What foods do restaurants most often mess-up?
For me, the pasta entrees that I order are never hot enough. Do restaurants usually botch what you think would or should be well-prepared by:
Over or under cooking meat?
over dressing a salad?
over or under seasoning vegetables?
or specific menu item...like a sandwich?
Do poorly prepared menu items happen at specific restaurants?
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49 Comments:
Restaurants usually overcook meat, undercook vegetables and put too much salt on potatoes.
nickb at 8:51AM on 01/22/08
Ditto on the salt on the potatoes but the meat that I've noticed restaurants have a specific issue with is duck.
bravian at 9:36AM on 01/22/08
Pasta is usually a bummer for me: either too hot, too cold, mushy noodles, or too saucy. Last week I had spinach ravioli filled with gorgonzola in a creamy artichoke sauce, and even with all those great ingredients, it had no flavor!! Which is another bummer- when something looks really good on the menu, but when you order it, there's no flavor or one single overpowering flavor.
LiveToEat at 9:54AM on 01/22/08
Over dressed salads. I'd like to taste the lettuce and other vegetables and not have them swimming in dressing.
AuntJone at 10:02AM on 01/22/08
to all the people who complain about "over dressing" a salad I have 4 words: dressing on the side. you can even throw in a 'please' if you are so inclined.
my biggest complaint with restaurants is that they dump salt on everything, apparently thinking it will give the food more flavor, but it still tastes like cardboard in most cases.
protest at 10:24AM on 01/22/08
I quit ordering scallops. They are either raw or rounds of rubber. If you send either back, you get the other.
PerkyMac at 10:32AM on 01/22/08
Steak. Dear God, didn't anyone teach these people how to detect doneness by touch instead of either slicing into the meat or screwing it up?
Pasta. Can you believe it? The easiest thing in the world and most times, it's a gooey mass of squished together noodles by the time it gets to the table.
The salad thing - that's funny because I will only dine at restaurants where the salad is completely dressed and arranged. I don't want to toss salad, nor dip my dressing into it. I eat salad grudgingly as it is, I don't want to work at it. I go to this one really great restaurant here called Cafe Ponte. They make the most beautiful, delicious salads which are properly dressed, garnished and arranged on gorgeous plates. One of the few places I can order a salad and actually enjoy it.
chiff0nade at 10:32AM on 01/22/08
It has to be never providing enough salad dressing, unless you order it on the side. Also, serving bottled salad dressing instead of making it fresh.
Lavendergirl at 10:45AM on 01/22/08
I'm with PerkyMac on the subject of scallops, and fish in general. I find that so many places overcook it. Nothing is worse than hard, dry fish. Such a waste!
Kerosena at 11:26AM on 01/22/08
I never order pasta when we eat out, partly because I am yet to see a really exciting pasta offering at a restaurant.
Only in restaurants that I know and trust will I order shrimp, scallops and/or mussels - all three are too often overcooked, and I pretty much gave up on them (especially, if it's my first time at a restaurant). Even my favourite place where "maple-glazed scallops with port & fig risotto" are pretty much my standing order, manages to overcook them once in a while (but at least they do cook them right the second time, and it has only happened twice out of probably a hundred times that I ordered this dish).
Crab cakes - very often they are more like "everything else" cakes.
brooke29 at 11:40AM on 01/22/08
I have to say calamari-for the most part, restaurants overbatter and overcook them. I thought I didn't like it until I went to a very traditional Italian place where there was a very delicate batter and it was cooked just right-not rubbery and full of flavour.
psychsarah at 12:05PM on 01/22/08
Eggplant Parmesan. It's always an oily, soggy mess.
Kelly
Kelly Spitzer at 12:30PM on 01/22/08
Eggs cooked too hot and/or too long. Especially omelets. Not to mention the so-called omelets that more closely resemble a folded fritatta. Aaargh.
Soups that are supposed to be hot but aren't. I'm talking downright tepid. Not the smallest wisp of steam. Sometimes, so cool that I wonder if it's being held at a safe temp. Clue: If the soup has been sprinkled with cheese, and if the cheese isn't melting, it might not be hot enough.
