Getting the wrong order is also very common. You expect to get what you ordered, but sometimes it seems like the kitchen or the server just didn't pay attention. And then there are places that serve undercooked or overcooked food, which is also a big no - no in food service.
There was a time when the kitchen had a pest problem. Rats were running around the storage area where we kept the food ingredients. It was disgusting and unhygienic. We had to quickly try to deal with it while still serving customers, which was a nightmare.
One time I went to a restaurant and found a hair in my soup. It was so disgusting. I immediately called the waiter, but they just offered to replace the soup without any real apology. It really put me off the whole dining experience.
Food contamination is a common one. For example, bugs getting into the ingredients before they are cooked. It's awful because it can make customers sick.
Another common horror story is getting food that is undercooked or overcooked. Undercooked chicken can be a real health hazard, and overcooked fries can be inedible. McDonald's needs to ensure consistent cooking times to avoid these issues. Their staff should be properly trained to recognize when food is cooked just right.
Late deliveries are very common. Sometimes the traffic or the inefficiency of the delivery person can cause this. Wrong orders are also common. Maybe the kitchen staff misread the order or the system made a mistake. And food arriving in a bad condition, like spilled or cold, is another typical horror story.
One of the most common elements is the failure to solve the problem. The customer approaches the customer service with an issue, but instead of getting it resolved, they are given the run - around. The staff may transfer them from one department to another without any real attempt to fix the issue. This makes the customer feel unvalued and frustrated. For example, I had an issue with my laptop and the customer service just kept passing me around between different technicians, and in the end, my problem was still not solved.
Rude customers are very common in these stories. They might be rude to waitstaff, like yelling at them for minor things. Another type is unreasonable demands. For example, a customer in a beauty salon asking for a completely different style than what was originally agreed upon at the last minute and getting angry when it's not possible.
Well, miscommunication is a big one. Imagine being in a foreign country and there's a misunderstanding between your embassy and the local government due to language or cultural differences. It can lead to all sorts of problems, like projects being halted or relationships strained. Also, being in a place with a lack of basic amenities. Some foreign service posts are in very underdeveloped areas, and having to deal with things like no running water or electricity can be really tough.
One common element is finding foreign objects in the food. It could be hair, like in my soup story, or pieces of plastic, which is really dangerous. Another is food that is not cooked properly, either undercooked or overcooked. And of course, food that is not fresh, like the smelly oysters I had.
Another common one is that Sodexo has been accused of sourcing fish from over - fished and unregulated waters. This is a big problem because it contributes to the depletion of fish stocks and also the fish might be of lower quality or contaminated. The lack of proper regulation in the sourcing area means that there's no guarantee of safety or sustainability. In some cases, the fish may have high levels of mercury which is extremely dangerous for human consumption.