Is it unreasonable to presume that a takeout order will come with the usual condiments?

I traveled to a popular vacation spot. Went for a 20 mile MTB bike ride. Too tired to cook. Ordered a hamburger for takeout and expected at least ketchup for the fries if not the burger. It was a local microbrew pub so you'd think they would do burgers right.

Burger was well done and dry even though I ordered medium. The burger felt like it was put in a compressor. So not only dry but hard. And tasteless.

So, I was desperate for ketchup even though usually I just put tomatoes on my burger.

I gave a healthy, sit down type of tip too. Need to figure out a way to give tips based on the end result at home; tired of assuming all is well these days as this is not unusual.

Oh, don't get me started on the stale bland fries either. $14 for a burger and I've had better st in and out.

Oh, the kicker. They don't have a normal burger on the menu. It comes dressed with fancy cheese and some kind of fancy bun. I had to request holding everything, especially the aioli. Just tomatoes. Don't need no frou frou yuppie burger with an umbrella.

Seriously, how hard is it to make a decent burger and give ketchup on the side?

I loathe take out. If it's a drive thru, that doesn't count, but if it's a sit down joint, can't we just sit down and friggin' eat?

Outback (aka steak in a box) never fails to screw up the order. Never. Virtually all take out orders are wrong, so much so that my wife has finally relented and rarely asks me to order out from those places. My point is: why order to home if we don't get service, can't get their screwups fixed on the spot, and can't get refills on drinks?

quote:

I had to request holding everything , especially the aioli. Just tomatoes. Don't need no frou frou yuppie burger with an umbrella.

I was with you right up until this line.

If I ordered a like that, I wouldn't expect them to include ketchup

Why? Other places do it. If not the burger, why not for fries? At least ask.

If they bring ketchup to your table regardless, why not for takeout? To save 5 cents on a $14 burger?

Y'know how if you go to a Mexican restaurant and sit down they bring you chips and salsa. And it's usually bottomless?

My favorite is that when I order takeout from my two favorite Mexican restaurants in town I have to pay $3.95 for an 8oz salsa and chips. I do it ... because it's so damn good. But it's BS.

That is bs. The Mexican place I go to gives chips, two kinds of fresh made salsa and re fried bean dip.

My brother is a very picky eater so every time we go out he orders a plain burger or something else plain. It's amazing how many people, fast food or regular restaurant, can't seem to get it right. I'm glad I'm not very picky so I just eat whatever the decide to give me... It's like a surprise every time I order something.

Also regarding Mexican food it's amazing to me when something comes with guacamole and you'd rather have sour cream because I don't really like guacamole and they charge you $2-3 for sour cream instead. It's just strange because guacamole costs more than sour cream you'd think they would just swap it out.

I'm actually not picky. If I go to in-out, I'll eat however they serve it. But if it's a place like this, I prefer that they serve it how I like it. I prefer my steaks plain, my BBQ rubbed without sauce, my pastrami on rye with just mustard.

I don't need Thai curry chicken on my pizza or hot sauces on my sushi. And I don't need garlic mayo on my burger.

I like tasting and enjoying the main ingredient; I don't want it hidden behind other things. I prefer my salad on a separate plate, not on my juicy burger. Yea, I'll eat it but not a big fan of slaw on my pulled pork.

If it came a certain way but you ordered it without all that, why would you assume they would give you ketchup?

ETA: as a former chef, picky people like you drove us crazy and some I worked with even got upset when people would want a signature dish but order that everything that made it a signature dish be removed.

Signature dish doesn't mean it's good.

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Originally posted by PASig:
people would want a signature dish but order that everything that made it a signature dish be removed.

I've never understood that either, it just defies logic

It would be like going to a place that specialized in duck and ordering fish

I swear most places think they make their margins on condiments.

If I order something with say, pickles, I want enough to cover the freaking sandwich! Same with onions or mustard.

And how frickin hard is it to cook something to order? I taught my teenage son how to do it, a "professional" cook should be able to do it in his sleep.

