# Would you return opened food items? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 23, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724 "2013-06-23T21:00:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/1 "2013-06-23T21:00:30Z")
The thread on returning liquor got me wondering about food items in general. Do you think it is ethical to return opened food items solely because you don’t like the product? This of course excludes food that is spoiled or otherwise contaminated. If you do, how much of the product can you consume before you decide you don’t like it? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/2 "2013-06-23T21:05:22Z")
If I don’t like something I keep it or throw it out. If something is actually bad I return it no matter how many bites it took me to figure it out. Besides an occassional dairy product I have returned several deli items over the years that were badly prepared. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/3 "2013-06-23T22:16:29Z")
No. No respectable seller would put that product out for sale again and has no obligation to take it back. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/4 "2013-06-23T22:26:51Z")
I don’t return it for them to put it out for sale again. I return it so they can see, smell, or even taste what I find so gruesome about the product. For example, many years ago I returned Chicken McNuggets and fries to McDonalds after picking them up at the drive thru. They had been cooked in rancid oil. I told the manager to smell them and to taste a fry. I got my money back and got a “thank you” from the manager. ---
**Author:** ![Whitney\_Harper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@Whitney\_Harper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whitney_Harper)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/5 "2013-06-23T22:35:28Z")
No, I would not, as for such a small amount of money to be refunded, it would take more time than it was worth to return it. In addition, sometimes I prefer foods that I do not like the taste that much (not spoiled foods, but just not great tasting foods) as when I do not like a food product that much, I am not tempted to overeat. In other words, there is an advantage for not liking a food product, as far as maintaining weight. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/6 "2013-06-23T23:37:53Z")
No way. I don’t even return food if there IS something wrong with it (I would if it was something expensive, but with most food it’s just not worth it). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/7 "2013-06-23T23:54:59Z")
[anecdote] Back in the day, Jack Benny did a skit on TV on this subject. He is sitting at home, munching on dry roasted peanuts, dictating a letter as Rochester is writing it down. In his letter, addressed to the peanut company, he complains at great length about how displeased he is: They are stale; they are dry; they are tasteless; blah blah blah, etc., etc., ad nauseum. – All the while, continuing to munch on them. After finishing the letter, he remarks that he just loves those satisfaction-or-double-your-money-back guarantees. [/anecdote] ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/8 "2013-06-23T23:55:58Z")
I haven’t, although if an item was drastically different from what I expected or was used to, I might because it might be contaminated with who knows what. I used to work with a woman who had previously worked at an Old El Paso factory (no, it wasn’t in New York City) and there was a guy there who would put extra “heat” into the mild sauces. He was finally caught, and fired on the spot, but who knows how many palates he scorched in the meantime? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/9 "2013-06-23T23:59:24Z")
No. Madame Pepperwinkle usually calls the company or e-mails to complain. They almost always thank her and often send her a coupon or voucher for other products they produce. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/10 "2013-06-24T00:21:54Z")
If I don’t like something from a food store, I just wont buy it again and wonder who the hell buy’s this shit. Is there a large market for people with a crappy ass food fetish? Some of the Jewish food stuff is just edible enough to not toss. It’s as if they bottled/canned/plastic wrapped the dry arid desert region with every package of somewhat edible food type stuff and called it Jewish just for spite. Somewhere someones LMAO all the way to the bank. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/11 "2013-06-24T00:26:17Z")
I have done this once, but I think it is a special case and not really what the OP is asking about. I once bought a pound or so of whole bean coffee from the grocery store. Either the bin was mislabeled or more likely whoever was refilling the bins just put the wrong coffee in the bin. I got home and when I opened the bag the next morning I got a huge whiff of mint. I hate mint. I always buy Kona blend. I took it back and explained what happened and they refunded me on the spot. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/12 "2013-06-24T00:34:01Z")
Many supermarket foods have a note on the packaging that says something like “if you’re unsatisfied, return this for a refund”. They do it because they want the feedback. Handing out a few refunds is a bargain, compared with losing money stocking a product that sucks. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/13 "2013-06-24T00:43:38Z")
