Whine Away

You spot a mouse scurrying under the table at one of your favorite restaurants.

"The [erroneous] assumption that we make, and that is part of our complaining psychology, is that the manager is fully aware of everything that is going on. Alert the manager. Don't complain to the hostess," says Winch. Even if the vision of a mouse or an unhygienic practice has scared you into never coming back, a constructive complaint could benefit the restaurant (and your community's health). "Restaurant managers know complaints to health authorities can close them down. However, if the manager or owner does not take your comment seriously, you should file a formal complaint with the local health authorities," adds Winch.