O/T Over priced meal

[Christies Child]

Last night I took my wife and daughter out for a meal at our local pub at Sandside nr Milnthorpe.

When the meals came we looked at the amonuts on the plates and couldn't believe the prices we were being asked to pay.

I asked to see the manager to make a complaint who replied that the prices 'are the market rate'....

I let it be known that I was very unhappy but she wasn't interested and walked away.

Question: Would I have been within my rights to have refused to pay the full amount of £65 BUT offer them £50 which would have been more reasonable?

As an example of what we had: My wife decided to have Duck. Her meal consisted of a duck leg; 1 roast potatoe; 3 pieces of mange tout!

[darrenlock]

For me a over priced meal is the Mcdonalds food fast food junk food.

For me give me chicken and corn on cob and mash potatoes

[George Dawes]

sounds like you went to a fancy la carte restaurant? - (a restaurant meal having unlimited choices with a separate price for each item)


and i dont think you would have any rights after eating your meal, although if you was abroad you could have refused to tip

[mrpotatohead]

http://search.mywebsearch.com/mywebsear ... ptEuX9&ct=

[Plain Peter]

Looks like you were here:

http://www.enjoyyourmeal.co.uk/eym/reg.asp?p1=269960

Seems the place may have a bit of a reputation.
As it's your local, I'd probably asked friends if they'd been there, and what they thought.
On the other hand I might have done what you did.
Not very nice though to pay quite a lot, and get little for the price.

When we're abroad we never eat out anywhere with linen table-cloths, and always suss out the English pricelist, and especially what drinks are going to cost.

[Christies Child]

sounds like you went to a fancy la carte restaurant? - (a restaurant meal having unlimited choices with a separate price for each item)


and i dont think you would have any rights after eating your meal, although if you was abroad you could have refused to tip

No...just our local pub that has had a 'make over' to try to go up market but in my eyes has failed. The price was for a complete meal. I have no problems in paying if the food is good (We went to The Fenwick last weekend with my brother-in-law and the cost was about the same, but the food and service was 1000% better)

[Christies Child]

Looks like you were here:

http://www.enjoyyourmeal.co.uk/eym/reg.asp?p1=269960

Seems the place may have a bit of a reputation.
As it's your local, I'd probably asked friends if they'd been there, and what they thought.
On the other hand I might have done what you did.
Not very nice though to pay quite a lot, and get little for the price.

When we're abroad we never eat out anywhere with linen table-cloths, and always suss out the English pricelist, and especially what drinks are going to cost.

That's the one....

[George Dawes]

i have found when traveling in general us English(stiff upper lip?) tend not to complain about a lot of stuff like we should do like other nationals do

i always have a attitude of "oh well you live & learn just dont bother going again"

last time i was in America the table next to us who was a group South American's complained there meal was to salty and sent it back for another one

i was a bit embarrassed for them but should i have been?

[marky No.1]

If you are concerned about prices Neil, I would avoid this one while you are on your travels! At $368 a head it is apparently the most expensive restaurant in the world. It could be classed as good value tho, as the meat they use is $800 a pound!

Aragawa,Tokyo.gif

http://www.newluxuryitems.com/most-expe ... world.html

[parceldave]

If you are concerned about prices Neil, I would avoid this one while you are on your travels! At $368 a head it is apparently the most expensive restaurant in the world. It could be classed as good value tho, as the meat they use is $800 a pound!

Aragawa,Tokyo.gif

http://www.newluxuryitems.com/most-expe ... world.html

What did you have for dessert Mark.

[CASS]

Neil....I thought you would have noticed or heard that all the locals have voted with their feet at said establishment..The lady in charge is reported as being Bonkers ..even her Daughter,who by the way has got a magnificent set of upper lady bits has moved out.
I have called a couple of times,once me and a mate and 4 dogs called for a pint after a trail over Haverbrack..My friend looked after the dogs and entered the pub and ordered a couple of pints. The Landlady said to me did you not see the notice...NO BOOTS, no said I but if I am to be kicked out I might as well take a couple of pints with me. The bar maid pissed herself and gave me the pints.As we sat outside she came out and patted the dogs,to be honest she was a little envious of their good looks She said the floor was new and she did not want oiks in boots walking on it. I looked down and she was wearing high heels that took her up to as least 4ft 9ins and poined out that they would probably do more damage than by £200 boots.....Should have gone to the Kings at Hale mate far better value and nobody looks at your footwear.

