JD Wetherspoon apologises to 'disgusted' customer for 'half' eaten dish

Customer Stephanie Archer told the County Durham newspaper Gazette Live​ she felt “sick and disgusted” after staff failed to replace her dish, which a customer mistook his own and helped himself to some chips.

The 33 year-old, who was dining with a friend in the Half Moon Inn in Billingham, County Durham, on Monday 9 January, complained when kitchen staff added more chips to the dish, rather than replacing its with a new one. 

Archer told the paper: “I am so disgusted and ill at the thought. I am still feeling ill now.

“It has put me off eating out for good.”

‘No excuse’​

As soon as the two women ordered, Archer claimed she went “to the ladies” while her friend went outside for a cigarette, meanwhile another couple sat at the women’s table.

The gentleman’s wife went to order at the bar and, at this point, Archer’s meal was given by mistake to the gentleman, the paper claims.

A Wetherspoon’s spokesperson said: “The gentleman put some ketchup on the panini and was going to start eating it, when the two women came back and saw their table occupied and their meals there.

“It should be noted that the man had not eaten any of the panini, but had had some chips from the meal.”

Archer then took to social media to explain the incident, which gained much attention.  

In a Facebook comment Archer claimed the gentleman ate “half” her dish.

She added: “It’s disgusting, there’s no excuse for it.”

‘The whole picture’​

A Wetherspoon spokesperson added: “It should be noted that the pub’s manager apologised to the lady in question and offered to speak with her face to face and also offer her a complimentary meal, however this was declined.”

“It appears that a number of factors, out of the manager’s control, led to the incident.”

“We again apologise to the lady concerned, but would also suggest that her actions in putting the story on social media has caused problems for the pub management and staff.”

“Hopefully people in the town will now have the whole picture regarding the incident and not just one side.”