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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Jacket Potatoe

78 replies

cafegiardino · 14/10/2011 16:31

Ordered a jacket potatoe at cafe. Offer £3 for potatoe with beans & cheese.

Asked server for the potatoe but to leave off the beans. They said could do that but would be charged £4 as a potatoe with cheese was not on offer. the server said scrape of the beans if dont want them!

AIBU? Its not as though the potatoe with the two toppings was pre-prepared. I just thought this was the most stupid thing heard in a long time.

OP posts:
diggingintheribs · 14/10/2011 20:25

Oh well in that case YANBU

I can't think of a reason for turning down a request to serve the food in a less conventional manner would be turned down unless pre plated

did you ask after you asked for no beans at all? they must have been being awkward because the query put their backs up for some reason

ChippingIn · 14/10/2011 20:26

Lissie the crisps in a packet are different, in the way that if the Spuds with Bean & Cheese were already plated up it would be different - this is simply asking them to do exactly the same thing but stop before plopping the beans on top. It is madness to charge more not to put the beans on top, madness.

LissieLovettsDeliciousDuckPies · 14/10/2011 20:33

Chipping, its not different. Its expecting an advertised item to be sold at a lower price. The multipack is a discounted price per unit. If you don't want the extra packs you are free to buy an alternative at the advertised price.

However, they should have sold it with the beans separate. that takes it into the realm of the ridiculous. Not the refusal to sell at a lower price

ChippingIn · 14/10/2011 20:38

So, Lissie, let me get this straight. You would happily put the beans onto another plate, knowing they will be thrown away - causing waste & more washing up... just to charge the B&C price? To you, this makes more sense than just not scooping the beans out of the pot??????????

Fucking hell... it's true. The world has gone mad.

LissieLovettsDeliciousDuckPies · 14/10/2011 20:44

Yes, because a) that would be covering the stock control issues (in many places I've worked, portions are worked out stringently and it is just as bad to have excess stock as not enough) and b) that would be adhering to the price guidelines and company policy.

Its not that hard to believe that some people actually do their job properly is it?

LissieLovettsDeliciousDuckPies · 14/10/2011 20:47

And another example: you go into a coffee where a coffee and cake is £2. A coffee by itself costs £1.50, a cake costs £3 you want cake but not coffee, how much would you expect to pay?

LissieLovettsDeliciousDuckPies · 14/10/2011 20:47

And another example: you go into a coffee where a coffee and cake is £2. A coffee by itself costs £1.50, a cake costs £3 you want cake but not coffee, how much would you expect to pay?

Original poster
cafegiardino · 14/10/2011 20:58

Lissielovetts - Using common sense I'd expect to pay £2 but wouldnt drink the coffee. But if they were to pour the coffee over the cake than I'd need to rethink that one.

OP posts:
LissieLovettsDeliciousDuckPies · 14/10/2011 21:10

They were wrong to refuse to serve beans separately, but my point is, its the same situation. The price on the menu is the price you expect to pay. If you wanted just the cake and told them to leave the coffee, you pay the price advertised for the cake. If you purchase the special offer you pay that price and are free to do with it as you please. I have already said that I would have served the beans separately and instructed my own staff to do the same, that way you could dispose of then, receive goods at the price you want and the company keeps auditors off their back.

whatsallthehullaballoo · 14/10/2011 21:18

This has to be my all time favourite thread Grin

Yeah but, no but , yeah but...

FUCKING BEANS PEOPLE

hahahaha

Op you should have asked for your beans in a bowl and say you do not like a soggy spud. I am keeping this thread in my heart forever.

mothmagnet · 14/10/2011 21:23

What a nightmare fot the staff to have to enforce these stupid policies.

There'll be some manager somewhere who's made this up and the servers have to face all the customers.

ChippingIn · 14/10/2011 21:26

Lissie - doing something completely pointless may be your idea of doing your job properly, it's not mine.

I would pay £2, they can serve the coffee or not - but it's a waste of coffee & time/effort washing up if I don't actually want the coffee. However, a special is usually a deal that makes buying the things together a better deal than buying both separately, not cheaper than buying just one of the items.

Still think your approach to it is as mad as a box of Frogs.

LissieLovettsDeliciousDuckPies · 14/10/2011 21:33

Ffs, this is, believe it or not, fairly standard in catering. Pay the £2 throw away the coffee. But if the auditor comes in and you have too much stock left over you are hauled up before weights and measures accused of shortchanging customers. Anyway leaving thread now. Obviously not getting through despite explaining procedure and rationale behind the policies, and I'm sick of repeating myself.

onepieceofcremeegg · 14/10/2011 21:38

and lol at the prospect of someone pouring coffee on the cake cos you have to have the "offer"!

ChippingIn · 14/10/2011 21:48

Lissie - enjoy your flounce evening.

LissieLovettsDeliciousDuckPies · 14/10/2011 21:59

Jeez, could you be more patronising Hmm I'm just tired of explaining standard procedure to people who blatently don't understand and have no experience of that type of environment.

ChippingIn · 14/10/2011 22:09

It is patronising to assume that just because I disagree with your jobsworth attitude to this that I don't have any experience in catering/cafes/restaurants.

You are the one who has been patronising on this thread, not me.

Anyway, probably time to agree to disagree. Good night.

LissieLovettsDeliciousDuckPies · 14/10/2011 22:40

I really don't think I have, and if I have, I apologise. I do however resent being called a jobsworth for doing my job properly.

But, you are right. Agree to disagree.

Chynah · 14/10/2011 23:07

Could you have asked for the beans "on the side" surely that would have been within the offer?

juneybean · 15/10/2011 10:38

I actually witnessed this the other day in Wetherspoons, they offer a sort of pensioners special, a meal and a coffee/tea.

The lady said no I don't want tea but the cashier said "Well I'll put it through any ways so you get it at the cheaper price." the woman didn't get given a tea or a coffee.

What is that actual issue?

HoneyPablo · 15/10/2011 10:49

YANBU
I don't see any reason why they couldn't have left the beans off or put them on the side.
What happened to customer care?
I hope you are going to avoid that particular cafe in future.

caramelwaffle · 15/10/2011 10:58

Ahhhh.

Must update C.V..

Skills: The Art Of No Common Sense.

GaramMasalaGirl · 15/10/2011 10:59

I'm very surprised at the way this business handled itself by not accommodating OP's request.

Christ knows almost all businesses are struggling at the moment...seems a bit daft for them to have lost a future customer just because they couldn't be arsed to be flexible for the OP.

There are a number of ways the restaurant could have handled this without making themselves look stupid and their customer feel like shit.

And whatever happened to good custome service?...oh sorry, I forgot, we're British...we despise good customer service Wink

caramelwaffle · 15/10/2011 11:00

Beans on a side plate. Easy.

But no. Must employ Art Of No Common Sense. Tis' in the training manual.

TakeThisOneHereForAStart · 15/10/2011 11:06

"Next time will stick to spud u like."

Are they still trading? I haven't seen a 'spud u like' shop in years!

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