Moral dilemma/restaurant undercharged

[Gucci]

So it came to pass that a family get together in a restaurant was organised. A £100 deposit was paid over the phone (party of 8). Nice dinner, wine etc. My brother settled the bill after and we'd split it. I asked in the car park, what's the damage? He said, well, it's actually £100 less than it should've been I think!

The restaurant have now called (2 months after the event) and suggested we owe them the money. They are of course right, but can they demand the money having realised their mistake this far down the line?

 

[m2287]

why not just pay, that way you have no dilemma?

 

[artyman]

The moral thing to have done would to have gone back from the car park to check that the bill was correct. Now they have discovered the error do you wish to be remembered as a dishonest person.

 

[MOCAŠ]

I see no dilemma here. You owe them the money...

 

[snoop51]

Just pay up for your own peace of mind. They obviously have it well documented to be able to trace where the money has gone. If you say no they could small claims court you and credit card statements, bills etc. all point in their favour. If it's a small business it's a lot for them to loose if it's a large chain then they will pursue it anyway.

You took a gamble in the car park that evening and you've just lost, face up to it. The proof of the pudding is in the eating (and billing in this case)

 

[Deleted member 37751]

How have they worked it out that you owe them money after 2 months?? Why so long??

Oh and just pay the bill. You will sleep better at night.

 

[ringway]

 

[Doodle]

So, to understand - the final bill came out with £200 removed then? i.e. they added your deposit twice? What made your brother say it was £100 less than it should be?

Just trying to get my head around the figures.

Hypothetical flipside - you don't owe them any money, they're chancing their arm that you've forgotten and will just pay up...more so if you aren't regulars and are unlikely to go back.

 

[MD5]

So you had a family gathering, with good food and drink, split eight ways. What a way to repay them, knowingly taking £100 of someone else's money (in your own words, you say they are right).

Fair enough, some people may think it's a bonus for the evening, but £100 is a substantial sum. What do you think the atmosphere was like there, when the till was shown to be short by that amount, and anyone with access to it being under suspicion? Perhaps the shortfall came out of a collective tips jar?

In the eyes of the restaurant, it is feasible such a large group may not have spotted the mistake on the night, so no need to lose face by paying what you know is right.

 

[lxi]

I think the fact you posted this in the first place and with the title you chose answers the question for you !

 

[markjay]

There is probably not much they can do realisticly, other than take you through small claims, which they may not bother with anyway.

Having said that, if you agree you owe the money, why not just pay, as others said?

If you had some reason to withhold payment, even say a moral one rather than legal one, then there may have been a case for not paying. But if they provided good food and good service at the agreed price, why on earth should you avoid paying?

 

[jepho]

On its face, and on the account you have given, it very much appears as if the car park was the correct place to have resolved any issues.

"He said, well, it's actually £100 less than it should've been I think!"

I cannot see any reason for the party leaving the car park, given the preceding quotation. By all means check the explanation as to why the restaurant have claimed that there is still money outstanding... after which the bill should be settled in full. It may be helpful for your brother to check his card payments statement and check that the payments to the restaurant tally with the bill they had presented on the night on question. It should be a simple matter to find out what the shortfall is, if any, and how it occurred. It is often futile to try to apportion blame in disputes of this type. I would suggest that your brother apologises for an inadvertent oversight and then pays the shortfall demanded and be done with it.

 

[Howard]

I'm very much a believer in karma , what goes around comes around.

 

[ringway]

I'm very much a believer in korma , what goes around comes around.

How did you know it was an Indian restaurant?

 

[m2287]

how did you know it was an indian restaurant?

lol

 

[rascalmaster]

Er... If your brother did it not you.... Then he's gonna burn! .... Not you

I'd say you've got that conscience with a squeaky clean credit score m8

 

[Gucci]

I'm very much a believer in karma , what goes around comes around.

Indeed...the restaurant owners are well renowned to be unpleasant people.

Anyway, I shall be paying the sum outstanding. Halo restored.

 

[Howard]

I wouldn't pay it out of fear of the restaurant owners , i would pay it and bank some karma.

That way when the rope breaks on that grand piano being hauled up to the fifth floor , it won't hit you ...

 

[MD5]

Hoorah!

Conversely, and as korma has been mentioned, we went to a new Indian the other night, where I tried curried pelican for the first time.

The food was great, but the bill was bigger than we thought!

 

[ringway]

hoorah!

Conversely, and as korma has been mentioned, we went to a new indian the other night, where i tried curried pelican for the first time.

The food was great, but the bill was bigger than we thought!

lol!!!