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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

lanbro · 17/02/2022 22:05

I've let people leave my businesses to get cash when they have had a problem with their card, 100% of the time they have returned with cash or phoned up and paid, you were subjected to ridiculous behaviour, although perhaps they've been stung before

EmmaH2022 · 17/02/2022 22:08

[quote hassletassle]@midsomermurderess I'm not looking to destroy them on SM! [/quote]
That's very nice of you

I have never used social media to complain about a business but in this case, I totally would!

Ladybyrd · 17/02/2022 22:10

Don't turn up at a restaurant and order and eat a meal, without a guaranteed means of paying for it.

How do you go on when you're buying petrol? If you can't pay, garages file a police report.

You honestly feel hard-done-by?

EmbarrassingHadrosaurus · 17/02/2022 22:10

That sounds very inflexible on the part of the manager. What a kind and thoughtful couple to help you out in such a practical way.

Pre-Covid I did a lot of train travel for work. I always brought an extension lead with USB ports on it so that people round me could charge their phones.

I can't tell you the number of times that we were badly delayed and people started worrying about their E-tickets and when they'd be able to show them on demand when they were burning through their remaining battery trying to look up alternate travel arrangements and contact everyone.

katepilar · 17/02/2022 22:14

I had a situation twice in the past lets say 5 years where I managed to eat my lunch only to find I had not enough cash and no card on me. At both places they let me go home /to work and get cash. One was a place near home and they might have seen me as someone who comes in every now and then and onlyl took me 10 mins. The other was a busy place in the city centre where I only go like three times a year , so no chance of them remembering my face. It took me an hour to get back. They offered I can come to pay the following day if it was easier.
It wasnt in the UK though.
Please dont feel bad, it can happen to anyone, easily.

Frazzled50yrold · 17/02/2022 22:18

Interesting in that you were effectively held against your will for 20 minutes. I know it's easy to say but it would have been best to clearly state your issue ,what you intended to do and leave, Any further action by the manager to detain you would obviously have been assault. Suggestions of leaving children as some form of surety are appalling.
Your post is thought provoking and something we should all think through.

Lovinglavidaloca · 17/02/2022 22:18

We were sent a £4k+ ring in the post and told just to transfer the money, a garage bills you after you’ve had the work done on your car, accountants and solicitors do £££ of work THEN bill you etc …

I can honestly say I would have gone mental if this happened to me. It smacks of power trip behaviour. Can’t actually imagine how pissed off you are. I would just have walked out and sent my husband to pay later. Fuck them if that is their attitude to a genuine mistake.

I’m getting worked up on your behalf

Lovinglavidaloca · 17/02/2022 22:20

And how apt that kind couple offered to pay for you on Random Act of Kindness Day

BeKind2022 · 17/02/2022 22:21

What an idiot and a bully she was!

I would be posting review of what happened on every review site possible.

If it was a chain I would also contact head office.

Smallkeys · 17/02/2022 22:23

If they didn’t trust you not to do a runner why in earth did they not let you use their phone. Otherwise what else could you do they sound like a shower of maniacs.

Original poster

EezyOozy · 17/02/2022 22:25

*Don't turn up at a restaurant and order and eat a meal, without a guaranteed means of paying for it.

How do you go on when you're buying petrol? If you can't pay, garages file a police report.

You honestly feel hard-done-by?*

Oh honestly. I'm 36 and I've never don't anything like this in my life before. Garages clearly don't file a police report as pp have outlined. It was a genuine error, shit happens, I had the means to pay I just needed to cross the road and get a phone charger, or have my husband pay over the phone (it's a takeaway , they take payments over the phone, but I was sat in the restaurant area) but as another pp has pointed out, the manager essentially tried to detain me.

OP posts:

Undecicive · 17/02/2022 22:26

OP, you said you've been there many times before, I'd make a complaint: google review erc (if it's a chain, to the head office then.)
I expect they've totally lose your custom, they were being ridiculous.

pancakesandsyrupplease · 17/02/2022 22:26

@Ladybyrd

Don't turn up at a restaurant and order and eat a meal, without a guaranteed means of paying for it.

