Brewers Fayre - clear or unclear?

cuteusmaximus

Thought I'd check here for opinions before I send a letter of complaint.

Went to Brewers Fayre tonight on account of seeing their £1.50 offer, see here:

http://www.brewersfayre.co.uk/voucher/default.asp

"All starters and all desserts only £1.50*"

* Available Monday to Saturday 12:00 – 6:00pm. Valid only when purchased with a main meal or snack. Sharing Starters and Desserts £3.


My interpretation of this was that an order of a main meal meant that the starters and desserts would be priced at £1.50. There was a little card with the exact wording above on the table, btw.

So I ordered a main meal to share with the wife, and two starters and two desserts. The two desserts rang up as £1.50, but the starters were at full price (£3.99). When I paid I thought the bill seemed high so I asked for a receipt. I went back to the table and saw that the starters had been charged at full price, and *immediately* went back to the till. I said that I thought the starters were supposed to be £1.50. The man at the till said that the limit was one item per order. I said that it wasn't clear from the wording that there was a limit. He said it was obvious (which really annoyed me as it made me feel stupid). I then said "Ok, fine, remove the starters from the order" but he refused saying that there were no refunds once the order had gone through.
At this point I felt misled AND humiliated, and I just huffed and shook my head and ordered a drink for my little one. The man said "No need to be rude, it was perfectly clear" and I said "I don't agree, please can I have an orange juice" which ended our communication.

I'm not one of these types who spot a misprice and then order 50 of the item to sell on ebay, ruining it for everyone else. I honestly thought I was within their rules, and certainly as they are written nowhere does it specify that there is a limit. Once I accepted the limit I was happy to part with the starters but was told no refund and then treated like an idiot by the till worker.

Should I send a letter of complaint to Whitbread?

Thanks

gazza975526570

It sounds a tad unreasonable with it not being clear. Additionally if they made you feel awkward and silly i would def write in and complain

I once wrote to Whitbread HO about Brewers Fayre - service was poor and got £30 voucher for them. Address it to their chief executive

good luck

bobsa1

I've got to agree it does sound as though this is a bit unclear, however, I would expect to buy one main meal per starter and dessert, so if I was sharing a main meal I'd expect either 2 starters, or 2 desserts or a starter and a dessert.

However you shouldn't be made to feel humilliated. Write in

Bossyboots

If you look at the page the OP has linked to, there are two offers. One is the starters/deserts the other is a bottle of champagne.

There is a star next to the desert offer and a cross next to the champagne offer. If you follow the page down it sets out the times that the starters etc. offer is available and below that there is the cross and it says terms and conditions apply to the champagne offer.

By extension of that, I read it that no other terms and conditions apply to the starters/deserts offer therefore and that the restaurant were wrong to impose other conditions that are not set out in writing.

snoozy

I have had problems with Brewer's Fayre and their 'offers' before. I was sent a coupon by them in the post (must have inadvertantly gotten on their mailing list) which was for a fiver off when you bought two main meals and could be used Mon-Fr 12-6 (or something like that). When we ordered, we were told that we couldn't use the coupon as it was only for full price meals and all meals are automatically a bit cheaper when purchased before 6pm (or something - again, can't remember exact time). Argued for a bit with the girl at the till and got nowhere then asked to speak to the manager.

Manager came out and said he was sorry but that the till wouldn't let them put the coupon through because of their system of having meals cheaper during the day. He admitted that there was no way on earth that it was ever possible to use the coupon because of this system. :mad:

He said it was 'Head Office's fault' for sending out coupons like this that no-one can ever use. Absolute madness. I said I was very disappointed by this and that we had only chosen to eat there because of the coupon. He just shrugged and offered me one free drink (between the two of us!) to make up for it.

Absolute idiots. I won't be going back.

dmg24

The link gives no limit to the amount of starters and desserts that may be ordered with a main course, so unless the restaurant clearly stated otherwise, you would be within your rights to a refund of the difference in price on the starters (and an apology!).

andyrules

The wording states 'all starters and all desserts', it doesnt say 'either' one 'or' the other. Nor is this statement qualified anywhere else that is obvious. Therefore I agree with others here, either the snotty waiter got it wrong or else the advert is misleading everyone else! I would deffo write in and ask for a refund and apology. I hate these misleading offers - they just store up trouble and dissatisfaction. Best of luck!

ethansmum

I'm going to disagree with you on this one.

Op ordered:

2 starters, 1 MAIN MEAL, 2 desserts

I take the offer as meaning 1 starter and 1 dessert for £1.50 each PER MAIN MEAL.

Bossyboots

ethansmum wrote:

I'm going to disagree with you on this one.

Op ordered:

2 starters, 1 MAIN MEAL, 2 desserts

I take the offer as meaning 1 starter and 1 dessert for £1.50 each PER MAIN MEAL.

It doesn't say that. It simply says they are £1.50 when purchased with a main meal or snack.

The OP was allowed two deserts at £1.50 which shows that it is not one per main meal and also gives lie to the assertion by the till operator that it is only one item per order.

Mumstheword

altho the wording could be called into question, I would only expect a cheap starter and dessert per main meal ordered.

I always think it's a shame when we have to have long terms and conditions just to cover all eventualities, but would you really have expected to take say a group of 20 in, order 1 main and all have cheap starters and desserts?

I agree that the wording needs to be altered to say that each main meal ordered qualifies for one cheap starter and one cheap dessert. But I think you tried to take advantage.

Similarly, I hate it when people over order cheap price errors to sell on on ebay.

gazza975526570

Surely if they wanted it per main meal a line saying one starter/desert per main meal.

Its clear they have got it wrong