cancellation of Mothers Day lunch

[wink1970]

DH is due to take his 90-yr-old DM to lunch on Sunday, naturally they now both want to cancel. The restaurant (pre-paid) is refusing, and won't even switch the booking to a voucher he can use later for something else.

I think he should get busy on social media and shame them. I know the hospitality trade will suffer in the coming months, but she's 90! WIBU to get cracking on Google Trustpilot etc?

"Name and Shame a business that will face 3 months of no income, with many low paid staff suffering"

Reputation will out, even without name and shame. You'll never be booking there again, will you? You'll probably mention why, just to friends. Others similarly affected may do the same. Word will creep round.

Customers in 3 or however many months will return to the places that they want to support. And it will be those who are kind now. If they'd refunded in entirety, or a substantial proportion, you'd be praising them publicly. Bills tight now, but reputation enhanced, and in 3+ months, you're top of this list for their custom.

This one set of lunch bookings even on a day when younexpect to be full, isn't going to save your business. Your relationship,with your customers in the longer haul, just might

This one set of lunch bookings even on a day when younexpect to be full, isn't going to save your business. Your relationship,with your customers in the longer haul, just might

Grow up.

Most of these business won't exist in the long haul. And what is 'one set of lunch bookings' to you, is every single customer to the business.

I think that, if it had been something individual like a sudden family bereavement, it would be a kind thing for the restaurant to do to refund the money as a gesture of goodwill; but for them to refund everybody whose dining party includes somebody over 70, pregnant or in any of the many vulnerable categories - or somebody who lives with or might come into contact with somebody at risk, as well as anybody who isn't in one of those categories but is concerned about non-essential social occasions - that's a huge amount to ask.

Added to that, just as panic-buying breeds panic-buying, fear breeds fear, so once people start cancelling, others will see and associate the restaurant with potential danger, then they will all instantly cancel too.

I am grown up thank you.

As I said I'm my first post, there is no 'win' here.

Keeping the money won't save them, even on in an important day for sales. Those who think it will perhaps need a reality check on the scale of the outbreak. All that is left is which way you choose to lose. With a good local reputation, or not?

Because whether splashily named and shamed on social media or not, word will out.

@roseandrose - how to kick a dog when it is down.

Maybe, that last amount of cashflow will enable them to pay the staff for their weeks wages? I am sure they are not looking forward to 'losing' and going out with their local community laying the boot in will make them feel great.

This virus, really is exposing society for the nasty and self centered entity it has become. The WW2 generation would be turning in their graves.

It's not kicking when down. It's looking on a different timeline, because how you rebuild after crisis matters.

Businesses that could fold because of one (though valuable) failed lunch session are not going to survive the weeks and months to come.
Which leaves the question about whether it want to fold in a way that maximises public sympathy and which is good PR for a post corona relaunch?

Businesses that could fold because of one (though valuable) failed lunch session are not going to survive the weeks and months to come.
Which leaves the question about whether it want to fold in a way that maximises public sympathy and which is good PR for a post corona relaunch?

MS is just one day of trading out of many in the weeks and months to come, though.

Even the big chains will struggle massively to relaunch once they've gone to the wall. They just don't work with big capital reserves these days.

Hello All

We have spoken to them again and they will now let us move the booking, which we can use & will happily do so. To be clear, I was happy with that, a refund wasn't necessary... and this goes a great way towards goodwill when I next need to host a party/event etc, or even just take my lovely MIL out when this blows over.

And please read my updates; this isn't a small local business, I am dealing with an enforced 40% pay cut at home, and understand the pressures we are all facing. I therefore held back (and asked on here) before shouting loudly. I had already tried the backdoor discreet approach, but, you know, 'policy'.

Thanks to all for the sensible answers, sorry to see it brought out the usual 'you bitch' personal insult brigade.

Good night, stay safe.

I said twerp, not bitch.

Good result OP, and very sensible decision by the proprietor