Fries cooked at too low a temp and/or too short a time. Blech. It is astonishing to me how many places mess up this oh-so-fundamental task. Isn't this Line Cook 101? Who wants a soggy, greasy fry?
Fries Part II -- If they didn't come straight out of the fryer, don't bother bringing them, because you'll be coming back with a new, freshly-cooked, still sizzling order. I do not eat fries that sat.
Refrigerated tomatoes. Just. Don't. Do it.
Significant menu omissions. I'm not asking them to provide the recipe, just mention things that are unusual or might matter to the average diner. The fact that the "Grilled Filet Mignon" comes swimming in a port reduction is significant and worth mentioning. Also, why list nine of the ten sandwich ingredients and fail to mention that it's slathered with mayo?
Funny about steak. Improperly cooked steak (or any meat dish for that matter) almost never happens to me. And I can't remember EVER receiving a steak that had been cut into. I think I'd freak out a little if that happened. Of course, I'm very selective about where I order steak, so...
Burgers, though. They frequently come out way more done than ordered. They usually get it right the second time.
Overcooked fish. Hardly ever happens, but again, I'm very selective about where I order it. And I do eat a lot of sushi! ;-)
LoCo at 12:30PM on 01/22/08
Wow, sounds like you send food back a lot LoCo...have you ever seen Waiting...
Ha ha just kidding.
My boyfriend always wants prime rib, and I always have to remind him that by the time we usually go out to eat, around 7:30-8pm, that prime rib has been cooking for hours and hours and he's not going to get a piece less than medium well. He orders it anyway, and lo and behold, I'm right. But most prime rib in restaurants is not good.
I hate that most pastas have such a thick alfredo sauce (which is sooo bad for you I hardly eat it) or a flavorless tomato sauce. I have several pastas in my repertoire with....flavor! Why can't a restaurant do it?
lo82070 at 1:12PM on 01/22/08
sad sad rocket salads with absolutely wilted rocket, no dressing and minging parmesan shavings.
mind you i had the best ever one a coupla years ago at a restaurant in leith (edinburgh) called fishers of leith. it was a huge plate of totally fresh, peppery rocket with just the right amount of parmesan, perfectly dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.
i keep ordering it at other restaurants hoping it'll be as good, but sadly, it never is.
*sigh*
astarteny at 2:37PM on 01/22/08
Yeah. Meat doneness is really haphazard. They usually overcook, so I've compensated by asking for it rarer. Then sometimes it's too rare for my tastes cause the restaurant is doing it right.
That's my main beef. Most of the time, things are fine.
wunami at 2:51PM on 01/22/08
I have to agree with LoCo on the sandwich loaded with mayo. Also I wanted to add around here you can not get good ravolis. They are mushy, no-flavor, heavy lead sludge balls. This is the local place where everyone swears the ravolis are great. I would rather get frozen ones at the grocery store than eat these. The owner of this place even has the gall to put on his bright yellow corvette the license plate "gotravs" I want to vandalize his car with some choice words that I won't type here.
evilchefmom at 4:02PM on 01/22/08
fries, frites and potatoes. The easiest simple thing to do is for some reason not taught anymore and it makes me bananas.
JerzeeTomato at 4:09PM on 01/22/08
Believe it or not, my biggest dissappointments have been with breakfast orders. I really loathe the "chains" that have everything so uniform, well formed and predictably bland. I like some excitement and surprises and yes, sorry to say, grease on my wake-up plate. Bring me some hashbrowns that someone actually hand carved before frying, some pancakes a little out of round with an extra-ordinary batter recipe, a runny, sunny-side up egg that hasn't been cooked until it's rubbery and some bacon or sausage that did not begin life on an assembly line. Am I still breathing? Keep bringing the coffee. I shouldn't have to ask...
czken at 4:23PM on 01/22/08
I have also had many a baked potato served that tastes & looks like it has been hanging-out in a warming oven all day:(
What beverages are routinely loused-up?
