This was awkward

[masterserg]

I was just at a restaurant with my wife and son ... very nice french bakery, great food ... the owner stopped by and gave my son a small apple pastry ... all nice ...

Later on when I get the bill ... guess what, the pastry is included. I didn't say anything and paid for it because I was not going to get in a argument for a couple bucks, but it felt really wrong and it ruined an otherwise great meal and I am not sure I want to go back to that place ... shame cause it was great ...

Would you have told him? Just curious.

[daveathall]

Probably not, but I wouldn't be going back.

[swatty]

Maybe one of the wait staff charged the pastry without the owners knowledge?

[dysondiver]

you should have charged him for the time you spent eating dinner ... he didnt ask for that either.
marked the bill paid in full .
ok , just a thought , yes , you acted well and with restraint. the owner was out of order.

[bgriz]

Same thing happened to me and a buddy some years ago when Dick Portillo "befriended" us at one of his new restaurants. He said try this, try that....had wait staff bring it while sitting with us.....even had us try one of his cigars. After, he excused himself to mingle elsewhere. We got the bill, it was ALL on there. For some reason, we were under the impression he was being a nice guy. Lesson learned.

[mtrunner]

The owner was out of line and it was really tacky on his part to charge you for the pastry.

[RRGHOST1]

You acted correctly IMO,but i wouldn't go back however nice the meal and the place was.

[SPARTAN2161]

I think there may have been a mix up with the service staff? That is a tough situation for sure!

[1675-David]

It must have been a mistake, no cafe owner is going to risk loosing customers over a pastry.

[Grissom]

I would speak with the owner, and ask him about the pastry.....if it were meant as a gift, or if, perhaps, it was meant for another customer, but he delivered it to your son by mistake, and that is why it ended up on your bill, or what? It could have been an honest mistake, and if the experience otherwise was a good one, I think it would be worth checking with the owner.

Just the other day, the server at a little Thai place we frequent, out of the blue, brought us a nice appetizer, just because......no charge, of course.....and a very nice gesture, as a token of appreciation for our patronage, and hopefully, your's was meant to be as well.

[azguy]

Originally Posted by 1675-David

It must have been a mistake, no cafe owner is going to risk loosing customers over a pastry.

I agree, maybe they entered the pastry on the bill for inventory reasons and then discount it back for book keeping purposes.

Not to get to technical but a give away like that should not hit his cost of goods sold but instead a promotional account on his balance sheet

If you like the place I'd go back

[BogeyFree]

I absolutely would have said something. And there was nothing to argue about either as you didn't order it to begin with. Wouldn't have bothered me a bit to say something.

[masterserg]

I'll go with the mistake and give him the benefit of the doubt :)

[HL65]

Very awkward...Would have left a bad taste in my mouth!

[BarkMaster]

I would have said something regardless of the amount.

[chicfarmer1]

Yes, I would have mentioned it. I bet it was just a clerical error by someone who didn't understand that the gesture had been made.

It's in the interest of a restaurant to hear from customers when they screw up...they'd rather see you again amicably than cause bad feelings that send you away.

[sub2004]

Guys

Even if the owner gave it for free, he should have at least told his billing staff to not add that on the billl.

Its like in my office, we throw a freebee for a client, we make sure the lady in charge of billing does not add it back to the bill.

I would not go back. Heaps of nice pastry and bake houses around for your hard earned money.

[z32turbo]

I think you showed great restraint by not making a scene. I'd deffinately have reservations about going back. Too bad since it was a good meal.

[btinl]

I've had this happen at a few restaurants in the past. They will serve chocolates or macaroons at the end of the dinner and just add them onto the bill.

[threemonkeys]

Awkward, indeed. It reminds me when I'm out and the person at the counter kindly asks 'would you like some sour cream on that?' to which I happily reply 'yes.' Of course it's only when they ring you up that you found out you were charged some outlandish price for something you thought was free. I'm real big on full disclosure.

Were I in your situation and did not say anything about the bill, I certainly would not visit the restaurant again.

[david_ord]

It could have been a mistake-- waitstaff did not know owner gave pastry away. However, it was an inexcusable mistake. The owner had a duty to notify the waitstaff. He breached that duty.

[rr-nyc]

If the owner just gave it to your child, its a gift. I would addressed it with the server. They could have seen it on the table and just added it to the bill or miscommunication between the owner ant the server. I don't se anything wrong with asking because it would certainly be odd for anyone at a restaurant to start giving things and adding them to the check.

If the place were good, I wouldn't let this incident prevent you from returning

[gwalker]

I agree I am generally someone that gives the benefit of the doubt. IMO if the food is good I would go back. If that is your only issue things sound like they could be much worse. You said TE food was good. Unless you live in a very large metro area great food is tough to come by. I wouldn't have noticed a pasty on my check anyway. My fiances favorite restaurants service is terrible. Check is wrong half the time and slow service. Bad thing is the food is AMAZING. We will keep going back but I hate that the service sucks. I'll put up with issues for perfect food.

[perpetualman88]

I would have handled just as you did a gentleman

Quitely pay for the apple pastry and then not go back again

[gwalker]

Originally Posted by david_ord

It could have been a mistake-- waitstaff did not know owner gave pastry away. However, it was an inexcusable mistake. The owner had a duty to notify the waitstaff. He breached that duty.

Miscommunication on a few dollar pasty is an inexcusable mistake??? Please... That's a little extreme there. I disagree with you that the owner has to tell the server that he gave away a pasty. It wouldn't have bothered me that bad but if it did I would've asked the server. I would be willing to bet the server put that on the bill. Not the owner. This fits the expression of "turning a molehill into a mountain..."

[unclesallie]

I have a close friend who owns two restaurants. One very very large, the other small.
If he had given a gift it would not have appeared on the bill. I believe a mistake was made, but even if not, the owner should be privately told that a 'gift' does not appear on the bill.
I hope and expect the error will be corrected. Definitely bring it to the owner's attention!

[cedargrove]

I would have mentioned it, as it was probably a mistake.

If it was not a mistake, I wouldn't raise a stink, and would likely pay, but he'd know the reason why I never went back.

[esm]

I'd pay for it,and then jokingly mention it to the owner afterwards.... To see what his reaction

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by daveathall

Probably not, but I wouldn't be going back.

X2!

When my wife and I was in Chicago on our Honeymoon trip back in december, we found a nice Italian restaurant, that had great service and good food.

BUT!

The most annoying fiddle man ever! He came to our table and chatted with us from 20 min! My damn lasagna got cold... He totally ruined that night for us.

[NYC6]

I would have asked the waiter to send the owner over. When he got there I would have plolitely said " there seems to be an error on the bill and we were accidentally charged for the pastry you gave my child" and see what he says. If he apologizes and makes it right, fine. No harm no foul. If he takes the other path, I would pay it and tell him he just lost a customer. I wouldnt care how good the food is and if it were the only eatery in town he would never see me in his place again.
Principle of the thing.

______________________________

XLVI Super Bowl Champs NY Giants