Unexpected charges in restaurants

[elaine amj]

Is it becoming common now for waitstaff in restaurants not to warn you if there is an upcharge for something? I seem to remember a time (maybe wishful thinking?) when a waitstaff would warn you when you ordered something with an upcharge. e.g. "Can I have some extra sauce?" "Of course, it will be a $1 charge."

Lately I have noticed at quite a number of restaurants that they don't tell you and you get a wonderful surprise in your bill. My latest was at Applebees. I ordered a trio of appetizers. One of the 3, dry ribs - came with 2 types of sauces in the main description. When my trio arrived, there was only one thing of sauce - and I prefer the other flavor. So I asked for it, not really touching the first cup. When I got my bill, I was charged an extra $1.50.

Another local restaurant always charges a $1 for the 2nd cup of sauce for their sweet potato fries. They have never given me a heads up about the upcharge. It irked me so much the first 2-3 visits I would reduce the tip. Eventually, I accepted that's just how they are and resumed a normal tip. If one ever tells me about the upcharge, I will be so thrilled I would give them an extra large tip

I've had this happen in more and more places now. I understand why some places choose to upcharge - but I hate surprises in my bill as I always have it pre-calculated in my head when I order. Curious if other ppl are finding the same thing happening in their neck of the woods.

 

[Mizzoufan]

No, I'm pretty used to it now. Must of the time it will list it under the sides or under the description of the item.

 

[ronandannette]

My DH is extremely fussy - it's almost impossible for him to order an entree in a restaurant without adding/deleting and/or substituting a couple of the components. I don't think we've ever been charged for anything without having been informed at the time we ordered.

 

[mombrontrent]

I VERY rarely eat out so I have not noticed if it is a recent trend or not but we have had it happen before. It annoys my DH so much that he reduces the tip by the amount of the "surprise uncharge". If we were going to tip $8 and the upcharge was $1, he would reduce the tip to $7. He also thinks the waitstaff should advise you of the charge especially if it's for a something like extra sauce when they barley give you any to begin with.

 

[Tozzie]

I have never eaten in a restaurant where there was an upcharge that wasn't listed on the menu. I just looked at the Applebee's menu and the ribs come with a choice of Sauces did you specify what one you wanted? Did the server ask? I might have an issue since you should have been asked what sauce you wanted.

 

[wenrob]

It's usually in the menu most places we go to. A local Mexican place charges extra for sour cream but not guacamole which I find weird. They barely give you a tablespoon so I always order extra. 8 out of 10 times they don't charge me. For places like Applebee's I just assume anything not listed with what I'm ordering is going to be an extra charge.

 

[diznygirl]

My kids drink a lot of milk with dinner, and we've always been warned that refills aren't free.

There was one restaurant I went to years ago that charged extra for everything - the steak came with a stalk of celery and that's it. But they didn't tell you that and asked leading questions, "Would you like a baked potato, or mashed?" Like it came with and these were your choices. I was surprised and learned an expensive lesson!

 

[LBIJim]

I don't recall ever being upcharged for anything without it being listed on the menu or informed by the waitstaff.

Many places won't volunteer the prices of off-menu specials unless asked, and I recently ordered orange roughy (fish) without asking the price. Most entrees were in the $20-$25 range, so I figured maybe $28 tops. Yikes!!! $36!!! Good, but not worth that amount.

I definitely would have passed if I knew. Then again, if you have to ask the price......

 

[Anastasi]

Is it becoming common now for waitstaff in restaurants not to warn you if there is an upcharge for something? I seem to remember a time (maybe wishful thinking?) when a waitstaff would warn you when you ordered something with an upcharge. e.g. "Can I have some extra sauce?" "Of course, it will be a $1 charge."

Lately I have noticed at quite a number of restaurants that they don't tell you and you get a wonderful surprise in your bill. My latest was at Applebees. I ordered a trio of appetizers. One of the 3, dry ribs - came with 2 types of sauces in the main description. When my trio arrived, there was only one thing of sauce - and I prefer the other flavor. So I asked for it, not really touching the first cup. When I got my bill, I was charged an extra $1.50.

Another local restaurant always charges a $1 for the 2nd cup of sauce for their sweet potato fries. They have never given me a heads up about the upcharge. It irked me so much the first 2-3 visits I would reduce the tip. Eventually, I accepted that's just how they are and resumed a normal tip. If one ever tells me about the upcharge, I will be so thrilled I would give them an extra large tip

I've had this happen in more and more places now. I understand why some places choose to upcharge - but I hate surprises in my bill as I always have it pre-calculated in my head when I order. Curious if other ppl are finding the same thing happening in their neck of the woods.