We were wandering around the new Trader Joe’s in our area and were told by more than one person that if we were considering buying something we should just do it because if we were dis-satisfied we could just bring the receipt back for a refund. They told us wine was included in this offer. We were like, surrrrrreeeee it is. Long story short we bought some cheap wine on the reco\* of one of the folks there and it was ::eek::eek::eek:. Brought back our receipt and got the cost refunded. They have done this on a few other things we bought that were just, urk. It makes us more likely to try new stuff and we have become totally loyal to TJ’s. YMMV.🆒 \*store associate said it was NOT sweet. In reality it could give you “DIABEETEES” sweet. So we have not brought food back but have gotten the purchase price refunded on stuff at TJ’s. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/14 "2013-06-24T00:49:43Z")
It generally wouldn’t occur to me to return food and I’d be surprised if you can return opened food to a store. The only time I’ve ever returned to a grocery store was once when a package of meat was already expired when I bought it. I noticed the next day, went back and exchanged for a new one. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/15 "2013-06-24T01:57:06Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > It generally wouldn’t occur to me to return food and I’d be surprised if you can return opened food to a store. The only time I’ve ever returned to a grocery store was once when a package of meat was already expired when I bought it. I noticed the next day, went back and exchanged for a new one. That, and my McDonalds story above are the only situations where I do bother returning food. Having worked in the supermarket industry (in my distant past), I feel it is important that they know when they are selling bad food. Now, the time I got food poisoning from the deli chicken salad, I let the emergency department of my local hospital notify the supermarket. I was a bit too preoccupied to do so myself. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/16 "2013-06-24T12:41:32Z")
I’d report it to the entity responsible for the problem, which doesn’t always involve returning it to the store. If my grocery store packed some meat that has a problem I would return it to them. A bulging can or a box of baby cereal with a rubber gasket in it gets reported to the number on the package, though, and they’d damn well better send me a certificate for another free one. Which I probably won’t use. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/17 "2013-06-24T13:21:10Z")
Problem with the food that was purchased at the grocery store that is the grocery store’s responsbility (i.e. food is “off” like some meat we got that once opened was obviously bad, is just patently gross as in the macaroni salad I bought once that had about a metric half ton of salt in it, is spoiled as in the gyros kit I purchased that was obviously past it’s expiration date that I didn’t notice until I opened it and it was moldy, as in the ice cream that we bought that was just too hideous to be described because it had melted down and expired a few months ago) is returned to the store. Never ever had a problem. Problem with the food that is the manufacturer’s fault (I’m not going into details but :rolleyes: - seriously companies? You put your NAME on some of this stuff?) I pitch it and call the manufacturer. They send coupons. For more of the same crummy stuff, but it’s a hope springs eternal king of thing. Sometimes it works out and it’s was a one off - there was a manufacturing line breakdown or something. Sometimes it’s just crap. So we don’t buy it again. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/18 "2013-06-24T18:21:54Z")
I voted “No,” but there was one instance where I purchased the Wal-Mart generic brand of Metamucil and it was so foul-- completely, absolutely undrinkable-- that I felt compelled to return it (and they took it back without issue.) ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/19 "2013-06-24T19:20:12Z")
It depends on whether, after I open it, I find out that what’s inside has gone horrendously bad. It may not be totally the store’s fault, but I am going to go back and give it to them because the whole pallet or batch may be bad and they need to know. I would not be surprised if they gave me a replacement (standard procedure) but if they didn’t I probably wouldn’t be miffed either. Oh, and I’d take it back if for some reason the packaging was not for the same thing that was inside (see coffee bean example above). I had a short stint as a kid figuring out that if I told the hotdog manufacturers every time I found a piece of bone in their hotdogs, they’d send me a coupon. I grew out of that fast, though. If it’s anything other than simply bad/wrong food, I do not return it. I’m not so entitled as that. “You break it you buy it” works on food seals as much as porcelain. In fact, I wish more stores were firm in standing behind their return policies, so that we had less adults around that think they can break the rules over any little thing. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724/20 "2013-06-24T19:24:29Z")
Only because I don’t like it, no, but depending on what the package says, I may send it to the maker along with why I didn’t like it. Some brands actively ask for that kind of feedback. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-return-opened-food-items/661724.md?page=2)