Eat out to help out

sweetsand

Those that really want to help out - why not donate them money like we have!  This way you are reducing the number of people on the streets, reducing risk, helping the NHS and other people and helping the business where they make a 100% profit from your cash donation and that is what I call
'helping out.'

Grumpy_chap

If people wish to make donations if their savings, doing so via registered charities will achieve most "bang for your buck"

rose28454

jon81uk said:

silvercar said:

jon81uk said:

JCS1 said:

onwards&upwards said:

rose28454 said:

Went to a local pub this evening with my sister and husband. She has a loyalty card for this place and it gives you 25% discount on a Wednesday . Ate our lovely meal and when the bill came she gave them her card but they did not take off the 25% discount. We asked the manager and he said oh that doesn’t apply with the Eat Out scheme . We said it’s supposed to but he said you’ve already had 50% off . We pointed out that money was coming from the government not yourselves! Shame as my
sister lives nearby and regularly eats there. It’s not what the scheme says should happen 

The scheme is there because the businesses would struggle to survive without it.   It does seem rather thoughtless to try to demand extra discounts on top of the £10/50% just at the moment.  If she has a loyalty card presumably she likes the place and wants it to stay open! 

The guidance on HMRC website does state it can be used after other discounts have been applied.  The pub needs to read up on the scheme rules.

"If you offer other discounts to diners

You can use the scheme alongside other offers and discounts you are offering.

To calculate the value of the transaction and make a claim to HMRC, you must first apply any special offers, vouchers or discount schemes you might be promoting or accepting and deduct any service charge.

You will only be reimbursed for the qualifying discounts you provide as part of the scheme."

The important word there is CAN, they can offer their usual discounts as well. They can also choose not to.
I think they should clearly communicate that, such as a sign saying Eat Out to Help Out, 50% off, usual discounts do not apply.

If you aren’t giving your customers much of an incentive to take advantage of the government scheme, then you won’t encourage many people to visit you, particularly if your competitors are using the scheme. So you risk losing out on potential customers.

If a restaurant I haven’t tried before is offering £10 off I may as well go there and keep a visit to you for when the scheme ends and your discount scheme will apply. 

On the other hand if they are plenty busy enough with just eat out to help out then why offer the usual discount in addition. Especially as most places can only fill half the tables due to distancing. If you need both the 25% and the 50% to eat somewhere then either you aren't that bothered about the food and are just looking for a bargain price or the restaurant is overpriced at normal times.

My sister and I are avid money savers. Its a lovely pub food is great. Thinking about it they should have it written on the Eat out scheme as suggested by another poster. We will definitely eat there again but maybe the manager should brush up on his people skills as he was quite sharp with her. 
We have eaten in 3 different places with this scheme all quite fancy and food and service was good in all except the posh hotel we went to last week where the food was lovely but the staff were a bit snooty. Next week off to a local pub we often go to as we love the food there. Am newly retired and hubby just inherited some money so have just paid off our mortgage after many years of struggling so August is a celebratory month. Anyone who remembers me from past posts over the years will know how as a family we have struggled but we finally got there with a lot of thanks to Martin Lewis.

syn3tico

Help on Eat Out to Help Out Price Gouging...!

Hi,

I couldn’t see this answered on the forum at all, however was after some advice regarding Restaurant Price Gouging during the government EOTHO scheme.

I visited a pub to have lunch where they have an exclusive menu valid for the scheme days. This was very clear on the menus. However, the prices were significantly inflated against the ‘standard menu’ which is available on their website and on the other days. For example, a starter was 5.95 on the standard menu, and then it was 9.75 on the scheme menu. There was no indication of difference, exact same description on menu, simply a higher prices during the scheme days.

Whilst I am aware there is no consumer law specifically preventing price gouging, however I was wondering if this could be answered by the MSE base as it feels somewhat dishonest and exploitive of consumers.

I am certainly not against pubs having to raise prices during this time, completely understandable, but to have inflated prices on the days during the scheme feels as if it is penalising the consumer? 

thanks all! 

Jonesy1977

syn3tico said:

Help on Eat Out to Help Out Price Gouging...!

Hi,

I couldn’t see this answered on the forum at all, however was after some advice regarding Restaurant Price Gouging during the government EOTHO scheme.

I visited a pub to have lunch where they have an exclusive menu valid for the scheme days. This was very clear on the menus. However, the prices were significantly inflated against the ‘standard menu’ which is available on their website and on the other days. For example, a starter was 5.95 on the standard menu, and then it was 9.75 on the scheme menu. There was no indication of difference, exact same description on menu, simply a higher prices during the scheme days.

Whilst I am aware there is no consumer law specifically preventing price gouging, however I was wondering if this could be answered by the MSE base as it feels somewhat dishonest and exploitive of consumers.

