Incorrect bill in Restaurant, say something?

Gael23 · 19-03-2019 4:07pm #1

Ate lunch in a cafe earlier and there was an item missing off the bill which was €5.

What would you do in these situations, own up or say nothing and pay what they ask you For?

OldMrBrennan83 · 19-03-2019 4:10pm

I'd say if I noticed but I'd rarely check a bill.

Conall Cernach · 19-03-2019 4:15pm

For a fiver I'd definitely own up and say "did you not take for the coffee?" or whatever. For the sake of a fiver that I genuinely owed I'd hate for someone to thing I was a thief or stinge etc.

biko · 19-03-2019 4:28pm

"If you see something, say something"

Dial Hard · 19-03-2019 4:31pm

Has happened me plenty of times and I always say something. I'd do it if they had an extra charge on the bill and I don't see why the reverse shouldn't apply.

topper75 · 19-03-2019 4:47pm

Dial Hard wrote: »

Has happened me plenty of times and I always say something. I'd do it if they had an extra charge on the bill and I don't see why the reverse shouldn't apply.

That's my approach too. I'll hunt you down if you owe me and I'll go to the same length to ensure you'll get yours. Easy sleep.

TheValeyard · 19-03-2019 4:49pm

biko wrote: »

"If you see something, say something"

Ahhhh, the Anti-IRA approach!

Wabbit Ears · 19-03-2019 4:54pm

Often the waiter has to settle out of their own pocket for mistakes. I think folk should be sound and be honest about things.

Also, A saying I use regularly, is that you really can judge a persons true colors by how they treat waiting staff.

KikiLaRue · 19-03-2019 4:57pm

Gael23 wrote: »

Ate lunch in a cafe earlier and there was an item missing off the bill which was €5.

What would you do in these situations, own up or say nothing and pay what they ask you For?

This happened me a while back and I didn't realise it was the waiter's attempt at flirting with me to knock the dessert off.

Was quite awkward when I realised what was happening.

DelBoy Trotter · 19-03-2019 4:57pm

Dial Hard wrote: »

I'd do it if they had an extra charge on the bill and I don't see why the reverse shouldn't apply.

That would be my approach to it also

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 19-03-2019 5:03pm

I’d point out the omission. It’s the right thing to do and I would hate a staff member’s pay to be docked over it.

Once, getting a bus to Galway from my hometown as a young teenager, the bus driver gave me back an extra tenner in my change by mistake. Being broke, I took it and then crowed later to my mother about how great it was. She ATE me. She made me a send the tenner back to the origin station of the bus with a note explaining what happened. She said at that time that the driver could have had that docked from his pay. I know now that that was unlikely but she just wanted to make a point, to get me to think about the consequences of my actions. Lesson learned. :eek:

BeerWolf · 19-03-2019 5:07pm

I am an honest person, so yes.

BrokenArrows · 19-03-2019 5:14pm

It depends.

If a few items were missing on a large bill of say nothing.

However if its a blatent mistake then I'd probably say something.

I was handed a £50 bill for what should have been £300, I mentioned it then because it was obviously incorrect after a 3 course meal for a group and could get someone fired.

Cina · 19-03-2019 5:14pm

Of course. Everyone makes mistakes, I'd hope they'd do the same for me if I accidentally gave too much money so it's only fair for me to do it for them.

whiskeyman · 19-03-2019 5:32pm

biko wrote: »

"If you see something, say something"

"hey, nice tits!"

Ray Palmer · 19-03-2019 6:11pm

People who think under payment results in staff having pay docked are incorrect. It is illegal and doesn't happen. It may have happened in the past or some manager may say it but it is now against employment law.
Worked in a bar and the manager went to empty my tip jar because the till was down. 6 different people worked on the till and decided I should pay. Pointed out he would have to prove I was at fault and show where it said I paid short falls in my contract. That was 20 years ago so it isn't like this is something new

Lux23 · 19-03-2019 6:12pm

I normally say it because I would worry that the waiting staff would end up paying for the shortfall out of their wages.

KikiLaRue · 19-03-2019 6:13pm

whiskeyman wrote: »

"hey, nice tits!"

Stop objectifying biko.

Besides, his tits are only average.

Oink · 19-03-2019 6:23pm

I always do. Unless I felt disrespected, in which case I decide not to do their job for them.

