Unexpected charges in restaurants

[2binak]

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.

Another additional charge that Olive Garden is famous for is asking if you want dipping sauce with your breadsticks. The server doesn't tell you that there's an extra charge (nearly $4) for the sauce. IMO, if a server asks if you'd like something that they know costs extra, they need to be upfront and tell you about the charge.

 

[TifffanyD]

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.

This is most definitely NOT always true. Higher check -> higher tips when people tip based on a percentage. LOTS of servers try to upsell in order to get those checks up up up.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

One of our local restaurants charges for any substitutions, however they don't tell you beforehand. If I sub out green beans for the potatoes, it is a $2.49 upcharge, which is exactly the cost of the side of green beans. I might as well keep the potatoes and bring them as a leftover for someone in my family who does eat carbs.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

This is most definitely NOT always true. Higher check -> higher tips when people tip based on a percentage. LOTS of servers try to upsell in order to get those checks up up up.

Upselling to a bottle or the filet mignon is different than appropriately charging for extra sauce that the customer requested. In the first situation they are, at the encouragement of the restaurant's management, trying to get you to buy a more expensive version of whatever it is you're ordering. In the second scenario they are charging you for what you ordered (extra sauce). The server is adding that cost to the bill because they have to charge you for what you buy, not because they're sneakily tacking another dollar onto the bill in an effort to get an extra fifteen cents on their tip. Including all the items the customer ordered on the check is not upselling, it's doing their job.

 

[cabanafrau]

This is most definitely NOT always true. Higher check -> higher tips when people tip based on a percentage. LOTS of servers try to upsell in order to get those checks up up up.

I think these days there's lots of pressure on servers to upsell or hit the bricks. This seems to be especially prevalent among the chain restaurants that are part of large restaurant conglomerates -- many of the names dropped in this thread coincidentally. I know friends of my daughters and children of my friends who have worked waiting tables who have to follow a pattern of offering the upsells. I know if their sales results don't hit X mark so many times or if a manager overhears them not following the upsell script they get written up.

 

[Missy1961]

Another additional charge that Olive Garden is famous for is asking if you want dipping sauce with your breadsticks. The server doesn't tell you that there's an extra charge (nearly $4) for the sauce. IMO, if a server asks if you'd like something that they know costs extra, they need to be upfront and tell you about the charge.

Well, that's clearly stated on the menu.

 

[kamik86]

Upselling to a bottle or the filet mignon is different than appropriately charging for extra sauce that the customer requested. In the first situation they are, at the encouragement of the restaurant's management, trying to get you to buy a more expensive version of whatever it is you're ordering. In the second scenario they are charging you for what you ordered (extra sauce). The server is adding that cost to the bill because they have to charge you for what you buy, not because they're sneakily tacking another dollar onto the bill in an effort to get an extra fifteen cents on their tip. Including all the items the customer ordered on the check is not upselling, it's doing their job.

I don't fully believe that most of these waitresses aren't trying to get the upcharges in without you noticing. I think they are taking advantage of the fact that most people won't make a stink over a dollar or two and places are trying to get that extra money.

I told my husband the same thing about a grocery store the other day. I was charged around $1 extra because the person rang my produce in as another number (and the two items don't look alike so I'm not sure this was some honest mistake). Imagine if you do that for 1 dollar to ever 10th customer that gets produce how much extra money the store would make in a year.

 

[kamik86]

Well, that's clearly stated on the menu.

True, but have you ever noticed that alot of times servers don't want to give you time to really look at that before asking for app orders? So they just ask if you want breadsticks before you open the menu and you do. So they ask if you want sauce you don't realize its an upcharge since you haven't opened the menu yet and now they just charged you $4. There was another place I knew that charged for bread and would do the same thing. Ask if you wanted it before you even open the menu and since at most places bread is free everyone assumed it would be and said yes.

Now at places I don't go to frequently I tend to say we want to look before we order... I have also noticed they are incredibly slow getting back to your table when you do that. So you have to wait 30 min before they come back take your order and you get a drink. Almost as if they want to punish you for actually looking first.

 

[MIGrandma]

I can't recall being charged for something lately like what the OP is talking about. I'm sure it's happened, but not often.

