Brother Marcus Restauarnt Scam?

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82001060#Comment_82001060

Much like any other business, if something is offered for sale to the "general public" then the price you see must be that you pay, so yes a restaurant menu will include VAT in the prices.

If, however, the same menu were being offered to a commercial body (say for a catering job) then the prices may be shown ex-VAT. Same as going to a trade cash'n'carry where similar ex-VAT pricing occurs.

Grumpy_chap

Right

Food total: £80.80 + Charity donation: £2 (subtotal: £82.80) + Service charge (13.5%): £12.60 + Tax: £12.50 = £107.90

£80.80 + £12.60 = £93.40. If this figure includes VAT then the VAT is £15.57.

Very close to the £15.54, possibly rounding errors.

Still can't fathom out the other line for 12.50

la531983

It has to be an error. Or something is labelled up wrong on the till.

Did you have any form of extras on this brunch that maybe came to £12.50?

TeaAndCrumpets

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82001089#Comment_82001089

Nope - my friend added halloumi to her meal but that was listed as £4 and included in the £80.80!

The staff didn’t seem to think it was an error - they said this charge is added to every bill and is very normal. It also seems like it is included automatically - they couldn’t even remove it on their system (when we refused to pay it, they ended up removing one of our meal items that was roughly the same value).

la531983

Really odd, gone onto Google Maps to the Covent Garden branch and you would have thought someone would have mentioned it in 5,001 reviews but no mention of the word "tax" in any review on there.

TaxGoose66

This happened to me at the Borough Market branch of the same restaurant! When I asked the manager what it was for, she said it was “a legal requirement” and “that every restaurant does it”. When I told her that wasn’t true, she said something along the lines of “you may not be familiar with UK tax”. I calmly told her I was a tax lawyer and then she backed down and comped an item on the menu to compensate me. The whole thing left me feeling really icky! I mean it could have been an error but it’s a high tourist area and I can imagine a lot of people won’t know the UK tax rules and might think it’s normal to add tax (like it is in America). I just couldn’t really believe a well known popular chain would purposely run a scam like this! It was really confusing to say the least!

I also find it super suspicious that the service charge wasn’t calculated correctly! And since we’re here, the “Water Charity Donation” also feels like a round about way to charge for tap water….

Bad vibes to say the least!!!!!

la531983

Certainly be a Trading Standards job at the very least.

Aylesbury_Duck

Sounds like a place to avoid, frankly. Thanks for the warning.

TeaAndCrumpets

Thank you - I think I will do this, especially after hearing it has also happened to taxgoose66, so seems to be their usual practice

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82001147#Comment_82001147

Maybe follow up with their corporate?

Their website doesn't make getting in touch with their HQ easy, no address, phone or email, just a fill-in enquiry form. The PLC is registered at their Victoria location.