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AIBU?

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Original poster

if you owned a restaurant what would you do ....

245 replies

EezyOozy · 17/02/2022 20:25

Went to gp today, they said I could attend at short notice .... Had to wait for ages with two young kids to actually be seen … got out at 1730 , it's quite a long drive home.... so I decided to take them to pizza place over road. Have been many times before and just pay using my phone. Didn’t have purse with me as was in other bag and left in a hurry.

Had our food , just as I was asking for the bill my phone died. Had a charger in car…which was over the road.

I apologised profusely as it was totally my fault. I alerted the waitress as soon as I realised. She went to get the manager.

Again I apologised profusely and admitted it was my fault. The manager was really really abrupt and a bit of a bully about it, and said I wasn't allowed to leave!

-she wouldn’t let me go and get my charger , saying that I couldn't leave without paying

-She wouldn’t let me use their business phone to call DH and have him pay over the phone (it's also a takeaway so they take payment over the phone)!

-She wouldn’t let me go home to get money…..

-I offered to leave my name and address and all contact details!

They just kept saying “you can’t leave until you’ve paid, you will have to contact someone to bring you some money"

Me: "But my phone has died and you won’t let me get my charger or use your phone”

“Well that’s your problem, but you can’t leave without paying or we will
CALL THE POLICE"

Went on for about 20 mins and my kids were both going mental by this point and I was struggling to contain them . Eventually I said “look I’m just going to have to leave, phone the police if you like. I’ll call up and pay when I get home”

An elderly couple who had overheard the whole thing came over and said they’d just pay our £20 bill as the was ridiculous…
So the couple paid, I said goodbye to them at my car and thanked them grovelingly. I insisted on taking their bank details and mobile number, and within 5 mins I had charged my phone and transferred them the money (and texted them to confirm).

Is it just me or were the restaurant really mean??!!! I would have expected them to let me get my phone charger or call my husband ?

yes it was totally my fault, i apologised profusely I will never rely on just my phone again

I like to think I would have just let the person get their charger?!!

OP posts:
AladdinPrincess999 · 17/02/2022 21:35

Its actually random acts of kindness day. May those two elderly people who helped you out, get lots of good fortune. Smile

I would've let you pay over the phone when you got home. If it was a big chain, I'd be sure to contact head office.

CornishTiger · 17/02/2022 21:36

Restaurants were absolute dicks. They also caused alarm and distress. They could have easily walked with you to car.

Twilight7777 · 17/02/2022 21:37

How ridiculous of them! I agree with others, name and shame them.

Darbs76 · 17/02/2022 21:37

The restaurant were ridiculous. Glad the couple came to your rescue, very kind. How can you ring someone with no phone?! I’d have said ok phone the police then, who will tell me to get my charger and then I can pay.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 17/02/2022 21:42

@hassletassle

Can you imagine if the police attended and got the full run down ... like what would they actually do, other than tell the manager to let me go and get my charger 🙈 it was so embarrassing , the manager was so loud and people were overbearing. Thank goodness for the nice couple !!
They would be furious with the manager for calling them out over nothing - especially if the manager used an emergency number.

You made a mistake - we have all made mistakes. They could have let you use their phone FFS, or someone could have gone with you to your car to collect yours.

Absolutely appalling way for them to behave.

Name and shame and leave a review.

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 17/02/2022 21:43

I wouldn't leave a scathing review of the restaurant. I'd write a review of the lovely couple who came to your aid when you were in the restaurant, and no one else would help you to resolve a problem Wink

Candycan · 17/02/2022 21:43

I would of just gone and got my charger. genuinely - as if they would of called the police. ridiculous.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 17/02/2022 21:46

Is it a big chain restaurant or a small independent?

If it is a chain then I would send an email to their central complaints/comments email address.

Obviously take responsibility for your part in it, it was your mistake but ask them what the manager should have done in that situation because you cant believe her training would have told her to behave the way she did. She literally made it impossible for you.

MadeForThis · 17/02/2022 21:47

I would definitely contact the restaurant and complain. If they aren't willing to apologise I would write a review.