I'm also one of those that doesn't want a ton of sauces and crap on my food.

Huh? This is like going to a duck place and ordering fish? How so?

Aioli is a condiment. So it's bad form to ask the chef to hold a condiment and replace it with a more typical condiment?

Who made chefs mighty and powerful gods who shan't be questioned?

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
If it came a certain way but you ordered it without all that, why would you assume they would give you ketchup?

ETA: as a former chef, picky people like you drove us crazy and some I worked with even got upset when people would want a signature dish but order that everything that made it a signature dish be removed.

Oh, sorry. Where I come from, ketchup is pretty typical on burgers. But I'm not a chef so I guess better burgers come with aioli. You're right, I shouldn't have asked to change that.

I don't ask chefs to change a signature dish; I just won't order it. But if aioli to you makes it a signature burger, I guess we'll just have to disagree on what a signature dish is.

Got fish and chips takeout. Never had any problems before so didn't open the stuff up and check.
Fish were small, tough, way over hooked and a swear still had scales on.
Haven't gone back but froze now on it will open everything and send crap back.

It is my experience that if I don't specifically ask for ketchup with my to go order, I won't get it. And that's no matter where I go. So it's your fault for not asking. That's just the way it is in the world today.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
as a former chef, picky people like you drove us crazy and some I worked with even got upset when people would want a signature dish but order that everything that made it a signature dish be removed.

You're joking, right? If I am paying for food in a restaurant, I want it to taste the way I like it, not the way that the cook thinks it should be. If I don't want an ingredient (which I might even be allergic to), I fully expect to be able to order the dish without that ingredient. Example: I abhor the taste of most vinegar. I want to be able to order my salad with a non-vinegar dressing. Or if you have some dish with a "vinaigrette" sauce, I want to order it without the sauce. It's my money, and if you don't want my business just say so up front.

As far as others who have commented "why use takeout? Why not sit down and eat?" Plenty of good reasons. Here's a simple one: My wife works late. The last thing she wants to do after a long day of dealing with patients, is to sit in a restaurant. If I have had a busy day I might not have time to prepare dinner for her, so I'll pick up something on my way home from work. And I damn will better be able to order it without onion for her!

And always remember: They FUCK YOU at the drive-thru, okay? They FUCK YOU at the drive-thru! They know you're gonna be miles away before you find out you got fucked! They know you're not gonna turn around and go back, they don't care. So who gets fucked? Ol' Leo Getz! Okay, sure! I don't give a fuck! I'm not eating this tuna, okay?

quote:

Originally posted by Paten:
It is my experience that if I don't specifically ask for ketchup with my to go order, I won't get it. And that's no matter where I go. So it's your fault for not asking. That's just the way it is in the world today.

This for sure.

When I get take out, I always ask three questions before I leave, then double check in car. Are there napkins in here; is there silverware; and is there ketchup/duck sauce/salsa/mustard/ranch/whatever applies in here?

I get being pissed about being served a leather burger when you asked for medium, but never assume condiments, silverware, or adequate amount of napkins.

There's my side bitch, why when you order food for four people do they give you three napkins? Or if you order wings or ribs they give you enough napkins for eating a turkey sandwich?

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Originally posted by Skins2881:
I get being pissed about being served a leather burger when you asked for medium,

There's my side bitch, why when you order food for four people do they give you three napkins? Or if you order wings or ribs they give you enough napkins for eating a turkey sandwich?

Leather burgers. Blech! Knowing that burgers are ALWAYS overcooked by take-out joints, I ask for them rare, hoping that they might actually be medium rare or at worst, medium. Inevitably, I receive a piece of incinerated hockey puck.

Napkins? You get napkins with your order? Cool!

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
why would you assume they would give you ketchup?

Because only anti-American pinko commie bastards eat burgers without ketchup (and mustard).

Mom, apple pie, and ketchup on your burger. Maybe a baseball game.