Suppose You are Served the Wrong Wine

This comes from a scenario that people who travel on business will recognize. Whether you've had the specifics or not you might not even know, but it would not surprise me if you have.

Let's set the stage. You've finished a long day that might have included travel, meetings, sales, or just meeting with people you've never met before to build relationships. Perhaps you've helped some customers or clients to solve some nagging problems. Maybe you got chewed out by a long-term or newer customer or client. Surely, one of these resonates with you if you travel for business.

It's dinner time. You don't want to leave the hotel, so you find a restaurant in the hotel. Some of us when we are alone sit down at the bar and eat there, but some of us prefer a table. In this case, let's grab a table for one. So, we order some food and a glass of wine. Are you with me? Does this resonate at all?

The wine comes out and you know upon looking at it that it's not the wine you ordered. Or, maybe your eyes aren't that perceptive, but you know upon tasting that it's not the wine you ordered. Can you deal with this without causing a scene?

I've actually had this happen several times and all but one of those times, if I pointed it out to the server, they went back and brought me the wine I ordered. One time, they argued with me and not in the mood for that, I just drank what they brought me and dealt with that poor service later.

Since then, I've had a thought. I don't think I would ever actually do this, but it sounds like fun. Suppose what I had ordered was the Racy Sauvignon Blanc and what they brought me was the Buttery Chardonnay. That's an easy distinction, probably at least as easy if not more so than the actual scenarios I've encountered where I might have ordered a Cabernet and they brought me a Pinot Noir. Now, upon tasting what they brought me, I know it's wrong. 

So, here is what I might try if I've just had one of those days and just feel like picking a fight (not a physical fight, mind you) although that is pretty darn rare as I don't like being confrontational. I summon the server and tell them they brought the wrong wine. They disagree and do not offer to do anything. So, I make them an offer. Bring me the wine that I ordered and pour me a glass at the table. Let's both of us compare the two wines. If you are right and the wines are the same, I pay for a bottle, but don't actually take it. But, if I am correct, my dinner is on you.

Wow, that sounds like fun on just that day when my mood has gone from bad to worse. And, trust me, while my palate is pretty discriminating, I would not even consider this let alone do it unless I was absolutely certain.

That sounds like fun, or at least a bit snarky. And business travel will resume soon. And ...

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