I usually order from the menu. I understand that when a chef puts a menu together, they do so with a lot of care and there are reasons for putting different foods and flavours together. Particularly at fancy-pants places, I don’t like to mess with that. At cafes, however, I figure they run from a pretty stock-standard menu, so I don’t mind asking for something a little different. For example, at one of my favourite cafes in Wang, Espresso on Ovens, one of the breakfast menu items is toasted pumpkin bread topped with spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes. So the first time I ordered it, I asked if I could have a poached egg on top. Their response? No problem! And my goodness it was SO GOOOOOOOD.

The next time I went there, only a few weeks later, I asked for the same. It was a different person this time and I think it was just a little beyond them, as an order of poached eggs on toast came out, and we told them we didn’t order poached eggs, then my order came out without the poached egg on top. Hmmmm…..

I’m just saying – they’re in the hospitality industry. Their job is to take orders and bring out food. It’s not rocket surgery people! Is it rude to ask for something a bit different to what is on the menu? Being the paying customer, do I get to choose what is specifically cooked for me? I don’t like to be a pain, but when I’m eating out and paying good money (well, money) for it, I want to know that I’m getting the best possible meal combination I can.

We’ve encountered this problem with coffees as well. Lately we’ve been ordering iced coffees and I don’t like cream on my iced coffee, (but if they want to put extra ice cream on top, I’m really okay with that.) Hubs on the other hand, likes a bit of iced coffee with his cream, and gets a bit disappointed when, after I’ve asked for mine with no cream, his comes out with no cream too. Do we have to actually check that that they understand 1 with cream and 1 without? Like I said, they are in the hospitality industry. It’s their job to take and bring out the correct order.

Clearly I have too much privilege and time on my hands right now 🙂