I am certainly not against pubs having to raise prices during this time, completely understandable, but to have inflated prices on the days during the scheme feels as if it is penalising the consumer? 

thanks all! 

Just go elsewhere if it is not to your liking..............you are either helping to replenish the devastating impact on business that the pandemic has caused or you are consumer looking for a bargain, if its the latter then go somewhere else, its your choice.

suki1964

syn3tico said:

Help on Eat Out to Help Out Price Gouging...!

Hi,

I couldn’t see this answered on the forum at all, however was after some advice regarding Restaurant Price Gouging during the government EOTHO scheme.

I visited a pub to have lunch where they have an exclusive menu valid for the scheme days. This was very clear on the menus. However, the prices were significantly inflated against the ‘standard menu’ which is available on their website and on the other days. For example, a starter was 5.95 on the standard menu, and then it was 9.75 on the scheme menu. There was no indication of difference, exact same description on menu, simply a higher prices during the scheme days.

Whilst I am aware there is no consumer law specifically preventing price gouging, however I was wondering if this could be answered by the MSE base as it feels somewhat dishonest and exploitive of consumers.

I am certainly not against pubs having to raise prices during this time, completely understandable, but to have inflated prices on the days during the scheme feels as if it is penalising the consumer? 

thanks all! 

report them to the HMRC as the scheme quite clearly states that the deal is for all food and soft drinks that are usually sold to be eaten on the premises 

A Belfast pub tried that one the first week, got absolutely crucified on SM and lo and behold, they suddenly had to close last Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday due to a member of staff getting Covid, yet once again, on SM no one who had eaten there had been notified via the track and trace

Jeremy535897

suki1964 said:

syn3tico said:

Help on Eat Out to Help Out Price Gouging...!

Hi,

I couldn’t see this answered on the forum at all, however was after some advice regarding Restaurant Price Gouging during the government EOTHO scheme.

I visited a pub to have lunch where they have an exclusive menu valid for the scheme days. This was very clear on the menus. However, the prices were significantly inflated against the ‘standard menu’ which is available on their website and on the other days. For example, a starter was 5.95 on the standard menu, and then it was 9.75 on the scheme menu. There was no indication of difference, exact same description on menu, simply a higher prices during the scheme days.

Whilst I am aware there is no consumer law specifically preventing price gouging, however I was wondering if this could be answered by the MSE base as it feels somewhat dishonest and exploitive of consumers.

I am certainly not against pubs having to raise prices during this time, completely understandable, but to have inflated prices on the days during the scheme feels as if it is penalising the consumer? 

thanks all! 

report them to the HMRC as the scheme quite clearly states that the deal is for all food and soft drinks that are usually sold to be eaten on the premises 

A Belfast pub tried that one the first week, got absolutely crucified on SM and lo and behold, they suddenly had to close last Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday due to a member of staff getting Covid, yet once again, on SM no one who had eaten there had been notified via the track and trace

On looking at the detailed guidance there isn't anything obvious to prevent this, but it is clearly against the spirit of the scheme, which is to encourage diners on quieter days to dine out. Swallowing up the discount by inflating prices on those days defeats the object. See:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/get-more-information-about-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme/get-more-information-about-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme

To report abuse, see near the bottom of:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-a-discount-with-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme

Thrugelmir

syn3tico said:

I visited a pub to have lunch where they have an exclusive menu valid for the scheme days. This was very clear on the menus. However, the prices were significantly inflated against the ‘standard menu’ which is available on their website and on the other days. For example, a starter was 5.95 on the standard menu, and then it was 9.75 on the scheme menu. There was no indication of difference, exact same description on menu, simply a higher prices during the scheme days.

Then vote with your wallet and go elsewhere. Leave a negative review too. Ultimately bad establishments will fall on their own sword. 

binao

2 meals total £20, so discount is £10 and £10 is paid. 

Meals have been consumed and 2 coffees, (soft drinks?) are now purchased, (total cost £5)., new shift staff do not know you have had 2 discounted  meals.

New staff refuse discount and demand full cost of£5. 

Could this result  in £5 being received from the customer and £2-50 from the government? Total £7-50.

If yes, what should the customer do? If anything.

Voyager2002

binao said:

2 meals total £20, so discount is £10 and £10 is paid. 

Meals have been consumed and 2 coffees, (soft drinks?) are now purchased, (total cost £5)., new shift staff do not know you have had 2 discounted  meals.

New staff refuse discount and demand full cost of£5. 

Could this result  in £5 being received from the customer and £2-50 from the government? Total £7-50.

If yes, what should the customer do? If anything.

If this is a 'pub, then there should not be a discount on purchase of drinks without food, so the staff were right to refuse.