Paying the full balance for Christmas dining

[amispeakingintongues]

Anyone had to do this before?
I've already paid a £70 deposit at £10 per head but now they want the full balance (2 weeks before our booking) and it's rubbing me up the wrong way.

Since when did this become a thing, or have i been living under a rock?

It's not a Christmas day booking. Its next weekend.

Isn't that the point of a deposit though?

www.theguardian.com/food/2022/dec/04/staff-shortages-see-uk-restaurants-struggle-to-cope-with-christmas-season

This isn't a normal Xmas for the restaurants, OP.

All those Christmas parties and dinners cancelled last year due to Covid while hospitality still had to pay staff, utilities, rent and had forked out for all the supplies.

Are you really surprised they want paid in full this year?

If you have every intention of going, then what’s the problem?

The fact that, if you've paid already, it's harder to get anything done if the experience turns out to be rubbish

I can (just about) see it for a very large party or for Christmas Day itself, but otherwise no. The obvious answer is to pick a place which doesn't ask this - still plenty of them around me - and leave the ones which do to people are prepared to go along with it

Also i've never dined here before so i really hope i'm not dissatisfied with food or service, its more about that really.

it certainly puts an additional barrier in front of any “Waiter, waiter, there’s a fly in my soup, gimmee 50% discount or I’m hitting Tripadvisor” type theatrics, if they’ve already got your filthy mula. 😁

Not I’m suggesting you are in any way inclined, of course.

There's a specialist restaurant in our local town where you always have to pay the full amount on booking. Bookings open in 3 month blocks and are usually pretty much booked up straight away.

Can't say I blame restaurants doing it at Christmas though. People can be quite flaky over Christmas dos and losing £10 is not a deterrent to most people.

No - I'm going out for a group lunch this week and we all paid in full a few weeks ago.

I mean, it’s arguable you have paid a deposit. It’s just charged at full price to secure the booking

So many parties cancel at the last minute. I have no problem with paying up front

Not uncommon but it does mean they have been fully paid regardless of what they do or don't deliver. Paying up front means you are the one that has to take action if you don't get the dinner you paid for.

I've worked in hospitality for over 20 years, and it's always been standard.

And putting in a pre order for big parties and key dates such as Christmas Day

I can't believe the cfery of even having to ask this. Poor restaurants. They've suffered enough.

Exactly. I eat out a lot, and still have never been asked to pay the full bill before receiving a service. Better hope it’s a bloody fantastic meal.

Give it a break. The only CFs are the mugs who sent the country into lockdown a million times over bringing the hospitality industry to its knees and crucially the selfish no-shows who eroded trust in the first place.

I agree them too

That’s more than fair.

Can you imagine how many no shows they’d have on Christmas Day if you only paid on the day and could just decide not to turn up?

To be fair it isn't Christmas day. But I agree in restaurants taking full whack this time of year.

Also i've never dined here before so i really hope i'm not dissatisfied with food or service, its more about that really.

this type of half- thinking you might not pay the full amount on the day, is why it’s now normal to have to pay upfront.

Exactly. I eat out a lot, and still have never been asked to pay the full bill before receiving a service. Better hope it’s a bloody fantastic meal.

Otherwise what?

This DOES make it sound like you're already considering withholding part of the bill.

Good response, OP and perfectly understandable. Offer to pay 85%?

Not a bad shout.. thanks!

I paid a £70 deposit when I made the booking- its not arguable, its fact. They have requested the remaining balance 2 weeks after i paid the initial £70 deposit.

Having worked in the hospitality industry myself, I completely understand why restaurants do this. They have to order in large quantities of expensive ingredients for Xmas day (smoked salmon, steaks, champagne etc etc) and they also have to, quite rightly, pay their staff more to work on Xmas day. In order to make it financially worthwhile, they have to know they will get all their budgeted revenue and won’t end up out of pocket due to no shows who only paid a token deposit.

Shouldn't be a problem unless you are thinking of cancelling at the last minute.