Restaurant Booking Cancellation

carrieanne12

On the Saurday 17th December we booked a Boxing Day meal over the phone and paid £20 Deposit. The following Monday we were phoned and asked to pay the remaining balance of £55. Unfortunately, I was unwell during Christmas night and felt unable to keep the booking. To my dismay, upon checking the brochure, it said cancellations could only be made by writing. The restaurant did phone on Boxing Day to see if we were coming, but after explaining that we couldnt attend, said we could not have a refund. I fully expected to lose the deposit but not the whole amount especially as we did not have time to write. I felt this was unfair and would love advice from someone if there is any way we could recover our loss.

agrinnall

I'm sorry to hear you were unwell but given the very short notice the venue had I don't think it's unreasonable to charge you the full amount. The only way you might be able to recover some of the money is if you were able to establish that they had been able to re-use your table, in which case they have mitigated their losses and may be persuaded to refund the £35.

texranger

9/10 meals over this period are pre ordered, so they would have the means prepared and the staff arranged. this is just like booking a holiday and them cancelling at the last minute you are liable for all the costs

giraffe69

The restaurant did phone on Boxing Day to see if we were coming, but after explaining that we couldnt attend, said we could not have a refund.

If they had to phone you to find out then you might understand why they didn't feel moved to make any refund to you.

DCFC79

Oh you were unwell oh thats a shame, could you not have written a letter and sent it off or asked a friend to do the letter and deliver it.

scheming_gypsy

DCFC79 wrote: »

Oh you were unwell oh thats a shame, could you not have written a letter and sent it off or asked a friend to do the letter and deliver it.

carrieanne12 wrote: »

On the Saurday 17th December we booked a Boxing Day meal over the phone and paid £20 Deposit. The following Monday we were phoned and asked to pay the remaining balance of £55. Unfortunately, I was unwell during Christmas night and felt unable to keep the booking. To my dismay, upon checking the brochure, it said cancellations could only be made by writing. The restaurant did phone on Boxing Day to see if we were coming, but after explaining that we couldnt attend, said we could not have a refund. I fully expected to lose the deposit but not the whole amount especially as we did not have time to write. I felt this was unfair and would love advice from someone if there is any way we could recover our loss.

If they were unwell on Christmas night and the meal was the following (or even same) day, there wouldn't have been enough time to get the letter there. Even if somebody dropped it off it'd probably have been outside the cancellation period.

lateandlive

True, but the restaurant was happy to provide the service that was asked of them, therefore their terms and conditions of booking still stand. I strongly doubt they'd fill the table on the day, and as was said before - they would undoubtably have bought the food in according to the numbers booked.