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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:
DogsAndGin · 20/02/2022 12:00

They should’ve let you use their phone. Not very human of them

affairsofdragons · 20/02/2022 12:07

The restaurant was being ridiculous. You offered several perfectly sensible, reasonable quick fixes, and they said no.

Ridiculous.

I would have left anyway and gotten the charger out of my car, and then come back and paid it as it charged in the restaurant. They couldn't stop you from leaving physically, and the police would have chewed out the restaurant individual for wasting their time if they'd even bothered to show up.

I'd be scathing about it on their social media pages.

Tilltheend99 · 20/02/2022 12:13

@hassletassle

Thank you. I feel cross about it. The manager was so horrible about it and I was visibly struggling with two young kids. Every solution I offered she refused !! I feel I want to complain , but I don't have a leg to stand on really as it was my fault!
Instead of complaining you couldn’t shame them with kindness by writing a review thanking the elderly couple who payed your bill when you forgot your wallet and were struggling with kids etc Just to subtly let the restaurant know that you were genuine.

I would have let you get your charger and it sounds really stressful but I agree with others who said the restaurant probably have people run out without paying all the time. It’s those people who are the real problem because it makes it hard to tell when genuine people need help. (Like change for the bus scenario)

StrawberrySanta · 20/02/2022 12:17

I work at an Esso garage and when a customer forgets wallet/phone doesn't work so can't pay, we take their name/address/car details and they have 7 days to come back and pay. The restaurant was acting rediculously they should have let you use their phone

CheltenhamLady · 20/02/2022 12:29

I would also make a formal complaint OP. Was it an independent restaurant or a chain?

I would also leave a review. What happened to you was dreadful.

The restaurant needs to review staff training and customer service.

HoneyRose87 · 20/02/2022 12:36

I once didn’t realise a barber shop didn’t take card payment and had no cash. When it came to paying, the lady was fine about it, I said I’d leave my contact details whilst I went to the cash machine, she said no need and she trusted me, 5 minutes later I returned with the money and apologised, it really was no issue for her. If she didn’t let you leave, or borrow the phone, how did they expect you to pay? I understand it’s our responsibility to ensure we have a means of paying but mistakes happen.

diddl · 20/02/2022 12:37

Can't believe there was no charger that you could have used.

I don't know any of the numbers in my phone off the top of my head so access to another phone wouldn't have helped me!

Tabbacous · 20/02/2022 12:40

The police wouldn't have been arsed anyway, so a ridiculous threat. Seems wild they wouldn't agree to any of the sensible suggestions you put forward, its not like you were trying to wriggle out of it. I'd have probably either let you use the charger, phone your DH on the restaurant phone or just kept the food there until you'd ran to get your stuff from the car Confused

diddl · 20/02/2022 12:43

"I will never rely on just my phone again"

Probably a good idea!

Mind you I was at the supermarket once & you couldn't pay by card as that wasn't working.

I happened to have enough cash as wasn't getting much.

How many methods of payment should we all be taking with us?

ancientgran · 20/02/2022 12:45

I can understand them worrying about people not paying but to refuse to let you use the phone is total madness.

Is it a chain pizza place? If it is I would send an email to the CEO as that wasn't reasonable behaviour.

I was in M&S once with little one in buggy. I did my shopping (I was going to visit mum and buying some treats for her when I changed buses in city centre) got to the till and discovered I didn't have a purse in my bag. I'd put my money for bus fare in my pocket when I was leaving home and obviously must have just put my purse down and left it. Not only did M&S let me take my shopping on my promise I'd pay they also offered me the bus fare to get home. I had the bus fare in my pocket so didn't need it but I am a very loyal M&S customer and 50 years on I remember their kindness.

ancientgran · 20/02/2022 12:47

@diddl

"I will never rely on just my phone again"

Probably a good idea!

Mind you I was at the supermarket once & you couldn't pay by card as that wasn't working.

I happened to have enough cash as wasn't getting much.