I do remember DH being charged the "extra" charge for asparagus with his dinner recently, just as the menu stated, but...he didn't get the asparagus. He received the green beans which was the side that was supposed to come with the entree. I told him he should let the server know, but as the food was already eaten he said he couldn't "prove" he didn't receive the asparagus since he never mentioned it when the food came. He just "assumed" the extra charge would not be on the bill, since he didn't get the asparagus in the first place.

As a server I would always tell my customers if something was going to cost extra. Some appreciated knowing, others didn't. I especially remember when people ordered a baked potato with their meal, if they wanted sour cream it was 50cents extra. Some people would ask for horseradish for their roast beef and I know we charged extra for that too, and for the double malt in milkshakes, and extra dressing for the salad, etc. I think it's only right that the server lets their customers know there will be an extra charge on something instead of just letting them be surprised when they get the bill.

 

[TifffanyD]

Upselling to a bottle or the filet mignon is different than appropriately charging for extra sauce that the customer requested. In the first situation they are, at the encouragement of the restaurant's management, trying to get you to buy a more expensive version of whatever it is you're ordering. In the second scenario they are charging you for what you ordered (extra sauce). The server is adding that cost to the bill because they have to charge you for what you buy, not because they're sneakily tacking another dollar onto the bill in an effort to get an extra fifteen cents on their tip. Including all the items the customer ordered on the check is not upselling, it's doing their job.

My point remains that at least some servers do care about getting more money out of you... be it a dollar at a time or with a much larger upsell (in your example of filet or upgrading to a bottle). They will suggest a more premium liquor and that may only make $1 or $2 difference. I'm not saying they are intentionally being sneaky about it... but they do ride up the checks. I can remember one time when my husband subbed out a side and the server said there would be an upcharge. He said "ok" assuming it was $1-2. Instead we were charged for an enter new side ($7)... so basically he just lost the one side that came with his meal and instead paid for an additional. Not cool

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I don't fully believe that most of these waitresses aren't trying to get the upcharges in without you noticing. I think they are taking advantage of the fact that most people won't make a stink over a dollar or two and places are trying to get that extra money.

I told my husband the same thing about a grocery store the other day. I was charged around $1 extra because the person rang my produce in as another number (and the two items don't look alike so I'm not sure this was some honest mistake). Imagine if you do that for 1 dollar to ever 10th customer that gets produce how much extra money the store would make in a year.

Unless that cashier owned the grocery store I don't see what s/he stood to gain by overcharging you by a dollar. It's not like they get commission on their sales. If it was the store owner, who knows.

I can only speak for my experience in the restaurant industry but, no, we really didn't care to nickel and dime the customers. Our main focus was getting people in and out without headache. Purposely trying to screw people with condiment charges would not have been worth our time. The only "upselling" I ever did was to ask people what kind of vodka (or whatever) they wanted in their drink instead of automatically giving them the cheaper rail liquors, not that they couldn't still request rail. If I suggested they get a bottle, it was because the table had already ordered three glasses and it would be a better deal for them to pay the same amount and get five glasses worth instead. You don't like your drink? No problem, I'll take it off the check. That's a heck of a lot easier and more time-effective than arguing with someone over a few dollars. Then again, my coworkers and I made an obscene amount of money at that job so we didn't need to think about how our tips were being affected with each transaction. A server working the overnight shift at IHOP might be more inclined to count the pennies.

 

[Donnainnj]

It's kind of funny, I have noticed that my seven year old son who tends to frequently order from the adult menu ends up with a free beverage. Even when they give him an adult glass. I am careful to check the bill at most restaurants. I think I remember having the issue at Olive Garden. I also have been charged individual prices for meal deals at Friday' and have had to have it fixed. That can really add up with the 5 of us eating.

 

[bcla]

I've been to some chain restaurants with open kitchens. I've seen signs for employees motivating them to provide good service and then remind them to upsell food and beverages. It does seem strange that they'd place these signs where the public can see them.

 

[kamik86]

Unless that cashier owned the grocery store I don't see what s/he stood to gain by overcharging you by a dollar. It's not like they get commission on their sales. If it was the store owner, who knows.

