A response of biblical proportions, but how often does it happen to you?

[Gumbo4x4]

He's a jerk, plain and simple.

I bet he got his butt whooped a lot in school

 

[kamik86]

In this specific case, the restaurant owner's first response was an apology and said he'd update the menu along with emailing out a new updated menu. The very next day he emailed the customer to let him know that the old menu was no longer on the website. It doesn't seem like the restaurant was out to scam people. Just an honest mistake.

See I'm not sure I agree it was just an honest mistake. I don't understand how businesses forget to update their website. One of many reasons we refuse to go to a local place is that they had a website with the wrong hours. So we went once and ended up going somewhere else when they weren't open yet. Then the next time the service sucked and they still hadn't fixed their hours (my husband pointed it out on their facebook page).

It is SOOO not hard to update a webpage. If no one working for the business knows how to do this maybe they shouldn't have a webpage and should just have a facebook page. Those are even easier to update.

 

[Arielle22]

To me, asking for triple damages was extreme. I understand it is allowable under the law but for $4, it comes across as being an ***. We all know there is a difference between being right under the law and being right in popular view. He falls into the former category. He also

I clicked on his link about his past claims and I didn't see one that was overcharged as much as mislabeled (even though the mislabeling was deliberate).

He seems to be trying to say that he was just standing up for the little guy and we should all applaud him for it.

kamik86, I have seen plenty of out of date websites. I use ADP for payroll and for weeks after Thanksgiving they still had an announcement about Thanksgiving hours. ADP has its own IT people and it seems like it should have been taken down but wasn't.

"Edelman replied that he had "already referred this matter to applicable authorities in order to attempt to compel your restaurant to identify all consumers affected and to provide refunds to all of them, or in any event to assure that an appropriate sanction is applied as provided by law."


It also sounds like he wants to start a class action suit against the restaurant. My company is involved in one and we had similar language used against us
.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I bet he got his butt whooped a lot in school

I'm on this side.

If the guy was a decent fellow, he would email the restaurant, let them know of the error and them move on. No need to be a tool about it.

 

[Arielle22]

http://www.businessinsider.com/ben-...harged-for-chinese-food-2014-12#ixzz3LRlQc05V

Refunding less than the overcharge was only about the fifth offer made - by this person who claims no control over the Brookline Village location.

The amount of the overcharge has never been verified. So one could be rounding up to $4 while the other rounded down to $3.

 

[kamik86]

To me, asking for triple damages was extreme. I understand it is allowable under the law but for $4, it comes across as being an ***. We all know there is a difference between being right under the law and being right in popular view. He falls into the former category. He also

I clicked on his link about his past claims and I didn't see one that was overcharged as much as mislabeled (even though the mislabeling was deliberate).

He seems to be trying to say that he was just standing up for the little guy and we should all applaud him for it.

kamik86, I have seen plenty of out of date websites. I use ADP for payroll and for weeks after Thanksgiving they still had an announcement about Thanksgiving hours. ADP has its own IT people and it seems like it should have been taken down but wasn't.

"Edelman replied that he had "already referred this matter to applicable authorities in order to attempt to compel your restaurant to identify all consumers affected and to provide refunds to all of them, or in any event to assure that an appropriate sanction is applied as provided by law."


It also sounds like he wants to start a class action suit against the restaurant. My company is involved in one and we had similar language used against us
.

Agreed. As I said wouldn't have taken things nearly this far. Would have been happy with my $4. However I just don't get why businesses are so bad at this. Its not like websites are a new thing.

 

[smiths02]

I don't think the business should be making the mistake that it is making, and I don't know the laws...

BUT this is how most delivery orders work for me:
Me: Hello, I would like an order of chow mein, an order of lo mein, and some potstickers.
Restaurant: That will be $25.56. How would you like to pay?

Then I give credit card information. My credit card is charged. I get my food. I agreed that I was willing to pay $25.26 for the food regardless of what the website said.

Again, people should pay attention.

Also, I think cabs or a service you pay for AFTER using is a slightly different matter because I can't see the total and then say "no thanks."

 

[NewRVLady]

I found one article that said

Internet meet your new Laughingstock



What a freaking nerd! I bet his students are all snickering at him

 

[lauradis]

He should have taken his $4 and shut up....

As the business goes they should have offered to credit his card $4 and offered him a free entree for bring the issue to their attention.

But then again, this ninny (because smart alec was already taken) more then like would have gone on and on about the injustice of it all.

 

[NFLDERS]

OMGosh! Did anyone else get a (headache) reading the Lawyer's responses!

2 wrongs (Restaurant)

Do not make his attitude with (legal might) right.


He was a boorish bully. The only thing worse is a bully boorish Insurance Claims Mgr. In my opinion, and experience.

 

[North of Mouse]

I think it happens a lot, where consumers are "cheated" out of a few bucks here and a few bucks there.

Tempting to give this guy his four bucks just to make him go away but he does make some good points.

Harvard Business School Professor Goes to War Over $4 Worth of Chinese Food

What would you have done in the same circumstances?

My time is worth more than $4 - that jerk needs a life!

 

[kaytieeldr]

The amount of the overcharge has never been verified. So one could be rounding up to $4 while the other rounded down to $3.

Edelman - the person almost everyone is insulting - listed both the menu prices and tge actual prices in his initial e-mail. There's exactly $1 difference in each case, with the menu price always being lower.

Agreed. As I said wouldn't have taken things nearly this far. Would have been happy with my $4. However I just don't get why businesses are so bad at this. Its not like websites are a new thing.

Agreed. Even without the menu, it's a very well-done website. It's completely reasonable for a customer to expect it to be accurate. The Baldwin Bar website still lists the shredded chicken at $10.50.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My time is worth more than $4 - that jerk needs a life!

So you only care about you. He's also concerned about the potentially numerous customers who've also been overcharged.

 

[denisenh]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...arousel_lead_linklist&p1=related_article_page

 

[Mokat76]

So you only care about you. He's also concerned about the potentially numerous customers who've also been overcharged.

I doubt he cared one bit about anyone else. He was miffed and was going to use his education and perceived status to bully the "little guy." I'm glad it failed so miserably.

 

[LBIJim]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...arousel_lead_linklist&p1=related_article_page

It appears he cut class on the day the lecture "Choose Your Battles Wisely" was given.

 

[mnrose]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...arousel_lead_linklist&p1=related_article_page

I'll bet he was inundated with commentary about his nasty email exchange with the owner (apparently, his email was very easy to find on the school's website). Of course he should apologize. There is a way to make this same point in a NICE manner, instead of "send me money."

I'll bet if had been polite, the owner would have refunded his money with no problem.

 

[Art 1]

Seems like your average Dis person.

 

[Mokat76]

Seems like your average Dis person.

LOL!! Good one, Art.

 

[Acklander]

Honestly, I would have never noticed a difference a 4$ difference in price. That being said, from what I've read this isn't the first time he's done something like this to a small mom and pop type biz (some other story about him and the wording on a groupon coupon). Being that he seems to get so fixated about it, and take it to the lengths he does, I'm going to assume he has a mild version of aspergers or autism to get so obsessed about treble damages, and all the reporting to the various agencies, etc. over 4$