O'Briens toasted Sambos

kenco

Hate to kick them when they are down but you got to ask your self how much they have to take the blame themselves.

Example, was in a rush last week and dropped in to order a sambo. I think it was around 5.40 and I was asked would it like the bread toasted? What the hey I thought untill I was asked for the 6.50 or so. Pointed out that the price on the board was 5.40 but was told it was the extra as it was hot, i.e. the bread was toasted. Didnt have time to argue but last time I will give them my business

Photi

And you still paid for it?

mcaul

the extra charge is not O'briens fault but the customer anger at it is.

Cold sandwiches have a 0% vat rate whereas hot / toasted sandwiches have a 13.5% rate.


If O'briens simply put a small notice up or informed their staff about the reason, it would lead to a lot less bad feeling.

Subway can do it quite easily and by charging 30c extra, effective subsidise the vat - they also have informed the staff and have small notices in their stores

Maybe the new owners will be a bit more clued in?

Our man in Havana

It is the lack of transparency that upsets most people. The staff automatically ask "Do you want it toasted?" without saying that it will encur extra cost. I would say if presented with the cost for toasting up front most people would be happy.

bogs

Thats a complete ripoff at any rate.A mate of mine went into a hotel adjacent to Croke Park and paid 380 for a cup of coffee with no top up.Now give that place a wide berth.

kenco

Photi wrote: »

And you still paid for it?

Yep, didnt have time to get into the argument or go somewhere else....9 out of 10 I would have told them to stuff it but...

Either way wont go back...

rubadub

Bond-007 wrote: »

It is the lack of transparency that upsets most people. The staff automatically ask "Do you want it toasted?" without saying that it will encur extra cost. I would say if presented with the cost for toasting up front most people would be happy.

Yes, this subject has come up several times before and I have never heard that the staff said it would be an extra cost. I expect many people are unaware of the VAT or charge. It sounds a simple offer you would expect to be free, like a chipper asking "salt & vinegar", or mc donalds asking if you want ketchup or a straw. If mcdonalds ask "do you want fries with that", you would expect to pay. If a chipper asked if I wanted a bun toasted I would not expect to pay.

Thing is I have NO doubt whatsoever that they have had many complaints about this, so staff should make it perfectly clear there is an extra cost. There is no exuse not to, so what they are doing is very underhanded, especially since you cannot "untoast" the sandwich, so people feel obliged to pay.

If mcdonalds did charge an extra euro for the ketchup people could hand it back and not pay for just that ketchup, you cannot get a refund on the toasting. People would feel embarrassed or awkward not to pay for a sandwich made personally for them, like in pubs people feel obliged to pay for an overpriced pint since it is already poured. The pubs & o'briens know this and take advantage. If more people did refuse and left them with poured pints & overpriced toasted sandwiches I think there staff would be making the price very well known at the time of ordering. Pubs have price lists, but not all drinks are listed, and they are well hidden in most pubs.

Trampas

I was once in O'Briens and asked for a BLT. Was asked if I wanted it toasted. I said no thanks. When may sandwich arrived it was toasted and the person tried to charge me for a toasted BLT.

I politely said I didn't want it toasted and she goes it is nicer toasted which my reply was I don't like toast

So they had to make me a new sandwich.

I think I have seen O'Briens charge 95cent to toast a sandwich no matter what the price of the sandwich was.