JEP at 4:35PM on 01/22/08
The only thing I can think of at the moment are salads. I do order the dressing on the side, but if I forget or something...I would most likely end up with a soup of dressing with a few leafs. Yuck.
One thing I hate, lemon in my water. Most of the time they do not ask if I want it or not, they put a slice of lemon in there. I didn't ask for lemon-water or lemonade, just water please. Grrr.
alyssazor at 5:33PM on 01/22/08
Wow, quite a rousing question JEP. I don't eat out a lot, so I go back to my tried and true favorites, but as for beverages, I rarely find a lemonade I like. It's either filled with ice and gets way too diluted halfway through the meal, or way to tart. I love a good fresh strong lemon flavor, but the sweetness has to be up there to match. And don't get me started on the artificial junk.
I often find that risotto is not made well. It's one of my favorite thins, and I order it whenever I can, but even so called vegetarian dishes are often made with chicken stock. When it is actually vegetarian, the biggest insult is when they just used regular rice, not arborio. That's not risotto. Then, often when it IS made with arborio, they don't cook it long enough and it's granular in the center of the grain. Such a shame since risotto is such a perfect food. So, I just usually make my own fresh mushroom risotto with a delicious mushroom stock and freshly grated parmesan. Yum!
FigswithBri at 5:47PM on 01/22/08
Hash browns. They're either burnt or undercooked.
Overdone burgers.
Also, menus that do not have a description of the food they serve, and then snooty waiters who act like its a sin to ask whats in a dish. I'm sorry I'm not sure of the difference between Veal Francase and Veal Milanese. I'd like to know what I'm ordering before I pay $30 for it!
AlBee at 5:48PM on 01/22/08
eggs, fruit salad, salads at diners and cheaper restaurants (iceberg, crunchy water, anyone), salad dressing (more selection in the grocery stores), bagels (better off going to a bagel store), pbj (I prefer organic cashew butter with a better choice of jelly than Smuckers), and soup and coffee are often too cold
HeartofGlass at 5:55PM on 01/22/08
Yep---lukewarm coffee makes me fume, too:(
JEP at 6:14PM on 01/22/08
All of the above, plus...
Undersalting desserts / cakes / cookies / pastries. Sweet stuff needs salt, too, or else it just tastes flat and awful! When are people going to learn?!?
sheeats at 7:14PM on 01/22/08
Iced tea that comes from a soda fountain is just wrong. But I always feel snotty asking "is it brewed?"
Kerosena at 7:31PM on 01/22/08
It always makes me wonder when I ask for something (something simple, like a salad) very specifically eliminating one of the items, like black olives or avocados, and for some reason they can't seem to handle that.
sometimes it's the waiter, stumbling over the order as if they couldn't imagine something so drastic, or sometimes they seem to get it down perfectly but somehow the olives or avocados or whatever the omitted item was show up on my plate.
I always have to laugh -- is omitting a salad item really such a crazy idea?
gretchenx5 at 7:43PM on 01/22/08
Weak coffee (!!!!), dry omelettes, gritty spinach, and flavorless pie crusts are big gripes of mine.
producestories at 8:07PM on 01/22/08
Tepid soup - I can't stand it!
Tepid fries - I send them back - I want to see that fryolator oil bubbling on the fry!
Iced tea out of the soda fountain - wrong on so many levels! I always ask if it is fresh brewed if the menu doesn't indicate if it is (don't give it a second thought Kerosena - maybe if we ask enough they will change it!)
Sezchuan Chinese food that is not in any way, shape or form spicy or spiced or even has a flavor!
I too am particular about my seafood and rarely if at all order it in the area in which I currently live. I grew up just miles from fishing boats, and now live in the midwest - sorry, but for me, chain seafood restaurants don't cut it.
I also don't like when items aren't garnished as described - I had a cheese dip last week that was supposed to come with diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar - no vinegar, and could not find the waitperson to request it!
