Friday, October 30, 2009

Menu Mendacity


Two incidents in the past few days have made me crazy. The first was when we were down in Ashland. We went to one of our favorite restaurants, the Black Sheep. Wonderful meat pasties, delicious fish and chips, a sublime smoked trout and gouda sandwich. Delightful service. Friendly fellow diners. A round of darts. Then the bill arrives. Two of the meals were listed about $3 more than the menu board prices. Yours truly asks the waitress, who apologizes and says "the computer must not have been changed from the dinner prices of last night." She instantly corrects the bill.

But still I am bothered. I do not like mistakes.

This morning I ordered a breakfast basket from an area restaurant. The menu board specifies cheese costs 60 cents more. I want cheese. I order it with cheese, knowing I will be paying more. The menu board offers beverage choices: coffee, OJ, milk or bottled water. I order OJ. Surprise! I get up to the window to pay and learn that the OJ is 20 cents more. I tell them "it doesn't say that on the board." Super Son squirms in intense embarrassment. Manager offers to refund the 20 cents. I tell him it's not necessary; I just hope they will amend their sign and future printings of the menu so that customers can make an informed choice. He says it is impossible to list all the extra charges - "the sign would have to be huge!"

This bothers me.

Do you encounter this type of thing? Does it bother you, too? Or do I need to get a life? I await your reply.

7 comments:

Miss Healthypants said...

Oh hell yes, that stuff happens to me and BOTHERS me. :)

When we were vacationing in the South (I think it was in West Virginia somewhere), Pizza Hut was the only place around to eat, and we were starving.

The menu listed a 2-person meal for a certain price, but later, we saw that the bill was $3.00 higher. We complained to the "manager," who had--I swear--NO FRONT TEETH.

He mumbled something about the computer always screwing up or something like that, but my husband and I didn't believe him...but at least he took the $3.00 off the bill.

I guess, never trust a guy with no front teeth?? *grin*

I just hate it when restaurants try to screw ya', you know?

Simple Mama said...

hmm...I'm torn. I mean it's YOUR money - and you have a right to know how much you're spending and where it goes. Including surcharges for cheese. But on the other hand - they offered to fix the problem and remove the charge - both times, right? So the part of me that's on awesome anti-anxiety meds says just chillax and enjoy your meal - bigger things to worry about.

shrink on the couch said...

Bothers me too. Kids are embarrassed when we moms open our mouths to say anything. So we can't be swayed.

Lisa Wheeler Milton said...

It probably wouldn't bother me too much in Ashland only because it sounds, well, like Ashland.

Little locally owned places full of idiosyncrasies. The one that did tick me off? They spontaneously close too, especially when it's not Shakespeare season. We used to call ahead just because it happened a little bit too often.

Bee said...

You should know exactly what you are paying for.

I stayed in a hotel on Friday night, and AFTER I paid the bill I noticed that they had included a pound for some charity. When I asked about it, the woman said that they automatically add it to every bill "but we can take it off if you want to." Now I don't mind spending the pound so much, but I really don't think they should presume . . . even if it goes to charity.

Fantastic Forrest said...

Miss H - YES! It makes me grit my teeth (and I have all of mine)!

Simple Mama - But how can I chillax if I have to constantly check the check? Remember, I said it bothers me. If they had given me trouble with correcting it, it would have ENRAGED me. And that's an ugly sight. Think Incredible Hulk.

PhD - indeed. My poor Son to have such a mother.

Lisa - unexpected restaurant closures break my hungry heart. I wish there were more open that served underage diners after the plays!

Bee - exactly. The presumption was...er...presumptive. You and I are clearly soul sisters.

Mandy said...

Oh, I don't like that at all either! If I am with people, for example The Husband or family, I ask if they mind if I pursue it and usually they say go ahead. If I'm alone, I'm relentless.