How do you go on when you're buying petrol? If you can't pay, garages file a police report.

You honestly feel hard-done-by?

You are a lone wolf on this thread, I'm afraid!

@hassletassle YANBU and I would absolutely be calling them out on social media if I was you. Mistakes happen, but they behaved absolutely appallingly. You offered every possible solution.

There have been many times over the years when I've realised I've forgotten my card / that a place is cash only. It's never been a problem. I've always offered collateral such as my phone to be left behind, but usually places say that's not necessary.

A few years ago I ended up stranded after both of my bike tyres blew. I called a nearby bike shop who said they had what I needed. I then realised I didn't have my card with me. I called back and asked if I could call my DH from the shop who would then give his card details over the phone. They said yes of course.
They got an EXCELLENT review from me.

Original poster

EezyOozy · 17/02/2022 22:28

I know it's easy to say but it would have been best to clearly state your issue ,what you intended to do and leave,

Yes in hindsight this would have been best. I was a bit blindsided tbh. Had just come from scrambled GP appt, hungry frustrated preschoolers, honestly thought my phone had more charge... then that happened. I probably should have been more decisive. I do know it was my fault, but was quite taken aback by the managers bullying behaviour.

OP posts:

Luredbyapomegranate · 17/02/2022 22:29

Absolutely complain, that’s crazy. They didn’t let you use their phone?!

thinkingaboutLangCleg · 17/02/2022 22:30

Why wouldn’t they let you call your husband on their phone? Obvious solution. Stupid manager. I’m glad the kind old couple took a risk to help.

Summerfun54321 · 17/02/2022 22:34

I understand not wanting you to leave without paying but not to let you even call your DH for him to pay the £20 bill is nuts.

Lovinglavidaloca · 17/02/2022 22:35

£20! Unbelievable really.

Twentypast · 17/02/2022 22:36

It's ridiculous. I had similar when I had filled up my car. I went to pay and they told me their credit card machine was down and I needed to pay cash. I didn't have enough. They wouldn't let me leave my details and return. They told me to call someone to come and pay. Except it was mid afternoon midweek and anyone I could call would have been working. Eventually they told me to leave the car keys and gave me directions to the nearest cash point.
I wrote a complaint but didn't get a response.

thirstyformore · 17/02/2022 22:37

There's always one @Ladybyrd. Of course garages don't always file a police report. Look up the definition of theft. If you fill up with petrol with the intention of paying, realise you have no money and genuinely go to get some, it isn't theft. So no criminal offence committed. Police would have zero interest.

The restaurant behaved appallingly. Really short sighted as for the very slight risk you might not have paid your £20 bill you will be actively telling people not to go.

Cuck00soup · 17/02/2022 22:38

I'm not a lawyer, but have a feeling that the wording around theft involves intent. (I'm sure someone will put the correct term).

The police would have loved a all I'm sure.

MelaniaFlump · 17/02/2022 22:38

The restaurant person sounds a bit dim- what did she expect you to do?

I also think that they were on dodgy legal ground trying to keep you there- if you’ve had a meal intending to pay then found yourself unable to pay (as happened here) that is a civil matter, not criminal. It’s breach of contract rather than any sort of fraud or theft, assuming you never intended not to pay. I imagine the police would have given the restaurant short shrift.

Ficti · 17/02/2022 22:39

@Ladybyrd

Don't turn up at a restaurant and order and eat a meal, without a guaranteed means of paying for it.

How do you go on when you're buying petrol? If you can't pay, garages file a police report.

You honestly feel hard-done-by?

ooh, the manager has turned up!

Middleagedfemaleangst · 17/02/2022 22:40

I’d have laughed in her face, said I’m just going to get the charger like I said and then I’ll be back to pay.

Dibbydoos · 17/02/2022 22:40

How ridiculous! Leave the kids, leave your phone, get your charger! Job done.

The 'it's not our problem' is just crass. It was their problem, you couldn't pay. Wtf!

Thank the Lord for good people saving us from idiots!!!

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