"accidentally served meat"

Is there a coherent answer to the 'accidentally served meat' hypothetical people love to throw out? My friend suggested the other day that "If meat were accidentally given to you in a restaurant, discarding the meat, sending it back, etc., is worse than just eating it because the animal 'died for nothing'" I don't really like this game I end up playing and would like to arrive at a complete answer for why eating the meat is worse than discarding it. I've tried explaining that this situation wouldn't ever happen but that isn't satisfying.

I should find better friends but would still love ammunition for backboard shattering dunks on carnists.

Vegan btw.