Horrific restaurant experience - what to do?

Bigwigg

Hello, not sure if this is quite consumer rights but yesterday me, my daughter and my partner went to a well know pub chain for a late Sunday lunch. We had a terrible experience which included teenagers fighting in the children's play area, two men fighting in the middle of the place scaring myself and my four year old, terrible food, long waiting times and then was finally topped off by finding the ladies toilets smeared all over in excrement. I complained to the manager who was on duty who was apologetic, but I was so angry I couldn't think straight and just left saying I'd be contacting the head office to complain. It was a pub meal type thing so we'd paid upfront.

I'm going to send a letter, but I don't really know what to ask for as compensation? Should I just be expecting a refund for the meal but somehow the money isn't the point. The point is, we went out for a nice meal for a friends birthday and had a horrible experience, and that time can never be got back. What other things could I ask them for?

System

I would go onto their website "contact us" page, and write to them asking for a full refund and ask how they intend to improve matters in the restaurant with regards to customers fighting/security etc and how they would look to restore your confidence in their brand/chain
I hope this helps and I'm very sorry you had such a horrible experience.

Butlers1982

dont go again and tell everyone you know about it and make sure you mention the name.
Dont bother wasting your time writing a letter, what can they do? send you vouchers? why the hell you would want to go back there.

but I don't really know what to ask for as compensation?

ACTUALLY EDIT WHAT IVE JUST PUT, what the hell do you think you are entitled to compensation for? people fighting isnt the places fault! do i want compensating on a friday night because the pub i was in there was a fight!

YOU ARE NOT DUE ANYTHING IN COMPENSATION.

DON79

why should the OP not receive a refund? He went out for a nice family meal which was ruined by fights, poor service, and filthy toilets! Not to mention a scared four year old!

Your post is not really helpful at all Butlers1982. Why bother posting if you do not have anything constructive or helpful to say!

Ok people fighting is not the place's fault but they do have a responsibility to stop it and to call the police if need be! They also need to keep the place clean and provide a good service. They seem to have failed in all areas IMO.

brightonman123

never mind head office- get on the environmental health asap re toilets.

did you call the police at the time, re the fighting? they should have cctv to show who was involved..

i hope others have complained- sounds like a place to avoid..
name and shame them!

Butlers1982

Why bother posting if you do not have anything constructive or helpful to say!

Im giving my opinion.
I dont think any compensation is due, the fight is out of the hands of the staff. The food was rubbish,toilets a mess. dont go there again. its not hard to work out.

If the OP does contact the Headoffice complaining about the food i doubt they will give a refund, more likely vouchers meaning they will have to go back and might get "scared " again!

DON79

It is not out of the hands of the staff, they should have called security or the police if it was as bad as the OP says! And cleaning is certainly not "out of their hands" neither is providing good food or service!

And the OP can refuse vouchers! He does not have to accept them, I am sure that the threat of media attention and bad publicity even in his local paper would get the desired result of at least a refund for the cost of the meal.

I am sure that the OP won't be going there again, that is pretty obvious.

Butlers1982

I am sure that the threat of media attention

And say to the media, 2 men were fighting, teenagers were fighting. Poor food, dirty toilets.
Its hardly a breaking story is it.

DON79

doesn't have to be a breaking story, it is about what you said!

dont go again and tell everyone you know about it and make sure you mention the name

getting it made public and warning others not to go there as well as getting their own money back plus a better apology.

geri1965_2

I recently had cause to write to Wetherspoons regarding two really bad meals I had (in two seperate pubs) and got a very non committal reply saying I should have bought it to the attention of the management at the time, blah blah.

Not that easy when they whip your plate away and are off before you've had a chance to say anything, and the bar is crammed with people waiting to be served.

I used to be a fan, and ate there for years, but really going off them now.

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

I too think you are being far too unfair, I see each as a seperate issue

1) Fighting - outwith their control and not their fault, unfortunate but it happens in pubs

2) Toilets - sounds like vandalism, unless it was like that for hours etc no case for grievance

3) Poor food - possibly but beyond a letter of complaint and being told you should have complained at the time tough

At the end of the day you went to a cheap pub and got a cheap experience.