View Full Version : Doing a runner from a meal
Fibonacci poem
09-08-2006, 20:50
Has anybody ever done a runner from a meal or restaurant? If so where, when and why. Is it ever justified?
MovedGoalPosts
09-08-2006, 20:57
How can it be justified. It's called theft.
If you are dissatisfied with the meal you resolve that with the management at the time.
Fibonacci poem
09-08-2006, 21:02
How can it be justified. It's called theft.
If you are dissatisfied with the meal you resolve that with the management at the time.
it seems a black & white issue like you point out, but in reality its more "shades of grey" e.g when you can't get anyones attention to say anything about any issue that is concerning you anyway
Not willingly no. Accidentally: Yes (once)
when you can't get anyones attention to say anything about any issue that is concerning you anyway
That would get blown out of the water in court, so no, it's not justified.
timewarrior2001
09-08-2006, 21:10
Still theft and in my book if you steal your nothing but chav ****.
Fibonacci poem
09-08-2006, 21:10
That would get blown out of the water in court, so no, it's not justified.
I'm not sure your right there. If the customer is not satisfied he is under to compulsion to pay I think you will find. Also, if you do not get attended to in a reasonable time then I believe they (the place being run from assuming its justified) are stealing from you in terms of time that is yours. Its a sort of 'scales' of an arrangement with both parties involed in the spirit of fair play that was alluded to when you went in an ordered in my opinion
jellybaby
09-08-2006, 21:13
But thats doesn't justify 'doing a runner'. You can tell the manager or whom ever you are not going to pay for whatever reason, but just leaving is theft, full stop
IF the customer is not satisfied then he should not do "a runner" but should discuss it with the management of the establishment and then refuse payment. If you just do a bunk from the restaurant without making an effort to explain then it's nothing but theft IMHO
It is some thing that I have never thought about doing as it is stealing
I'm not sure your right there. If the customer is not satisfied he is under to compulsion to pay I think you will find. Also, if you do not get attended to in a reasonable time then I believe they (the place being run from assuming its justified) are stealing from you in terms of time that is yours. Its a sort of 'scales' of an arrangement with both parties involed in the spirit of fair play that was alluded to when you went in an ordered in my opinion
The only way you can justify not paying is if the meal isn't up to standard and even then you're on shaky ground. The analogy you've given is worthless - there are no such 'scales'.
if you do not like the food you can offer to pay a amount you think it was worth .all ways tell some one if you have a complant when it comes up having worked and had to pay for the **** that did run off, i would never do it . to any one . daz300
Once yes I normally goto a bar near me where you pay as you order, while up Scotland once in Dumfries I walked out and only realised when i went to the offlicense and noted I was rather richer than I thought.
Went back in the morning to correct it though as I felt awful since it was good grub, funny bit was they never even noticed until I went back?
That would get blown out of the water in court, so no, it's not justified.
I'm not sure your right there. If the customer is not satisfied he is under to compulsion to pay I think you will find. Also, if you do not get attended to in a reasonable time then I believe they (the place being run from assuming its justified) are stealing from you in terms of time that is yours. Its a sort of 'scales' of an arrangement with both parties involed in the spirit of fair play that was alluded to when you went in an ordered in my opinion
I am no expert, but I *think* you'll find that you are perfectly entitled to complain about your food, but you are still required to pay.
Anyhow, the only time I have left without paying was when I was having a Thai meal with friends, and just as we finished, the kitchen caught fire and they evacuated the restaurant.
DaggaDagga
09-08-2006, 22:45
Once went out for a meal, asked for the bill loads of times for ages then stood by the counter for a few minutes while all the staff ignored me, despite my "excuse me"s. It wasn't particularly busy.
In the end, we just walked out. Unsurprisingly, about 5 staff suddenly weren't very busy and they followed. Of course I paid, but I did point out the reason why we'd left.
Fibonacci poem
09-08-2006, 22:49
Once went out for a meal, asked for the bill loads of times for ages then stood by the counter for a few minutes while all the staff ignored me, despite my "excuse me"s. It wasn't particularly busy.
In the end, we just walked out. Unsurprisingly, about 5 staff suddenly weren't very busy and they followed. Of course I paid, but I did point out the reason why we'd left.
:tu:
Once went out for a meal, asked for the bill loads of times for ages then stood by the counter for a few minutes while all the staff ignored me, despite my "excuse me"s. It wasn't particularly busy.
