When eating in a restaurant in the UK...

Question

...I have heard that if the meal is not to your total satisfaction then you are not legally bound to pay for it at the end, even if you ate it all. Or you may pay whatever you think that it was worth.

Is this true and is it that easy?

When I worked at a particularly crappy restaurant a few years ago a man did exactly this. The owners told him he was taking the p**s and called the police. When the police arrived, they backed him up and said that he was within his rights to leave without paying if he felt that the meal was THAT bad. The owners were furious but the police said that the most the owners were allowed to do was bar him from coming back.

Obviously though, the average copper is no legal expert, so I'm not sure if I should believe it because it just seems too whacky to be true!

Can anyone clarify? And ideally provide citation?

Answer 1

The law does favour the custumer, and any dispute between a guest and a restaurant is only a civil matter that generally the police are not interested in.... I was a restaurant manager and had a guest leave without paying his bill, didn't even speak to me... I immediatly phoned the police and gave vehicle reg. Description etc and the police told me it was a civil matter between me and the guest and that there was nothing they could do...

(I think the Police are only interested in making money off speeding drivers than actually doing something to help fight crime, but that is another topic,)

Answer 2

If the meal was that bad he should have complained to the management, and certainly wouldnt have eaten it! It cant have been that bad then!!

Ive only been in one situation where i was unhappy, and that was pizza hut. The pizza was cold and we had waited a long time, so when they came round to ask if everything was ok we told them no and what was wrong, so we got the pizza re done, and it was free of charge and then they gave us free deserts, so i was really impressed!!

I can only assume if you report the problem at the time then you are giving the restaurant the oppurtunity to rectify the problem, i certainly wouldn't eat something and then complain! That's just cheaky!!

Answer 3

Hi im not sure, but when we were in a restaurant a couple next to us were moaning about the food and then when they complained to the mananger they got another meal each, despite eating the first meal they had, However they did payI think so maybe the company can offer you another meal, and if you dont accept it then you dont pay or get your money back as in this restaurant you pay first.

I have been to loads of restuarants where the food was horrible but I think is really embarrasing when someone complains, not everyone has the same taste, so what taste bad to me might not to someone else.lol

Answer 4

no if you get your dinner and you don't like the look or the taste of it you can send it back or walk out

Answer 5

In ANY country... if you eat the whole meal... YOU ARE LEGALLY OBLIDGED TO PAY FOR IT.

Answer 6

The police were correct, the vast number of your answers were wrong - You are only legally obliged to pay what you think the meal was worth, but as you say, if you've gone to one of Ramsey's joints with your bird & you've only got a tenner on you, this wouldn't stand up.

You may also reject the food & refuse to pay anything at all - obviously, this doesn't work if you scoff the lot & then decide not to pay.

Answer 7

I can only see that being true if there is some way of proving the meal was dis satisfactory. Otherwise every tom d**k and harry could do that. So no, its false.

Answer 8

It's not true. Can be just a little more complicated though since if the diner never intended to pay then that is a criminal offence (theft) and the police will prosecute. If the meal was just so poor that it couldn't be eaten and the diner refused to pay then he/she would leave contact details as a mark of good faith and the restaurant could pursue the claim through the civil courts. Unless other diners could support the claim of poor food then the diner would almost certainly lose and finish up having to pay for the food and court costs.

Don't try it. Either way you will finish up in court.

Answer 9

No this is illegal you cant wakl out without paying.

Answer 10

Quite a mixture of answers so not sure what you will feel is correct.

My understanding is the following.

The customer may have to prove that they had the means to pay the advertised price.

They must clearly state their grievance - pay what they think is fair ( if anything at all) and, with proof of ID be willing to leave name and address in order that the restaurant may pursue them through the small claims court if they wish for the amount owed.

Perhaps someone of a legal bent may confirm this or not .  

Answer 11

If you don't like the meal, you should send it back and tell them it is not up to your standards, order something else,

if the meal, service and atmosphere was generally bad you shouldn't feel obliged to tip them,

it's pretty rude if you eat the whole thing and then say you are not paying for it!

Answer 12

im sure you need to complain before end of meal, if not you cant just refuse to pay.