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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Had to pay twice in cafe, as they got my order wrong

202 replies

CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:11

I called in to a decent coffee place yesterday morning. As usual it was busy and all the tables were full. The lady at the counter was chatting to someone she obviously knew, while me and the person behind me had to wait. Maybe this went on for 3-5 minutes.

I told her I wanted a Long Black, paid for it, then moved to the other end of the counter where they make the drinks. But I looked up at the board and realised I’d been overcharged for my drink. It turns out she had imagined I’d said Flat White, so had charged me that higher price.

She then corrected the order with the baristas and told me she could refund me. I said you can just give me 40p in cash? But no she said, they are cashless.

So I thought she would refund me the 40p back to my card. But actually she refunded the whole price of the drink. And then said “But you still need to pay for your Long Black”. Which I did.

So essentially I had to pay £6.60 to get
my £3.10 coffee. And I’ll have to wait till later in the week to get the £3.50 back.

I’ve been to this cafe a dozen times before (never ordering a flat white!) and she’s probably seen me there before. AIBU to think she should have either just refunded me the 40p, or if the system didn’t allow that then she should have given me the Long Black for free to make up for her error?

It is a busy and surely very profitable cafe by the way, though it is an independent.

OP posts:
Softleftpowerstance · 18/04/2023 11:15

Refunds are normally instant. In the unlikely event that it’s not, I really doubt your budget is so tight that the wait makes a difference if you’re spanking over £3 on coffee anyway.

It’s annoying she got the order wrong and didn’t have the wit (or the tech) to just refund you 40p. But it’s not such a hassle it warrants a free drink from an independent place.

hay5689 · 18/04/2023 11:15

YABU to expect her to remember every single person's order who regularly visit the shop. They made a mistake and rectified it so your title is misleading, you haven't paid for it twice they've refunded you.

Cigarettesaftersex1 · 18/04/2023 11:16

Bit of a non story, you haven't paid twice, you have been refunded for the original drink which hasn't yet gone back onto your card.

Misleading title

LadyLump · 18/04/2023 11:18

I swear I have read this exact thread before, even down to the amount of 40p

piratypotato · 18/04/2023 11:19

Its not just possible but easy to refund the difference. Sounds like she didn't know how and couldn't be arsed to find out.

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:21

I don’t expect her to remember my order. But I do expect to remember what I have told her in the very instant when I have told her what I want. Flat White sounds nothing like Long Black so she can’t have misheard me.

I think she was still distracted by her conversation with her pal (which, yes, had already annoyed me), and wasn’t paying attention to what I said.

The refund hasn’t come through yet, it won’t have been a Faster Payment like a bank transfer, I expect it will come tomorrow.

I do like this place and there’s a good atmosphere there and perhaps I’m the grouch / dark cloud in comparison. But it’s definitely sloppy service.

OP posts:
Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:22

LadyLump · 18/04/2023 11:18

I swear I have read this exact thread before, even down to the amount of 40p

Maybe she has form for it! But I’ve definitely not posted about it before.

OP posts:
WandaWonder · 18/04/2023 11:22

I don't get why it matters that you have been there before and not ordered the mistaken coffee before

It was an accie, rectified and you gotvghe money back

Being there before means nothing why would it?

ChienChatCheval · 18/04/2023 11:23

No you shouldn’t have got your coffee for free. 🤣

She made a mistake.

She refunded you and then charged you the correct amount. It’s unfortunate if it takes a while to show in your bank, but if that’s the case, you just have deal with that.

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:23

piratypotato · 18/04/2023 11:19

Its not just possible but easy to refund the difference. Sounds like she didn't know how and couldn't be arsed to find out.

Is that right? It does kind of make sense to me that they could only cancel an order, they couldn’t initiate payments of part amounts.

OP posts:
dougandpenny · 18/04/2023 11:24

They refunded you though?

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:25

WandaWonder · 18/04/2023 11:22

I don't get why it matters that you have been there before and not ordered the mistaken coffee before

It was an accie, rectified and you gotvghe money back

Being there before means nothing why would it?

But I haven’t got the money back yet. She also didn’t offer me any proof of the refund, whether a receipt or an email. That’s bad practice too.

OP posts:
FiveShelties · 18/04/2023 11:25

Perhaps you could start a 'Give a Little' page.

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:25

dougandpenny · 18/04/2023 11:24

They refunded you though?

Fingers crossed but nothing came through today.

OP posts:
Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:25

FiveShelties · 18/04/2023 11:25

Perhaps you could start a 'Give a Little' page.

Hah yes, a very deserving cause!