In the end, we just walked out. Unsurprisingly, about 5 staff suddenly weren't very busy and they followed. Of course I paid, but I did point out the reason why we'd left.
Actually, on a different, but slightly related note: I have found the best way to get service in Dixons is to go in and look like you are going to nick something..
Fibonacci poem
09-08-2006, 23:01
Actually, on a different, but slightly related note: I have found the best way to get service in Dixons is to go in and look like you are going to nick something..
classic :)
Once went out for a meal, asked for the bill loads of times for ages then stood by the counter for a few minutes while all the staff ignored me, despite my "excuse me"s. It wasn't particularly busy.
In the end, we just walked out. Unsurprisingly, about 5 staff suddenly weren't very busy and they followed. Of course I paid, but I did point out the reason why we'd left.
Actually, on a different, but slightly related note: I have found the best way to get service in Dixons is to go in and look like you are going to nick something..
Or look like a total n00b and you'll have about 96 assistants trying to push you WhateverHappens on the most expensive TV/LT.
:LOL:
Saaf_laandon_mo
09-08-2006, 23:27
I am no expert, but I *think* you'll find that you are perfectly entitled to complain about your food, but you are still required to pay.
Anyhow, the only time I have left without paying was when I was having a Thai meal with friends, and just as we finished, the kitchen caught fire and they evacuated the restaurant.
If you are not satisfied with food that you have eaten in a restaurant you are within your legal rights to refuse to pay. I have had this experience once where we were disatisfied with bhoth the quality of the food and the service. I told the restaurant manager (of a high street rest. chain) that I was not going to pay, and left my name and address for him or the head office to call me back if he wanted to take it further. He decided to call the police and I thought I'd wait for them to arrive.
The police informed the manager that i was not legally entitled to pay for a meal that I did not find satisfactory. In fairness to me I did offer to pay fr the drinks we had consumed (soft drinks). I later wrote to the head office who subsequently sent me a cheque for £100 for the dodgy experience.
I have also, in my yonger years, done runners from restaurants where me and my mates have ordered, eaten, and then just legged it without paying. I can tell you from experience, the fact that we didnt pay for those meals, made them taste a whole lot better ;)
I've never done it, but it's suprising how many do.
I work in a hotel restaurant, and on a Sunday i work over lunch and i'm in charge of sorting the bills out and taking the payments, and it does happen a fair amount. I like to think that they genuinely forget, but we don't always get them ringing up later and apologising.
It's not every week, but still happens now and then, does my head in aswell because i'm sure my general manager thinks i'm stealing it...:shrug:
I have also, in my yonger years, done runners from restaurants where me and my mates have ordered, eaten, and then just legged it without paying. I can tell you from experience, the fact that we didnt pay for those meals, made them taste a whole lot better ;)Thats terrible......you were stealing from somebody :dozey:
If you dont like the food you can allways return it :sick:
If you have a problem with the meal you should resolve it with the management IMO.
I've only walked out once accidentally out of my local cocktail bar, but we knew the people there and everyone laughed it off. We then went back in once we realised and paid.
Saaf_laandon_mo
11-08-2006, 12:21
:angel: Thats terrible......you were stealing from somebody :dozey:
I know I was, but like I said it happened in my younger missguided years, and it was a bit of a laugh. Obviously I wouldnt do it now cause im an :angel:
andygrif
12-08-2006, 09:29
it seems a black & white issue like you point out, but in reality its more "shades of grey" e.g when you can't get anyones attention to say anything about any issue that is concerning you anyway
That's happened to me. We wanted to order lunch, but the waitress insisted that she could only take drinks orders, so we ordered our coffees, she brought them and we asked to order food, she said she'd be back in moment. Ten minutes later she still hadn't come back so we left.
The difference is that we I went to find her, told how how rubbish her service was and that we were leaving. She demanded payment for the coffees, so I said we hadn't drunk them (which we hadn't) and that she could have them back - and we walked out.
The key difference here is that we informed them what we were doing. If things are so bad that you feel the urge to walk out without paying, it is you obligation to inform someone, even if it means going into the kitchen to do so. There is no justification for just walking out.
I am no expert, but I *think* you'll find that you are perfectly entitled to complain about your food, but you are still required to pay.
