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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be slightly annoyed by misdescribed raffle prize?

127 replies

TheMadGardener · 22/11/2017 00:03

So last weekend was our local church bazaar and there was a big raffle with some great prizes. One of the top prizes was advertised as (and printed on the tickets) as "Dinner for two at (local very posh country house 5 star hotel and restaurant)". Nice prize. Anyway, I bought some raffle tickets.

We didn't stay for the raffle draw but later I got a phone call to say that I had won the "dinner for two at posh hotel" prize. I was really pleased and so was my husband. I went and collected my prize today, and in the envelope is a brochure from the hotel and a little slip which says "Voucher for two-course set menu lunch for two (drinks not included)."

I know I am BU to be a bit disappointed because we'll still get a free meal, but I think it''s a bit off to advertise it as dinner on the raffle tickets and then it turns out to be lunch instead. I don't think I'll tell the church though; wouldn't want to upset the vicar! Smile

OP posts:
Shadow666 · 22/11/2017 00:07

Some people do call a cooked lunch dinner. I’d be miffed too but it’s a small thing. I’d maybe make a joke about it to the vicar sometime.

Swirlingasong · 22/11/2017 00:08

I think there are plenty of people for whom dinner is lunch. Depends where you live maybe. Just enjoy your meal!

RavenBlack · 22/11/2017 00:18

I would not have expected drinks/booze to be honest. I would just be grateful for the meal. A two course meal for 2 in a 5* restaurant could be anything from £50 to £150 depending on where it is.

You could also find the drinks are expensive though,so be prepared.

DH and me went to a wedding the other week at a 'fancy' 5-star hotel in a swanky area. The buffet was free, but we had to buy our own drinks from the bar. 2 glasses of wine - £17. Shock So, brace yourself!

TyneTeas · 22/11/2017 00:22

Hope the reason for the substitution isn't like this one...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a3063565-How-to-get-out-of-something-that-I-didnt-agree-to

Insomnibrat · 22/11/2017 00:23

I really think YABU tbh. I bet there were loads of people who entered that raffle who would have gratefully been thrilled about winning it without a second's thought.

Ttbb · 22/11/2017 00:23

Some people actually call lunch dinner for sone reason.

MrsTerryPratchett · 22/11/2017 00:36

Very posh places don't call lunch 'dinner' AFAIK. So it is misleading.

noEventsScheduled · 22/11/2017 06:11

Definitely not U. Call the local paper. Got your sad face ready?

I'd want compensation!

BarbaraofSevillle · 22/11/2017 06:53

Half the country calls the mid day meal dinner. However, as one of them, I would still expect 'dinner for two in a posh place' to be an evening meal and include at least one drink per person.

I hope the prize can be taken at the weekend or else it really is a slightly crappy prize and YANBU to be slightly annoyed. Well done for stating a reasonable level of disappointment BTW, too many people would be furious, fuming or angry at this, which is a bit much when winning a freebie that is not exactly what you expected.

Collaborate · 22/11/2017 07:14

For those saying some people call lunch dinner - whilst that might be true, I'm sure the restaurant doesn't call it that.

Also, imagine the raffle saying "tea for two". I think we'd all understand what that would mean(!)

SandyDenny · 22/11/2017 07:23

Was the envelope sealed? Maybe the church genuinely thought they were getting a dinner voucher and it was a misunderstanding with the hotel.

Some people do for some reason call the midday meal dinner but I really doubt that's the explanation. Posh hotel definitely knows the right way to name meals.

1DAD2KIDS · 22/11/2017 07:27

Really?

healthyheart · 22/11/2017 07:27

But surely the meaning is to raise funds for the church .... winning a prize is a bonus......

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 22/11/2017 07:29

To me a dinner is a hot meal, but lunch is a more specific description as it is clearly the midday meal. If you're talking about "dinner" in a restaurant, I would assume the evening. Going out for food in the middle of the day would be going out to lunch.

I'd also be surprised if "dinner for two" turned out to be a lunch for two rather than an evening meal.

ScreamingValenta · 22/11/2017 07:31

It sounds more like a miscommunication than a wilful attempt to deceive - someone donated the prize and the person printing the flyers got the wrong end of the stick. I doubt they would have sold any fewer tickets had the prize been described as 'lunch' - as a pp said, people buy to donate and prizes are just a bonus.

GrumpyOldBag · 22/11/2017 07:36

YANBU to be slightly annoyed, but YWBVU to say anything to anyone about it.

Congratulations on winning the top prize and enjoy your free lunch!

OliviaStabler · 22/11/2017 07:36

In some areas of the country, lunch is called 'dinner'. I suspect that whoever wrote the raffle prizes out is one of these people so they thought they were being accurate.

ShatnersBassoon · 22/11/2017 07:41

Oh God, it's a decent prize, and who on earth actually expects to win anything when they buy tickets?

I once won a selection of Femfresh items beautifully cellophaned into a gift pack in a raffle.

BabsGangoush · 22/11/2017 07:41

Check it's not for a Wednesday only, between 11am and noon (ie the quiet times)

diddl · 22/11/2017 07:45

"I'd also be surprised if "dinner for two" turned out to be a lunch for two rather than an evening meal."

But that is what has happened isn't it?Confused

It does sound like a balls up by whoever advertised the prizes.

charlestonchaplin · 22/11/2017 07:45

It wasn't the restaurant that typed up the information printed on the raffle tickets. I doubt anyone intended to deceive you. More likely it was a misunderstanding.

Topseyt · 22/11/2017 07:46

So the person who wrote the list of raffle prizes calls the midday meal dinner. So bloody what!!??

Be grateful you won such a nice prize. Or if you don't want it now because of this utter nonsense then give it to someone who will appreciate it more.

Or, as another poster said, go to the press with your best glum face on.

Your post about disappointment makes you seem ungrateful and spoilt.

fartyghost · 22/11/2017 07:48

YABU, you've won a lovely prize so go along and enjoy it.

Witsender · 22/11/2017 07:49

It is misleading as the common interpretation of dinner is the evening meal, and for working adults an evening meal is easier than lunch which may mean time off etc.

Obviously it isn't worth getting het up over however

GracielaSabrocita · 22/11/2017 08:00

It's misleading. Not the lack of drinks - I'm referring to the fact that they changed lunch to dinner.

Because it's not a massive fraud they can get away with it however they are blatantly taking the piss. Someone decided that they would make free lunch sound more appealing by pretending it was free dinner so they could sell more tickets.

Personally I would say something to whoever has responsibility for the event. They created or went along with it. It's no big deal but it is out of order and they need telling.

Incidentally all these comments insisting it must be an accidental error make me laugh. If people connected to a church are lying then it must be accidental? Christians are a mixed bunch ime, and some of them seem to have little to no morals. (Whilst others are the nicest people you could ever want to meet.)