5:55 pm |
Great post Robert – a complaint to a business is a gift
October 9, 2013 at 1:14 pm |
I think you should have complained. Even if you do not return how are they supposed to know you were unhappy about some aspect of the food or service if you don’t tell then. Not going back is the easy option but does nothing to help them improve
October 9, 2013 at 1:17 pm |
Hi Ann …. you have just made my point for me. On a night out my job role isn’t to complain and bring potential grief on myself. Often people won’t complain and just won’t come back – just because you don’t hear a complaint doesn’t mean people are ok with frozen peas. Thanks for reading and the feedback