Birthday dinner ruined - restaurant refused eat free offer!

[Heatherstory]

NC’d for this.

Birthday meal out at a local restaurant - they do an offer where the birthday person eats free as long as 1. It’s their actual birthday date and ID is provided to confirm and 2. There’s a minimum party size of 5.

It’s an all you can eat concept where food is brought to the table rather than you go and get it, a great deal as the food is lovely and the offer saves £30.

When we asked for the bill, we mentioned it was my birthday and I said I’d get my ID out of my bag. Someone came over (not the person we asked for the bill) and explained we were not eligible for the offer as only 4 of us had the all you can eat. My 2 year old DD was with us and obviously had a small meal (which we were to pay for).

My DH asked to speak to the manager - the person who came over said that he is the manager and refused to budge. We reluctantly paid.

We’ve checked the offer wording and it’s clearly stated it’s based on 5 dining (doesn’t specify it has to be the all you can eat) which we fulfilled.

It really soured the evening and we will not be returning which is a real shame as it’s a lovely restaurant, but they have been so underhand with this.

Say they're impeccably behaved toddlers, wonderful company and exceptional table manners.

Would you still expect a free meal if they'd had 4 kids meals?

YABU. If your day was genuinely ruined for the sake of £30, I think you can't really afford to eat out.

Well firstly you should have clarified before going
Secondary you should have asked before ordering and shown ID etc then they could have told you it was adults only.

Its hardly ruined your birthday

Dd's birthday is NYE. Dh booked the lunch time slot. Checked the lunchtime offer was still on as NYE. Yes. Def yes.
A few days before dh emailed to double check. Emailed back offer still on.
12 of us turned up.
Offer won't be applied to our booking we were told.
4 of us ate. 4 had drinks. And the rest sat fuming without anything..
Gutted and yes it pissed me off. Not because I'm a cheapskate but because they bloody lied.
None of us have ever been back.. And I did review them honestly..
We didn't leave because it was dd's birthday and doubtful we could have got 12. seats anywhere else..

Might even name and shame them if anyone cares to know..

God, don't do this. How embarrassing for you if you do.

DH is going to pen a suitably toned review this weekend, and I’m sure it won’t disappoint! My MiL says that restaurant usually replies to each review so it wouldn’t be a shock if on reflection, we get a voucher to settle the matter.

What did they say when you showed you the email confirming?

Well aren’t you a treat. Trying to negatively impact a local business because you tried it on and got found out.

Shameless and embarrassing and quite obviously after a freebie.

I would expect the offer to be for 5 adults + birthday person and to be sorted out before you ate, really. Children normally do not count for these offers, not unreasonably.

Hope it's enough to cover a toddlers meal

Bet you don't

I’d be shocked.

They had rules they stuck to and you didn’t read the small print.

am I the only one who has vouchers and things ensure that they’re applicable BEFORE ordering anything???

Can you not write your own ranty review? Why do you need your husband to do it for you?

When I'm in charge of the world anyone prepared to dine alone with four toddlers will eat for free, no questions asked! Preferably nowhere near me, for obvious reasons.

That would be an extremely horrible thing to do. This was totally on you. If he does do that, I hope they get a chance to respond. I would use it if I were the restaurant to detail how their food is such good value, that no, they are unable to fund a 40% discount to customers not in possession of common sense.

I disagree with the majority.

The party was 5, as stated. It didn't state 5 adults, you complied with the offer exactly as stated.

I wouldn't go there again.

Another late night thread that jumps the shark very quickly

Maybe get a hobby rather than posting made up shit fit extraction

You aren’t going to shower yourself in glory by leaving a shitty review because you misunderstood an offer, from a restaurant who you concede is lovely and is probably having a hard time making ends meet. Just don’t go back if you feel so strongly about it, but surely the tide of opinion shown here demonstrates that most people would assume that the offer meant 5 adult diners, and not a reduced child’s meal.
Why was your birthday ruined? Did someone shout at the manager?

I expect the restaurant will amend the wording to say that children's meals aren't included, to discourage other parties from trying it on to get a free meal.

Oh god don’t do this, you’ll be embarrassed by their response.

Have you not read the replies on here?!

Well they'll definitely nail their definition of a party of 5 now.

I'm with the restaurant on this one. If you go in knowing you're ordering a child meal/ just a bread roll/a random side etc for a toddler, I think it's pretty obvious it doesn't count as a table of 5. It's a table of 4 proper diners plus a toddler and I think most people would accept this wouldn't qualify for the offer based on what you'd pay for the toddler, which is a very token amount in compariso. I could understand if you had an older child eating more in line with adults. However I think in this instance, the restaurant is correct.

Then you have absolutely zero grasp of commerce. None.
4 x £5 meals so £20 for a £50 bill 🫣

True, since they haven’t had to add that till now it suggests nobody else has ever misunderstood!

Why have you posted? You have clearly decided that you aren't being unreasonable and are not taking on the views f other people.