Caution - potential sharp practice at Plane Food regarding optional service charges
Jun 28, 2018, 2:06 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10,709
I can only recommend that everybody develops the habit of always checking their bill in a restaurant, wherever that might be. I find items I haven't ordered on my bill a worrying percentage of the time all over the world. I do not think that in most cases it is down to sharp practice - restaurants, especially airport ones, can be very busy and I am sure it is easy on many systems to allocate something to the wrong table - but I will always ask for incorrect things to be removed even if it is irritating when you have somewhere to be. I don't generally consider a service charge to be an error (I do check for it specifically so I know whether or not to tip in addition) but if you don't want to pay you have your chance to ask for it to be removed.
The speed of contactless transactions is very seductive and we are becoming used to a quick tap and leave but I will not be pressured into doing this until I have taken a moment to cast my eye over the bill and then check the amount showing on the terminal matches what that says.
The speed of contactless transactions is very seductive and we are becoming used to a quick tap and leave but I will not be pressured into doing this until I have taken a moment to cast my eye over the bill and then check the amount showing on the terminal matches what that says.
Some hotels seem to have the same issue, maybe I am just unlucky.
Jun 28, 2018, 4:32 pm
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,207
If I were you I'd be having a word with the person in charge next time you're passing through T5 and ask them for your Ł2 back. 
They should be forced to ask if you want it included or not.
My wife always closely scrutinises receipts.....certainly worth doing here. A couple of weeks ago while I was filling the car with the supermarket shopping she found a 175 peso charge for an item she never bought and marched straight back in to query it. The manageress said she'd need to bring all the bags back in so she could scan it all one by one...I had to do all the lugging. After much faffing about the offending item was eventually found....a ruddy lettuce. Seemingly the bar code on the lettuce didn't automatically register so the check out girl typed it in manually and entered it wrongly. The manageress apologised, and refunded the money....minus the cost of the lettuce of course.
They should be forced to ask if you want it included or not.My wife always closely scrutinises receipts.....certainly worth doing here. A couple of weeks ago while I was filling the car with the supermarket shopping she found a 175 peso charge for an item she never bought and marched straight back in to query it. The manageress said she'd need to bring all the bags back in so she could scan it all one by one...I had to do all the lugging. After much faffing about the offending item was eventually found....a ruddy lettuce. Seemingly the bar code on the lettuce didn't automatically register so the check out girl typed it in manually and entered it wrongly. The manageress apologised, and refunded the money....minus the cost of the lettuce of course.
Jun 28, 2018, 5:30 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 279
Relatedly I was super mad at FRA airport when I tried to pay in € using my card and the duty free attendant who insisted on holding the card machine ended up hitting the button to pay in Ł. I don't think it was deliberate, just incompetence.
Jun 29, 2018, 4:18 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: W29
Programs: It's Complicated...
Posts: 6,811
I agree with you I dont know if I have ever had a bill in a restaurant that was correct, I have had to send the bill bake 3 or 4 times in some places. A bill in a restaurant that doesnt have any food on it. Its gets embarrassing keep sending the bill back.
Some hotels seem to have the same issue, maybe I am just unlucky.
Some hotels seem to have the same issue, maybe I am just unlucky.
To the OP, my suggestion would be to get over it. If a a couple of pounds is all that you lose out on in your lifetime then you are doing well. If it is stated on the menu as stated above it isn't so sharp in my opinion.
Jun 29, 2018, 5:55 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
Programs: UA 1K, MM *G for life, BAEC Gold
Posts: 10,222
If I were you I'd be having a word with the person in charge next time you're passing through T5 and ask them for your Ł2 back. They should be forced to ask if you want it included or not.
My wife always closely scrutinises receipts.....certainly worth doing here. A couple of weeks ago while I was filling the car with the supermarket shopping she found a 175 peso charge for an item she never bought and marched straight back in to query it. The manageress said she'd need to bring all the bags back in so she could scan it all one by one...I had to do all the lugging. After much faffing about the offending item was eventually found....a ruddy lettuce. Seemingly the bar code on the lettuce didn't automatically register so the check out girl typed it in manually and entered it wrongly. The manageress apologised, and refunded the money....minus the cost of the lettuce of course.
They should be forced to ask if you want it included or not.My wife always closely scrutinises receipts.....certainly worth doing here. A couple of weeks ago while I was filling the car with the supermarket shopping she found a 175 peso charge for an item she never bought and marched straight back in to query it. The manageress said she'd need to bring all the bags back in so she could scan it all one by one...I had to do all the lugging. After much faffing about the offending item was eventually found....a ruddy lettuce. Seemingly the bar code on the lettuce didn't automatically register so the check out girl typed it in manually and entered it wrongly. The manageress apologised, and refunded the money....minus the cost of the lettuce of course.
Jun 29, 2018, 7:59 am
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Not to restart the tipping saga...but there are two things I hate:
1. Adding on 12.5% service charges as a matter of course, and
2. Waiters just assuming you want to use contactless and taking your card out of your hands.
1. Adding on 12.5% service charges as a matter of course, and
2. Waiters just assuming you want to use contactless and taking your card out of your hands.
Jun 29, 2018, 8:59 am
#22
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: GLA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 2,961
Related - I don’t mind doing contactless without seeing what’s on the display in certain circumstances (such as a very busy bar where you just have to pass your card over to the barman to let him tap it, or - as above - when they just grab it out your hand and tap it). What I do find surprising though is that said barman or waiter then often appears surprised when I ask for the receipt!
Jun 29, 2018, 4:47 pm
#23
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
Why do you think it wasn't deliberate? Stories abound of Dynamic Currency Conversion being used to add a bit more to the profits. What currency was your card in?
Jun 30, 2018, 2:01 am
#24
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,603
Jun 30, 2018, 9:45 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 344
Related - I don’t mind doing contactless without seeing what’s on the display in certain circumstances (such as a very busy bar where you just have to pass your card over to the barman to let him tap it, or - as above - when they just grab it out your hand and tap it). What I do find surprising though is that said barman or waiter then often appears surprised when I ask for the receipt!
Jun 30, 2018, 9:46 am
#26
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 344
Why would you not want to use contactless?
Jul 2, 2018, 2:11 am
#28
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Piedmont, Italy; Cheshire, UK
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 389
Could it have been potentially offensive so-called 'banter' based on ignorant, lazy national/regional/racial stereotypes mitigated by an ostensibly friendly emoticon?
Jul 2, 2018, 5:23 am
#29
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
Or, more likely I suspect, it could have been a JOKE...with no evil intent. Seemingly a concept that many these days have trouble understanding. Given the nature of virtually ALL humour one wonders what they laugh about......
Jul 2, 2018, 7:23 am
#30
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Piedmont, Italy; Cheshire, UK
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 389
Anyway, this is veering seriously off topic. Over to OMNI.