Restaurant refuses to refund money after a death

[dowie]

Maybe for a single event. But if the owner lives and dies by the profit on any given day, then they are up for a big wake up call.

Seems rather unlikely for a Michelin star restaurant that sold out the event, again it's about why they should refund them rather than if they could. I doubt it is going to damage their reputation either.

I mean what's the point in taking advanced payment for an event if you accept cancellations (of a whole group) for all sorts of reasons - this was one person in a party of 6 whose dad had been in an accident and was in hospital... maybe another party has someone who is ill and can't make it - should they get a refund for the entire party too?

The refund of the two tickets seemed reasonable tbh... the other 4 people who booked to attend the NYE event could have attempted to invite other friends too.

That £660 also wasn't lost. They could have just fitted them in another day when there is spare capacity going.

Yes it was, they sold out that event and previously had people on a waiting list - if they couldn't sell on the seats (which they did try to do) then they are taking a hit of £660, and that hit would have been from their profit for that night as the food, staff etc.. had already been booked.

That the party might have come back another night doesn't change that either - coming back another night might just have meant that some other people couldn't get a booking there that might have otherwise.

 

[Orionaut]

That the party might have come back another night doesn't change that either - coming back another night might just have meant that some other people couldn't get a booking there that might have otherwise.

I doubt very much that these are the sorts of establishment where one can just turn up on the night and get a table without a prior booking.

So this is exactly what would be the case. The loss would be a loss for ever.

 

[Orionaut]

Ooops Ignore

 

[muon]

That wasn't what was being proposed. Again reading out of context. They were happy to arrange another day which works for both parties. They weren't hoping to rock up on a random day.

Unless this place is sold out permanently that is just poor rationalisation of their decision. The kind of thinking that resulted in this rubbish decision.

When people google this restaurant these articles will dominate.

Chicken Cottage would've refunded.

Pretty much everyone would have refunded.

I've been watching a lot of Gordon Ramsay restaurant shows recently. The importance he puts on the customer is astounding, even problematic customers. I can imagine what he would say in the case above.

 

[Em3bbs]

That wasn't what was being proposed. Again reading out of context. They were happy to arrange another day which works for both parties. They weren't hoping to rock up on a random day.

Unless this place is sold out permanently that is just poor rationalisation of their decision. The kind of thinking that resulted in this rubbish decision.

When people google this restaurant these articles will dominate.

If I googled it and read the article I'd think the restaurant did the right thing by trying to find other bookings from people on the waiting list, and then still offering the bereaved and their partner a full refund when nobody took up the offer.

 

[muon]

If I googled it and read the article I'd think the restaurant did the right thing by trying to find other bookings and then still offering the bereaved and their partner a full refund.

Let's hope for the restaurant's sake you represent 99% of the market. You don't want to be alienating even 10, 20 30% of your available market.

If I was looking I'd be looking elsewhere. It's a symptom of the way they see customers.

 

[Dis86]

I'm kinda with the restaurant on this one. Sad little scumbags running to the papers.

 

[dowie]

That wasn't what was being proposed. Again reading out of context. They were happy to arrange another day which works for both parties. They weren't hoping to rock up on a random day.

No one said they did, it's still the business taking a loss and it is still pure profit that they're taking the hit on on NYE.

Why should the business owner take that hit rather than 4 other people who agreed to a booking and then didn't want to honour it because their friend's dad was in hospital?

Why should a friend's dad being in hospital mean an entire group automatically decides not to celebrate NYE?

And/or if they do choose to do that then why shouldn't they take the hit, collectively... it's 4 of them splitting it - £110 each and the restaurant owner taking a £220 hit by refunding the couple. The friends are still taking a lower hit than the restaurant owner who didn't even know the bloke or his dad whose in hospital at the time and frankly there was nothing stopping the friends from attending regardless.

Yet that's supposedly outrageous enough to run to the papers for some local papers compo story. It's along the lines of man gets angry over pot holes in road, claims council is a disgrace.

 

[Domi]

I've been watching a lot of Gordon Ramsay restaurant shows recently. The importance he puts on the customer is astounding, even problematic customers. I can imagine what he would say in the case above.

https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/terms-and-conditions/

Note those are his standard conditions NOT a one off New years eve event with a clearly stated non refundable ticket.

And if everybody who ever cancels simply says we had a death in the family.

For me this is just one step away from the people who say "I did not like my main course , take it off the bill or we leave you a bad review".

 

[muon]

https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/terms-and-conditions/

Note those are his standard conditions NOT a one off New years eve event with a clearly stated non refundable ticket.

And if everybody who ever cancels simply says we had a death in the family.

For me this is just one step away from the people who say I did not like my main course , take it off the bill or we leave you a bad review.

Pointing T&Cs shows nothing, it doesn't cover bereavement. There is zero chance that he would have done what the Fordwich Arms have done in this case.

Looking at those T&Cs the cancellation fees are also a lot lower.

 

[Domi]

Looking at those T&Cs the cancellation fees are also a lot lower.

£150 a head is not lower.

 

[muon]

£150 a head is not lower.

If cancelled with less than 48 hours notice at his 3 star restaurant.

Again, does the context matter to you? All the others are a lot lower and have to be within 48 hours.

Deliberately being obtuse.

Even then, if you see a lot of his shows and understand the way he treats customers, even then in the example in this thread, they would be allowed to rearrange.

 

[Em3bbs]

Why are we making up situations now where Gordon Ramsay may or may not have done something?

 

[muon]

Why are we making up situations now where Gordon Ramsey may or may not have done something?

We don't have to. In his restaurants it seems if you give 48 hours notice, you can cancel without penalty.

https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/terms-and-conditions/

Imo, that is very generous and suggests how reasonable they are willing to be.

 

[Em3bbs]

We don't have to. In his restaurants it seems if you give 48 hours notice, you can cancel without penalty.

https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/terms-and-conditions/

Imo, that is very generous and suggests how reasonable they are willing to be.

What does that have to do with a completely different establishment? As you say, even if it applied on a normal day, let alone New Years Eve then it is very generous. Not everyone can afford to be as generous as Gordon Ramsay.

 

[Domi]

the article does not actually state when the restaurant was informed.

 

[kindai]

the article does not actually state when the restaurant was informed.

It quite clearly states the 28th

 

[muon]

What does that have to do with a completely different establishment? As you say, even if it applied on a normal day, let alone New Years Eve then it is very generous as you say. Not everyone can afford to be as generous as Gordon Ramsay.

Because that is what good customer service is. Given how generous that is you really think they'd force a party of 5 to pay up (even on NYE) for a £660 bill they can't make because the person's birthday they are celebrating can't make it as their dad was dying?

The business handled it very poorly, I help manage a popular restaurant and I would have refunded without question, every customer is a potential investment for me, you don't destroy your investment, you learn when running a business that it's not all about sticking to T&C's and saving every penny you can, one of the most important things is keeping up good public relations, go above and beyond to look after your customers and they will look after you.

Like here, it is amazing how poor a of a decision this is.

It quite clearly states the 28th

Family are claiming 27th though (the day the dad was in an accident). Sounds like there were multiple phone calls.

 

[Domi]

It quite clearly states the 28th

k it seems I am blind

 

[dowie]

We don't have to. In his restaurants it seems if you give 48 hours notice, you can cancel without penalty.

https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/terms-and-conditions/

Imo, that is very generous and suggests how reasonable they are willing to be.

But that is for a regular booking not a ticketed NYE event where you pre-pay for the whole thing. You're conflating different things here.