Restaurant offer

[Tinkah]

Went to pizza express for lunch with a friend. On the menu there was an advertised offer- free dessert if you have starter and main. We decided to have that. Before choosing our dessert we asked if the dolcetti were included (the mini desserts which Coke with a hot drink). The waiter said yes. We ordered them.

When the bill came the desserts were itemised and not "free". I pointed this out to the waiter and he said: "oh I pressed the offer button so the dolcetti must not be included!" I pointed out he told us they were included and that's why we ordered them.

He got the manager who said "it says here in the tiny small print (on the menu ) they're not included, and made us pay for them!

I am annoyed as we only ordered them after the waiter said they were part of the offer! WIBU?

Ywnbu. Send a complaint email to the main website and you'll get some kind of apology voucher probably.

I would chalk it up to experience it's not a lot you can do about it now

I would send an email, at the very least they need to know that customers are leaving unhappy because of their staff - you asked a specific question and ordered based on the information the staff gave, and then they did nothing to sort the problem when it turns out their info was wrong. In restaurants I've worked in, if something like this ever happened the manager would definitely offer to comp the desserts as a goodwill gesture on this occasion for the mis-information and then make sure that the waiter checked in future if they weren't 100% sure of an answer asked by a customer.

From a purely customer service standpoint, nobody wants the customer to leave their establishment (whether it be a restauraunt or shop) pissed off that they are out of pocket because an employee fucked up and a manager did nothing to fix it because it runs the risk that they never come back and all future revenue is lost, not to mention the revenue of people they tell and who also decide not to go back either based on the bad review.

YWNBU. Why do places like to make themselves unpopular. They're not stupid. They know people talk on reviews Facebook and of course on here. They're fools to themselves

Weirdly, I used to manage their complaints team (hugely identifying but I don't care). Either use the online feedback form, complain via email (on the website), or call the complaints team during normal office hours. Their number is here www.pizzaexpress.com/help-and-contact/how-do-i-make-a-complaint

Don't expect a quick reply unless you call as they are very busy but you will be treated well and they will put this right, just be clear that you were given incorrect information about the offer.

You should have paid a penny for the dessert, left your name and address and left.

They can then chase you through the courts for the extra although they'd be unlikely to win.

Melj1213 is totally right - they need to know and will actually want to know as this helps them improve. Unlike other companies PE use this information to make key decisions on training/wording of promotions etc.

Pizza express staff should know about the offers cos nobody ever goes in without a voucher of some kind.
Complain to head office

I would absolutely send in an email explaining how annoyed you are and the attitude of the staff.

I complained a few months back about shoddy service and got sent a £30 voucher as way of compensation.
It's easy to eat there for under £30 for two so it's basically a free meal

I complained about the stinky loos and also got a free meal for two

I agree, email head office and you will get vouchers. The waiter made a mistake (which is fine, people are allowed to make mistakes sometimes!) but the manager should have let you have them for free. In fact I'm sure most restaurant managers would have done!

They were in the wrong, the waiter should of known his job. When in the restaurant, I wouldn't of paid a penny for the desserts and the manager and his staff that don't know there own job would of had to deal with it!

You could write a letter/email/twitter head office and you never know might get some vouchers or something.

The restaurant was in the wrong. If certain desserts weren't in the offer then the waiting staff should of known this and if unsure you don't say oh yes it is, they should go and find out.
Manager was in the wrong for making you pay, his waiting team made the mistake so that's his problem.

If something like this happens again anywhere OP do not pay for the items they told you were in an offer. It's there mistake and they have to correct that

I'd certainly be sending a letter/email and complaining

This happened to me on Saturday . Didn't realise at the time as I expected a high bill with 4 kids and 3 adults dining. It was only as we were leaving the centre after a film that I mentioned to my sis the amount I had paid. She thought I'd been overcharged and I went back into the restaurant to get the actual itemised bill

Tirns out they'd charged for the 3 adult desserts and also failed to mention that there was a service charged added. They presented the card machine on the gratuity screen and I added a tip not realising that I had already been charged a service charge.

When I went back in the server said something about it not having come off automatically and i did actually say to her I bet they overcharged a lot of people like this.

I did get a refund of the value if the desserts but she was a bit huffy about it