This reminds us of the roach in the Kung Pao Shrimp in a long closed restaurant we were once treated to, but it concerns a sandwich order from Fuel on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope that is said to have had a bit more fuel than the customer had bargained for. It raises the question: Does a 1.5″ roach in a sandwich entitle you to a refund or a “bite me” from the restaurant? Does the size of the thing even matter? Here is the D-Isgusting story from Brooklynian:
My boyfriend and I have ordered from Fuel on 5th ave a bunch of times with no problems. I just went to eat a leftover half of a wrap (from yesterday) when something felt weird in the bite…i spit it out and there was an entire NON-FOOD critter in there. A WHOLE ONE ALL MASHED UP BECAUSE I WAS CHEWING IT. After i got done dry heaving, flossing, brushing my teeth 100 times I called Fuel and they told me they would send me another one but couldn’t refund me. I don’t know aht I wanted, but the dude totally sounded like he didn’t believe me. I offered to bring the half-chewed bite with the evidence and he said that he still couldn’t refund me (I even have my delivery receipt from yesterday.) So yeah. NO WORDS. I’m going to go puke now.
Yes, we know. This is New York and shit happens. Still, the restaurant being said to not care is the icing on the nauseating cake.
6 responses so far ↓
1 John // Jun 28, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Let’s see if a boycott of that place works!
Spread the word!
Communication is key
2 Red Hook // Jun 28, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I find restaurants surprisingly uninterested in bad experiences like this. They either don’t believe you or know that’s probably true. In either case, they don’t want to deal with it.
I had a similar experience with a local pizza place I frequented often. For arguing with me over a bad slice, they lost me as a customer forever.
3 Anonymous // Jun 29, 2008 at 10:00 am
When SoHo started popping with restaurants, I started going to Kelly & ping. One day, I ordered some noodle thing, took it a few blocks down to the park on Thompson and opened it and stared to eat it. (This was all before food blogs, mind you. ) I opened the container and there on top was a rusted out razor blade. I brought the container back and dumped it on the counter at Kelly & Ping. They were mortified. I got $$ back and a free meal for 2 at Kin Kau, their other place AND a letter from the owner telling me his problems with his chef etc etc. Very embarassed and very apologetic. Never been back since, I’m afraid…And since no food blogs, this place was lucky word didn’t get out about it..until..now..
4 Jeb // Jun 29, 2008 at 11:47 am
Yesterday (Saturday) my fiancee found a dead fly in her eggs @ Lokal. They graciously brought her a new dish and refunded the cost. It sounds like a no-brainer, but the truth is that NYC eatery workers have all the thoughtfulness of a Continental bag check witch.
5 Brenda from Flatbush // Jun 29, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Ah, yes, in the PFB age (pre-food-blogs)…I recall lunch in “Siberia” at the grossly overrated but picturesque Russian Tea Room. We heard a crash in the kitchen, then out came my Chicken Kiev–and a moment later I extracted a razor-like olive-sized shard of RTR ashtray from my first forkful. The insufferable staff reluctantly agreed to remove the price of that ONE entree from the bill. I was so happy when that place bit the dust.
6 Jame // Jun 30, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I had a similar experience at Uncle Louie G on Union Street. I ordered a simple egg cream – suddonly I discovered something crunchy in my mouth and discovered an insect wing. I removed the cover from my drink and discovered a huge green fly floating on top. When I brought it back to the counter the kid working simply said – yeh, what do you want – to which I replied my money back and a water. No money back – they gave me a bottled water and a new egg cream. UGH. couldn’t drink it. (I was thankful, however, that I hadn’t ordered a shake – would have never found the fly bits).
I wrote to their corporate office and never got a response. Needless to say, I never went back and refuse to accompany anyone there.