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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think we shouldn’t have had to pay?

316 replies

MamToTeens · 31/12/2019 20:57

Took DH, 2 DC and BIL out for lunch today. After ordering, it took 10 minutes for the drinks to come (not too long considering, but they were literally cans that we could see from the table). We then had to wait another hour and a half for food! There were 2 cooked meals and 3 sandwiches. The cooked meals were burned and the bread was stale, basically inedible. We are a bit but couldn’t manage much. We were then told that it was cash only, even though it hadn’t been clearly advertised (argument was that it was on the door, which was open so we couldn’t see the sign). It was around £60 for the 5 of us, so I couldn’t afford it with cash. We walked out without paying and they threatened to call the police. Haven’t heard anything yet. AIBU to have refused to pay? And will they be able to do anything when they don’t have names or anything?

OP posts:
Figgygal · 01/01/2020 08:25

They sounded pretty crap and I’d have walked out before the food arrived with that length of wait but blimey op what you did is just not cool

Elderflower14 · 01/01/2020 08:42

OP....Read THIS Then go back and pay!!! 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡

KatherineJaneway · 01/01/2020 08:43

@MamToTeens

Why post in AIBU then?

Beansandcoffee · 01/01/2020 08:45

Theft.

Looking forward to the DM picking this up and the restaurant contacting them.

MrsScrubbithatescleaning · 01/01/2020 08:58

Don't be ridiculous, it's clearly not theft because you didn't go there intending not to pay at the outset, so I wouldn't worry about that.

I wouldn't have sat waiting an hour and a half for food. I'd have paid for the drinks and then left after about an hour, tops.

I don't think you did anything wrong by not paying for the food if it was burnt, sandwiches made with stale bread and a long wait for it too, providing you made this clear that that was the reason for non-payment.

If a shop ordered a sofa for you and it had a rip in the seat cushion when it arrived, you wouldn't expect to pay a proportion of the cost. You would reject it and pay nothing. This is no different.

SchoolPanicTime · 01/01/2020 09:00

It is acceptable to refuse to pay because of poor quality but you should have made that clear. I'd have paid for the drinks in cash and then left making it clear the food was inedible so I wasn't going to pay for it.

Alb1 · 01/01/2020 09:00

Police do follow this stuff up (I’ve worked in hospitality for years) it’s theft at the end of the day. And they don’t necessarily have to drive 100 miles, they could send police that are already closer... you dealt with it all wrong, and ruined the staffs New Year’s Eve which sounds like it was probably already very stressful. You should have complained properly and negotiated the payment reduction based on this rather than running off like the unapologetic common thief you are.

QueenOfTheFae · 01/01/2020 09:04

@MrsScrubbithatescleaning

Don't be ridiculous, it's clearly not theft because you didn't go there intending not to pay at the outset, so I wouldn't worry about that.

No, that's not how it works, if I didn't mean to take the diamond ring without paying, it's still theft, what about when you get overpaid at work, you didn't mean to be overpaid, you still cant keep it. Lack of intent does not remove a crime.

If a shop ordered a sofa for you and it had a rip in the seat cushion when it arrived, you wouldn't expect to pay a proportion of the cost. You would reject it and pay nothing. This is no different.

Totally different again. You would send it back, you would communicate with the company sending it, you wouldn't just keep it and not pay

Yes @MamToTeens will probably get away with it due to lack of information and resources, but they did the wrong thing

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 01/01/2020 09:06

I doubt the food was actually inedible. It may have been poorer quality than you felt the price warranted. You should have considered how much cash you had, complained, and tried to negotiate.

You also needed to pay the full price for the drinks you had (not what you think the cost of a can is).

If you didn't want to pay for the food you needed to reject it as it arrived, not eat a little.

damnthatanxiety · 01/01/2020 09:07

lightlypoached where do you live and what do you drink to think that £5 covers 5 drinks? A pound a drink???

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 01/01/2020 09:07

Queenofthefae
It can be a crime and not be theft - it can be taking without consent, for example.

burnoutbabe · 01/01/2020 09:09

I hate places that after you have eaten your meal say oh cash only.
Had this last night, £40 meal and luckily I had some cash on me. But often I only have £20. Having to leave one person to find a cash point is awkward. I mostly assume they are not declaring their takings to hmrc/vat if they don't take cards. Not do bad in a cafe where you have coffee and cake but in a place you'd order 3 courses and wine, it could be pricy.

MiddleClassProblem · 01/01/2020 09:11

It’s very odd that you said you didn’t drink the drinks when you were sat with them for over an hour... 🤔

patrick80 · 01/01/2020 09:16

Some people on here saying it is theft are wrong. For it to be theft you would have had to gone into the restaurant with the intention of not paying. Leaving without paying because you are dissatisfied is a civil matter. The restaurant would have to bring an action against you in court. Personally I would go back express you dissatisfaction and try and negotiate the bill. Not worth the hassle of a potential court action.

