The offical side of reservations going wrong in restaurants/etc

Chris_5339762

Hi folks,

Quick question here... I got burned to the tune of €2 the other day... shock horror! Not going to break the bank but I just want to know what the official standing on something like this is.

I went to a particular milkshake bar and had organised to meet with some friends from the internet. (Totally legit, group meets about once a month, we know each other fairly well but we always have some new people. People come and go during the night - we dont all show up at the same time and dont all leave at the same time). The first of us who arrive sat at a table and each of us got milkshakes - either €3.50 or €4.00 each. As usual, the milkshake bar refuse to do individual orders so it is charged to the table.

People come and go as the night wears on, everyone pays for their shake when they leave and everyone is happy.

There were four of us left at the end, we go up to the counter and pay for our milkshakes and are ready to leave. The server tells us there is still money outstanding on the table, to the tune of €3.50. We tell him that the four of us have all paid, he stands firm and says there is still €3.50 owing. Eventually we split it as we might want to come back here sometime.

Its niggling at me though. Somebody forgot to pay, so whoever happens to be left is saddled with their bill. What is the OFFICIAL line on this? I have paid for what I had in full as good citizens; so have the other three people, yet we are made to pay for the other person. The milkshake bar do not do individual service when we order, only table payments. Why should I pay for someone elses milkshake because they (accidentally) did a runner?

What is the official line on this. Is the last person to leave the table liable for all outstanding debts on that table, or is that person perfectly in their rights to say that they've legitimately paid for what they had and walk out?

Thoie

I don't know if there's an "official" line on this, but it seems normal to me. Why should the restaurant be out of pocket because you're having a casual meet up?

I suggest that you highlight the fact that someone forgot to pay (it happens easily) before the next meetup, and remind people on the day. It must be a bit of a nightmare for the waiters to keep track of if everyone is coming and going at different times, so I hope everyone leaves a bit of a tip as well!

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Thoie wrote: »

I don't know if there's an "official" line on this, but it seems normal to me. Why should the restaurant be out of pocket because you're having a casual meet up?

I suggest that you highlight the fact that someone forgot to pay (it happens easily) before the next meetup, and remind people on the day. It must be a bit of a nightmare for the waiters to keep track of if everyone is coming and going at different times, so I hope everyone leaves a bit of a tip as well!

But on the other hand why should OP be out of pocket just because somebody else forgot to pay?

Maybe Im naive but I've never heard of a cafe/restaurant that won't do individual bills.

Seeing as the outstanding bill was so low the OP took the path of least resistance and settled it. Id have done the same, however, if the amount was €20/€30 there's no chance I would have paid.

wyndham

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

As usual, the milkshake bar refuse to do individual orders so it is charged to the table.

Why? I've never heard of this set-up. What happens if a person goes in alone for a milkshake?

Chris_5339762

I've been in countless restaurants both here and in the UK where, as a group, we've all requested to be billed individually for convenience. The restaurant just wont do that, they just charge it to the table. Then people start buying rakes of beers and at the end everyone (now half drunk) says "oh I had x and y and three beers" and goes up to pay for that part of the total bill. Inevitably there is outstanding money because someone forgot that they drank so much.

If someone goes in alone, thats fine they can pay there and then. But when theres a group, I find very few places will allow you to order something, pay for it, then sit down with the group. The minute the idea of 'table service', where a server takes your order is used, things break down and the last person to leave gets screwed.

Too right, a few euro is fine but if its €20 then I'm not paying it.

It must be a bit of a nightmare for the waiters to keep track of if everyone is coming and going at different times, so I hope everyone leaves a bit of a tip as well!

Do they really keep a track though? They just come over occasionally to ask if we'd like anything else. I doubt they are really paying attention as long as there are people at the table. Could be wrong though!

Thoie

jar_of_coins wrote: »

But on the other hand why should OP be out of pocket just because somebody else forgot to pay?

The difference is that it is expected that there's some kind of relationship between you and the people you're dining with. In this case, that relationship is tenuous, but it's still stronger than the relationship with the restaurant.

I don't see the restaurant as being at fault here, but I'd also suggested that for a group like this where people are wandering in and out, a self-service restaurant might be a better meeting place.

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Do they really keep a track though? They just come over occasionally to ask if we'd like anything else. I doubt they are really paying attention as long as there are people at the table. Could be wrong though!

It's more effort. For example, 4 people come in, take their order, get their drinks, bring it back. A 5th person has appeared when you get back. Add their order to the bill, fetch, go back. Person 1 has left, 2 more are there, Person 2 has finished their drink, go get another 3 drinks, bring it back...

If it was a normal group who all arrived at the same time, the waiter would take an order, drop off the drinks, and then probably not have to go back to that table for another 15 minutes.

subway

legally, it's on the group. in practice, the group nominates a person (last person to leave) to settle up.
the shopowner sets these terms out, you can accept them or reject them (go somewhere else) but you cannot force him to change them.

managing large bills like that is difficult in a restaraunt, however I'm struggling to imagine a milkshake bar that wouldn't operate a pay as you go service as a coffee shop etv would. i guess that's irrelevant to the situation anyway.

fwiw, i would suggest a more casual setting to fit your needs.

separately, my own opinion on bill-sharing is (n/x)*y= your share (n is total bill, x is people, y is amount for tip). unless someone doesnt drink or someone likes moet, you'll find that everyone's bill comes to within a euro or 2 anyway. I've never been in a situation where a bill for a large group has been split out individually (by the customers) and there hasn't been a shortfall or a huge amount of time wasted arguing.

TheDriver

i personally hate when a group goes into somewhere, your driving and drink 1 juice whilst others drown themselves in booze and then someone suggests to split the bill evenly. annoys the crap out of me

hdowney

TheDriver wrote: »

i personally hate when a group goes into somewhere, your driving and drink 1 juice whilst others drown themselves in booze and then someone suggests to split the bill evenly. annoys the crap out of me

Or you are the broke one ordering salad and they have the money and are ordering steak