voucher warning for Le Cellier

[SueEllen]

Let me start by saying that I love Le Cellier. The food is great there, but watch out if you want to use a child voucher!!!

We ordered very carefully for our vouchers. There was one adult voucher and one child voucher (and 4 of us.) My DH was not feeling well so he was only having a bowl of soup, and my youngest had one of the kids meals too. My daughter and I were using the vouchers.

Since they did not have appetizers for kids on the menu we ordered her a cup of the cheese soup. In additon she got the kids steak and the glowing ice cream soda drink. Then she ordered a kids dessert.

I ordered an entree, appetizer, and dessert. Since I had a glass of wine I asked for my DH's soda to be put on my voucher.

I told the server I had the voucher, and needed the check done with my daughter's order on one voucher, mine on another, leaving only the one kids meal and my DH's soup (and my wine) on the ticket to pay for.

The bill comes and what did they do? They took off my son's $4.99 lunch and his milk, my food, but not my beverage, not my daughter's entree, appetizer, or her beverage. When I challenged this the manager said they would change the ticket to reflect my daughter's meal (which was considerably more than my son's) and take off her appetizer (the soup) but would not take off the ice cream/soda light up drink. I tried to argue my point (because this type of drink IS allowed at other locations and it only specifies NON-ALCHOLIC as the beverage type) but he would not budge. When I offered back the light up cube because we only ordered the drink because it should have been included he refused.

Long story short, the original bill my server brought out was over $30 more by the way they figured the bill than it should have been. I managed to get it partially straight, but still ended up being overcharged and did not feel like arguing any more.

DO NOT USE A CHILD'S VOUCHER HERE!!
Sue Ellen

 

[summerrluvv]

Sorry you had so much trouble. The vouchers do state that souvinor drinks aren't included though.

 

[swilshire]

I had a similar experience on one visit to the Rain Forest Cafe. We are always very careful to ask specifically what we can get with the vouchers, but some of the servers still can't get it right. I even wrote to the restaurant afterwards and did get a phone call, but no adjustment or satisfactory answer.

On our next RFC visit, the server couldn't have been greater. Ditto at Le Cellier. It's a shame so much depends on the competance of the wait staff.

Sheila

 

[SueEllen]

It actually says souvenir drink mugs are not included. This was not a drink mug, but was the ice cream soda concoction with the light up ice cube. We have been able to use the voucher for the kids drinks with the lighted ice at other locations. I was surprised that they did not use the voucher as we requested for the more expensive items (as I specifically told the server that the voucher was for my daughter's meal.) In addition the fact that they completely did not even take off the appetizer or the beverages for me or my daughter at all was just wrong.
I have not had issues with the vouchers anywhere else. The bad thing was it was the manager that did the check for the server.
Sue Ellen

 

[Disbug]

Sue Ellen, I too, am sorry you had that bad experience. I just used mine about a month ago there and had a great experience. I find it is usually safe if I pull out the vouchers and ask the server to let you know if something is NOT included in the voucher. Then the onus is on them if something goes wrong when the bill comes... !

 

[ceecee]

That's what we do, show them the voucher and ask what we can get. It all depends on the voucher. I'm not surprised that they don't include the light up drinks, we bought one at Sci-Fi as well. I imagine that before long most places will revise the vouchers because they have to be losing $ if no one else orders anything.

 

[seashoreCM]

Next time go to Guest Relations at the front of the park.

The voucher should say what you can get. You may not argue that an appetizer or beverage should have been included "just because at another restaurant it happened to be included". But if the waiter says that a listed entree comes with one of this and choice of this and one of that, you probably have a case.

Also a lot of companies, stores, car rental agencies, etc. get away with overcharges because the customer got tired of arguing.

Disney hints:
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'80s Disneyland once or twice
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9/97 All Star Music
11/98 ASMu & first premium annual pass
12/98 Knights Inn on 192
9/99 All Star Movies
12/00 All Star Sports & PAP#2
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1/03 Motel 6 & ASSp & PAP#3
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8/04 Coronado Springs & PAP#4
8/04 again Motel 6 and Pop Century
1/05 halfhearted plan in the works
</small>

 

[simpilotswife]

Generally smoothie or ice cream type drinks are counted as a dessert and not included as a drink for voucher purposes. Some restaurants bend that rule but one should not expect them to.

 

[Belle5]

One year ago we tried using some children's vouchers at Le Cellier (and several adult vouchers) and were told that we could not get an appetizer with the kid's voucher even though the voucher said "appetizer". They said since there were no child's appetizers we could not get one with the voucher. I argued that why would I pay $11.99 (or whatever they cost--I don't remember) for a kid's voucher if I can't get more than what already comes with a kid's meal priced at $4.99 straight off the menu with no voucher? They didn't budge and I was so ticked off that our family got up and walked out and went to San Angel. We had to make the same argument there but the manager graciously allowed us to order adult appetizers with the kid's voucher--even though he didn't have to. What we learned was to never order the kid's vouchers--only the adult. If I want a kid's meal for one of the boys--we will just order straight off the menu and get billed for that.

 

[swilshire]

They are definitely not consistent as they let us order the soup as the child's appetizer last Spring. Hopefully they'll do the same next week.

Sheila

 

[zippehsmom]

A little OT, but I wonder what Disney will do with the new meal plan. You are supposed to be able to order an appetizer, entree and desert. If these restaurants don't have kids appetizers will they honor the meal plan and allow kids to order an appetizer from adult menu?

zippehsmom

 

[SueEllen]

Le Cellier was the only restaurant I had an issue in (and they didn't fuss about taking off the appetizer once I pointed out they had not done it.)
In fact, at Alfredos we used the voucher for a pizza (kids voucher) appetizer, and an adult dessert. The kids menus almost never had appetizers to chose from so it only makes sense that a regular appetizer would be allowed.

For the new plan it states that kids must order off of a kids menu if available. Since an appetizer is generally not available on a kids menu I would *think* the same thing would apply, any appetizer on the regular menu.

There is very little consistency on the vouchers.
Sue Ellen

 

[Doodlebug939]

When we went to LeCellier last year we had the same problem because of the childs voucher. They were not rude or anything about it but stated what their policy was. I made sure to ask before hand about the childs voucher so that there was no confusion. But in the end they did let us get a cheese soup as a childs appitizer. All in all I would go there again in a hearbeat but I would have my two kids share one adult voucher or just have them order from the kids menu with no voucher.