SayWhat at 8:45PM on 01/22/08
Oh, you want beverages, too! Let me go on a rant here. Maybe I am a coffee snob, but I truly loathe Starbucks. Their coffee is not coffee. For one thing, they rarely serve it hot. Even if you ask for it extra hot, it is never hot. When I say hot, I mean: it-should-be illegal-to drink-for-twelve-minutes-hot. Not: take-it-home-and-nuke-it-if-you-want-it-hot. Aarrrrggh. Also, the ratio of actual coffee to milk is atrocious. What is it, three quarters milk to one quarter espresso? G-R-O-S-S.
Kelly Spitzer at 8:55PM on 01/22/08
Food temperature in general. Hot food served on cold plates. Salads served on hot plates fresh from the dishwasher. A couple of weeks ago I was at this place, very highly recommended. My entree, risotto, was served in a cold soup plate. My salad, in the exact same style dish, but hot. I was just speechless. How would this happen? Even in my own home, alone, I heat/chill the dishes.
No matter how many times I tell a diner/deli that I want a lot of mayo on my BLT (I know, and yes, I am ashamed), I always end up with the thinnest little smear.
Overdressed salads.
chisai at 9:20PM on 01/22/08
Vegetables--mostly because there aren't any! If you want some vegetables with your dinner you better order a salad and the side salad is usually a few greens and not much else. Otherwise the vegetables come as a pureed "sauce" under the protein
smallblondemom at 10:33PM on 01/22/08
Sad little mass-produced, warmed-in-the-oven rolls or bread at a high-end restaurant. My favorite restaurants create and bake their own breads, and I really appreciate that before a nice meal. There is nothing like a good, tangy homemade sourdough fresh out of the oven. And then again, there's nothing like a glorified round of what is essentially Wonder bread sitting lukewarm in a bread basket. Shame.
kmnola at 11:10PM on 01/22/08
Wow. Everyone seems to have mentioned mine, so I'll be brief...
When you don't ask for dressing on the side and it comes swimming in dressing, so you ask for it on the side the next time and they give you a tablespoon portion in the plastic cup. Then they look annoyed when you ask for a couple more. Huh???
Seafood - most any kind. Always overdone.
Any pasta...I don't ever dine at the equivilant of Babbo and no restaurant ever seems able to make any part of an Italian dish right, so I pass.
Lukewarm food. Soup is ALWAYS lukewarm and I hate taking the time for them to nuke it. I have one restaurant that does beautiful soups, so that's the only place I get soup now.
Lukewarm coffee that tastes 24 hours old. YUCK.
radley24 at 11:38PM on 01/22/08
We've hit on entrees, soups, salads & vegetables. I've had cheesecake served on a warm plate...what desserts are routinely messed-up?
JEP at 5:30AM on 01/23/08
@smallblondmom: or that totally insipid blend of steamed carrots, squash, and cauliflower. Why can't anyone put some thought into interesting vegetable dishes?
I live in a fishing town so I am really picky about seafood, especially shrimp. Chefs, I can tell when you're using poorly frozen or several day old shrimp. You can taste the iodine and feel the mushy rubberiness.
Tellicherry at 7:50AM on 01/23/08
Breakfast in general. Basically, I have given up on ever trying to have a decent one outside of a couple of places that I know are good. How hard is it to get warm pancakes? Really. If it's that difficult, don't offer them. Cold pancakes, where the "butter" doesn't even melt (because I have also given up on trying to order them without that little addition, since they never seem to be able to even remember that), are gross. As are undercooked, cold has browns. And cold toast. Honestly. it's not hard. I could understand, if it was really busy, but when you are the only ones in the place, I don't get it.
And I agree with everyone else who has mentioned that you get strange looks when you ask for adjustments to your order. Any sort of adjustments.
And years ago I gave up on hamburgers in any restaurant, because I have had far too many experiences where they came to me very undercooked, and even when sent back, arrived again, still undercooked. I can't stand that.
I am just glad that i am not the only one!
Traveller at 10:38AM on 01/23/08
@JEP - re: desserts. One of my favourite desserts is creme brulee, or pretty much any custard for that matter. If a restaurant has it on the menu, I feel absolutely compelled to order it (or creme caramel or flan - you got the idea).
