What to do when a restaurant (in this case Strada) attempts to overcharge you?

tonight_we_fly

We recently had our work Christmas meal in the Covent Garden (London) branch of Strada.

We had vouchers entitling up to six people to eat "buy one get one free" on the main course, all within their expiry date range. Between our group of sixteen we had three vouchers.

We mentioned the vouchers when booking the table on the telephone and explained our group size, and were assured that the vouchers would be valid.

We also mentioned the vouchers when we arrived and were seated, and again it was confirmed by Strada staff that the vouchers were valid.

We presented the vouchers when we asked for the bill.

However, when the bill came, we had been substantially overcharged, and when we challenged this we were now told that this was because the vouchers were not valid.

When we asked to speak to the manager, the staff member that had brought us the bill claimed that she was the manager.

We refused to pay this bill, and after much fuss eventually our bill was adjusted to incorporate the vouchers.

Obviously I will never set foot in Strada again, but I was wondering if anybody has any advice about what to do if put in a situation like this again? I have to admit, I was clueless; some of the younger people in our party just had a blazing row with them until they brought us the correct bill, but had they not been around I would have had no idea how to deal with this?

Jamz

Isn it possible in the small print you can only use one voucher per bill?

dmg24

Jamz wrote: »

Isn it possible in the small print you can only use one voucher per bill?

Yep, or a maximum party size?

Tiddlywinks

BEFORE you order, read the terms and conditions of the offer (sometimes additional t&Cs are on website etc) and then you will know whether you are right or wrong.

If you are right, stand your ground.

If wrong, pay up and look humble.

Simples .

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Is there a Head Office to complain to?

TheSaint_2

As the OP stated, they checked several times after pointing out the size of their party that all vouchers would be valid. In that case I think you are right to stand your ground.

If you had just tried to use them having never mentioned it then that would be a different matter.

Freddie_Snowbits

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Is there a Head Office to complain to?

Yes there is a head orifice. Detail will be available from the Parish's resident google experts shortly. I suggest that a tempalte letter is procured from Trading Standards and hopefully we will soon have the staff shown their P45s, after a week in the slammer asthe place is raided by the police.

(Oh, just checked my deal at a local establishment, just around the corner from the DnD, the vouchers are limited to two per group. Maybe BU99ER)

daveyjp

The way to sort this is to pay what you think is due and give your contact details to the restaurant. It's then up to the restaurant to chase you for any outstanding debt.