WWYD - Pay or not for meal we did an (unintentional) runner on

[SomedayBaby]

We got back yesterday from ten days away in the UK. We spent Sunday night in a Premier Inn before driving back yesterday and went for breakfast in the adjoining pub (you know the one that's affiliated with the PI) before leaving.

Anyway, we've just been talking about the trip in general, the P Inn breakfast was mentioned and we've just realised we didn't actually pay for it. We think it was £19 (for two adults, kids eat free)...we strolled in and got shown to a table then upped and left when we were done .

In our defence, this was the third hotel we'd stayed in on that trip and with the others breakfast was included, so it just didn't seem to occur to either of us to pay. The waitress happily waved us out as we left so it obviously didn't occur to her either!

Dh think's it would be silly to call them now...this P Inn is about 350 miles from where we live so popping in to pay isn't an option and dh thinks calling them over less than £20 is stupid and we should leave it. I feel really bad though and guilty and ridiculous ...WWYD?

[BrassMonk]

I think some people don't realise there is a difference between something being illegal and something not happening.

It is illegal to sack someone just because they are female- it still happens.

It is the same for making staff pay for runners. Of course it is illegal. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

[VodkaValiumLattePlease]

F&b is frankie and bennies, not food and beverage

[sashh]

But the wait staff won't get money taken off them. They generally get paid minimum wage. If the money is docked then they will be paid under minimum wage. This is illegal.

Yes it is, but they can charge the staff for the runner, if the waiting staff do not have the cash to pay there and then the manager can offer to let them pay out of their wages.

[RedSoloCup]

As someone that works in a pub adjoined to a PI that does breakfast the waitress will definitely not be made to pay, in fact the breakfasts are all you can eat so not paying isn't a massive deal BUT I would still call and apologise and offer if it was me.

Some breakfasts are included it depends on what you choose when you book, we get a list of customers that have paid and the others pay us. Often a lot that have paid are no show anyway though so it's not a massive deal.

[Eirabach378]

I hope you've paid now :)

[Squeegle]

I also used to work for the company and would reinforce no one will be made to pay. In my view (and I say this as someone who loves PI and would never advocate doing a runner), the company needs to work harder at ensuring they have the right number of staff on on the morning. I have often tried to pay myself and found it difficult to track someone to give my money to!

[AppleSetsSail]

Let it go , I wouldn't worry about it. It's usually a real hassle for shops to put through payments at a later date

How do you come to that conclusion, Ladymayormaynot ?

I was at Pizza Express once and realised I didn't have my wallet. They knew me there and were very nice about it, but when I went in to pay later that day they told me they couldn't process the payment and that it went into their daily non-payment account.

I felt pretty shite, obviously, and left a big tip.

[Groovee]

At the premier inn they normally make you pay before you eat.

[Bishybishybarnabee]

Regardless of whether the waitress would have been forced to pay or not (and illegal or not it does happen) the right thing to do it to pay. You had the food, you owe the money so pay it. Yes you'd probably get away without paying but why wouldn't you.

[hidingwithwine]

I'd ring up and pay. I once my shopping for free at Sainsburys as something weird happened with the self service till. I went back the next day with the receipt and explained and the customer service woman said "You could have totally got away with this you know" That wasn't really the point, though, was it?!!

[HolgerDanske]

I would pay. Mostly because I know that as pp has said just above, something being illegal does not mean it doesn't happen quite routinely, but also because I believe in making the right choice even in cases where no one but me will know. In fact more so.

[RaskolnikovsGarret]

We stupidly accidentally did this last week on holiday abroad, as we got distracted by something else. We suddenly realised several hours later that we had left without paying, and despite the obvious hassle, we went back to the restaurant. If we had left the town, we would have called to pay by phone.

Not sure how anyone could sleep well at night if they didn't. The restaurant seemed very relieved to see us come back and pay.

[OnionKnight]

Yes you should pay OP.

I'm also a bit at posters insisting that because something is illegal that means that it doesn't happen, my brother was a waiter a few years ago and he had to pay for runners.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Technically it is theft

It's easy to ring up and pay

They may say don't worry about it

But be awful if the waited did have to pay

[YellowShockedFace]

I can't believe all the posters that accept money being taken from their wages or their children's wages and just don't do anything about it.
You can't let employers get away with docking wages to pay for non-paying customers!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

No I wouldn't pay,in reality I don't know anyone who would give it more than a second thought. On MN of course these sort of threads are completely the opposite of anything I experience in reliance life.

[AndYourBirdCanSing]

Whilst at uni I worked at Pizza Hut and they would take the money from our wages over a few wage slips to make up any shortfall- including if 'your' table didn't pay and your shift had already ended so weren't there anymore! All grossly unfair in my opinion

[SkydivingFerret]

For some reason I still get surprised at these threads. Surely your moral compass tells you paying is the right thing to do regardless of how many staff they had on or how much it is?

[PregnantAndEngaged]

I would pay.

A while ago I was given a prescription, went in to collect it but I needed to pay. However she handed me the medicine and didn't charge me and I'd forgotten that I needed to pay as well so walked home with it. Later that day I realised I'd forgotten to pay and went back and paid it. The staff member looked at me like I was insane for going back but at least my conscience was clear!

[Naveloranges]

I don't understand how people 'forget' to pay!! Bizarre.

[MerchantofVenice]

I sort of agree with Dame Diazepam that what you hear in here is very different from real life... All these people 'unable to understand' why you wouldn't pay!!

The only reason I would actually pay is the worry about the waiting staff having to pay instead. I wouldn't want that to happen. I have no real conscience attack over not paying a huge company £19 for food that probably, in reality, cost a fiver...

The examples about the charity shop and the NHS prescription are totally different imo. Only the worst scum would rip of a charity, ditto the NHS... I am glad to pay my prescription charges because I am grateful for the NHS and know it needs the money!

I realise that technically I have no leg to stand on in not paying for the PI breakfast - but I just can't imagine feeling wracked with guilt over it. Worrying about being caught on cctv or being blacklisted is very different from feeling moral guilt...

[RubbishMantra]

Check that your (online?) booking included breakfast, if unclear ring and ask them if breakfast was inclusive.

Simples!

[BertrandRussell]

I would pay- but that's because I know that the waiting staff in some chains have to pay for "mistakes" out of their wages.......

[Squeegle]

Couldn't agree more Merchant.

[NamelessEnsign]

rattusn I didn't taking the booking so I don't know! I think the booking had been taken with a name but no number. I suspect that one half of the party thought the other had paid - surely not all 17 people have so little conscience - but surely they'd realise?

As for accepting something so illegal, well, I'm not in the service industry now, but I certainly wouldn't accept it now. I had no contract and relied on the job (it was very local) during sixth form.

I still remember that sinking feeling of horror at the end of my shift though. And the outrage that followed. All my tips and wage gone for hours and hours of work!