UpToMyElbowsInDiapers · 17/02/2022 21:51

I recently went to a local restaurant that was cash-only, but I didn’t realize that until it was time to pay. I didn’t have enough cash on me, so I left my driver’s license with the owner and nipped around the corner to the bank to make a withdrawal. Total non event. And the owner even said not to worry about it and to pay double next time. ;-)

cansu · 17/02/2022 21:52

What an idiot. Why on earth wouldn't they let someone else pay over the phone? Bizarre

Xiaoxiong · 17/02/2022 21:53

Manager was completely ridiculous. If they were worried about you doing a runner you could have left your (dead) phone or your keys or handbag with them as collateral while you went to get your charger.

Nocaloriesinchocolate · 17/02/2022 21:57

I once went to a cafe to wait for DS and DH. Ordered coffee then realised I’d lent my card to DS (totally and utterly trustworthy) and had no cash because of Covid. Woman behind the counter said they had a scheme whereby customers could pay for an extra coffee so someone else could get one for free and I could have one of those. I felt so embarrassed as I can easily afford a coffee but accepted her offer and made sure I bought a “pay forward” coffee when I left using the card DS had returned. Lovely idea

Nocaloriesinchocolate · 17/02/2022 21:57

To add, DS is an adult!

Babyroobs · 17/02/2022 21:57

They were totally unreasonable. I wouldn't give them my custom again ever !!

Tubs11 · 17/02/2022 21:58

That's awful! We once found ourselves in a remote location where they didn't take card at the restaurant and you also needed cash for the car ferry that would take you a ten minute journey rather than an hour long round trip back to the mainland. Owner of the restaurant not only feed us but gave of l us a tenner from the till to get the ferry. Naturally we sent a cheque for our meal, ferry fare and generous tip. We also recommended that restaurant to anyone that would listen!

ChocolateRiver · 17/02/2022 21:58

The manager was completely out of order. Yes you made a mistake, but you tried everything possible to rectify it. What magic solution were they expecting.

Original poster
EezyOozy · 17/02/2022 22:00

They were totally unreasonable. I wouldn't give them my custom again ever !!

Oh I won't be !

OP posts:
SecretKeeper1 · 17/02/2022 22:01

If the car was just over the road I’d have left my kids there for the 30 seconds it would take me to get the charger. Was it actually just over the road? Like, visible from the restaurant?

OnwardsAndSideways1 · 17/02/2022 22:01

Wow, a couple of times I've not had cash on me and had to run out and get some, one time at a hairdressers but what could they do, they couldn't undo the haircut! I've done it at a restaurant as well. Really silly, I'd also lend you/pay for you in this situation, but the restaurant manager was being ridiculous in not letting you charge your phone or get a charger, talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

ChocolateRiver · 17/02/2022 22:02

A similar thing happened to me at a new hairdressers today. Went to get dd hair cut and when it came time to pay the hairdresser said it was cash only, but I only had my card. I popped out to the cash point, got cash and went back straightaway to pay. No agro or upset. All fine.

SecretKeeper1 · 17/02/2022 22:02

And I would definitely be leaving a review regardless. They were definitely being VERY unreasonable.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 17/02/2022 22:02

Ridiculous. Lots of ways it could be sorted, they were not able to facilitate any of them.
It's bullying. I had similar with 2 of the girls I worked with who separately managed to put petrol in their car whilst not having a purse or means of payment with them.
Instead of following sensible procedures, like letting them phone someone (like me) to pay over the phone, or could have gone there in 10 mins, they did the same, no solution just said if they drove off the forecourt they would be arrested for theft.
I assume they did it for shit and giggles.

Original poster
EezyOozy · 17/02/2022 22:02

The manager was completely out of order. Yes you made a mistake, but you tried everything possible to rectify it. What magic solution were they expecting.

I honestly think she thought I was lying. I think she thought I was lying that I didn't have any money on me, and that my phone wasn't charged. I can only think that they have regular chancers?! Not that you can read a book by its cover it but I don't think I present as somebody that tries to scam restaurants out of food, more just visibly a frazzled mum who is barely coping and forgot to charge her phone properly!

OP posts:
OnwardsAndSideways1 · 17/02/2022 22:03

This was more in the past, although I have had a payment declined before now and had to run home to get some cash. Or another time i forgot my password, total mind blank.

It's really odd as in other places, like recently I was buying a several thousand pound item and they just bill you later, same with opticians, same with builders, all kinds of places don't want the money up front and just bill you later, so they must trust you will pay and haven't given false information.