MMD: Should I pay the bill?

Money_saving_Martyn

MothballsWallet wrote: »

I know in the UK that you can actually walk out of a restaurant without paying provided you leave your details with the manager and say why you're not paying (because the food wasn't up to standard), but France I don't know about as it's a different legal system.

Can you prove this right? Any sources to back up this claim?

Fred_the_Needle

I'm most definitely with the group who say that as you cannot prove that it was the food that made you all ill, morally you SHOULD pay. You don't mention any problems with the food at the time you ordered it, or any samples of the (er) vomit (yuk) that you could have saved for analysis.

I would assume that the restaurant has a copy of the failed transaction? Therefore they can and probably will try running it through again if they don't hear from you. If they don't, then you've been very lucky and got away with a free meal.

My youngest lad manages a restaurant and he's lost count of the number of customers who complain after finishing their meal in order to get out of paying.

izzieuk

bennett2kuk wrote: »

personally I don't believe in food poisoning having never had it and never knowing anybody who has complained of it

*ahem*

...really?!

vixmix

To answer some of the questions posed here I have googled these sites about the law and your restaurant bill

www . inbrief . co.uk/ refusal-to-pay-at-restaurant . htm

www . thesite . org/ homelawandmoney/ law/ yourrights/ restaurantrightsthebill


(copy and paste and remove spaces - i am apparently too new to be allowed to post links)

smartermind

Legally you must pay.
Morally you should pay.
If you believe you received a poor service, then as other posters have pointed out, you should have raised it at the time.
If you believe you have been food-poisoned then you need hard evidence that it was the restaurant food and not coincidental and caused by something you cooked up yourself.
More importantly if it was the restaurant food that caused your problems, then you need to pay. Without payment there is no contractual obligation on the part of the restaurant as legally you have free-loaded. With payment then you have the right to sue for negligence and damages for distress and inconvenience.

As you made a promise based on failure of payment (and not poor service), then you should pay and counter claim for your alleged illness. If you don't contact the restaurant they wont be any the wiser that you believe they caused your food poisoning and provided poor service.

rtward

You made a promise to pay, regardless of the fact that you thought the food was not to standard. If you felt dissatisified you should have brought this up at the time and allowed the restaurant to answer your complaint.

Once you make a promise to do something then you must do it. Nor do I agree with the previous post that if you pay you can send a letter of complaint and get a refund. Again, this should have been dealt with at the time of the complaint not weeks later.

[Deleted User]

I'm not being funny but if they let you leave without paying, and now you're on the other side of the channel... who cares! don't bother! they made you ill AND they should have made you pay on the spot, simple!

Kiko4564

I would pay, but "under protest" as you are now back home. "Under protest" means that you do not accept the food was satisfactory.

Valhaz

I think you should pay.
Firstly - you did promise to forward the details of your card.
Secondly - if the food was so bad, you ought to have taken it up with the restaurant at the time.
Thirdly - if you all took ill the next day, it is very unlikely that the restaurant food was to blame. Food poisoning usually takes longer than 24 hours to manifest itself.

newmommyjen

http://www.which.co.uk/advice/dealing-with-restaurant-problems/your-rights/index.jsp

If i was to go out for a meal tat was unsatafactory. Complain there and then, not after you have had the meal. I worked in a restaurant for 6 years and the amount of chancers trying their luck for a freebie. Weather they moaned about not liking a meal, but clearing the plate any hows. Ordering a rare steak and moan about it being cold in the middle. Stating tat the dish is not like they normally have it in a different restaurant - em we are all diff we r not a franchise DOH!
If i made spag , and came to your house for the same. Yes its diff cos we all use diff recipes!
Yes i have had to call the police as customer decided tat waiting another 5 mins was too long to adjusted a curry more to his taste. He found the 1st one too hot. We thought he was a chancer as he had a load of starters and proberly decided why pay for mains when he was full. He was full of cheek, trying to pay for the whole meal for £10 before the police arrived. But once the police came he had to pay for the drinks and the starters. And we had them banned from the restaurant. Which was the best as i disliked serving them , very demanding, kids always made a mess and never left a tip.
So if you are not happy complain there and then so the restaurant hav a chance to make amends. It could be a simple misunderstanding eg had a customer who thought tat we served him raw meat in his dish. " Oh the meat is still red round the sides" It was a red glaze we use on the meat. But he was drunk any ways, so explained a lot.
If i dont like a new place i just put it down to expericence and dont return and tell others.