OP posts:
KilljoysMakeSomeNoise · 18/04/2023 11:28

LadyLump · 18/04/2023 11:18

I swear I have read this exact thread before, even down to the amount of 40p

Same! In fact I scrolled to the end thinking someone had bumped a zombie thread, then realised it was only a few posts and a new post.

Maverickess · 18/04/2023 11:29

I'd have to do this because of the way the till and card system works, I couldn't just refund you 40p, I'd have to refund the wrong drink and then recharge the right one because I have no mechanism to just refund 40p - though with someone with your obvious attitude I'd probably dig 40p out of tips or my purse and give it to you tbh, because I seriously cannot be arsed with this over dramatic reaction when something goes slightly wrong, and is put right but the customer feels like something free needs to happen because they've been greatly wronged and it's completely ruined their day/week/life, and someone needs to pay!!!
You haven't been charged twice, you've paid for what you had and as the refund happened quickly then both payments and the refund will likely be processed at the same time and you'll be no worse off.
Of course though there's compensation for the utter trauma you have experienced to consider.......

MoongazyHare · 18/04/2023 11:29

I expect they will have needed to cancel it to void the order off the till, and create a new order for a different drink. Transactions are about more than just receiving the right amount of money.

dougandpenny · 18/04/2023 11:31

If you’re that tight that you can’t wait 3-5 days for a refund for a coffee you shouldn’t be buying coffee at all tbh.

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:35

Maverickess · 18/04/2023 11:29

I'd have to do this because of the way the till and card system works, I couldn't just refund you 40p, I'd have to refund the wrong drink and then recharge the right one because I have no mechanism to just refund 40p - though with someone with your obvious attitude I'd probably dig 40p out of tips or my purse and give it to you tbh, because I seriously cannot be arsed with this over dramatic reaction when something goes slightly wrong, and is put right but the customer feels like something free needs to happen because they've been greatly wronged and it's completely ruined their day/week/life, and someone needs to pay!!!
You haven't been charged twice, you've paid for what you had and as the refund happened quickly then both payments and the refund will likely be processed at the same time and you'll be no worse off.
Of course though there's compensation for the utter trauma you have experienced to consider.......

Good post. Do you think it reasonable that I should now want the cafe to pay for me to have an emotional support animal, to help me deal with the lifetime trauma? A chocolate Labrador for example would help in my recovery in these difficult months and years ahead!

In seriousness though, that she was chatting for 5 minutes to her mate while there was a queue building up was bad form, wasn’t it? We’re talking 10am so the morning pre-work rush is over, but all the tables are full of people on laptops etc. and there are people coming in still.

OP posts:
Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:35

dougandpenny · 18/04/2023 11:31

If you’re that tight that you can’t wait 3-5 days for a refund for a coffee you shouldn’t be buying coffee at all tbh.

Fair point!

OP posts:
Albiboba · 18/04/2023 11:37

Why on earth would you think it’s reasonable to get the drink for free? It was such a minor inconvenience!
It’s highly unlikely you will wait a week for a refund.

Maverickess · 18/04/2023 11:38

And I'm not saying this is the case, because I wasn't there, but the person she was talking to may well just be another customer, a regular who she was chatting to, or not even regular but someone who wants to chat, and she's delivering customer service to them.
I've been accused of 'chatting to my mate' while talking to another customer, they're as much of a customer as you and as worthy of my time - but there's a creeping attitude that giving good customer service to someone else is somehow wronging any other customers in the vicinity - who would then be the first to moan about the curt and stern person at the till who has no customer service skills as they just rush you through your transaction if they were to be that way instead.

Quveas · 18/04/2023 11:42

Wow, you are so invested in a minor thing. I couldn't be bothered giving it a second thought, never mind spending all this time on multiple posts about a "nothing really happened" event. If the cafe doesn't suit you, buy your designer expensive coffee elsewhere?

Maverickess · 18/04/2023 11:43

CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 11:35

Good post. Do you think it reasonable that I should now want the cafe to pay for me to have an emotional support animal, to help me deal with the lifetime trauma? A chocolate Labrador for example would help in my recovery in these difficult months and years ahead!

In seriousness though, that she was chatting for 5 minutes to her mate while there was a queue building up was bad form, wasn’t it? We’re talking 10am so the morning pre-work rush is over, but all the tables are full of people on laptops etc. and there are people coming in still.

Show quote history

See my above post about the chatting.

But a Labrador? No. They've a tendency to eat anything in sight and are way too friendly for these purposes to everyone, not just their owner.

I would suggest a cat, as they're more discerning and would give anyone else who dares to make a mistake because they're human, the feline death stare and likely lift a leg to lick their arsehole while doing so, on the counter.