Wedding buffet disappoonting

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Foxy180
Foxy180 Posts: 4 Newbie
in Consumer rights
I ordered a buffet from a reputable local company for my wedding reception. I ordered and paid for 43 places at 8.95 a head plus vat.
When it arrived it simply wasnt enough, there was perhaps food for 25 people, there wasn't even 43 plates.
I Have complained to the company and I'm waiting to hear back but where do I stand legally? There clearly wasn't food for 43 people, can I try to claim some compensation? It ruined my wedding reception not being able to feed everyone.
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  • spadoosh
    spadoosh Posts: 8,732 Forumite
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    Did they deliver what they said they would?

    Youll need to be clear about what any agreement was.

    Ill start by saying £8.95 per head for food is towards the budget end of the scale. I wouldnt be expecting a lot of food.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 17,643 Forumite
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    What exactly did the caterer agree to supply?

    Having seen the cost of some wedding buffets, I agree with spadoosh that £8.95 per head is at the lower end of the scale.
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  • pinkshoes
    pinkshoes Posts: 20,082 Forumite
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    Were people serving themselves?

    What did they define as a plate of food? Was this the same quantity as people had on their plates?
    Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
    Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')

    No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)
  • unholyangel
    unholyangel Posts: 16,863 Forumite
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    spadoosh wrote: »
    Did they deliver what they said they would?

    Youll need to be clear about what any agreement was.

    Ill start by saying £8.95 per head for food is towards the budget end of the scale. I wouldnt be expecting a lot of food.

    I guess whether the price is towards the budget end depends on what they were supposed to supply.

    Buffet prices generally start around £3-4 per head here and while £8.95 wouldn't be the most expensive, its certainly towards the high end if you're talking a buffet of sandwiches, sausage rolls etc.

    Theres a good local caterer will give you enough to feed even the biggest of appetites (and still have some left over) at £5-7 a head on average and its actually good stuff - I'm very fussy and can't stand bad quality food but his chicken breast curry is one of the best I've ever tried.
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 16,440 Forumite
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    Foxy180 wrote: »
    I Have complained to the company and I'm waiting to hear back but where do I stand legally?

    Legally - if the company breached the contract, you can make a claim against them.

    Did the company specify what each person would get for £8.95? If so, was it provided?

    If that level of detail wasn't discussed, legally it becomes a case of what a 'reasonable person' would expect.

    I guess a 'reasonable person' would at least expect 43 plates to be provided for a buffet for 43 people.
  • Foxy180
    Foxy180 Posts: 4 Newbie
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    Should have mentioned it was a cold finger buffet, hence the 9 quid a head. I selected the dishes myself from their list.
    The food was a actually nice and enjoyable, there was just no where near enough.

    Thing is I ordered and paid for 25 guests months ago and said I'd confirm final numbers the week before the wedding, which I duly did and paid for an extra 18 places.
    Seems to me that I got a buffet for 25 people and not 43. But the caterers replied to my email and I shall be calling them tomorrow to discuss. They didn't seem to want to admit anything via email so I can't wait to hear what they have to say tomorrow.
  • pinkshoes
    pinkshoes Posts: 20,082 Forumite
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    Foxy180 wrote: »
    Should have mentioned it was a cold finger buffet, hence the 9 quid a head. I selected the dishes myself from their list.
    The food was a actually nice and enjoyable, there was just no where near enough.

    Thing is I ordered and paid for 25 guests months ago and said I'd confirm final numbers the week before the wedding, which I duly did and paid for an extra 18 places.
    Seems to me that I got a buffet for 25 people and not 43. But the caterers replied to my email and I shall be calling them tomorrow to discuss. They didn't seem to want to admit anything via email so I can't wait to hear what they have to say tomorrow.

    Sounds like perhaps they made a mistake and only did enough for 25, so this is all you should have to pay for.

    An extra 18 places with a weeks notice is perhaps a challenge for them? Were they ok with this?
    Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
    Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')

    No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)
  • worried_jim
    worried_jim Posts: 11,631 Forumite
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    A poon buffet? No wonder all the poon was snapped up quick!
  • shaun_from_Africa
    shaun_from_Africa Posts: 12,858 Forumite
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    pinkshoes wrote: »
    An extra 18 places with a weeks notice is perhaps a challenge for them? Were they ok with this?
    If they weren't okay with it then they should have said so and not taken the money for the food for the extra 18 people.
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,098 Forumite
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    Why did you not complain at the time?
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