More of a WWYD... Waitress dropped dish of olive oil onto my phone, now it's broken.

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

She was very appoogetic, and I wiped it over with a napkin and turned it upside down, but the oil has obviously got in to the piece where you hear people talking to you and you can't hear anything. So essentially, I can't make or receive calls.

Is there anything I can actually do about this? I mean, they're not going to replace my phone are they ... Is it just bad luck and move on?

[wisba]

As annoying as it is I think you are liable for leaving the phone on the table, what's wrong with a bag or pocket? However because it is a chain restaurant I think they will have the means to cover your costs, and probably will.

[TrinityForce]

Well, I think I'm going to get phone insurance now.

I think the restaurant should pay. Something was spilled on her phone, just like if it was spilled on her jacket, it's the spillers fault and they should take responsibility.

[Sleepingonthebus]

My phone is often on a table. I'd rather it was on silent in full view than ringing in my bag and annoying other diners. It's a risk I take with drinks and food also on the table.

If anything happened to it I don't think I'd blame the restaurant but I can see how others would.

[limitedperiodonly]

We have a shop and public liability insurance. If a member of staff damaged something belonging to a customer the insurance would cover it. That's what insurance is for. The restaurant will have it. If they don't, that's a much bigger issue that damage to a diner's phone and whether she should have had it on the table.

Why do some people on MN compete to quibble over this?

[SooBee61]

You should have cover under your household insurance. They ought to replace the phone and then can fight it out with the restaurant's insurers.

[KittensandKnitting]

FFS

Of course Ask should pay! The waitress spilt oil on a phone and it is damaged. They have insurance for this very purpose.

DP and I went for lunch today, thankfully no phone gate here but both had our phones on the table as we had just been looking at the Ap for the restaurant. If it was damaged then too right i would expect them to pay.

[Longtime]

Household insurance doesn't cover items taken out of the house. They need to be covered separately. This can be a separate policy altogether or within the household contents but as a named item for all risks (and therefore incurring an extra premium). As many have said, this is the restaurant's responsibility and their insurance should cover it.

[Pipbin]

Not so Longtime, I have extra cover for my phone under my 'personal possessions' cover. Not a separate policy or names items. It also covers things like cameras.

[WicksEnd]

Now that MN have put this thread on FB, you might get more of a chance getting it repaired/replaced.

[JessieMcJessie]

Yep, the restaurant's public liability insurance will cover it. To those saying OP was unreasonable to have her phone on the table, this is at best contributory negligence, but that would be for Ask to prove and I don't believe that they would be likely to succeed given how usual it is for people to have phones out in restaurants these days.

Just keep insisting politely OP, the fact is that they are legally obliged to have third party liability cover but you are not legally obliged to have insurance for your phone so don't let them fob you off by saying you should have had insurance.

[Hails080690]

Don't think the restaurant will pay because they could turn around and say well you had your phone out and it is a high environment where it's classed at high risk.
However having saying that it depends on what to reputation they have.
We went out for a family meal to a local independent pizza place. There was bout 20 of us. Nothing got broken however the waitress spilled juice all down my oh. The rest of the night we all got free drink soft n alchloic which was good. They also took his meal which was 3 course off the bill plus gave an extra 20% off the rest off the bill.
That was only for a spilled drink but they have a good reputation and they don't want that ruined so with them doing all that got us we of course wouldn't have want bring bad media to them over a tshirt getting juice on it

[giraffesCantReachTheirToes]

I've never heard of ask before this thread. Good publicity for them! I am in Glasgow do they have one here?!

Go on fix the phone ask

[mum2Bomg]

I used to work for PizzaExpress head office and we used to get things like this often. I would raise it with head office (they used to be part of the same company) either looking online for their email address, or a web form on their website. If you know the waitresses name it will help and they should replace it. Just make it clear you only want the phone replaced and not money and they will help.

[Longtime]

Pipbin I found this on go compare:

Some home insurance policies will already include such protection (personal possessions outside of the home) as standard, so read the terms and conditions to see whether the cover meets your expectations and needs.
More commonly, you need to specify if you require cover away from home and this will be an add-on to the policy.

So some do now include this protection in the standard policy but it is normally an add-on.

[mum2Bomg]

You really need to speak with the Operations manager and not the restaurant manager - hope that helps x

[Pipbin]

Well I have always covered mine on the personal possessions which is an add on to my policy.

[mum2Bomg]

Here is the contact us form: www.askitalian.co.uk/contact-us

[mum2Bomg]

This is really common, our Ops Managers would just go and buy a new phone!

[BlueSpanishEyes]

This happened to me at work, I spilt a pint of juice onto a man's phone and the cost was taken out of my tips.
If your phone is so precious to you don't keep it on a table where there is food/drink. That's just asking for an accident tbh. Just keep it in your bag in future unless you are making a call etc.

[Flibjibbet]

I completely agree with you OP. My phone has been in my pocket before and missed a call from preschool to say I needed to collect DS asap. I'm now always leaving my phone on the table (keeping drinks the other side) just incase. I hope head office contact you back! Incredibly frustrating being without a working phone and for them to just shrug their shoulders over it!!

[millimat]

I'd expect something from the company.

[jane23164]

just claim on you phone insurance. thats whats its for

[cjbk1]

The waitress will feel terrible already, waitressing probably isn't for her but is a job, therefore she probably can't afford to replace it herself and can't go over management's head to use their insurance #justsayin

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

Head office car got back to me, they were really nice and offered us a free meal and said to let them know the cost to repair my phone, I also stressed that the waitress was lovely and obviously it was an accident.

I'm not really in the habit of trying to get people in trouble, but she did damage my phone, and I do think it's reasonable to have your phone on the table.