I don't know if the law is still the same, but it used to be that you were only obliged to pay what you thought the meal was 'worth'. So if it was THAT bad then it would be worth nothing - but again I would think the obligation is to inform the staff of it's 'worth'.
it is you obligation to inform someone, even if it means going into the kitchen to do so. There is no justification for just walking out.
Noooooo i hate people who think it's alright to walk into the kitchens:mad:
andygrif
12-08-2006, 12:13
Noooooo i hate people who think it's alright to walk into the kitchens:mad:
I hate waiting staff who think it's OK not to be on the floor;)
Noooooo i hate people who think it's alright to walk into the kitchens:mad:
I hate waiting staff who think it's OK not to be on the floor;)
That's true, the only time people do it to us is when the restaurant is closed, so nobody is in there and they waltz in the kitchen, after walking past reception and two bars !:rolleyes:
sir_drinks_alot
12-08-2006, 14:41
Ya me and the wife did it on are honeymoon :D
it seems a black & white issue like you point out, but in reality its more "shades of grey" e.g when you can't get anyones attention to say anything about any issue that is concerning you anyway
if your useless enough to not be able to talk to someone then i doubt you could manage to get away with "doing a runner". infact im surprised you managed to walk to the resturant and then eat a meal.
i
If i walk into a car showroom and cant talk to anyone can i then and steal one?
"sorry judge but i waited 4 mins!!!!"
what ever - next thread plz!
I am no expert, but I *think* you'll find that you are perfectly entitled to complain about your food, but you are still required to pay.
Anyhow, the only time I have left without paying was when I was having a Thai meal with friends, and just as we finished, the kitchen caught fire and they evacuated the restaurant.
If you are not satisfied with food that you have eaten in a restaurant you are within your legal rights to refuse to pay. I have had this experience once where we were disatisfied with bhoth the quality of the food and the service. I told the restaurant manager (of a high street rest. chain) that I was not going to pay, and left my name and address for him or the head office to call me back if he wanted to take it further. He decided to call the police and I thought I'd wait for them to arrive.
There is a world of difference between having a legitimate complaint about a meal and doing a runner. In my experience, most restaurant managers will offer a free meal if a meal their restaurant serves is substandard. They work on the idea that a free meal is a small price to pay to keep a customer.
If you just do a runner without complaining, that is, IMO, wrong.
If you have a few bites of the meal and then complain you have more of a leg to stand on. If you finish your meal and then complain, they will often say that you've eaten it so must have enjoyed it.
I've once walked out in error without confirming the payment at one of those chain pubs but as they'd got my credit card details anyway I wasn't too concerned. Also a place was unable to process card payments at the time I wanted to leave so after a discussion with the manager I left without paying. When I returned a few days later to pay they had no record of it so I got it all for free :D
Only slightly OT what irratates me is when the serving staff put the plates on the table and then ask if the food is ok. They're normally the ones that tend to miss the sarcasm in the reply :)
andygrif
14-08-2006, 00:40
If you have a few bites of the meal and then complain you have more of a leg to stand on. If you finish your meal and then complain, they will often say that you've eaten it so must have enjoyed it.
It's not only the food that makes a meal. We went out with the whole family a few weeks back, to somewhere that was previous pretty good. We paid a lot of money for the meal, the food was only OK, the service was appaling. The kitchen was slow, the waiting staff were nowhere to be seen, our desert (of which only three people in the party were having) took nearly an hour to arrive, despite repeatedly asking.
Now whilst this might not warrant walking out without paying (it did cross my mind) we certainly deducted the service charge they so helpfully added for us. Personally I thought it was worth about half what we paid, and if it hadn't been a celebration then I might have laboured the point, so they got away lightly;)
orangebird
18-08-2006, 15:25
if you do not like the food you can offer to pay a amount you think it was worth .all ways tell some one if you have a complant when it comes up having worked and had to pay for the **** that did run off, i would never do it . to any one . daz300
Bang on. If you leave without paying, you're a thief. If you leave 50p because that's all you deemed it to be worth, you're legally OK. Although, why would you get to the end of a meal before complaining?
Although, why would you get to the end of a meal before complaining?
Indeed. I went, with a friend of mine went to a local sandwich bar/restaurant. We both had Burgers. Neither burger was particularly nice, although we both finished them. My friend went up to the manageress and complained. She replied "Yeah? Well, you still ate them, didn't you?".
vBulletin® v3.8.11, Copyright ©2000-2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.