Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

AIBU?

to be annoyed that we were going to be charged for extra butter?

201 replies

NotEnoughTime · 03/12/2019 11:54

I went out for lunch on Sunday with my DH (a very rare occurence). We went to a restaurant that we have been going to for years. We go there on special occasions ie birthdays, anniversaries etc. It usually costs around £60-70 for lunch for two with no alcoholic drinks.

Anyway, we ordered soup for our started and we were given bread with this. We used the (small amount of) butter and then asked for some more butter. We were then told we could have some more butter but we would be charged a £1 for it! I thought this was very strange. Has anyone else ever been charged extra for butter? The waitress insisted this was common practise but I have never come across it before. I know it was only a £1 but I thought it was very mean.

OP posts:

Report

Am I being unreasonable?

1722 votes. Final results.

POLL

You are being unreasonable

6%

You are NOT being unreasonable

94%

calmama · 03/12/2019 11:56

Seriously...?

MrsCasares · 03/12/2019 11:58

This happened to us once, but with gravy. Minuscule amount on the plate (Sunday lunch), so dh asked for more gravy and we were charged £1 for it. Never went back to the restaurant and we used to go quite often.

Yanbu. Vote with your feet, don’t go back.

Peanutbutteryogurt · 03/12/2019 12:01

No never been charged for butter or any other extras!

DarlingNikita · 03/12/2019 12:01

YANBU! That's SO mean for a £60-70 lunch. Don't go back.

ginghamstarfish · 03/12/2019 12:01

I hope you didn't leave a tip, and/or deducted the service charge. That's very poor customer service in my opinion.

Butchyrestingface · 03/12/2019 12:02

What happened in the end, @NotEnoughTime?

Your thread title suggests you either didn’t take the butter OR took it but weren’t charged.

TheQueef · 03/12/2019 12:02

Tight gits.
I wouldn't go back.

MegaClutterSlut · 03/12/2019 12:07

When I worked at bakers oven (now greggs) we had to charge for extra butter or jam. Not sure if they still do

NotEnoughTime · 03/12/2019 12:07

Butchy

My DH said in that case he didn't want the butter (as it was him that wanted it) and no (for the first time ever in a restaurant) we didn't leave a tip!

OP posts:

MegaClutterSlut · 03/12/2019 12:08

Oh and yanbu

DarlingNikita · 03/12/2019 12:12

When I worked at bakers oven (now greggs) we had to charge for extra butter or jam.
That's different from somewhere charging £60 for lunch, TBF.

JasonPollack · 03/12/2019 12:12

Why should you get it for free? You wouldn't walk into a shop and demand something for free, so why would you do it in a restaurant?

Very mean of you to take it out on your waitress, it would not be her policy.

motherheroic · 03/12/2019 12:14

@ginghamstarfish So she should take it out on the waitress who has to enforce the rules or risk being sacked?

JasonPollack · 03/12/2019 12:14

£60 for lunch for two is really not that much when you break it down. Good ingredients are very expensive and restaurant overheads are high.

Butchyrestingface · 03/12/2019 12:17

Well, I strongly believe that tips should be voluntary. But if you always leave tips on principle, it appears you have taken your annoyance out on the waitress, who will have no input on the restaurant’s charging policy.

And the restaurant will give zero fucks that you didn’t tip the waitress.

DarlingNikita · 03/12/2019 12:18

Why should you get it for free?
Because it's a bit of butter It's not like they asked for an extra bowl of soup or another bowl of chips for free.

Roundtoedshoes · 03/12/2019 12:18

I think that’s quite shortsighted of the restaurant as it would put me off returning. Yes it’s only a pound, but a decent restaurant should have provided the correct amount of butter in the first place.

I have never been charged extra, but notice a lot of places are mean with it. I frequently dine with a a group of friends and we always have to ask for more. I don’t understand how restaurants get this wrong!

cantfindname · 03/12/2019 12:18

Ex boss used to charge 10p for an extra slice of cheese in a burger. This was 20 years ago and the 'cheese' cost less than 1p per slice. Also 20p for those little sachets of sauce that others give away free.

rhubarbcrumbles · 03/12/2019 12:19

YANBU but I don't think the way to show that you were annoyed by it was to not leave a tip because the waiter/waitress doesn't make the policy.

ScreamingValenta · 03/12/2019 12:19

YANBU. If it's a full meal you're having (and not just a slice of toast or something) condiments and spreads should be included, within reason. One extra portion of butter isn't unreasonable.

thenightsky · 03/12/2019 12:20

Christ, they'll be charging for salt and pepper next!

donquixotedelamancha · 03/12/2019 12:20

Why should you get it for free? You wouldn't walk into a shop and demand something for free, so why would you do it in a restaurant?

Because a £60 meal more than covers the cost of the meal. You are paying that much for the overall experience. Not providing enough butter, and then quibbling over providing it, spoils that experience.

Very mean of you to take it out on your waitress, it would not be her policy.

A tip is for good service. If the restaurant really has such a draconian policy that the wait staff can't provide good service then it will not succeed. More likely the staff member made a poor choice.

Either way, tipping for bad service is silly.

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Email address

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

SarahTancredi · 03/12/2019 12:21

Buy a whole block of butter for 1 pound .

Cheap skates

The more expensive the restaurant the more stingy they are with absolutely everything.

Get more than three chips in.macdonalds....

changeforprivacy · 03/12/2019 12:22

Shock! Horror!

Restaurant charges for food

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 03/12/2019 12:22

No that is miserly and poor customer service. Its not like you were asking for a second whole lobster! Just more of a portion that was too small in the first place.

It would put me off going back if they were going to be so stingy on such a small thing in the context of a large bill.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.