I was abroad, single disabled female with two children, in a restaurant in Greece. I said what I wanted but the waiter insisted they could mix it all up in a plate we could share together which would be much better. I hesitated, as I really had been looking forward to a specific Greek dish, but the waiter looked upset I’d be missing out like that, as it was such a good offer. So I relented.
The bill should have come to around €100 but was just under €400. They insisted we pay cash only, which I didn’t have on me. I had heard them tell other customers they can’t pay by card, cash only, so I had been ready to pay cash but only for around €100. They wanted to walk me to the cash point to draw the rest out, but I said I can’t do that and it would have to be credit card payment.
I became upset and asked how could they do that when it was obvious I was a single parent so wouldn’t have much money. By this time I was surrounded by 4-5 unfriendly looking male waiters. I was aware of some customers round the corner but other than, that the restaurant was empty. I felt trapped as it was a rooftop restaurant and only exit had to be down some narrow stairs by the open kitchens, rather than straight out onto the street in the safety among other people. My disability had worsened as it always does in the evening, so I was beginning to really struggle physically.
They took me to a dimly-lit room out back, where the manager was waiting with the card machine. They told me the could take off €100 but that meant I was still paying €200 more than I should. I was tired, as were my children, and we had to catch the last bus home on time, so I just wanted to get away from the intimidating environment and paid and left.
On the way home I phoned my credit card to say I have been coerced into paying a bill I should not have been given. Luckily my eldest child had photographed the menu while we were there so we could prove the bill was way off the menu.
I then looked at reviews and found them to have one star with customer after customer complaining about the scam I had just endured. Some spoke of verbal and physical aggression when people didn’t pay, which made me thankful I had just left - but also afraid to return to try to get some refund.
I put in a case to the credit card company, explaining everything. They refused the case.
I called to ask why they refused the case and they said it was because I made no effort to return and ask them to put it right. The impression I was given was that, by paying I was agreeing, even though it was under duress. It seems I should have risked being shouted at, or hit, or parted from my party (all of which happens to other reviewers), or should have told them to call police on me. But because I did none of that, then they closed the case.
I have a photo of the food served at the table, of us being there, of the menu, and the bill not reflecting the food set before us, so the evidence is there that it was not correct. But they still said I should not have paid and should have let them call police on me. They weren’t interested in the reviews because they can be made up, even though the reviews all said exactly the same as we had experienced - and even worse - which strengthens my argument I was right to get out of there asap.
The person I spoke to on the phone suggested I try Citizens advice or even better Financial Ombudsman, but when I looked, the Financial Ombudsman only covers uk transactions so wouldn’t be ‘even better’ at all! This made me wonder at the validity of the rest of their advice, so I thought I’d ask here: is there anything I can do to get that money back?