What would you do in this room service situation?
 

I stayed at three star hotel on Friday and ordered Stir fry on a bed of rice with grilled shrimp and had it brought up to my room.

The dish was awful. The best way to describe it is comparing it to that Chung King Chou Main in a can which most people had as a kid where the can is half filled with water. The carrots on top were almost raw and the rice was floating in brown water.

Before I even got a look at the food I left the server a 20% tip. I found out when I checked out that a 19% tip was already included but the server never told me this. He just took my cash tip and walked out the door. In case you are wondering why I did not call the restaurant and ask them to come and pick it up and get me something else I was Starved at the time and I was hurrying to meet a friend.

Would you ask for a full refund of the room service food? Has anyone else been in this situation or heard of Stir fry which is suppose to be in a bed of water and rice? The charge was $22.58

I think I've only done room service in hotels twice in my life. Both times in fine hotels, both times really horrible. I'm convinced that room service is basically for people who are just like you were -- starving. Why would anyone who wants a good meal, order it to be brought on a cart to their bedroom -- I just don't get it.

That is not meant to excuse the situation. But I wouldn't make a big deal about it except to tell the hotel the food was horrible. If they wanted to make it up to you financially, that's nice, but I wouldn't even think to ask for it. And as for the tip, I thought a gratuity was nearly ALWAYS included on room service these days, but it is not unusual for people to add to it. I consider it your mistake for not checking -- my guess is it would even say it is included on the room service menu.

I'd chalk it up to experience.

I'd probably have called them and told them to take it off the bill as it was unedible. We had a similar problem recently with one of the Disney hotels and they didn't even question our complaint.

In terms of the gratuity, it makes it hard to give the guy a few extra dollars when a 15% service charge and mandatory gratuities run about 33% of the cost.

Me too. Every time I've gotten room service it was awful. As for refund, it's tough to get one if you ate everything - regardless of the circumstances. BTW, please warn us as to which hotel you were at.

jor, was this your first time in a hotel possibly? I ask because you'd know a service charge is automatic, and if you offer extra, which you did, they will take it, which they did. You rally have no basis to complain, so let it go.

Now, for your entree selection ... you asked them to deliver stir fry? Stir fry? To a hotel room? Stir fry! OK, second lesson learned.

Now, what's your real question?

Certainly let them know that the food was not up to par, but if you ate it, you can hardly ask for your money back. Also I've always seen the automatic tip listed on the bottom of the menu. To quote my father, "The food stunk and there wasn't enough of it."

I've done room service at the Renaissance Wailea on Maui, the New Otani Kaimana on Oahu, Sheratons and even Holiday Inns here on the mainland, for breakfast once, but mostly, when we get into rooms late at night exhausted. Actually, I'm been really, really pleased with those hotel room services, and I am picky about my food! I am always careful to check for the added gratuity...... they get you every way they can! :p

Jor, I can understand your aggravation but, since you ate the food, and didn't complain at the time, I'm not sure the hotel will do anything about it. Or maybe since it's the holiday season, there'll be a miracle and they will! :-)

Not all hotels do the auto tip, especially in a 3 star hotel. But I definitely would have checked the bill before giving the gratuity. As for the lousy food, I would have called at the time of delivery to get a refund. But I can see how you didn't as you were busy. In general if we have been given a terrible meal with room service we generally do not to return to the hotel again as we do enjoy in room dining, esp at breakfast.

Since you did not complain at the time of delivery I guess you have no recourse now, just wiser for the future:)

I always order a sandwich from room service - very difficult to mess up.

Most of the room service I have had has been deeply mediocre and nowhere near worth the price and the usually long wait. The two exceptions so far have been the Millenium Hotel in NYC, the one across from the WTC; and breakfasts in Ireland, which arrived on time and were hot and tasty and came complete with every little flourish (at two different hotels).

Your meal, jor, sounds awful. I would have called immediately to complain and ask that it be removed from the bill; if you didn't have time to call right away--5 minutes?--you should have called ASAP. I have found that arguing about it at checkout is way too late and never works. As for the tip, that ship sailed, chalk it up to experience.

Even when breakfast, for example, is included in your room price, you will pay the commission for delivery, taxes, and a tip, if you elect to add one. If there's a hotel or motel that doesn't add a commission or service charge for deliever of food and beverages to a room, I'd be interested in the name.

You ate it, so that's that really.

About that room service tip. Yes it's usually clearly indicated on the room service menu, but why do they then include a line for ANOTHER tip on your bill?

That's what confused me the first time I ordered room service. I hadn't seen the fine print about tip being included in the bill, so when I saw the line for the tip, I just assumed it wasn't included and put down a tip.

They obviously do this for one reason, to try and SHAME you into giving them a tip on top of a tip. Bad form IMO.

The only time I order room service is when I'm too exhausted to go out.

I stick to burgers, appetizers, club sandwiches, and just about anything served with french fries and have never had a problem.

That said, call the hotel and ask for the F&B director or room service manager. Voice your unhappiness. They can help you more than we can.

Don't forget to tell them if you are a frequent stay guest with either that hotel or that chain. Good luck!

Thank you all for your comments and advise. I have just called and talked to the hotel's General Manager about this issue. I explained everything which I stated in my post. He was very understanding of the problem and also told me that the person who brought the food to my room was a new employee and was suppose to tell me that a gratuity was already included if someone offered a cash tip. I gave a Cash tip. He also apologized for the quality of the food and told me that this "Chung King" food (as I described) was unacceptable at his hotel. I am very pleased with the way the General Manager listened to me and corrected the problem with a full refund of $22.58.

travelactually, Why the insults? Yes, Stir fry. Why is that a bad choice? And yes, I think I have stayed at a few hotels in my life and have not always been able to afford the type of hotel which you may be accustomed to. I have no apologies for you.

Thanks everyone. Next time I will check all the details if I order room service but I don't think there will be any more room service in my future. This was my first time using restaurant room service.

Good for you, Jor!!! A Christmas miracle, and it isn't even December yet. :-) This all goes to prove..... It never hurts to ask!!! ;;)

thanks bonniebroad, in This case it sure did not hurt to ask. >:D<

The room service I had at the Lucerne Hotel in the upper west side Manhattan was fabulous. I'm still dreaming about it and this was at least 8 years ago that I had it.

jor, do not give up hope. Someday you too will dream of room service (smiley face with food all over it).

I only order room service when I'm in a nice hotel, and I order items I know travel well...salads, soup, sandwiches, etc.

Maybe I've been lucky, but I am almost always pleased. I just love having dinner or breakfast in bed in a nice hotel, especially if I'm by myself or if its late and I have my kids along!

travelactually if in your words you want to find a hotel or motel where you do not have to add a tip that is your problem, Jor said he paid a tip twice which amounting to about 39%. He made a generous mistake. Pay attention!

I have had good and bad food delivered to the room. I've had my share of $24 club sandwiches at 3am in a sleepy city.
When ordering on the phone, I have learned to ask, "Is this food from the XYZ Restaurant? - (in the hotel)" Some room service food is brought from the restaurant, some is brought from a separate kitchen...a few notches lower in quality.
I also ask the delivery person, &quot;Is your tip inlcuded in this bill?&quot; There's absolutely no harm or social faux pas in asking. <i>I</i> am the customer here. For a brief moment, this person is working for <i>me</i>.

Nice to hear, jor, that the hotel was concerned enough to correct the mistake.