Restaurant service
Waiter Sayed Islam (C) speaks with Kelley Ruland (R) and Brittany Parker in ''The Plaza'' hotel's ''Palm Court'' the first day that the hotel re-opened following extensive renovations in New York March 1, 2008 Reuters/Lucas Jackson

Bad service in a restaurant is an unpleasant experience, especially if you are paying for expensive food. However, do not lose your temper just yet. Try these simple but effective approaches in handling the situation.

1. Assess the situation

Sometimes, customers are not aware that they are the source of bad service. They might have reprimanded a waitress unreasonably, arrived late or failed to tip their server plenty of times before. Try to determine if there are reasons why you are getting bad service so you can also come up with a rational plan in solving the problem. One survey published on The Meta Picture showed that customers who constantly use their phones while in restaurants actually slowed down service regardless of how the restaurant adjusted and improved.

2. Talk to the waiter personally

Call the waiter by his name on his nametag then tell him that you have a problem with his service. Let him know that you are aware of the situation and will most likely resort to more drastic measures if he continues. Use a firm but respectful tone when talking to him.

3. Cancel a dish

If one or more dishes are taking too long, tell the waiter that you are canceling one dish due to the delay, regardless of how they tell that it will only take a few more minutes. Cancelled orders mean losses for the restaurant so they will try to do better in serving the remaining dishes.

4. Talk to the manager

If the waiter persists is rendering bad service, you can go directly to the manager and raise the issue. Stay calm when speaking and specifically indicate the areas where the restaurant lacked competence. Avoid condescending or harsh language and talk in a respectful manner the entire time. Avoid arguing with the manager unless he is rude to you.

5. Leave the restaurant

Similar to canceling a dish, leaving a restaurant without giving notice can be a milder way of showing your dissatisfaction. However, be sure to leave enough cash for the decently served dishes that you already consumed. Leave the bad dishes as they were, which implies that you do not wish to pay for such poorly made food. In a survey conducted by Voucher Codes in the United Kingdom, 14 percent of diners intentionally left the restaurant without settling their bill, due to bad service.