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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you say something if a restaurant undercharged you?

244 replies

MrsClayneCrawford · 18/10/2018 17:20

Went out for meal with DH & mutual friend. The bill came & they hadn't charged us for my meal. I thought cha ching & said to keep stum but friend ignored me & told the waitress. I was really miffed & abit pissed off with my friend. Would you have told them or kept quiet? It was a chain not a family run place if that makes a difference.

OP posts:
tinstar · 19/10/2018 06:39

they hadn't charged us for my meal. I thought cha ching & said to keep stum but friend ignored me & told the waitress. I was really miffed & abit pissed off with my friend.

Bad enough to want to keep schtum op, but to be angry with your friend for insisting on honesty - doubly bad!

I can't remember being undercharged in a restaurant, but it has happened to me in a shop - been given change for £20 for example when I've only handed over £10.
Or I've queried a price if it's been cheaper than I expected.

Many years ago I was with a boyfriend who was buying some shirts in M and S . The amount on the till was clearly wrong by a lot, but when I opened my mouth to say something he elbowed me to keep quiet, paid and ushered me out quickly. I felt uncomfortable and in fact he turned out to be a liar and cheat in other ways too.

Cronesquerness · 19/10/2018 07:13

Nope, that'd be a win.

Pretenditsaplan · 19/10/2018 09:14

Last time i was under charged was at my local Japanese resturant its one of my favourite places and they treat you like family. Theyd missed off some extras id ordered to take home with me for lunchbthe next day. I always check my bill going out for me is a big thing i can rarely afford/justify it so i need to order and work everything out to the penny. I still went and told them. They put it back in the bill but insisted taking my sons full meal and drinks out so it worked out the same. And they gave him some extra sweets they usually sell behind the bar. Being good pays off. Before that ive had the same kind of thing happen in pizza hut. Again my son got a free dessert as a thank you. Its basic human decency to not steal.

Biker47 · 19/10/2018 09:39

I would and have done in the past, because I'm not a morally bankrupt theiving scumbag like a surprising number of people on here seem to be.

Howdidweenduphere · 19/10/2018 09:42

Depends...but I'd only not say if the food /service had been awful!

Joinourclub · 19/10/2018 09:51

I agree with tinstar that people who would be dishonest in this situation would be dishonest in other ways too.

IzzyGrey · 19/10/2018 09:53

No way! Unless it was a small, independent family owned one or something. A big chain? Not a chance! People on Mumsnet always claim that they would whenever these questions arise... I very much don't believe them all! 😂

lostelephant · 19/10/2018 11:19

Of course not! You lot are too nice. I'd pay what was on my bill and go to the nearest bar to buy myself and friend a drink with the money I should've been charged. I'd be miffed at friend too, what you got charged/not charged doesn't concern her.

PavlovianLunge · 19/10/2018 11:30

I very much don't believe them all! 😂

Don’t judge everyone else by your standards. Most people’s appear to be higher than yours in this respect.

tinstar · 19/10/2018 14:16

I very much don't believe them all! 😂

The 'crying with laughter' emoji used in response to the honest amongst us is really quite puerile.

Maybe it's to do with upbringing? My parents were scrupulously honest - my df in particular and I was brought up to be the same. He'd turn in his grave at some of the responses on here.

DisrespectfulAdultFemale · 19/10/2018 15:06

You lot are too nice.

I'm not nice; I'm honest.

HTH.

femidom12 · 19/10/2018 15:29

I've been charged an incorrect lower amount several times and haven't pointed it out. I slept just fine thanks.
It's not thievery if somebody can't do their job correctly....
If it gets taken out of their wages then they very likely won't do it again.

tinstar · 19/10/2018 15:37

That's nice for you Femidom. I wouldn't sleep well if I thought someone working long tiring hours in a restaurant, on minimum wage, unpaid breaks etc made an innocent mistake and had to pay for it out of their wages or at least be reprimanded for it.

Careful though - Karma's a bitch.

BrokenWing · 19/10/2018 15:38

I would never knowingly under pay for a service/goods.

I take pride in my honesty and integrity, they are important to me and who I am. You don't get to choose to be a little bit honest or have principles just sometimes and retain your integrity.

Either you are morally a thief or you aren't, there isn't a middle ground.

MonteCarla · 19/10/2018 15:45

The til wouldn't be down though. At a chain place the bill is generated by the til and printed, if it's not on the bill then the problem is it wasn't entered in to the register correctly.

This.

If it was never on the bill in the first place then the waiter will not have to pay for it himself!

itbemay · 19/10/2018 15:45

This morning in co-op bought lunch and a bottle of wine for tonight, wine didn't scan and guy serving didn't notice. Of course I pointed it out, it was a £14 bottle of wine, my lunch and other bits came to £7. Not sure how he didn't notice but I wouldn't have just left.

YesIDidNameChangeForThis · 19/10/2018 15:47

I would and have pointed it out, because I would not like the person serving me, who is likely minimum wage and desperately needing their job, to suffer.

femidom12 · 19/10/2018 15:48

Dear oh dear a lot of very sanctimonious people on here.
As if peoples attitude to this question is some insight into their entire moral compass puh-lease.

Tinstar Careful though - Karma's a bitch.

As I say I'll just sleep just fine thanks.

HugoBearsMummy · 19/10/2018 15:49

@GreenLantern53 agree

Splurge77 · 19/10/2018 15:52

It's not thievery if somebody can't do their job correctly...
That’s not true though. If you’re employer overpays you, you notice and don’t return it, that’s theft. The fact that payroll didn’t do their job properly doesn’t change that.

Whether knowingly making off without paying for an item might be theft if you’ve been billed for the meal, idk, but even if it isn’t technically theft I see little difference morally.

JassyRadlett · 19/10/2018 15:54

As if peoples attitude to this question is some insight into their entire moral compass puh-lease.

You’re right. A person’s attitude on whether it’s ok to steal has absolutely nothing to do with their morals.

Or, y’know, people who think it’s fine to steal if staff make a mistake are not really the nicest.

DisrespectfulAdultFemale · 19/10/2018 15:56

As if peoples attitude to this question is some insight into their entire moral compass puh-lease.

Character is how (generic) you behave when no one is looking.

Bluntness100 · 19/10/2018 15:57

Yes, morally I think it's theft also. If you know and deliberately don't pay because someone doesn't do their job correctly, I see it as theft. Why not say, you consumed it thinking you'd pay.

I'm not surprised sadly by the amount of people who'd not pay, but I'm surprised at rhe people who actually don't believe anyone else would pay either. That's kind of judging everyone by your own standards.

As said, I'd pay and just the other day my husband encountered this and he paid. We didn't go with the intention of stealing food or drink, we ordered expecting to pay, we enjoyed it, so don't see why because a member of staff made a mistake we'd change that and deliberately walk off without paying.

femidom12 · 19/10/2018 15:59

It's not stealing - end of.
How many theft convictions can you show me where the customer was had up in court because their chocolate fondant wasn't put on the bill correctly?

BrokenWing · 19/10/2018 15:59

I'm not sanctimonious, I am honest.

If someone stole from me I would be fucking raging, if a business took more of my money I'd expect it back when I highlighted the issue to them. So I won't be a theif and a hypocritic and steal from others regardless of whether they are a person or a business and regardless of whether it was a mistake and easy to do/get away with, it still doesn't make it right.

My parents brought me up to value integrity, which is so easily lost, and I'll do the same with my child.