restaurant meal voucher aibu

[Allywill]

last April was our 25 year wedding anniversary and daughters got us a voucher for a 7 course tasting menu at a local restaurant. the voucher did not have a monetary value stated on it - just said 7 course tasting menu for 2 people with an expiry date of 01/04/25. We booked and went last night - so in date although almost a year after purchase. we had the meal plus ordered a bottle of wine, cocktails and a bottle of water for table so we were obviously expecting to pay for these. my aibu is that when the bill came they also charged an additional £14 as the meal price had gone up from the time the voucher was bought. we obviously paid it plus the drinks but today we are debating if that was actually reasonable. on the one hand i get that prices have gone up but on the other surely if you offer vouchers then that’s the risk you take and the reason they have an expiry date? They have effectively had that money in their account for almost a year.

I see where your coming from however you can’t happily expect a business to be out of pocket because it’s taken you nearly a year to book and use your voucher op

Totally disagree - if the business wants to avoid this, it could set a shorter expiry date on the voucher, or give it a monetary value. OP and the donor of the voucher take the chance that the business won't go bust before the voucher expires and as OP pointed out, they've had the money in the bank for a year.

I don't think that is ok. The voucher covers what is stated in it. It sucks for them that costs have risen, but that is the risk you take when you sell such vouchers. They should have a shorter valid date if they want to protect from price hikes.

So an extra £1 per course per person.
I mean, wrong if they hadn’t made it explicit but I’d be fine with it tbh.

The voucher was for the meal which you had, not for any specific value. I wouldn't have paid the extra.

No you shouldn't have had to pay for increased cost, if they want to avoid that then they make it either a set price voucher or have a shorter expiry date. The fact the meal had gone up in price should be their cost not yours.

They shouldn’t have done that but I would have paid that in lieu of a tip.

I do have sympathy for the restaurant having to deal with increased costs making running more challenging and as a result have put up prices, but I agree with PP that given the voucher they sold was for an experience not monetary value then they should have honoured it. If I had a voucher for a 7 course menu (unless I added supplements) I would expect the meal to be covered fully. Given how fast things are changing perhaps they should only offer experiences with a 3-6 month expiry so prices don't get too out dated.

Nope, I wouldn't have paid it. the voucher was for an experience, not the moneyary value that has changed. As you say, they've had the money in their account and, we all know that at least some of these vouchers would have not been used so no, they're not out of pocket.

The restaurant had the money in their bank in advance of the voucher being redeemed. That was their advantage and they should not have charged extra at the point the meal was delivered.

They should have honoured the terms of the voucher. If they replaced the courses with cheaper ones in the meantime I bet they wouldn't have given you the price difference back.

Exactly. If the cost of the meals had fallen, they wouldn’t have provided a refund on your bill. The voucher was for a seven course meal & you shouldn’t have been charged extra for it.

Not great on their part unless there's some small print and it should have been communicated in advance. Whilst I get prices rise, if it's going to be an issue they should put a shorter expiry date on it.

Of course you can.

If the business doesn't want to lose money, they should change how they sell their vouchers.

I wouldn't have paid the £14 - they're taking the piss.

I would have paid it but been a bit miffed and not tipped.
If they want to allow for increases they should have a shorter expiry time

Why not?
It had an expiry date of a full year, of course they should have honoured it.

Of course you can!

When s restaurant sells a voucher with s years expiry date, that is exactly the risk they take.

If we bid on a contract, it can last 3 to 5 years at work. You factor price rises in.

They'd be getting s scathing review from me. Totally unethical.

OP, I think that’s outrageous - they’ve had your daughters’ money for almost a year. They gave you the present if a meal, and that should have been the end of the matter. I would have been exceedingly put out. I got my Dds a voucher for afternoon tea - one of them went after Christmas when they had a special seasonal tea, and they weren’t charged extra - there, I could have understood it. But I think in your case, the restaurant was well out of order - I hope you have written a review somewhere warning others.

I’ve got a similar voucher. I won’t be paying any extra so YANBU

I think you absolutely can expect that - up to them to issue vouchers with a sensible date on them and clear terms.

After all, will you also expect them to call everyone who bought a voucher and didn't use it in the time frame and offer them a refund?

I think you're right, that's how vouchers work, they can't just ask for more money in return for what was clearly the offer purchased on the voucher.

They’re taking the piss imo. Unless there’s smell printing the voucher regarding the additional cost, you’ve purchased and used the boucher in good faith and they should have honoured that.

They set the length of time it’s valid for. After all they could have put the prices up any time after they sold it. They should not have charged the difference and I’d be writing to them saying so.

I agree with others, it’s outrageous of them to charge more when they’ve sold a specific experience. I had an afternoon tea voucher with a 2 year date on it, used it right at the end of the 2 years and they didn’t charge us more even though prices had gone up. That’s the risk you take with issuing vouchers really. And they just get loads of people who don’t book in time and whose money they have despite doing nothing!

She was perfectly within her rights to use it within a year if the restaurant gave it with a 12 month expiry date though.

If they don’t like it they shouldn’t date them for so long.

I wouldn’t have paid it OP.