Very Disappointing Takeaway for Vegetarians from the Land of Smiles - Avoid!!
To be told that I am a DIFFICULT CUSTOMER and that if I write a negative review on Tripadvisor that they DON'T CARE LESS ABOUT IT is a bit of a shock but also an incentive in a way of dealing with RUDENESS and BAD SERVICE that was neither sought or deserved.
Most supermarkets and restaurants believe that vegetarians don't eat ordinary food so they use exotic vegetables, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, courgettes to name a few and meat substitutes like soya and tofu to make vegetarian meals. As I don't eat meat because I don't like the taste and texture of it I really can't stand tofu as it is very similar to lumps of white pig fat cut into cubes; that is my experience but I know some people love it, it's all a matter of taste.
The meal cost £28.00 and most of it went into the bin. I called the Torbay Thai that evening and was told that the tofu was included in the set menu and sorry I didn't like it. There was no offer of replacement or refund. I decided to wait for the next day as I felt it would easier to talk before there were customers in the shop. When I called I was told that they had been discussing me and the meal, so I thought they were obviously worried about my dissatisfaction. Quite the contrary, the lady I spoke to was adamant that I should have specified that I didn't like or want tofu or any other things I didn't like. I pointed out that there was nothing in writing on their menu to say that the set meals and the à la carte were different, I assumed that if I wanted tofu on the set menu I would have to ask for it and maybe pay the £0.50 extra..I was then told I was a DIFFICULT CUSTOMER and it was my fault for not specifying that I didn't like tofu and that was what completely spoilt the meal (not their fault) This difficult customer is of the belief that people in the hospitality trade do not have difficult customers they create them.
The rest of the meal, mainly season vegetables consisted of a lot of cabbage like leaves, carrot and beansprouts(?) These were cooked in various ways but they tasted very much like how my mother used to boil vegetables - basically to death, no flavour and limp. Enjoy 555
I told the lady that I had rung again to give them a further opportunity to make good this problem as I was used to being offered a replacement or refund if I wasn't satisfied. She told me that Torbay Thai had been there for 23 or 24 years (she said both) and had NEVER had a complaint about the food or having a customer who didn't like tofu. I said that if she maintained that it was my fault for this error then I would have to put a "Terrible" review on Tripadvisor to which she said "Don't care about Tripadvisor"
So here you are, if you use Tripadvisor as a guide to picking places to eat it is good to know that Torbay Thai don't care ratings!! read more