[Keith]

I doubt if you could legally pay less after you've eaten it, but you could have got up and left when the food first arrived, or, more to the point, when she walked away when you complained (presumably at the start of the meal). Name and shame and tell everyone in the area.

[marky No.1]

What did you have for dessert Mark.

The cheese and biscuits sounded good but I should have checked beforehand as the cheese came from a rare breed of goat only found on the south west face of Kilimanjaro!

[Gnasher]

£65, a JSA special?

http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2 ... a-meal.htm

[morecambe mick]

I would have gone to The Albion, Neil, good food and a decent pint.

In fact, we have been for a meal there, thoroughly enjoyed it too.
Nice drop of Wainwrights

[ezz]

I may be wrong but i'm sure if you felt the meal wasn't worth what you were supposed to pay for then you could have paid somehting more reasonable at the time. It would cost the restaurant more to take you to small claims court than it would for the cost of the meal itself, but if you refused to pay at all...then you'd be in the brown stuff.
Again not sure if it'd work but in theory!

[scar]

Neil, a perspective from a Restaurateur for you.

Without knowing what you all had and what the bill was for (broken down per item) it's difficult to say if it was good value or not. Value though is always in the eyes of the customers and not the restaurteur who sets prices according to cost plus mark up.

I'd imagine your Duck dish would have been priced in the region of £14.95 though? Yey/Nay?

You did right in making your grievance known to the manager before you started to eat the dishes presented, you could have then at the end paid what you felt was the correct value and left the manager your name and address if she felt she wanted to take it further.

It's always a case though of checking exactly what the menu says. If it says Duck leg with mangetout and potato then thats what you've ordered and got so you'd have no complaints, if though it said duck served with season vegetables and potatoes then you've got quite a justifable reason to make a grievance.

[scar]

I may be wrong but i'm sure if you felt the meal wasn't worth what you were supposed to pay for then you could have paid somehting more reasonable at the time. It would cost the restaurant more to take you to small claims court than it would for the cost of the meal itself, but if you refused to pay at all...then you'd be in the brown stuff.
Again not sure if it'd work but in theory!

If the restaurant took up the small claims court claim, they could claim back all of their costs plus interest against you so it could end up costing you more for the meal should the judge decide to side with the restaurant, which invariably they have always done especially where the plates have been left empty!

[Blackpool Shrimp]

I used to work at the ship as a chef about ten years ago and the place was always packed with diners and very good value oh well times change but must admit never had complaints when I was chef there

[Jack Poulton]

As this place is fairly local to us we used to eat here regularly and take the grandkids to play in the garden. Since it changed hands a number of times it has gone downhill and the car park, which used to be packed, is now empty most of the time which is a sign of its business reputation. I heard the owner closed one night at 9.30 pm kicking the drinking clients out saying she was tired. A sad case of a bad business from a place that once had a good reputation. We use the Kingfisher. Good food, good value and pleasant satff.

[parceldave]

sounds like you went to a fancy la carte restaurant? - (a restaurant meal having unlimited choices with a separate price for each item)


and i dont think you would have any rights after eating your meal, although if you was abroad you could have refused to tip

No...just our local pub that has had a 'make over' to try to go up market but in my eyes has failed. The price was for a complete meal. I have no problems in paying if the food is good (We went to The Fenwick last weekend with my brother-in-law and the cost was about the same, but the food and service was 1000% better)

Next time , maybe on your way to footy call at Pine Lake where they have good varied menu and the Chef is best in the area.

[Plain Peter]

It's always a case though of checking exactly what the menu says. If it says Duck leg with mangetout and potato then thats what you've ordered and got so you'd have no complaints, if though it said duck served with season vegetables and potatoes then you've got quite a justifable reason to make a grievance.

If the restaurant took up the small claims court claim, they could claim back all of their costs plus interest against you so it could end up costing you more for the meal should the judge decide to side with the restaurant, which invariably they have always done especially where the plates have been left empty!

Spot-on.

[Christies Child]

£65, a JSA special?

http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2 ... a-meal.htm

[shrimpnsave]

cheeseburger in lancaster....£1.80

[Morecambe Player]

Well consumer rights say you have every right to complain about a meal and as long as you're not taking liberties, there would be no problem in giving them £50 Neil. Indeed you might feel that that's too much. As long as you're reasonable and tell them exactly what your problem is, then there would be no comeback.

As for the small claims. I can't see any pub going to that trouble.