Biggest Resturant Pet Peeve - Hidden Extra "Free" Stuff

[Charles Hunter]

Throw out some names.  This thread is useless without them.

... but he'll have to charge you extra for that ... 

[ChriswUfGator]

Really, you thought the bacon was free? Being charged extra for ketchup is wrong, I agree, because it's a condiment. But, if you really thought the bacon was free, you were kidding yourself. You should assume that anything extra comes at a price; it'll save you alot of heartburn. It's not hidden if you're the one covering your eyes.

Ice cream issue was wrong. You don't charge the guest when you're making up for your own mistakes.

$1 for ice water is just criminal though.

I'm curious, how am I suppose to know bacon was an extra charge when they casually and so friendly said it next to ketchup to which "Being charged extra.......is wrong"?  

To me, this practice opens up a giant can of worms.  What is included in the price and what isn't?  I just don't know anymore when the server is keeping his mouth shut about the cost extra stuff.  I mean, if McDonald's can do it, why can't a sit down restaurant which I'm paying 2x to 50x the price do it?

You're curious? Then ask. Don't assume, probe. Yes charging for ketchup wrong, as I said, it's a condiment. Bacon is not. If you're not sure, ask. Or conversely, you could just expect to pay extra for everything, then on the occasion you aren't, how happily surprised you'll be. <looking at bill> Oooh they give you free bacon here?! How nice!  

ChrisUF...French Connection...what a great drink...in Vegas it's called a Beautiful...I've won (and lost) so much money drinking those...

Yeah I love FC's. They are especially awesome with a cigar. That is why I was always getting them at the Brick, they have that outdoors seating. But after I kept getting charged like $24 for one drink because they didn't know what it was, I asked for the manager and they came out and explained to me that their bar is run on computer terminals like most restaurants' menu items are, and the problem is that the drink probably wasn't in the computer so they had to ring it in as two separate drinks.

I said that was ridiculous, as I was only getting one drink that had two ingredients, I wasn't actually getting two separate sets of pours! No matter how you cut that one, I was getting double-charged. The response was basically "tough luck". So after that I started demanding that the two drinks be brought separately along with an empty brandy snifter and a separate cup of ice. Then I'd just mix them all up myself at the table. I didn't mind the $24 price tag after that because I found I was getting like 3 or 4 of the original size french connections when I made them bring all the stuff separately. Which shows you they'd been under-pouring to begin with.

About the menu stuff, I don't think the customer should need a crystal ball when it comes to pricing. The prices for everything shouldn't be rigged. There's really nothing honorable about tricking people into thinking something's free and then charging for it. Sure some may not notice, but many will, and systemic dishonesty like that is offensive enough to most folks that the damage done exceeds the extra $3 or whatever they got out of you.

[ChriswUfGator]

Yeah you know, I think it's the economy, but some of the local restaurants are just getting absurd with nickel & diming you. Here's what I was talking about earlier with Cool Moose, which is a perfect example, tell me if you ordered a bagel & lox plate whether you'd have been ok with this pathetic nonsense...



For comparison, this is another restaurant I eat breakfast at regularly. This bagel & lox is the same price;



I'm sick of what's happening, it seems like every time I turn around there's some silly B.S. game going on, and someone trying to shortchange me. I don't even normally pay much attention to checks, so if I notice all this stuff I can't imagine how much goes on that I don't notice. And the attitudes in customer service industries have gotten downright ridiculous, people have started acting like they're doing you a favor by taking your money. It wasn't always this way, things went downhill rapidly in the last year or so.

I can't imagine what possesses someone to serve that pathetic crap, and then demand an extra $2 to put more salmon on it? Not to mention the owner being rude to his own employees. It's ridiculous. Cool Moose has certainly lost this customer, permanently. The Chicago Pizza shenanigans are another example of what I'm talking about. Just total nonsense, and nothing more than a scam to get paid without doing anything for the money.

It's getting to where Black's Law Dictionary is going to have to include a picture of a restaurant next to "Unjust Enrichment." I have had such an extensive rash of experiences where I've paid $100 to be treated rudely and given crappy food that I've taken up cooking dinners at home. Which believe it or not doesn't actually save any money, thanks to Publix prices, but the convenience factor of not having to deal with cooking or dishes has become outweighed by not having to deal with bad service, rude attitudes, and crappy food, followed by an argument over the bill. Eating at home has actually become more convenient, since I'm not nickel & dimed, treated rudely, and hassled.

[fieldafm]

And the attitudes in customer service industries have gotten downright ridiculous, people have started acting like they're doing you a favor by taking your money. It wasn't always this way, things went downhill rapidly in the last year or so.

I fully agree!!!

[danno]

I had this thought the other day.  It seems like I am more dissapointed every time I try someplace new.  Is it just that things are getting bad everywhere, or am I behaving like a critic/food reviewer every new place I go because I have been watching too much food network and Gordon Ramsay??

Are we all becoming too critical??

Just a thought.

[fieldafm]

Are we all becoming too critical??

NO!

This is most definately a trend.  I eat out quite a bit(more than I should) and overall service has been going way downhill for the past year and a half.  I really like trying new places, but lately I've been staying at places that have consistently treated me right.

I grew up working in my mom's restaurants... and as you could expect, I either befriended or dated a lot of people within the industry.  For a very long time, I was overly patient and too polite b/c I knew of the perils of the business.  But lately, it has become a noticeably disturbing trend... and although if I was ever impolite to anyone, my mother would reach over zip codes to smack me on the backside of my head, I certainly am making a concerted effort to speak out to management when abhorent service warrants it.

[Overstreet]

While we're at it let's list a glass full of ice with a splash of drink.

[ChriswUfGator]

I had this thought the other day.  It seems like I am more dissapointed every time I try someplace new.  Is it just that things are getting bad everywhere, or am I behaving like a critic/food reviewer every new place I go because I have been watching too much food network and Gordon Ramsay??

Are we all becoming too critical??

Just a thought.

Nah, it's not people being too critical, it's that in a tightening economy, the service industry has lost all respect for the customer and has begun viewing us all as nothing more than walking cash registers. I also know it's not just me, because everybody else is noticing the same stuff at the same time, and because there are still places that do treat me right, and that's where I go. There are just a growing number that don't.