Tastecard / View Card / Toptable - Service Charge Saints & Sinners

richardw

sheer_vanilla wrote: »

- chicago rib shack - they do 2-4-1 so my friend ordered 2 half ribs (spprox £10 each) and 2 burgers (approx £15 each). instead of taking off 1 ribs and 1 burger, they took off 2 ribs making the bill £30 + SC on the orig bill of course. shameful.

So they paid £15 each for a half rib and a burger, instead of £25, saving £10 and paid £3.12 for service on the food in one of the most expensive areas of London. £15 for alot of food is a bargain, why is this shameful?

sheer_vanilla

richardw wrote: »

So they paid £15 each for a half rib and a burger, instead of £25, saving £10 and paid £3.12 for service on the food in one of the most expensive areas of London. £15 for alot of food is a bargain, why is this shameful?

don't worry about it. those that need to understand it will

sheer_vanilla

Altarf wrote: »

So presumably at that point you left.



So why did you stay?

whether they stayed or left or did an impromptu rendition of macarena for passers by is besides the point. they are bringing to light a taste card restaurant that is not sticking to the rules & making people aware of the situation. simple.

holidaysforme

Another one for you,- and definitely a saint this time.:beer:
The Foundation bar, Covent Garden. No Service charge!!

Great quirky place with lovely food and athmosphere, and very very reasonably priced.

There were three of us,- service was very good and we left a generous tip.

holidaysforme

sheer_vanilla wrote: »

shame about Quantus. will avoid like the plague and hope tastecard do something about it (one can hope)

a few more to add to the list.
- chicago rib shack - they do 2-4-1 so my friend ordered 2 half ribs (spprox £10 each) and 2 burgers (approx £15 each). instead of taking off 1 ribs and 1 burger, they took off 2 ribs making the bill £30 + SC on the orig bill of course. shameful.
- mr wing, earls cout - SC on orig bill
- chettinad, soho - SC on orig bill
- shanghai blues - SC on orig bill
- mews of mayfair - SC on orig bill
- made in china - SC on orig bill
- the thai - SC on orig bill
- maximini - used to charge SC on the discounted bill as it should be but now charge it on the orig bill
- seventeen - one of the rare few that charge it on the final bill

Thanks for this list, really really useful.:)

We are in London in October and had been looking at Maximini and Chettinad as possible places to eat.
May give them a miss now though and look elsewhere. i use Groupon a lot for Restaurants, and also have Gourmet card, so plenty of scope to find decent eateries.:D

holidaysforme

BTW, sheer Vanilla, how did you find these two restaurants generally? Maximini has had mixed reviews, so just wondering if apart from the much loathed service charge, how you found the food, service, prices in general.
Any recommendations for restaurants in and around Covent Garden (We're staying in Travelodge) that dont have service charge added, or it's on the discounted bill.

sheer_vanilla

holidaysforme wrote: »

BTW, sheer Vanilla, how did you find these two restaurants generally? Maximini has had mixed reviews, so just wondering if apart from the much loathed service charge, how you found the food, service, prices in general.
Any recommendations for restaurants in and around Covent Garden (We're staying in Travelodge) that dont have service charge added, or it's on the discounted bill.

we personally like maximini (it's jimmy choo's venture into restaurants so that's def a talking point & a bit of novelty). my friends and i find the food pretty good and go there quite often. the prices are very reasonable seeing as it's in central london and a celebrity restaurant. the service is questionable - bunch of waitresses chatting to each other non-stop & loudly but when they do get to you they're sweet enough. and they allow a taste card on a sat night so that def helps as most places (even basic ones) are sun-thurs. so i'd def so a sat night din at maximini and if the service is particularly sloppy just ask for the SC to be taken off (they mutter but do it) and leave what you want.

chettinad was - personally - just awful. don't let me keep you from it but we found it dirty and 2/10 service at best with average, oily food.

you've mentioned chinese & indian so i can rec,
maximini (incl sat nights)
seventeen, notting hill (if u book via toptable it incl sat nights and u get 50% off & SC is on discounted bill. tastecard is only sun-thurs)
masala zones across london are good for indian food esp their 'thalis' which are £8-£10 each and are fab and with 50% off very very cheap. hth x

Sharon87

Planet Hollywood in Piccadilly Circus had fantastic service, felt very American in their service!l

I think I recall it was service charge on the discounted bill, but can't remember. I remember thinking it was reasonable. Although the taste card was only on food, not drinks, so my £5 milkshake made the meal not such good value

The food was what you expect from a touristy place! Good but not fantastic.

holidaysforme

sheer_vanilla wrote: »

we personally like maximini (it's jimmy choo's venture into restaurants so that's def a talking point & a bit of novelty). my friends and i find the food pretty good and go there quite often. the prices are very reasonable seeing as it's in central london and a celebrity restaurant. the service is questionable - bunch of waitresses chatting to each other non-stop & loudly but when they do get to you they're sweet enough. and they allow a taste card on a sat night so that def helps as most places (even basic ones) are sun-thurs. so i'd def so a sat night din at maximini and if the service is particularly sloppy just ask for the SC to be taken off (they mutter but do it) and leave what you want.

chettinad was - personally - just awful. don't let me keep you from it but we found it dirty and 2/10 service at best with average, oily food.

you've mentioned chinese & indian so i can rec,
maximini (incl sat nights)
seventeen, notting hill (if u book via toptable it incl sat nights and u get 50% off & SC is on discounted bill. tastecard is only sun-thurs)
masala zones across london are good for indian food esp their 'thalis' which are £8-£10 each and are fab and with 50% off very very cheap. hth x

Thanks muchly. Yes we are big fans of Chinese/Thai and Indian food, and often seek these out on Taste when away from home.

Eating in Masala hut near Euston station on Groupon, one of the nights, and will definitely give Maximini a go for another night. Great that it includes Saturday.:)
Will have a think for our last night, but fancy Italian Mediterrean.
Wish Wahaka in Covent Garden was on one of my discount cards or Toptable, or Fish Central in the Barbican area:( I'll give Chetinad a miss. Ate in Anoka in St Paul's recently on Groupon. Not outstanding, but perfectly nice Indian food. Didn't realise it's on taste, so will use again if we are in the area.
Thanks for your helpful input.
Great thread BTW.:D

holidaysforme

Sharon87 wrote: »

Planet Hollywood in Piccadilly Circus had fantastic service, felt very American in their service!l

I think I recall it was service charge on the discounted bill, but can't remember. I remember thinking it was reasonable. Although the taste card was only on food, not drinks, so my £5 milkshake made the meal not such good value

The food was what you expect from a touristy place! Good but not fantastic.

Thank you:) One to keep in mind for when we're in London with our daughter in February next year.