This morning I was having breakfast in the original Pain Quotidien where it all started. The cappuccino was truly undrinkable. Usually I don't send anything back to the kitchen, but my friend said: "Please, say something."
So I complained in a quite civilized manner.
The waitress answered: "What do you want me to do?"
"Well," I said, "I don't know, maybe you'll manage to make a real cappuccino. This is hot water with milk."
"We will try," she answered.
Again I got hot water with milk.
I paid and we left.
This is stoicism.
Some people will argue that I should have informed the waitress about her unfortunate cappuccinos but it's not the client's job to enlighten his master, the waiter or waitress.