Describe a time you received a bad service in a restaurant/shop

September 20, 2023

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Describe a time you received a bad service in a restaurant/shop – IELTS speaking part 2

Describe a time you received a bad service in a restaurant/shop

You should say:

When and where it was
What happened
How it was resolved

And explain how you felt about it

Example 1 – clothes shop

“It was early October last year when I decided to buy some new jeans from a popular new and upscale clothes shop downtown. I’d heard great things about the store from friends, so I had really high expectations.

However, when I arrived, the service I received was just awful. The staff were unfriendly and unhelpful, and I just got completely ignored when I needed help and ended up leaving empty-handed. It was like they were just completely clueless , and it was so off-putting.

To add insult to injury, when I asked the woman at the counter if she could help me, she just blatantly told me no and rolled her eyes, like I was wasting her time or something, and I was fuming, to say the least.

The whole experience put a real dampener on my day, and I felt really frustrated and let down, so I decided to take to the internet and post a review of the bad service I’d received.

Within half an hour I got a response from the store’s management team apologising for what happened and offering me some store credit as a gesture of goodwill.

I was actually very surprised and impressed with how quickly they’d managed to resolve the issue, and it made me feel better knowing that they had read my post, and I’d been able to have my voice heard.

All in all it wasn’t a great experience and it definitely put me off going back to that particular store.

Thank you.”

Idioms

Upscale is an idiom meaning to have an expensive, luxurious, or fashionable quality. Example in a sentence: I’m looking for an upscale restaurant for my anniversary dinner.

Empty handed means to receive or achieve nothing, or to leave without having obtained anything. Example: After searching the store, I had to leave empty handed.

The idiom to roll one’s eyes means to express disbelief, frustration, or contempt through an exaggerated eye movement. For example: The teacher rolled her eyes when the student said he hadn’t studied for the exam.

This idiom means to reduce enthusiasm or enjoyment, making a situation less happy. Example: The bad weather put a damper on the picnic.

Example 2 – restaurant

“I had an absolutely terrible experience when I went out to eat in a restaurant in my hometown about a month ago. It was one of those places that always gets great reviews so I thought I’d give it a try, but boy was I wrong.

When we first got there the waiter seemed kind of grumpy, which was a warning sign, but we ignored it. When he finally took our order he messed up and brought the wrong dish.

After that, it just got worse and worse. An hour passed and we were still waiting for our mea, and I ended up having to call him over and remind him again that we hadn’t gotten our food. Finally, the food showed up, but it was cold!

That was the final straw, and I asked to speak to the manager, who came over to the table and was a bit more apologetic, but he still didn’t do much to fix the mess.

Eventually he offered us a free dessert and some discount on our bill to make up for it. Though the offer was nice, it really wasn’t enough to make up for such a terrible experience.

I couldn’t believe the terrible service I had,and it was totally outrageous! All I wanted was a peaceful evening out with good food and some friendly service, but instead I was left feeling disappointed and angry. The whole situation put a damper on my evening and it’s a night I’ll never forget.

Thank you.”

Idioms

The idiom ‘the final straw’ means a situation where despite enduring a lot of difficulties, one more difficulty is too much, and causes a situation to become unbearable.

Example: After having to work late every night for weeks, missing his daughter’s birthday was the final straw and he decided to look for a new job.

To “put a dampener on something” means to reduce enthusiasm or excitement. For example: “The bad weather put a dampener on our beach day plans.”

Describe a time you received a bad service in a restaurant/shop – IELTS speaking part 3

Do you think that good customer service is important?

“Yeah, I definitely think good customer service is important. When someone has a great customer service experience, it can make them feel valued and appreciated and make customers more likely to come back.

As well as that,word of mouth is a powerful thing, so if people hear good things about a business’s customer service, they’ll be more likely to patronise them.

On top of that, if a customer has a negative experience, they’re much less likely to buy from a company again,So, good customer service can make all the difference.”

How do people in your country usually respond to a bad service?

“In my country, people usually respond to bad service in a number of ways, very often depending on their personality or the seriousness of the complaint.

Most commonly people would discuss it informally with others, expressing their dissatisfaction.

They might even share their experience online, on social media or review sites, as well as giving the business in question a bad rating.

However, some people might also take a more direct approach and contact the company directly, voicing their concerns and asking for a solution.

I guess,It all depends on the individual’s opinion and what they feel is the best way to deal with the situation. In my opinion, bad service should always be addressed in some way so that we can work towards improving it.”

Do you think that technology has had an effect on service?

“Yes,definitely , I think technology has had a massive effect on service. For example, many restaurants now allow you to place orders online for pick-up or delivery, making it easier, as well as faster to get the service you need.

On top of that,automated customer service systems also allow customers to get assistance without the need for any human interaction, which also cuts down on costs for the company.

Technology has really improved service processes and allowed for faster responses and better tracking.

Personally ,I believe that technology has definitely improved service overall, and It provides customers with convenience and a better overall experience.”

Why do you think that some people prefer to remain silent if they receive bad service?

“I think that some people stay quiet when receiving bad service for a few different reasons.

Firstly, they may lack the confidence to vocalise their opinion or they could be worried about coming across as ‘difficult’, and don’t want to cause a scene.

As well as that, people may want to avoid any drama or conflict, so instead of making a basic complaint they will remain passive.

What’s more, if they have had a bad experience before from speaking up, they may be more reluctant in case it happens again.

Personally, I’d suggest that people do speak out if they don’t receive a good level of service. They should always make their dissatisfaction clear, but in a polite and non-confrontational way.”

To cause a scene means to create a disturbance or draw attention to oneself in a dramatic or embarrassing way. Example: The woman started screaming and throwing things when she found out the bad news, causing a scene.