Dontdisturbmenow · 01/01/2020 09:16

That has to be an example of justify a sense of entitlement to the maximum!

You had drinks you hardly waited for. If the total bill was £60, I very much doubt the drink were only £5.

You waited 1:30? You of course had the option to pay for the drinks and go somewhere else. You didn't. The food came up of poor quality? You of course had the option to eat none of it but to taste and send it back? You did, and most likely are all of it.

You were prepared to pay for it with your card, but because it was cash, you suddenly decided it wasn't worth paying anything.

You are unreasonable and just plan outrageous entitled and rude. People like you are what is killing good service for those who do deserve to be treated pleasantly but are not because the staff is treated so badly by a group of people who think they are better than anyone else.

According to this survey, this account to a 1/4 of people, what a sad reality to wake up to in the New Year.

Dontdisturbmenow · 01/01/2020 09:18

I mostly assume they are not declaring their takings to hmrc/vat if they don't take cards
That's a jump of an assumption! Many business deal in cash only for various reasons and pay their taxes fair and square.

Usingmyindoorvoice · 01/01/2020 09:20

What would you have done if the food had been delicious? You still didn’t have the cash with you to pay.
I also feel very sorry for your server, likely some minimum wage over worked and under managed person, who may now be having to pay up for your theft..

TheTrollFairy · 01/01/2020 09:22

I think you are getting a hard time because of the way it’s been worded.
Had you had just come on saying you ordered food which was burnt for the cooked items and the fresh items stale so complained and refused to pay then I think you would have had most people agree with you. Because you said you just walked out and didn’t make reference to any discussion about the payment following your complaint it comes across as just doing a runner. Especially as you have said that you couldn’t pay because it was cash only implying that had you been able to pay by card then you would have settled the bill - makes it all sound like you were trying to get out of paying for the food because it was cash and not card.

FWIW, with all independent cafes I always ask if they take card before I order (same with any non high street type shop) as card payment cost the retailer so it’s not always a given that they will take cash (or seems to be the case for the town I live in)

Usingmyindoorvoice · 01/01/2020 09:24

This is the only time I’ve ever hoped that the tabloids nick a story from Mumsnet. Shameful behaviour OP

CigarsofthePharoahs · 01/01/2020 09:25

I am curious about how much of the food you ate and what happened when you complained about it.
I have, on two occasions, been served food that was inedible. On both occasions I was offered an immediate apology and my food was promptly replaced - on one occasion by a more expensive meal, but I didn't have to pay extra.
Had I not received an apology and replacement I would have refused to pay for the inedible meal. I would, however, have spoken to the manager about it before leaving though.
So I don't think you were necessarily wrong for refusing to pay for inedible food, but I think you went about it the wrong way.

patrick80 · 01/01/2020 09:31

@QueenOfTheFae you are wrong it isn’t theft. 2 seconds of googling will show you that. Theft would require proving beyond reasonable doubt that they person deliberately intended to deceive the restaurant. That isn’t the case here. It is a civil matter covered by the Consumer Rights Act.

Catsandchardonnay · 01/01/2020 09:37

Of course it isn’t theft. You didn’t take the food, you left it behind! You paid for the drinks. I don’t blame you at all OP. Why should you pay for crap food and service?

Jayfeem · 01/01/2020 09:40

The armchair lawyers on here are incredible. Google bilking it absolutely is a criminal offence. A negotiation and then dispute (with details left to continue matters) would be a civil matter not leaving without paying.

Yes you’re being unreasonable and what an example you’re setting. If food is very literally inedible (which I doubt given it seems to be a secondary issue to the card only problem) you negotiate on the bill. You don’t walk out.

At 60 quid for five people and being served drinks in a can this obviously wasn’t fine dining (sounds more life a cafe not even a restaurant?) and I seriously hope the waiting staff weren’t deducted the cost of the dine and dash you all enjoyed.

Send them an email apologising and explain you were stressed by the poor food. Ask for their bank details to transfer the cost of your meal but explain you think it’s fair a deduction is made for poor quality. You can both walk away from this having done the right thing.

Cohle · 01/01/2020 09:41

Find an ATM and go back, what the hell is wrong with you. Many restaurants will dock that from the staff's pay.

WaterSheep · 01/01/2020 09:42

If the total bill was £60, I very much doubt the drink were only £5.

Exactly. 5 drinks is only £5, but 3 sandwiches and 2 cooked meals costs £55. Hmm Very unlikely. As is sitting for 1 hour 30 with just a can each.

Op is fudging the truth here.