Ring or not, you know if it's good. Speak to the manager/owner. I know
I'd want it brought to my attention if I ran a restaurant.

He could be (as mentioned) passing along the job to someone else, hiring
a new cook who doesn't understand the process (and why it's done how
it's done) or maybe he was busier than normal and needed to take a
shortcut. You never know. But talking with him would help. Invite him
to sit down with you and explain it.

We frequent a local restaurant in town here. It was our favorite. Then
the owners sold it, and the new owners tried to cut costs. Suddenly
their steak was garbage (they used to have 1.5/2" sirloins, yes,
sirloins, that to me were as good as filets!), their fish was "fishy"
tasting, and their salads even got worse. I normally got the salmon
when I Was there, as that was still pretty good.

I knew he changed where he bought his meat. And it was BAD. We didn't
go for a while, and when we did go back, he asked us where we'd been (we
were VERY regular weekly customers).

I explained it to him and a week later their steaks (at least that) were
back to normal. Although, in the meantime I discoved Sam's club meat
and bought a new grill (finally) and am doing steaks just as good, if
not better now.. lol! My smoking experience actually helped my hot and
fast steak grilling, mainly the dry rubs I use on them.

Bottom line, talk to them! They WANT to hear how to make things better.
It's in their best interest.