But how do you know the food sucks? It wasn't until I travelled and tasted food in other places that I figured out when food sucks. Up to then I assumed it was mediocre. Now, I'm more likely to leave feedback with the waiter. I've had bad service and I've had good service and I know which is which.

There are any number of objective and subjective ways to know, the restaurant just needs to care about it. Off the top of my head:

- actually eating the food from time to time

- checking orders before they go out

- checking orders after they are done, to see if food remains

- checking yelp and other reviews

- being a chef and doing chef-like things