How many methods of payment should we all be taking with us?

I was in Asda once when the power went, we all paid by the checkout operator looking in our trolley and saying, "That looks like about £30 worth so shall we say £25.) I think I did quite well out of it if I remember.
CambsAlways · 20/02/2022 12:49

Utterly ridiculous I’d be leaving a review

Jewel52 · 20/02/2022 12:55

The manager sounds unbelievably dumb! And, given the age of your kids, their reaction was harsh for a relatively small amount of money. Don’t be embarrassed about it, other customers saw you were genuine otherwise the older couple wouldn’t have settled your bill!

Lalliella · 20/02/2022 12:56

Top tip: memorise your credit card details. That’s what I’ve done, mainly because I’m too lazy to get off my bum when I’m internet shopping and I don’t use PayPal after a bad experience. It came in handy when I was at the dentist recently with a £1,000 bill and I’d forgotten my purse Blush

The restaurant was ridiculous obviously, and the manager a bully.

ferneytorro · 20/02/2022 13:13

Not a police matter, needs to be intent not to pay for it to be a crime ( think the definition is intent to permanently deprive for theft) If it happens again leave your name and address and walk out. Nothing will happen.

gettingolderandgrumpy · 20/02/2022 13:14

What a arse !! I once filled up at the petrol station and forgot my purse before I had apple pay . They were fine they says full a form in and I think I had 24 hours to pay but I just went home got my purse and paid . Another time hairdressers card machine didn’t work and no cash I just transferred when I got home . I honestly think the police would have been very baffled they would of said let her use the phone to call someone.

Jangles1970 · 20/02/2022 13:20

You made a mistake but one which was easily rectified had the restaurant been more understanding! You offered numerous ways to solve the problem and they behaved unreasonably by blocking your efforts.......at this point 'fuck 'em', I would have walked too, or insisted they actually call the police, I'm pretty certain they would have seen it as a complete waste of their time and the manager would have felt foolish. How lovely that you had nice people there who helped out, the universe balances out yet again!!

Reviewer123456 · 20/02/2022 13:30

Don’t write a review. Some restaurants make the employee’s pay the bill if people don’t pay. Plus they might have Persistent issues of customers not paying their bills. You just don’t know the background. Just take it as a lesson leant and make sure you have adequate payment methods in the future.

duvetdayforeveryone · 20/02/2022 13:31

That is really messed up that they wouldn't let you use their phone to get someone else to pay over the phone.

ancientgran · 20/02/2022 13:32

@Reviewer123456

Don’t write a review. Some restaurants make the employee’s pay the bill if people don’t pay. Plus they might have Persistent issues of customers not paying their bills. You just don’t know the background. Just take it as a lesson leant and make sure you have adequate payment methods in the future.
If that was the case then surely letting her use the phone so her husband could pay would be the best thing to do.
Rococococo · 20/02/2022 13:42

Were you a different race to the manager OP? Their attitude sounds actively hostile rather than just unhelpful. Makes me wonder whether there was a racial aspect to their treatment of you.

AnneElliott · 20/02/2022 13:42

The restaurant were completely unreasonable and their behaviour was counter productive! The most easy course of action was to let you call your DH so he could pay!!

No way would the police have turned out for that. They'd have told them to take your details and let you on your way.

MikeandDave · 20/02/2022 13:45

Very mean not to let you use their phone. I guess I can understand them not wanting you to go out of the restaurant but not allowing you to use the phone is just terrible.

Mumoftoddler2 · 20/02/2022 13:49

They saw you had a 4 year old and 2 year old and thought that you were going to do a runner?! It takes me a good 10 mins to get my two in the bloody car they would’ve caught me by then 😂😂
Seriously though-mega power trip and many other solutions thank goodness the older couple came to your rescue!

whynotwhatknot · 20/02/2022 14:02

Ridiculous way to behave all they had to so was go with you o9ut to the car or let you phone someone and they could pay