Help - Charged £57 for eating nothing!!

Contains_Mild_Peril

I'm fairly certain that a difference of 4 customers would not affect the number of staff required. The OP should have been warned of any charge for no-shows at the time of booking, and since the charge is obviously well in excess of any extra expenses incurred by the restaurant, I would have asked to see the manager to discuss the matter if the charge had not been agreed at the time of booking.

Gingernutmeg

Contains_Mild_Peril wrote: »

I'm fairly certain that a difference of 4 customers would not affect the number of staff required.

But it wasn't four customers, it was 20, the restaurant would have got extra staff in for that and they can't be blamed for four people not turning up - you don't pay the staff less just because they've served fewer people lol. In any case, 16 extra people will make a difference. One waiter/waitress really is going to struggle to cover that many on their own, and parties can be very demanding, in my experience a party of fifteen to twenty will tend to 'hog' a member of staff, if only in reordering drinks/dropping cutlery/wanting water/ordering extra/changing their minds ...

Voyager2002

It is reasonable for a restaurant to charge people who make a booking and then don't turn up. But in this case the OP did turn up, in a party of 16. I am astonished that the restaurant charged for the party being 20 per cent smaller than expected. Either the restaurant management are totally lacking in business sense, or there is more to this story than we have heard so far...

Bamber19

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

But it wasn't four customers, it was 20, the restaurant would have got extra staff in for that and they can't be blamed for four people not turning up - you don't pay the staff less just because they've served fewer people lol. In any case, 16 extra people will make a difference. One waiter/waitress really is going to struggle to cover that many on their own, and parties can be very demanding, in my experience a party of fifteen to twenty will tend to 'hog' a member of staff, if only in reordering drinks/dropping cutlery/wanting water/ordering extra/changing their minds ...

I think the point being made is that the number of staff needed for 16 people is no less than for 20 people, so in terms of staffing, the fact that 4 didn't turn up wont have affected the restaurant as they would probably have had the extra staff for 16 anyway.

Gingernutmeg

True, but they would have had the extra staff and the restaurant was probably working on the basis that the profit from the four extra people would cover the staff wages - in effect, the restaurant was looking at making at least 20% less from the party than they had anticipated, which when you take into account the extra staff and extra food, is quite a substantial loss.

But as I said before, I personally would not have charged them so much extra, it's left a bitter taste in the OPs mouth and it's not done the restaurant any good publicity-wise. However, it's not unusual now for restaurants to ask for a deposit from large parties, because even if someone cancels (especially without the restaurant having any prior knowledge) the restaurant has usually incurred substantial costs (staffing, food) before the party even walks through the door. I can see why the restaurant has charged for the people who didn't turn up, but I personally don't feel that it's good practice to do it for a meal that isn't a 'set' menu.

dangeroussports

I'd of been really peed off being the OP's waiter/waitress after serving them and not getting a tip.

Not the restaraunts fault that the four people decided to insult the OP for not turning up.

Everyman and his dog knows that restaurants charge per head, irrelevant whether a few fail to turn up. Everyone knows that in these days, thats why you get people to commit by taking a deposit.

Come on!

looby-loo_2

No matter the rights or wrongs if I were the owner I wouldn't have charged knowing the 16 who did turn up probably wont return and will tell all their friends not to either. Poor way to do business.

dangeroussports

But your not. Hence the reason you cant talk with authority.

asea

dangeroussports wrote: »

I'd of been really peed off being the OP's waiter/waitress after serving them and not getting a tip.

Not the restaraunts fault that the four people decided to insult the OP for not turning up.

Everyman and his dog knows that restaurants charge per head, irrelevant whether a few fail to turn up. Everyone knows that in these days, thats why you get people to commit by taking a deposit.

Come on!

They got service charge. That is what it is there for. They even got the service charge for the people that didn't turn up that they didn't have to serve

payless

perhaps they also overcharged his webdesigner
http://www.stephenjeffers.com/