This was awkward

[Oldwilsonian]

Originally Posted by 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.

Were you in a restaurant or stripbar?!

[Route 66]

Because it bothered you enough for you to say that it "ruined an otherwise great meal" I would have said something. I'm sure it was just an oversight and sometimes restaurants get so busy that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. I'll bet that the owner would have wanted you to bring it to his attention rather than to lose you as a customer. If you had told him, you probably would have felt better about the situation when you left. Mistakes happen.

[perpetualman88]

I would have handled just as you did a gentleman

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

[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

[masterserg]

I am chalking this one to (good intentioned) waiter initiative. No biggie ... just felt wrong at the time.

[gwalker]

Originally Posted by masterserg

I am chalking this one to (good intentioned) waiter initiative. No biggie ... just felt wrong at the time.

Well worded. Dang over achieving waiter (not sure that's been said before.) HAHA

[xjeeunitx]

The first three words out of my mouth would be.....

WTF?

[MoBe]

If the food was good enough I would go back and make a point of telling the owner or the waitstaff not to expect to be paid for any unordered items should they appear on the bill again and if necessary explain the pryor incident and subsequent billing.If they care about your business they will straighten out their previous error and if not then you`ll be able to leave knowing that they had the chance to correct their mistake.

[Lion]

Serg, I would imagine a mistake was made and you were a gentleman for not making a scene. If you enjoyed the food then of course going back there is optional. But if you do look over your next bill carefully to see if there are any mistakes and I would ask to see the owner privately. Explain to him your previous experience and give him a chance to explain and I imagine he will adjust your current bill accordingly!!!

[FNFZ4]

yeah i would have told him...

[Timber Loftis]

Originally Posted by 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.

I would have explained to the owner what the meaning of lagniappe is.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis

I would have explained to the owner what the meaning of lagniappe is.

[Boopie]

I would have told the waiter that there should be no charge for the pastry, as it was not ordered. The alternative is to say nothing and not go back, which would be unfortunate if it were a good restaurant. I presume it was a mistake by the waiter.

[GradyPhilpott]

That strategy reminds me of the "B" girls in Tijuana.

[Baco Noir]

I wouldn't let $2 get me upset or cause me to not go back, but it would make me more aware of the charges on the bill in that place in the future.


A George Carlin quote comes to mind “Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things”

[Welshwatchman]

Originally Posted by Yellowdog

I wouldn't let $2 get me upset or cause me to not go back, but it would make me more aware of the charges on the bill in that place in the future.


A George Carlin quote comes to mind “Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things”

If the owner took $2 out of his wallet and walked away it's not a $2 thing.

It's something else.

Me, I'd ask the question at least. If it was a mistake, no biggie, don't even want the $2 since an apology put things straight.

A belligerent answer would bring on the storm of evil.

[masterserg]

Originally Posted by Yellowdog

A George Carlin quote comes to mind “Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things”

Excellent!!

BTW, I haven't gone back to the place ... but I've been tempted :)

[Beelzy]

The waiter obviously saw your Rolex and figured you for a big spender...and you played the part eloquently.

Win-Win!

[conrail]

Mistake or not by the waitstaff, I absolutely would not have paid for it! Cross it out on the bill and write something like "we never ordered this" and don't pay for it. Or cut it out of the tip and make note of that fact on the bill.

Alternatively, do what Dennis suggests and call the guy over. But still, in the end, I'd never pay for it.

[BogeyFree]

Originally Posted by conrail

Mistake or not by the waitstaff, I absolutely would not have paid for it! Cross it out on the bill and write something like "we never ordered this" and don't pay for it. Or cut it out of the tip and make note of that fact on the bill.

Alternatively, do what Dennis suggests and call the guy over. But still, in the end, I'd never pay for it.

I totally agree. It's not the lousy $2 or whatever the cost was. If I didn't order it I'm not gonna pay for it. I don't think that's being unreasonable or nitpicky at all.

[ratae1950]

I probably would have mentioned it at the time. However, as the issue quite rightly is bothering you, I would call and speak to the manager/owner and explain what happened and that you were very puzzled. I am pretty sure it was a communication screw up and that you will end up being treated very well the next time you eat at the place.

[Watchdog]

I would not have said anything, but it would've definitely left me feeling weird.

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by 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.

Worst ad is word of mouth.Name the establishment,so others will know.

[DiamondJack]

Life's too short to let these things annoy you but if it does, you HAVE to say something...... Otherwise it will just continue to irritate you.

But this sort of thing happens more and more these days and I believe it's just restaurants trying to maximise profits. If anyone says anything, I'm sure they would apologise and remove it from your bill ...... So effectively billing by percentages since most people won't say anything.

Every restaurant I go to these days will automatically bring bread, they will automatically bring a little starter ....... And it all ends up on the bill. I've even been offered a digestif after dinner in places like Poland and Spain.....also on the bill......

I think we believe this sort of thing may be free..... But it seems that if we accept them we are agreeing to pay for them........ But I've also turned the bread away and still found it on the bill......

The biggest scam I have come across recently in quite a few central London bars is a service charge for making a cocktail. So no waitress service involved or indeed anything remotely representing service. Just me walking up to the bar and ordering a few cocktails. These are then made by the waiter and handed to me for me to take back to my table. And for the privilege ......a 12.5% service charge added to cocktails that are already charged at £9.50 / $15 a pop. Your change is also handed to you on a little silver tray clearly also encouraging you to leave it as an additional tip.......

Quite a sad reflection of the state of this business and why more and more people are choosing not to frequent bars......

[Cru Jones]

well, i would have called them out on it politely, since it was very very likely an innocent mistake. ultimately, though, i wouldn't have paid for it, either....but, if i had decided to pay for it without saying anything, i wouldn't have stewed about it, either.

[BogeyFree]

Once again it's not the "$2". "IF" the owner had given me something without me asking for it, and charged even 10 cents for it without my ok, I don't care what it was, I wouldn't go back there again. That's not the kind of business I want to patronize.

[floater156]

I would have taken the cost of the pastry out of the tip