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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:
MintsPi · 18/04/2023 13:54

I've had customers wanting refunds for 5p before when an incorrect price has been left up. I think I did end up once giving someone the money from my purse in the end. I don't think you were being unreasonable to want the 40p back though.

I agree with a previous poster that it might not be a friend and could have been a regular customer. I've been in the position of serving a chatty customer (usually elderly) and seeing a queue start to build up and it does put you in a awkward position as it's not great customer service (or a nice thing to do in general) to tell a customer to hurry up or leave. The server should have apologised for the wait though so not great service if they didn't.

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 13:55

Cleoforever · 18/04/2023 13:46

I am fascinated by you OP

would love to know the background to someone so bothered by this. Job? Partner? Children? Friends??

Job? Partner? Children? Friends??

I wish!!

OP posts:
Cleoforever · 18/04/2023 13:55

I have to say OP - that is not a total shock

AllOfThemWitches · 18/04/2023 14:01

*Job? Partner? Children? Friends??

I wish!!*

I don't know if you're joking here (hopefully) but it made me chuckle. Very good humoured OP, it does irritate the shit out of me that refunds aren't immediate!

spinachy · 18/04/2023 14:02

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.

I had this experience @CoffeeDrinker2023 last week and was really annoyed by it! (actually did a double take and wonder if I'd written the thread myself...)

The refund took 3 days to come through and it's just irritating at the end of the month when money is getting tight. It didnt' help that they weren't very friendly about it?

Don't suppose the cafe starts with the name of a colour? Grin

Regularcoke · 18/04/2023 14:05

Doesn't seem like an issue to me. You are not likely to be down to your last £3 If you are buying coffees out regularly.

AlexiaR · 18/04/2023 14:11

Why would you get a free coffee for this? Why such utter entitlement? Yes, it was an error, but it was rectified immediately. The barista is a human being and not a machine. Every one gets it wrong sometimes, but the server sorted it out and your due refund is on its way to you. You say that it is an ordinarily a decent place, so what, suddenly it’s not because of one small error, that was sorted out straight away, so you want compensation? Or maybe she was having a really bad and she was just muddling through, because that can happen to any of us. But again, the mistake was corrected and you got the coffee you wanted.

RiktheButler · 18/04/2023 14:11

YetAnotherSpartacus · 18/04/2023 13:19

All this this angst snd someone suggesting a "scathing review" over 40 bloody pence?

Assuming you are referring to my post, given I used those words, do engage your comprehension skills before you jump in. I suggested a scathing review if the refund did not eventuate. That was the entire refund and not 40p.

Glossing over your rank condescension, people like you who think the answer to everything is to try and destroy a business with a "scathing review" shouldn't go out in public. Ridiculous overreaction

Cleoforever · 18/04/2023 14:13

Seriously. How “scathing” a review could the OP possibly write on the basis of this experience?!

unless the coffee and food in a cafe is poorly reviewed - then really no one is not going to go there because a customer got a bit get up with the refund policy

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 14:15

It’s a nice cafe, the best in the area. On the way there I actually walk past one that’s a lot closer but has bad vibes and not-great coffee.

It’s surely not the same place that PP mentioned.

Anyway I’m going to stop replying now! Really!

OP posts:
Deathraystare · 18/04/2023 14:27

Must be one of those cashless cafes. I went to one just now. My friend ordered stuff for us but I did not fancy any of the food. However I saw a banana but of course had to go back to the ordering machine to pay 0.80 by card to get one!

Hate those machine-y places, mush prefer old fashioned caffs

Dilemma19 · 18/04/2023 14:30

My local Nero would absolutely have given it to me free. And probably a cookie with it. They have done so previously.

IMustDoMoreExercise · 18/04/2023 14:31

Well, if you can't afford to wait for the £3.50 then you shouldn't be spending money on eating out anyway.

I can't believe you started a thread for this.

orangedalmatian · 18/04/2023 14:34

Take a flask!

ShippingForecastMeditator · 18/04/2023 14:39

Sounds like you're in a bad mood OP and it's easier to moan about this than sort out the issue that's really bothering you?

Cleoforever · 18/04/2023 14:39

CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 14:15

It’s a nice cafe, the best in the area. On the way there I actually walk past one that’s a lot closer but has bad vibes and not-great coffee.

It’s surely not the same place that PP mentioned.

Anyway I’m going to stop replying now! Really!

are you in TW by any chance?!

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 14:42

ShippingForecastMeditator · 18/04/2023 14:39

Sounds like you're in a bad mood OP and it's easier to moan about this than sort out the issue that's really bothering you?

Story of my life!

OP posts:
Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 18/04/2023 14:43

Cleoforever · 18/04/2023 14:39

are you in TW by any chance?!

Show quote history

Nope!

OP posts:
ShippingForecastMeditator · 18/04/2023 14:44

Story of my life!

I know what you mean! Hope your day improves OP.

Wanttobefree2 · 18/04/2023 14:50

I’d be more annoyed about waiting 5 mins whilst she chatted to her mate, that’s really average!

Singinghollybob · 18/04/2023 15:25

Wow. What a fuss over nothing O.P

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 19/04/2023 09:10

Singinghollybob · 18/04/2023 15:25

Wow. What a fuss over nothing O.P

Nothing? It’s £3.50!

I was expecting the refund today when both transactions moved out of my bank’s Pending column. But actually that didn’t happen and both transactions have now been claimed.

Maybe the refund was a separate process and I will still get it tomorrow or Friday.

But if not…. I’ll have to phone them about it.

People don’t understand what I’m going through :(

OP posts:
Cleoforever · 19/04/2023 09:17

We’re you being serious when you implied you had no job, friends or hobbies?

bellabasset · 19/04/2023 09:22

Tesco had to cancel my bill when the cashier hadn't waited for me to put my Tesco Clubcard through so they refunded me the whole payment and then I paid the new amount. The repayment was in my bank account the following morning.

Original poster
CoffeeDrinker2023 · 19/04/2023 10:34

Cleoforever · 19/04/2023 09:17

We’re you being serious when you implied you had no job, friends or hobbies?

Mostly joking I hope!

I’ve seen the cafe has an Instagram but I don’t, I’m too old for that. But also an email address. So if the refund doesn’t materialise by tomorrow or perhaps Friday, I’ll email them.

OP posts: