You work hard. You give it your all, and we see that. Our customers are busy, successful restaurant operators and employees (like you!), and we’re consistently impressed by their accomplishments. Sometimes, though, customer complaints will show up on social media or Google reviews that take the wind out of your sails. Negative reviews are nearly unavoidable, even for the most seasoned restaurant pros.
In this article, we share the most common restaurant customer complaints and actionable solutions so you can get back to what you do best—providing exceptional customer experiences.
1| Food/Drinks are Disappointing
A recent Mintel survey found that 50 percent of people dine out to treat themselves. Part of that treat is the expectation that the food and drinks ordered are tasty. Unfortunately, customers can sometimes be unsatisfied by flavor (e.g., dish is bland, too salty, or too spicy) and texture (too chewy, too oily).
Solutions:
- It’s always a great idea to review your training materials and refresh your kitchen staff on that info if it has been more than a year since they were originally trained at your establishment.
- Implement more taste-testing procedures to ensure your dishes are delicious before they reach the customer.
- Make sure you have the right ingredient suppliers on deck. It’s hard to create remarkable recipes with subpar ingredients delivered by suppliers who are less-than-dedicated to stocking fresh, high-quality items.
2| Food is Over/Undercooked
Nobody wants too-runny eggs or burned pizza crust. Enough said.
Solutions:
- A reliable thermometer and training on proper temperatures are your secret weapons if customers are reporting that food is over/undercooked.
- Simplify preparation methods where you can—there’s no shame in using pre-made ingredients to take the pressure off needing to temp tons of from-scratch components. For instance, pre-made, par-baked pizza crusts have short, consistent bake times so you never end up with overly doughy or scorched pies.
3| Food is Too Hot/Cold
The satisfaction customers get from perfectly warm soup and ice-cold beverages cannot be overstated. But hot- and cold-holding food so it’s the right temperature when it reaches the customer is an art, and one that takes a lot of monitoring. Hot and cold food need to be held at safe temperatures and should never dip into the “danger zone” (40°F–140°F).
Solutions:
- Keep hot food under the warmers for as long as possible and keep cold stuff on ice or in the fridge as long as you can.
- Choose ingredients that will stand up to long hot-hold times. Not to brag, but our pizza crusts maintain taste and texture for extended periods under warming lights.
- Foster an atmosphere of open, efficient communication so your staff works together as items move from fridge to kitchen to warmer to table.
4| Food Takes Too Long
Restaurant service is always under a time crunch. In-house diners don’t like to wait more than 10 minutes to be served and 76% are impatient after 15 minutes—and 15 minutes isn’t much time to craft a quality dish. However, this continues to be one of the most common restaurant customer complaints.
Solutions:
- Simplify your menu so prep and cook times are equally streamlined.
- Prep as much as you can in advance.
- Source pre-made items like sauces to cut back on prep time even more.
- Explore kiosk ordering and AI solutions to keep your operations at full throttle.
- Optimize your restaurant layout to make movement faster and easier for staff and guests.
5| Dishes are “Overpriced”
Like we said above, delivering a flawless dish to a customer is an art, and one that should be rewarded. Still, a majority of consumers (64%) predict that food costs will keep rising, so they are looking for ways to save and will speak up if they believe something is overpriced.
Solutions: Our best advice is to find ways to save on labor and ingredient waste the best your team can. Pre-made items can help you cut back on time and waste in these ways:
- Consistent ingredient prep and performance across shifts
- Reduced risk of spoilage
- Easy ordering through a responsive, reputable distributor (like us!)
- Space-saving storage, prep, and management
- No scrambling for extra hands and prep space when a big order comes in
6| Customer Got the Wrong Order
Mix-ups happen, but here are a few ways to deal with them when they arise—and reduce the chance of more happening.
Solutions:
- Instead of calling out food when you deliver a table’s order (which can lead to confusion), use a seat numbering system so that no matter who delivers and orders, every dish ends up with the right person.
- Pause after delivering each dish to make sure everyone got their correct order. Ensure that customers seem happy with what they received. If a mix-up occurs, you can fix it right away without the risk of someone leaving a disgruntled review online later.
- Check back with the table just in case a customer noticed their order was wrong a few bites into their meal. You can rectify it before they hit the Google reviews with a bad taste in their mouth.
7| “Poor” Customer Service
Restaurant customer service is HARD WORK. The AK Pizza Crust team comes from foodservice backgrounds, so we know sometimes customer interactions are frustrating, and more often, customers misunderstand what you say, causing annoyance and confusion.
Solutions:
- Train your staff on ways to communicate clearly and effectively with customers. Explain easy ways to diffuse troublesome service situations, such as having a process that directs servers to discreetly switch tense tables.
- Support your staff through stressful times. Listen to their side and try not to get exasperated yourself. This will aid in employee retention.
- Apologize promptly to the customer, be as patient as possible, and offer a solution (if it makes sense and you think it’ll work), i.e., a refund or discount.
8| The Wait for a Table is Too Long
Longer wait times are inevitable during rushes, but here are some strategies to get through rushes, minus angry customers.
Solutions:
- Provide accurate wait times.
- Enhance the waiting experience by creating a comfy waiting area. Provide reading material (bonus points for fun or quirky material like vintage magazines and books).
- Use a text notification system so customers can leave your location while they wait.
Via Etsy
9| The Restaurant is “Messy”
Every customer has a different definition of cleanliness, and cleaning oversights can happen. If customers are reporting that silverware is gunky or tables are dirty, try the following.
Solutions:
- Set clear cleanliness expectations with your staff and give them an easy-to-follow checklist with duties.
- Reward those who consistently keep your place spotless.
- Invest in time-saving technology like automatic floor cleaners.
- Set aside additional time for cleaning.
- Address high-complaint areas first, such as tables, bathrooms, and cutlery.
- Set a good example—if employees see you caring about cleanliness and maintaining a good standard for your workspace (offices, etc.), they’re more likely to follow your lead.
Now that we’ve investigated some of the most common restaurant customer problems and complaints, and served up some solutions you can try, tell us what other challenges your restaurant is facing. We’ll set you up with ways to streamline your operation and keep flavorful, high-quality food on your tables. Contact our foodservice pros today!
This blog was originally published on March 24, 2021, but updated and republished on February 5, 2025
SOURCES
(2025, January 18). The 20 Most Common Complaints Diners Have At Restaurants. MSN. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/foodanddrink/foodnews/the-20-most-common-complaints-diners-have-at-restaurants/ss-AA1ql8cx?ocid=LENDHP
(2024, April 23). How to Handle Complaints in Your Restaurant. WebstaurantStore. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/3776/how-to-handle-customer-complaints.html
(2025, January 20). 2025 Dining Trends That Will Keep Guests Coming Back. QSR Magazine. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/2025-dining-trends-that-will-keep-guests-coming-back/
USDA (n.d.). "Danger Zone" (40°F - 140°F). Food Safety and Inspection Service. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/danger-zone-40f-140f
(2021, December 14). Study: Restaurant Customers Getting More Impatient. QSR Magazine. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/study-restaurant-customers-getting-more-impatient/
Purdue University (2024, March 13). Most consumers continue to expect rising food prices. College of Agriculture. https://ag.purdue.edu/news/2024/03/most-consumers-continue-to-expect-rising-food-prices.html