We went to the Time Out Market on Thursday night. I did a lap to determine what I wanted to eat. I…read moredecided to get a veggie burger from O Prego da Peixaria. The chips looked good, and the burger description seemed nourishing. Jess had been minding our table while Jaclyn and I went to source food, so I returned to the table to wait. The wait took a while which I thought was strange because they were less busy than the other stalls.
When the buzzer did go off, I went to collect my food. None of the staff addressed me when I arrived back at O Prego. I assumed my meal was the veggie burger sitting near the lip of the counter. I tasted a one of the sweet potato fries and they were cold. I tasted the burger, which was less cold but still not warm enough to serve.
I alerted the staff, who offered to replace the fries. I stated the burger was also cold. In response they dropped another basket of fries into the deep fryer and took my burger and returned it to the grill. So, what had just taken place is that I ordered a reheated burger for €12.50. I wasn't comfortable with this. I purchased this burger based on the reputation of the vendor. Instead I was getting a reheated burger. The poor-quality control suggested an inefficient kitchen, and I was no longer comfortable eating there. I asked for a refund.
The manager refused because I'd taken a bite out of the burger. I explained that I took a bite out of the burger to ascertain whether it was also cold, and it was. He still refused my refund. I said that I shouldn't have to pay €12.50 for reheated food. He continued to reiterate that I'd already taken a bite out of the burger. What followed was a psychological battle with the manager that went on for approximately 12 minutes. He called 2 security guards along with a representative of Time Out market, all of whom reiterated that he wasn't going to give me a refund, and that it was reasonable that he presented new fries and a reheated burger.
I'd gone to Time Out with high expectations, and I wanted to eat good food. It was clear that what had been served was not good food. Rather than cut his losses and refund me my money, the manager continued to argue with me, saying I could write a complaint in their book. I stated that effectively my money had been taken under false pretences and I wasn't leaving until I got it back. I was visibly upset in front of a long line of customers for the next stall, all of whom were staring at me. In a situation like that I find it impossible to leave because I work hard for my money and I think that money is worth something. To present me with substandard food and pretend that it's high quality is, as we say in Australia, "taking the piss."
It was a long 12 minutes. I worked to remain calm to prevent the situation from escalating. The security had left at this point and when the manager realised that I wasn't leaving he snatched the money from the register and gave me the refund. I felt adrenaline. I got what I wanted but at a high emotional cost. Cortisol surged through my body as I returned to the table. Jess instructed me to get Jaclyn to place an order for me at 'Asian Lab', the vendor next to Prego. I looked over and saw her at the front of the line
I got there just as Jaclyn was transacting and threw my money at her, blabbing my order as if she was the waitress in a crowded dumpling joint. I then dropped back and stood 2 meters away waiting for her to disengage. The manager of Prego noticed me and came out from behind the counter. "Don't do that again, you are a very bad man," he said as he pointed his finger in my face. I was in shock. I don't recall how I responded to this unexpected additional abuse. He said it again, "you are a very bad man," which cemented this interaction as one of the top 3 worst customer experiences of my life.
I went back to the table, shaken up. We then talked about what just happened. Jaclyn had watched my burger cooling on the counter for a long time while in the line for Asian Lab, before they activated the buzzer to summon me. When Jess joined her in the line, momentarily, she commented that she thought it was my food sitting there.
The failure to deliver my food on time came at a cost. This was the first time I had met Jaclyn who for sure thought I was a freak. I had spent time and emotion on something that had disrupted dinner for me and my friends. Then I questioned if I was a bad person, and if it was unreasonable for me to challenge a hospitality worker who has a difficult job.
Of course, the answer is no. His job as manager is to ensure a quality product. If the product is substandard, he should issue the refund. It's never acceptable to attack a customer or cast aspersions on their character. On that basis I can't be more emphatic that you should not eat here. Not only is the food bad, but the customer service experience is unprofessional and upsetting.