Anteayer · 19-03-2019 6:25pm

Most cafes have enormous overheads and very tight margins, I would definitely own up to that kind of amount. It's the difference between a profit and a loss for a meal.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 19-03-2019 6:27pm

Ray Palmer wrote: »

People who think under payment results in staff having pay docked are incorrect. It is illegal and doesn't happen. It may have happened in the past or some manager may say it but it is now against employment law.
Worked in a bar and the manager went to empty my tip jar because the till was down. 6 different people worked on the till and decided I should pay. Pointed out he would have to prove I was at fault and show where it said I paid short falls in my contract. That was 20 years ago so it isn't like this is something new

Having had some really unscrupulous bosses myself as a low-paid teenager, I would not be at all convinced that it never happens. It IS illegal. That still wouldn’t put some people off doing it. Teenagers and students want to keep their jobs generally and would more often than not say nothing.

lbc2019 · 19-03-2019 6:27pm

Yes. Once they gave me change for fifty- I had given them twenty. Told them, didnt want them getting into difficulty

poisonated · 19-03-2019 6:48pm

I definitely would say something.

antodeco · 19-03-2019 6:52pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALZZx1xmAzg

LessOutragePlz · 19-03-2019 6:57pm

Myself and my cousin were splitting the bill for a meal for relatives. It came to €140 and we said split it €75 each. They charged me €75 and charged my cousin 75 cent he walked out laughing and showed me the receipt for the card payment. We said nothing.

Church on Tuesday · 19-03-2019 7:47pm

Say nothing.

It's a business, these things even out over time.

rob316 · 19-03-2019 7:51pm

It's a fiver it's not going to make or break the business.

Qrt · 19-03-2019 7:56pm

Depends on the business, if it’s a chain restaurant or somewhere owned by a bit of a mogul, I’ll just say nothing.

It it’s a tiny little cafe owned by a little old lady who has her grandchildren taking orders, then I’d definitely say something.

cannotlogin · 19-03-2019 7:56pm

I tell them but I often wonder if I'm an idiot for doing so.

There's very little benefit for honesty these days. The least honest & least productive appear to be gaining most in society today.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 19-03-2019 8:01pm

cannotlogin wrote: »

I tell them but I often wonder if I'm an idiot for doing so.

There's very little benefit for honesty these days. The least honest & least productive appear to be gaining most in society today.

Well, for me, there’s pride in paying my way. That’s why I always say when I’ve been undercharged. Who cares if others are dishonest? You can hold your head high and know that you’re not.

Gael23 · 19-03-2019 9:10pm

It’s a really popular place, actually two of them in different parts of town but both thriving.
I don’t eat in this particular one that often and anyway they are a bit in the pricey side.

eoins23456 · 19-03-2019 9:16pm

Depends on the situation. I'd probably give it back in a local shop or something. If I paying a good bit for a meal and got a small bit left off then I'd probably run

orourkeda1977 · 19-03-2019 10:09pm

KikiLaRue wrote: »

This happened me a while back and I didn't realise it was the waiter's attempt at flirting with me to knock the dessert off.

Was quite awkward when I realised what was happening.

Did you ride him?

janfebmar · 19-03-2019 10:39pm

Honesty is the best policy.

AndrewJRenko · 19-03-2019 10:56pm

I went to collect a pizza order last year, and a slightly flustered young lady handed the grub and didn't make any attempt to collect payment. I let her know that it wasn't pre-paid, and she was fairly mortified when taking the payment. I did wonder afterwards what might have happened if I had kept my mouth shut.

SEPT 23 1989 · 19-03-2019 11:07pm

Not problem taking a fiver off a multinational conglomerate

A small place one man band operation no chance

lalababa · 19-03-2019 11:17pm

I'd try to pay whatever is owed whenever possible.
On the flip side, and I usent go to restaurants much, but with a bit of a crowd in the party say over 8 people I've noticed (if we tot it up ourselves) that there can be a substantial overcharge! Esp. if much drinks are involved. Some unscrupulous owner/employee would bank on everybody putting the cash/card in the pile without checking as that would seem pedantic or mean. Apart from being labelled "no craic", "mean" is up there with the worst accusations you can have in Ireland.

seagull · 20-03-2019 2:33pm

I'd say in the majority of cases where I've realised something is missing from the bill and I've pointed it out, they've just thanked me, and waived the charge for that item.

branie2 · 20-03-2019 2:37pm

It would be a good thing to do.

Ray Palmer · 20-03-2019 6:18pm

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Not problem taking a fiver off a multinational conglomerate

A small place one man band operation no chance

Do you know enough to spot which business is which. Lots of businesses are franchises how do you know which is owned by the main company or some person who took out a massive loan?

What is your limit on a smaller company? Two members of staff, ok to rob from the company or not?
A thief is a thief dont give yourself some false sense of morality based on who you are willing to steal from.

armaghlad · 20-03-2019 7:35pm

It’s a matter of principle. Either you’re as tight as a ducks arse, or you’re not. Simple really.

Incorrect bill in Restaurant, say something?

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