You'll be surprised how many times these simple custards are entirely messed up by the restaurants. About a year ago, I ordered a "creme brulee trio" - I was really excited because I was supposed to get three "bite-size" servings of different flavoured creme brulee (vanilla, mocha and blueberry, if I'm not mistaken) instead of just one big one. Well, what I got was certainly not custard, and the predominate flavour was that of cornstarch (cornstarch! In "creme brulee"! Need I say more??). Oh, and I'm not even sure why they called it "creme brulee" on the menu, since what makes it "brulee" (a.k.a. burnt sugar crust) was conspicuously absent altogether. Yes, I feel strongly about my custards:-).
brooke29 at 11:30AM on 01/23/08
Desserts that get messed up:
Hot fudge sundaes - where the "hot fudge" is actually "chocolate syrup" from the squeeze bottle. Yes, there is a difference, and yes, I will notice and tell you take it back.
Any place that lists its cakes or cheesecakes as "homemade" and it comes to you with the little divider piece of parchment still attached - not to mention the slice is too perfect.
Tiramisu made without liqueur and mascarpone. I hate when restaurants substitute ricotta (although I love ricotta) for the mascarpone and leave out the liqueur. It just doesn't taste right!
SayWhat at 2:37PM on 01/23/08
What about the appetizer course? What tidbits have come with a "masquerade"?
JEP at 6:10PM on 01/23/08
I've had trouble ordering pizza and having them get my substitutions right. I'll order a specialty one, ask for two substitutions, and then they'll charge me for two additional toppings. It's frustrating. I've told them, "I ordered this same exact pizza before and was not charged for substitutions."
I know that this is supposed to be about restaurants, but I've had trouble with fast food as well. I've gone into a place, asked clearly for no condiments, and then had the burger made with them anyway. I've had to ask for re-makes a few times in this one place.
And, I don't like it when my hot food comes lukewarm!
misseditor at 7:10PM on 01/23/08
spanokopita -- a soggy, disgusting mess!
cybercita at 11:38PM on 01/23/08
Melting all the ice in Ice Tea. I want lots of ice.
eatorama at 1:32AM on 01/24/08
Here's one that can ruin any course - soup, appetizer, salad, entree: using the word Crab in the description: such as "Crab Dip" or "Crabcakes" or "Crab stuffed" and then finding out that the "crab" is actually surimi or that fake "crab stuff" {shudder} and the restaurant doesn't say that on the menu and the waitstaff has no clue.
SayWhat at 9:39AM on 01/24/08
As both a former food service professional and current food writer, the restaurant business is one of the most difficult ones to get right. Our palates are all unique, affected by our upbringing and hundreds of other factors a restaurant staff couldn't possibly know or predict.
When a restaurant genuinely makes an error, like overcooks or undercooks something, it deserves the criticism it gets. If a burger that should have had no condiments comes fully loaded, that's a mistake. Unfortunately, when it comes to food, people's tastes can be impossible to sort out. And when it comes to restaurants, everyone's a critic--myself included.
To minimize mistakes and faulty lines of communication, if you know that you have a specific taste preference, tell your server. If they still make a mistake, that's the restaurant's fault. Waitstaff cannot be expected to be clairvoyant. Most of the time, they can hardly be expected to be competent, with hourly wages in some states that hover around $2. Many line cooks and prep cooks similarly hover right around the poverty line.
That said, I've had a very tough time lately finding the perfect flan.
malibuisburning at 1:43AM on 01/27/08
capuccinos - i almost always end up with a latte.
thegreatlumpia at 7:32AM on 01/27/08
When a place serves Cappuccino, Macchiato, Latte, frappy-fatty-inos and what not, but tells me they can't make a cafe au lait.
stonechiper at 1:25PM on 01/27/08
Eggs are DEFINITELY the worst offender. EVERYONE overcooks them. Even the best places in town can't get a reliably runny poached egg, or an omelet that isn't overcooked. I guess maybe because it's one of those meditative foods that requires patience and concentration.
paanta at 7:41PM on 02/19/08