I can only speak for my experience in the restaurant industry but, no, we really didn't care to nickel and dime the customers. Our main focus was getting people in and out without headache. Purposely trying to screw people with condiment charges would not have been worth our time. The only "upselling" I ever did was to ask people what kind of vodka (or whatever) they wanted in their drink instead of automatically giving them the cheaper rail liquors, not that they couldn't still request rail. If I suggested they get a bottle, it was because the table had already ordered three glasses and it would be a better deal for them to pay the same amount and get five glasses worth instead. You don't like your drink? No problem, I'll take it off the check. That's a heck of a lot easier and more time-effective than arguing with someone over a few dollars. Then again, my coworkers and I made an obscene amount of money at that job so we didn't need to think about how our tips were being affected with each transaction. A server working the overnight shift at IHOP might be more inclined to count the pennies.

Let me clarify on the first part. I think that the employees don't have this goal as much as the stores don't care to train them to do things correctly because they are getting more money.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

My point remains that at least some servers do care about getting more money out of you... be it a dollar at a time or with a much larger upsell (in your example of filet or upgrading to a bottle). They will suggest a more premium liquor and that may only make $1 or $2 difference. I'm not saying they are intentionally being sneaky about it... but they do ride up the checks. I can remember one time when my husband subbed out a side and the server said there would be an upcharge. He said "ok" assuming it was $1-2. Instead we were charged for an enter new side ($7)... so basically he just lost the one side that came with his meal and instead paid for an additional. Not cool

But this is the distinction I'm trying to make: Using the power of suggestion to encourage a customer to "upgrade" their order to a premium liquor or a more expensive entrée is upselling. A customer asking for an extra side of sauce and then being charged for it is not. The server added that dollar to the check because the restaurant charges $1 for extra sauce and it's the server's job to enter the charges accurately.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Let me clarify on the first part. I think that the employees don't have this goal as much as the stores don't care to train them to do things correctly because they are getting more money.

Ah, I see. That's a dangerous game for the store owner to play, though. The next employee might undercharge everyone by a dollar. But yeah, poorly trained employees drive me batty. Definitely management's fault.

 

[kamik86]

Ah, I see. That's a dangerous game for the store owner to play, though. The next employee might undercharge everyone by a dollar. But yeah, poorly trained employees drive me batty. Definitely management's fault.

Yeah our pet peeve are the baggers that don't know how to bag with food safety in mind. Someone the other day put my peppers on top of my raw chicken.

I actually prefer when the stores don't have baggers I really rather just do it myself. Then I can organize the bags based on where the items go in my kitchen. So if they can't spend the money to train them I really just wish they wouldn't bother to hire them at all.

 

[mjkacmom]

True, but have you ever noticed that alot of times servers don't want to give you time to really look at that before asking for app orders? So they just ask if you want breadsticks before you open the menu and you do. So they ask if you want sauce you don't realize its an upcharge since you haven't opened the menu yet and now they just charged you $4. There was another place I knew that charged for bread and would do the same thing. Ask if you wanted it before you even open the menu and since at most places bread is free everyone assumed it would be and said yes.

Now at places I don't go to frequently I tend to say we want to look before we order... I have also noticed they are incredibly slow getting back to your table when you do that. So you have to wait 30 min before they come back take your order and you get a drink. Almost as if they want to punish you for actually looking first.

Do you really think that servers try to get your order quickly so that you don't look an the menu? And then punish you if you ask for a few minutes to read it? So they can charge you a few bucks for marinara sauce? What?! Why?!

And that a cashier will purposely ring up avacado instead of Apple to charge you more? What?! Why?!

 

[acourtwdw]

It is my job as the consumer to ask if there is an up charge for an item or for substitutions. I do not expect the server to tell me if there is an additional charge.

 

[AnAmericanInDisney]

I ordered a sandwich at a restaurant the other day and the server asked if I wanted chips or fries with it. I asked what my options were, and she said chips, fries, onion rings, fried green beans (nothing healthy). I took the fried green beans, and when the bill came there was an upcharge. I did not even think to ask what my options were and were there any price differences. I should have shorted her tip.