Restaurant deposit paid OK

suzyT

Paid a £10 deposit on a £20 per head meal for a charity do.
Unfortunately was unable to go due to ill health but when the rest of the party came to pay the bill they were told i still had to pay the other £10
regardless of me not being there.
Surly this cant be right If i pay a deposit on a car and changed my mind i wouldn't  be expected to pay the balance i just lose the deposit

Tigsteroonie

How much notice did you give the restaurant that you couldn't attend and wouldnt' need your meal?

In my experience, such cancellations with short notice have always resulted in needing to pay for all booked places in full. The chef and staff were hired ready. Other bookings may have been declined. Food will have be bought. 

mattyprice4004

Did you tell them ahead of time? They could have ordered in / prepared the food, but if you gave them ample notice I'd argue that you tried to mitigate the loss.

If not, then I'd pay up. 

adonis

Did they bring your meal out for the others to tuck into, if not you shouldn't have to pay.

Manxman_in_exile

As this is a "charity do", who is saying the remaining £10 needs to be paid?

Is it the restaurant itself, or is it the organisation or group of people who booked the restaurant/organised the meal on behalf of the charity and through whom your "party" may have booked the meal?

Aylesbury_Duck

Not right but all you can do is vote with your wallet and not go there again.

suzyT

It was a buffet style meal and it was the restaurant who has demanded the further £10 not the charity group

Takmon

suzyT said:

It was a buffet style meal and it was the restaurant who has demanded the further £10 not the charity group

So they still would have purchased the food and still would have put the food out for the buffet so it's fair that you have to pay the full amount.

But how much advance notice did you give the restaurant that you were not attending?

Fosterdog

So was it more a case of you booking your attendance at an event that included a free meal rather than the deposit being for the meal? 

Pollycat

Takmon said:

suzyT said:

It was a buffet style meal and it was the restaurant who has demanded the further £10 not the charity group

So they still would have purchased the food and still would have put the food out for the buffet so it's fair that you have to pay the full amount.

But how much advance notice did you give the restaurant that you were not attending?

As the OP said it was due to ill-health, it may just have been a case of not turning up.

Fosterdog said:

So was it more a case of you booking your attendance at an event that included a free meal rather than the deposit being for the meal? 

Good point.

Both the quoted posts have very pertinent questions.

Undervalued

suzyT said:

Surly this cant be right If i pay a deposit on a car and changed my mind i wouldn't  be expected to pay the balance i just lose the deposit

Not really, it is not as simple as that.

You have entered into a contract to buy the car and have made a part payment. If you withdraw from that contract the car dealer is entitled to be compensated for his losses. 

Under some circumstances his losses could be less than the deposit, in which case you may have a legal right to part of your deposit back.

Under other circumstances he may, despite using reasonable efforts, actually lose more than the deposit you have paid. I which case he could look to you for some additional money.