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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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!

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 22/11/2017 10:26

Oh right that's me told then.

Xmasbaby11 · 22/11/2017 10:27

It's still a lovely prize and you don't expect to win so it's not like there's any anticipation. Not really worth getting annoyed about.

KurriKurri · 22/11/2017 10:37

Complain to the vicar - make him/her pay for a proper dinner out of the church roof fund.
Report the person organizing the raffle for fraud - get that con artist sent daaaaaaaaaaaahn.
Piss in the font.

melj1213 · 22/11/2017 10:40

Am I in a parallel universe to some people on this thread? OP YADNBU

So what if it was a raffle prize or that the OP had no guarantee of winning anything, she was given something that was mis-described and therefore is not unreasonable to want to make an organizer aware. YWBU to go and make a huge fuss but YWNBU to let the organiser know that what was offered and what was received were not the same thing.

I live in the NW where dinner can mean either the midday meal or the evening meal but context almost always makes clear which is inferred. If somebody said they were "going to X for dinner" then it is implied that they are going to X restaurant for an evening meal. If they were going for a midday meal then they would be "going to X for lunch".

The voucher itself specified "lunch" as it's wording, so why would that not be used for the advertising? If the hotel were routinely using dinner to mean lunch, why not have that on the voucher, unless they know that dinner =/= lunch in a restaurant setting?

In addition, I wouldn't expect unlimited drinks but if I'm going for lunch I'd expect at least one drink per person to be included - even if it was limited to a soft drink, house wine or specific beer. If my local pub can have a meal offer that includes one drink (from a limited choice of their wider menu) then you'd expect a 5* hotel to be able to offer the same. I would always expect to pay for any drinks after that but it would be disappointing to not even be able to get a glass of lemonade with my lunch without having to pay extra.

I would definitely speak to the organiser and let them know that whilst you are happy to have won and to thank them for the great prize you were a little disappointed to find out that the dinner for two is actually a lunch for two as that was not what was advertised. I'd want them to know so that in future they can check the wording more closely and ensure that what they are advertising is what is actually on offer.

Sparklingbrook · 22/11/2017 10:44

Am I in a parallel universe to some people on this thread?

Very possibly. It's only a raffle prize, and not really worth getting het up about in the big scheme of things IMO.

IToldYouIWasFreaky · 22/11/2017 10:52

YANBU to be annoyed
"Dinner for two" is different from "lunch with restrictions for two" and the church was wrong to sell raffle tickets offering something they couldn't deliver.

It sounds like one of those things that ends up being more hassle/expense than it's worth, especially if the voucher is limited to weekday lunchtimes, by the time you book time off work/arrange childcare, get yourself there and back, buy drinks etc.

KurriKurri · 22/11/2017 10:56

I wonder if there is a universe out there somewhere entirely peopled by folk who frantically sweat the small stuff.

Compared with some of the utter shite I have won in raffles in the past, a free lunch sounds pretty good (even if it was 'misnamed' dinner) and a whole lot better than a toiletry set circa 1953, a special hook so you can dangle your handbag from the edge of the table, a scented candle in faded pink with no discernable scent, a half used set of stationery, a bottle of mulled wine punch (use by date year before the raffle), and a frightening porcelain doll with eyes that followed you round the room.

IToldYouIWasFreaky · 22/11/2017 11:03

Since when did being "slightly disappointed" equate to "frantically sweating the small stuff"?

OP seems, at most, mildly miffed and even acknowledges that she's being unreasonable to be disappointed.

Sparklingbrook · 22/11/2017 11:03

Totally agree Kurri.

shutitandtidyupgitface · 22/11/2017 11:05

I wonder if there is a universe out there somewhere entirely peopled by folk who frantically sweat the small stuff

Possibly but since OP is only mildly miffed it seems rather rude of you to say such a thing, doesn't it?

GrumpyOldBag · 22/11/2017 11:05

Now this is exactly the sort of thread that would end up in the Sun or the Mail.

KurriKurri · 22/11/2017 11:08

I was referring to some of the posters after the OP, the clue being that I picked up on the 'parallel universe remark' which I found amusingly extreme.

DJBaggySmalls · 22/11/2017 11:12

Its another You Should Be Grateful bunfight!

If you call your midday meal ''dinner'', when you go out to a restaurant in the evening do you go out for tea?
Tell the organisers in case the hotel were roped into doing something they didnt agree to.
If they offered the prize they've been dishonest.

somanyusernames · 22/11/2017 11:15

ach, someone made a well-intentioned mistake. I would keep quiet, talking to the organiser is just going to make them feel bad, and will fix nothing at all. it's Christmas - can't you go for a nice lunch over Christmas?

VladmirsPoutine · 22/11/2017 11:16

This thread is like MN on acid. Either go for the lunch or give the voucher to someone else. Dinner is an evening meal and tea is a drink - not a meal at any time of the day. But it absolutely does not matter.

Sparklingbrook · 22/11/2017 11:17

Ages ago somebody suggested the AIBU topic be renamed 'Petty Gripes'.

melj1213 · 22/11/2017 11:19

someone made a well-intentioned mistake. I would keep quiet, talking to the organiser is just going to make them feel bad, and will fix nothing at all.

I disagree - if I have made a mistake I would much rather know so that I can avoid making the same mistake again. It might not change the OP's issue but by saying something to the organisers, just to make them aware rather than to complain, then they can ensure the same mistake doesn't happen in future.

IToldYouIWasFreaky · 22/11/2017 11:20

Nope, still not seeing any frantic sweating of small stuff, just people agreeing that the organisers were slightly out of order and OP might want to mention it. But hey, enjoy yourself in your parallel universe Kurri!

somanyusernames · 22/11/2017 11:20

just doesn't pass the 'worth it' test for me - make someone feel bad and awkward, when you've got a nice free lunch instead of a free dinner.

being assertive in shops etc is one thing but this is purely a goodwill endeavour.

Lunde · 22/11/2017 11:21

It's a raffle prize that cost you little as you were not expecting to win! Many people would be excited to win lunch out so don't be ungracious and complain about the prize "not being good enough" Go and enjoy lunch or give it away!

I won a raffle a few years ago which was 2 tickets to a "Rock and Roll Buffet Dinner Dance" (no drinks). This was totally not DH and me - so we gave them to a couple of friends we thought would like them and they were really excited!

KurriKurri · 22/11/2017 11:23

Huge International organization misrepresenting a raffle prize which people have been paid to organize =complain.
Small church bazaar probaby organized by some harrassed church volunteer, making a mistake = let it go.

Why because there's a difference between calling out paid employees with the wherewithal to make sure mistakes are not made, and being unkind to someone who has made a (pretty minor) mistake whilst kindly giving up their time to help riase funds.

Nothing to do with gratitude, more to do with forgiveness for small errors and seeing the bigger picture not jumping in to complain when it isn't really necessary.

somanyusernames · 22/11/2017 11:25

agree kurri - I won a raffle prize at a small local raffle last year for a takeaway that never got to me somehow - i didn't complain.

Sparklingbrook · 22/11/2017 11:26

The reason why volunteers stop volunteering is people complaining about this sort of stuff.
Some poor volunteer has had to ring around local places asking for donations, which is not a great job. They were most likely thrilled to get the offer of any sort of prize.

KurriKurri · 22/11/2017 11:27

I will Freaky - come on over some time, it's lovely over here, our knickers are all unknotted and flapping free. We might even cook you dinner.

KurriKurri · 22/11/2017 11:27

Sorry - lunch !

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