I am confused.

If this is such a problem, why don't you take the initiative by asking? "I would like an extra sauce for my ribs. Is there a charge for this or does it come with the meal?" would seem to solve the problem.

 

[bcla]

Even McDonald's has signs saying that there will be a charge for extra packets of sauces.

However, the weirdest I've ever seen was when dining alone at a restaurant. I ordered a Coke, and it was a fountain drink served in an 8 oz glass with lots of ice. The server asked me if I wanted another. I was thinking free refills. When I got the bill, I was charged for two, and it was something like $3 each. I was in too good a mood to argue. However, I returned to that restaurant several times, and the fountain beverages were always free refills. I don't know if the server that one time made a mistake or intentionally did that.

 

[IDoDis]

When my kids were around 9 and 11 years old, they still ordered from the kids menu, but at Olive Garden they used to bring them full-sized drinks instead of the kiddie cups. We never asked for the bigger drink and assumed the waitperson was being nice and thought he/she would save a couple of trips making refills on the smaller cups. But when the bill came, we'd get charged for full-sized drinks for them. The first time it happened I brought it to the attention of our server thinking it was an honest mistake. It wasn't.

She said, " Well, they had full-sized drink." I told her #1, we never asked for full-sized drinks, and #2, the drink was included with the meal with the design cup for the kids to keep. (Frankly, the cup and sturdy plastic lid probably costs more than the extra ounces of soda). Since the kids soda & cup were included in the price of the meal, we were essentially being charged for two drinks per kids meal. She took the drinks off of the ticket, but the same thing happened the next time we went back. And the server again tried to justify the higher price. The third time I told the waiter to just bring the kids cups if there was a charge for the larger drink.

I told a friend of mine about it and she said the same thing happended to her family, so watch your receipts from Olive Garden.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

DH and I went out to breakfast with his parents on Sunday morning. I ordered chocolate milk instead of coffee. There was an extra 50 cent charge for the chocolate - and it was the kind that was already chocolate, not white milk with chocolate syrup Not a big deal, just not something any of us had ever seen before...

 

[mom2of2]

When my kids were around 9 and 11 years old, they still ordered from the kids menu, but at Olive Garden they used to bring them full-sized drinks instead of the kiddie cups. We never asked for the bigger drink and assumed the waitperson was being nice and thought he/she would save a couple of trips making refills on the smaller cups. But when the bill came, we'd get charged for full-sized drinks for them. The first time it happened I brought it to the attention of our server thinking it was an honest mistake. It wasn't.

She said, " Well, they had full-sized drink." I told her #1, we never asked for full-sized drinks, and #2, the drink was included with the meal with the design cup for the kids to keep. (Frankly, the cup and sturdy plastic lid probably costs more than the extra ounces of soda). Since the kids soda & cup were included in the price of the meal, we were essentially being charged for two drinks per kids meal. She took the drinks off of the ticket, but the same thing happened the next time we went back. And the server again tried to justify the higher price. The third time I told the waiter to just bring the kids cups if there was a charge for the larger drink.

I told a friend of mine about it and she said the same thing happended to her family, so watch your receipts from Olive Garden.

Generally if someone is "older" then the kids meal age and they order a kids meal, they are not given the kid cup and the soda is charged for. This is pretty much across the boards as far as chain restaurants go

 

[cabanafrau]

I think the restaurant industry is reading from the airline and hotel industries' playbooks. It's a way to cover costs and boost profits "without raising prices."

Anybody who's visited someplace like Las Vegas recently can tell you reading your receipt is quickly becoming a popular pastime there. There are restaurants that charge for a glass of tap water, entertainment tax for anyplace with live music -- sometimes even if not during performance hours, and one of the newest I've heard is some now charging a franchise fee (interestingly at least one of those also charges for tap water.)

 

[wvjules]

At Carraba's I ordered the asparagus with my meal (the asparagus at Carraba's is awesome). It was listed with the sides and no upcharge listed and the server didn't inform me. We get the bill and it was $1.50 upcharge. We went back another time and I ordered the asparagus as the side again and still not mention of the upcharge. I think it's just not routinely done anymore, which makes sense from the business POV but not the unsuspecting customer.

