Groupon - Restaurant will not change date of booking
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christhorn
Posts: 11 Forumite
Hi all, thank you for taking the time to help.
My partner purchased a restaurant deal through Groupon, and booked it for Friday 14 October 2011 at 19:00.
groupon.co.uk/deals/coventry-and-warks/the-quicken-tree-restaurant-and-bar/983900
We found today that we can't make it on Friday, so rang to change it to the following week. The restaurant told us they cannot change the booking, leaving us with one option - to cancel the booking and forfeit the GBP 15.00 already paid. The reason they cited was (according to my OH) "the Groupon code has already been entered into the system and can't be entered again" and "we have had to turn away people who wanted a table for Friday night, as we are now full".
The first reason sounds like something the restaurant should take up with Groupon, and the second reason just sounds weak. I would be very surprised if a popular restaurant could not fill a table for two at 19:00 on a Friday night.
The T&Cs (or "fine print" as Groupon calls it) for the deal is as follows:
Nowhere is it mentioned that changing a booking is impossible. What IS mentioned however, is that there is a 48 hour cancellation policy. I take this to mean: "You may cancel your booking at any time up to 48 hours prior to the reservation and you will not incur any charges." This would mean we have until 18:59:59 on Wednesday 12 October 2011 to change the booking without incurring a charge.
If we had booked the restaurant as regular customers, we would not have been expected to pay in advance, and cancellation would therefore have not incurred any charges.
Where do we stand on this one?
Thanks again for your help.
Chris
My partner purchased a restaurant deal through Groupon, and booked it for Friday 14 October 2011 at 19:00.
groupon.co.uk/deals/coventry-and-warks/the-quicken-tree-restaurant-and-bar/983900
We found today that we can't make it on Friday, so rang to change it to the following week. The restaurant told us they cannot change the booking, leaving us with one option - to cancel the booking and forfeit the GBP 15.00 already paid. The reason they cited was (according to my OH) "the Groupon code has already been entered into the system and can't be entered again" and "we have had to turn away people who wanted a table for Friday night, as we are now full".
The first reason sounds like something the restaurant should take up with Groupon, and the second reason just sounds weak. I would be very surprised if a popular restaurant could not fill a table for two at 19:00 on a Friday night.
The T&Cs (or "fine print" as Groupon calls it) for the deal is as follows:
Expires 28 January 2012.
Groupon valid for 2 or 4 people, may buy multiple as gifts. Max 1 voucher per table. Booking required. 48 hour cancellation policy. Not valid in December. Valid Tue-Fri midday-3pm; 6pm-10pm. 48 hour cancellation policy. Valid for starters up to £4.95 and mains up to £14.95 only. More expensive dishes will incur a surcharge. Not valid for side dishes or desserts.
Nowhere is it mentioned that changing a booking is impossible. What IS mentioned however, is that there is a 48 hour cancellation policy. I take this to mean: "You may cancel your booking at any time up to 48 hours prior to the reservation and you will not incur any charges." This would mean we have until 18:59:59 on Wednesday 12 October 2011 to change the booking without incurring a charge.
If we had booked the restaurant as regular customers, we would not have been expected to pay in advance, and cancellation would therefore have not incurred any charges.
Where do we stand on this one?
Thanks again for your help.
Chris
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Comments
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Or perhaps the 48 hour cancellation policy means that you can cancel a booking up to 48 hours after having made it?
No idea which interpretation is correct though.
btw... that link doesn't work.0 -
Ah, I didn't think of that.
I guess it will be a case of arguing the toss with the restaurant, then.
Thanks for the reply.0 -
Email groupon, explain the situation and that the restaurant is not honouring the 48 hours booking cancellation notice (it is always 48 hours before not 48 hours after). Groupon should then refund the voucher back to you. You will miss out on the restaurant, but it shouldn't cost you anything.0
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Will do. Thank you for the reply.0
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btw... that link doesn't work.
worked fine for me...
http://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/coventry-and-warks/the-quicken-tree-restaurant-and-bar/983900
As goater says - contact GroupOn, they are normally pretty good.
This is the restaurants loss, and now that it has been mentioned on here, it may come up on search results in Google!0 -
I couldn't post a working hyperlink as I am a "new member"
I'll post back with the results of speaking to Groupon.0 -
Yes, it does for me now.
Thanks.
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christhorn wrote: »Hi all, thank you for taking the time to help.
My partner purchased a restaurant deal through Groupon, and booked it for Friday 14 October 2011 at 19:00.
groupon.co.uk/deals/coventry-and-warks/the-quicken-tree-restaurant-and-bar/983900
We found today that we can't make it on Friday, so rang to change it to the following week. The restaurant told us they cannot change the booking, leaving us with one option - to cancel the booking and forfeit the GBP 15.00 already paid. The reason they cited was (according to my OH) "the Groupon code has already been entered into the system and can't be entered again" and "we have had to turn away people who wanted a table for Friday night, as we are now full".
The first reason sounds like something the restaurant should take up with Groupon, and the second reason just sounds weak. I would be very surprised if a popular restaurant could not fill a table for two at 19:00 on a Friday night.
The T&Cs (or "fine print" as Groupon calls it) for the deal is as follows:
Nowhere is it mentioned that changing a booking is impossible. What IS mentioned however, is that there is a 48 hour cancellation policy. I take this to mean: "You may cancel your booking at any time up to 48 hours prior to the reservation and you will not incur any charges." This would mean we have until 18:59:59 on Wednesday 12 October 2011 to change the booking without incurring a charge.
If we had booked the restaurant as regular customers, we would not have been expected to pay in advance, and cancellation would therefore have not incurred any charges.
Where do we stand on this one?
Thanks again for your help.
Chris
I would say the second reason is the strongest reason. You can only detain provable losses from a deposit, so if they had turned customers away they would have a case for keeping the deposit --- however they would have a duty to mitigate their losses, meaning if they was able to fill the table for that night (which I don't see why they wouldn't) their losses are minimal.
Although getting clarity on the 48hr cancellation policy is the way forward0 -
How did they know the Groupon code?, there is no reason to even mention Groupon when booking, is there?0
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I think my OH told the restaurant it was a Groupon booking. Most places running Groupon deals either require you to mention it at the time of booking, or they ask you on the phone. Trying to get through to them now, so should know shortly.0
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