What do YOU do if you are under-charged in a restaurant?

[Juliemack]

In the OP's scenario that I liked and visited regular I would be honest. However, if I was in a large chain type restaurant in some random city I would definitely not. The mark up on drinks is ridiculous so I'd be pleased I got a 'free round'.

[macdonald]

i would have been pleased 2 drinks were forgotten and walked out happy i got a bargain!

[Island mamma]

Happened to us in a local restaurant. Slightly different in that we knew the waitress because she was in our sons year at school and we knew the owner by reputation as being quite mean with his staff. My DH whispered to her that she had left the desserts off the bill, paid the bill by CC and gave her cash to cover the desserts and tip.
She told my son later that she was able to cover up her mistake by saying she had already calculated the bill before we "changed our mind" about dessert so we paid for those in cash. She reckoned she may have been fired otherwise.
Can't say what we would have done if we hadn't known her, probably would have just pointed it out.

[duchy]

You do often see responses like that on trip advisor from the host. My feeling is that’s fine to do if your reviews are generally good . A bland “I’m so sorry, I do remember you complaining your pizzas were burnt after you’d eaten them all and I replaced them. I do wish you’d said that you were still unhappy after that so we could have resolved your difficulties”
gives a clear message to those reading the review that they are chancers rather than it was the restaurant having a bad night.

Originally Posted by °o°-Hannah-°o°

I have done exactly as you did and pointed out the error and been thanked and received discounts for honesty.
After the last 18 months the hospitality industry deserve a bit more honesty.

On another note, we live in and run a pub and Dh manages another restaurant. While we were there last week, a table complained that 2 of their pizzas were burnt, after they had eaten them all, and I promptly took the cost off their bill. He then continued to complain about the chicken and a glass that had had lipstick on. I left the bill with the pizzas off for him to pay. I just can’t see why, I’d the meal was so bad that they didn’t complain until they’d finished their plates. He’s then gone on trip advisor to leave a bad review which I think I wholly unfair because the initial complaint was dealt with. It’s taken everything I’ve got not to reply stating that they are all their food and still have the pizzas taken off the bill.

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[DisneyDaffodil]

In a small independent restaurant, where I’d had good service, I would definitely point out the mistake. If it were a large chain, I’d probably not say anything and feel happy to have saved a few pound. I agree that you should point out the mistake, but I’m being honest and I wouldn’t point it out in a chain style of eatery.

I do always point out if I’m overcharged if I notice it. I don’t know if I would always notice though as, unless I felt the bill was widely different from what I expected, I don’t check

[Lostbrain]

I’d do as you did, however if the food/service had been quite poor I might just pay the lower amount.

On a couple of times we’ve failed to get a bill paid, one time at a very fancy hotel, we had db&b paid for by dh work so only had our drinks to cover and they lost the drinks bill, we queried it at check out and they looked but couldn’t find it! Another time in a hotel in Spain we were presented with someone else’s, much lower, bill, again did query it and try to explain the mistake but couldn’t get the correct bill!

[levtweeney]

I’ve never had it happen to us as far as I’m aware. I like to think I would point it out and be the honest person I think I am. Or I could just grab my coat and do a legga out the place, laughing mischievously under my breath. Who knows

[sam7]

I would have done exactly what you did - more so with the hit they have had with covid. I know then I would have been able to walk out of there with my head held high.

[jolou]

i have known staff be treated like criminals by employer for the loss of 20 quid and having to make up the shortfall themselves so that would always be in my mind...

[Gill H]

Not the same - but the other day in a restaurant we had a meal that was awful. We sent it back (politely) and it was replaced. The server was very apoplgetic and said we wouldn’t have to pay for the food. We were appreciative - we hadn’t expected that at all, just wanted it put right.

The replacement meals were edible but still not great. We ate them anyway. Our server asked for honest feedback as they were a new restaurant and trying to get things right. We gave some constructive points.

We were then told we didn’t have to pay for anything (even the soft drinks and prawn crackers we’d had).

Our server did not ask for a tip but we left one on the table for him. We are unlikely to go back to that restaurant but we were impressed with the way he handled things.