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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About cancelling Valentines dinner?

67 replies

RedCarsGoFaster · 08/02/2018 21:43

Booked a table (online) at a lovely restaurant for Valentines day. DH and I have been married 5 months, I thought it would be a nice surprise for him as we don't normally do much.

Received a call today, asking me to provide my credit or debit card details so they can store the details, put it against the booking (legit call, all checks out) and if we don't turn up they'll take £10/head fee.

Apparently their online system wasn't set up properly, and it should have asked me to do this when I booked a month ago. I said I'd call back....

AIBU to want to tell them to stick their booking? They've had 4 weeks to sort this out, and they contact me 6 days before the date. It's peed me off.

OP posts:
AnnieAnoniMouse · 08/02/2018 22:23

I don’t understand what your actual problem is?

They made a mistake, they admitted that, now they’re asking for your details to fix that mistake

Give them your credit card number and stop being a muppet.

NewIdeasToday · 08/02/2018 22:23

They’ve contacted you six days before the booking. It’s not like they phoned on the night itself.

And it must have taken you three times as long to post this rather than just pay.

What a complete non-issue.

nobutreally · 08/02/2018 22:28

Eh? Why is it any different for you if you give your details 6 weeks before or 6 days before? I’ve booked two restaurants this week. Both required cc details to reserve a table (both relatively naice places ;-) I suspect it’s more common the higher up the restaurant levels you go - as a few no shows is a bigger deal/you’re unlikely to replace.

Original poster
RedCarsGoFaster · 08/02/2018 22:33

I suppose I think they have a cheek making a request out of the blue, and wanting to write my CC details down.I

I absolutely agree the principle of wanting to ensure no empty tables on a busy date is reasonable.

It seems to have got my back up that this has essentially come out of the blue several weeks after making a booking.

OP posts:
Sparklesocks · 08/02/2018 22:34

Cancel it if you like, but taking card details for busy dates is very standard.
I don’t think they’ll be particularly bothered by the cancellation though, if that’s the effect you’re going for, as they’ll replace you with others very quickly on such a busy night..

nancy75 · 08/02/2018 22:36

They won’t be storing the card details, they will charge the £20 & credit it towards your final bill, or keep it if you don’t turn up. If the system had been working when you booked would you have paid the deposit or would you have looked elsewhere? If you would have been happy to pay it when you booked then paying now is really no different.

Lucymek · 08/02/2018 22:37

Lol the will not be writing down all the details and saying oh get the scrap of paper they didn't show. They will authorize 20 pound and debit if you don't show if you do no issue they release.

MyDcAreMarvel · 08/02/2018 22:39

Come out of the blue, what has , it's not an extra charge.

ugghhreally · 08/02/2018 22:39

I suspect they're fully booked and want to ensure they're not turning people away for people that do not turn up. If you're planning on going anyway I cannot see the problem...

kirinm · 08/02/2018 22:39

I rarely respond to AIBU but for gods sake, get a grip.

FinallyHere · 08/02/2018 22:40

I think it would be a lucky escape, to cancel the booking. Meals on 'special occasions' are so often a disappointment. I would rather eat at home (and ahem) and go out another night. If they can't manage a booking, how will they cope with a very busy service?

nancy75 · 08/02/2018 22:42

Computerised booking & cooking a dinner are 2 quite different skill sets, a computer glitch doesn’t mean the chef will forget how to cook!

fusushumi · 08/02/2018 22:46

I would avoid going out for dinner on Valentine's Day as everywhere is so overpriced (misses point of thread)

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 08/02/2018 22:51

Or you could stay at home and cook !

NoFuckingRoomOnMyBroom · 08/02/2018 22:51

Fwiw they shouldn't ever write down your card details-should just put them in the card machine to charge if you don't then up. Pretty standard & no need to get knickers in a twist.

GnotherGnu · 08/02/2018 22:55

You would normally have been asked for those details when you first booked, you've been asked for them now - what's the difference? And what's so different about them writing down your credit card details as compared to you giving them over the phone or the internet when you buy or book something? I could understand your problem if you'd suddenly been contacted and told prices had doubled or something, but try as I might I can't see the issue here.

LAlady · 08/02/2018 22:58

I wouldn’t have a problem with it. Knowing how busy valentines evening is, I’d be pleased that my booking was secure.

ScreamingValenta · 08/02/2018 23:00

YANBU. Your card details shouldn't be stored in this way.

nancy75 · 08/02/2018 23:01

YANBU. Your card details shouldn't be stored in this way.
What way? Nobody has said how they are going to store the card details, most likely scenario they will run them through their card machine, just like every time someone buys something with a card

ScreamingValenta · 08/02/2018 23:05

OP said: asking me to provide my credit or debit card details so they can store the details.

Card details should not be 'stored'. Running them through the machine and taking a deposit isn't storing them - if they were going to do that, surely they'd have said they wanted to 'take a deposit' rather than 'store the details'.

gillybeanz · 08/02/2018 23:08

I can sort of see this as it might have given info on the website about storing data if it had been working.
I would like to know what was happening to my dats tbh.
Written in a book, paper, electronically.
Are they destroying after the evening.

It's fair to ask for a deposit as they can achieve 100% yield on Valentines day, a no show is an opportunity lost.

nancy75 · 08/02/2018 23:09

They will do it on a card machine, pre authorise the amount then charge/not as they need. It won’t be on a scrap of paper.

Haffiana · 08/02/2018 23:09

Don't go. Beans on toast at home, far safer.

BitOutOfPractice · 08/02/2018 23:10

This might be worthy of an eye roll, or maybe a tut in my world

5foot5 · 08/02/2018 23:12

AIBU to want to tell them to stick their booking?

As someone who celebrates their wedding anniversary on February 14th I can tell you that getting a table at a decent place on that night is very difficult so do not throw it away in a fit of pique.

31 years BTW