 

[mom2rtk]

Generally if someone is "older" then the kids meal age and they order a kids meal, they are not given the kid cup and the soda is charged for. This is pretty much across the boards as far as chain restaurants go

Then they probably should have verified the kids' ages. Not sure what the ages are at Olive Garden, but at 9 and 11 I wouldn't be making assumptions as a server.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think the restaurant industry is reading from the airline and hotel industries' playbooks. It's a way to cover costs and boost profits "without raising prices."

Anybody who's visited someplace like Las Vegas recently can tell you reading your receipt is quickly becoming a popular pastime there. There are restaurants that charge for a glass of tap water, entertainment tax for anyplace with live music -- sometimes even if not during performance hours, and one of the newest I've heard is some now charging a franchise fee (interestingly at least one of those also charges for tap water.)

Given the water shortage issues out west, I'm not surprised by the charge for water. I've heard reports about that on the news lately. But the rest of that definitely sounds on par with the airlines.

 

[cabanafrau]

Given the water shortage issues out west, I'm not surprised by the charge for water. I've heard reports about that on the news lately. But the rest of that definitely sounds on par with the airlines.

Nope, it's not about the water shortage. Many restaurants simply provide the water on request only to conserve. It's simply a greedy one or two that charge for a glass of tap water.

 

[elaine amj]

I have never eaten in a restaurant where there was an upcharge that wasn't listed on the menu. I just looked at the Applebee's menu and the ribs come with a choice of Sauces did you specify what one you wanted? Did the server ask? I might have an issue since you should have been asked what sauce you wanted.

No, server never asked which sauce we wanted. It just never occurred to me, especially since nothing is stated in the menu.

I am confused.

If this is such a problem, why don't you take the initiative by asking? "I would like an extra sauce for my ribs. Is there a charge for this or does it come with the meal?" would seem to solve the problem.

Like you said, I just have to get used to asking about upcharges. I'm just used to waitstaff bringing it up so this is something new and I will have to remember to always ask. Especially since it does sound like a growing trend and not just my running into a couple of bad waitstaff. The first few times it happened to me, I took it as bad service and docked the tips. I guess this is now normal service so I won't take it out on the waitstaff anymore.

And of course, many folks still have the mentality of, "if you have to ask...." Yes, I can afford it. Doesn't mean I want to.

My brother still laughs his head off when he tells of the time he was a poor student on a special date. Took his gf (now wife) to a fancy restaurant and they ordered a bottle of wine the waiter recommended (no prices in sight of course). I think it was something like a $100-$200 bottle! They were very young and the whole fancy restaurant thing already intimidated them so much that they never dreamed of asking "how much". I personally think the waiter took full advantage of them. He had to borrow money from my mom later to pay off that dinner bill LOL.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I expect to pay for everything I order and I don't think it's necessary for the server to warn me that anything not included with the entrée is going to cost money. Of course it will, it's a separate item. Besides, I can't imagine any situation where I'd order extra sauce, be told it'll cost a dollar, then change my mind and say, "Whoa, never mind. I'll just choke my food down dry."

Servers don't care about trying to squeeze an extra dollar out of the customer so the company gets that much richer. They really don't. They're just trying to do their job and avoid management's BS. Giving away salable items without charging for them is considered stealing -- that will most definitely get them in trouble, if not fired. I don't understand why people would punish the server for doing his or her job properly by deducting from the tip. The server doesn't set the prices nor the rules, but they do have to follow them.

OP, it sounds like your meal was supposed to come with two sauces and you only got one. When you asked for the second, the server likely assumed you had already gotten the complete meal and were asking for extra. Surely it was an honest mistake. When the check came, if you were annoyed by the $1.50 charge, you would've been perfectly correct to say, "Hey, this is an overcharge" and explain what happened. I'm sure they would've apologized and taken it off the bill.

I used to be a bartender. One night I was talking to two customers when they saw someone walk by with a pretty pink drink in hand. "Oh, what's that? We want two of those!" This put me in a bit of an uncomfortable situation because the drink in question was pricey, so I wanted to tactfully let them know ahead of time instead of letting them get a nasty surprise when the check came. I said, "That's called a XX, it's made with YYY, and it's $21." The women reacted with an 'oh helllllll no' response, said no thanks, and laughed it off. The next day they posted a scathing online review blasting the restaurant and calling me out by name for treating them like they were too poor to afford the drink. If I hadn't given them a heads up they would've been pissed to find out their two little 8oz. drinks set them back nearly $50. People in the service industry can't win.