The crab cake bait-and-switch
Petit Castro wrote me an e-mail describing an incident that hasn't come up before. He and three others had gone for the half-price crab cake sandwich promoted on a restaurant's Web site, which they ordered without looking at the menu. When they got the check, surprise, they had been charged the full price. ...
They complained, of course, and the waitress got the manager. He doesn't seem to have handled the incident well, even suggesting that they had made up the special.
Petit told me he didn't want to discuss the Alpha Male attitude of the manager so much as what I thought of this bait-and-switch. And what they, as customers, should have done about it.
My first thought is that it wasn't deliberate. Many restaurants aren't great at monitoring and updating their Web sites. But as long as the special was posted, duh, the restaurant should honor it. The problem is that I don't know how you prove this without an iPhone, another reason the Sun should buy me one.
I guess the only thing you can do if the manager doesn't resolve the whole thing satisfactorily at the time is write to the owner, a thankless task. I'm going to see if I can get a guest post one of these days from a restaurant owner who is willing to tell us what kind of letter actually works and what doesn't.
Comments
That happened to me and 3 co-workers at lunch. I had my assistant print out the web page and bring it over to our lunch (very close by). The manager looked at it and said "I don't know anything about this?" Thus commenced a search for the person responsible. Eventually he grudgingly honored his web special. It wasn't about the money, it was about spite at that point. Which can be fun at times.
Posted by: Amanda C | May 22, 2009 12:40 PM
G1s and Blackberries can bring up the web page, too. Of course, if the manager has an attitude, that isn't going to work.
This is one reason why dates should be prominent on websites, and a "valid through" type notice isn't a bad idea, either.
Posted by: Lissa | May 22, 2009 1:00 PM
which restaurants? I wanna make sure I don't want to run into this problem....
Posted by: Matt | May 22, 2009 1:13 PM
Something like that happened to me. My girlfriend and I both ordered the lamb chop appetizer. It was the main reason we went to the restaurant. When it came out, it looked a little different, but it had been a while since we last had it and just thought they changed it up. When we got the bill, we were charged $18 a piece instead of the $8 listed in the menu. When we questioned it, we were told we got the special instead of the appetizer. We weren’t even aware there was a lamb chop special since we weren’t told about and we ordered the appetizer. A couple of dollars difference would have been fine, but to be charged $20 extra for basically the same meal was outrageous. I explained the problem to the manager and he took some off the bill, but I still think we got screwed.
Posted by: Grundy | May 22, 2009 1:26 PM
all you have to do is print out the special from the website and bring it with you when you go to the restaurant. it's there in black and white. if the restaurant for whatever reason won't honor their special and just mention that you will write to every local newspaer, radio station and tv station in the area as well as the bbb to explain the situation. i'm sure you'll get your special.
Posted by: fkterp | May 22, 2009 1:43 PM
Web is the largest and cheapest form of advertisement for businesses. You do not have to be a rock scientist to create or maintain a website. Keeping it simple is what it is all about. Simply put, keep your website current and the time it takes to maintain will pay for itself. Those common questions customers might call with...hours, dress code, happy hour, directions, etc. can be easily put in to a website and really do not require much maintenance. Not to mention, less phone calls. Come on businesses, get with it!
Posted by: Anonymous | May 22, 2009 1:49 PM
I got an email from a restaurant that they were having dinner specials on a certain day for people on their mailing list. Great. I went in and ordered and reminded them of the special. The server asked if I had the email with me. I said yes, and showed it to her on my iPhone. Oh no sir, that's not good enough. It has to be printed out. Amazing.
Posted by: VoodooPork ■|:o) | May 22, 2009 1:53 PM
Giada De Laurentis denies Food Net feud with Rachael Ray
"Do we hang out all the time? No. Are we best friends? No," she says. "But if you’re not best friends, people assume that you hate each other."
Rarrrrrrr... cat fight!
Posted by: cat fight | May 22, 2009 2:16 PM
Shenanigans!
I declare Shenanigans!
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | May 22, 2009 2:41 PM
Hey Farva - what's the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy s**t on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?
Posted by: NEPA | May 22, 2009 2:56 PM
Anonymous, I suspect that some of the people out there maintaining restaurant websites are indeed "rock scientists." Or maybe that was rocks for brains ...
Posted by: Dahlink | May 22, 2009 4:52 PM
It's a corgi pile ...
Yes, anonymous is keeping it simple.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | May 22, 2009 5:04 PM
If you're using a coupon or are taking advantage of a special, it's definitely a good idea to verify the offer before ordering. When it comes to chains, all locations might not be participating (the whole "free KFC Grilled Chicken coupon" snafu comes to mind). And sometimes, unfortunately, a restaurant changes ownership and no longer honors say, Restaurant.com certificates. Irritating.
Posted by: Liz Kay | May 22, 2009 5:18 PM
Print out an e-mail? That is barbaric. Won't someone think of the trees?
Posted by: Lissa | May 22, 2009 5:26 PM
I'll match your shenanigans with mayhem!
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | May 22, 2009 7:22 PM
If I had anything at all to do with Foodnetwork, I would have a feud with Rachael Ray too.
Posted by: Skin | May 22, 2009 8:49 PM
Owlie, you are on!
Posted by: Lissa | May 22, 2009 8:54 PM
where is this top ten list you mentioned in the may 20,2009 edition of the sun.
Here you go. Click on this link. EL
Posted by: joe misotti | May 22, 2009 9:24 PM