Where to complain re rudeness and overcharging in restaurant?

Question

I had lunch at a restaurant yesterday where the waiter was extremely rude, gave exceptionally bad service, and finally brought me somebody else's bill and tried to overcharge me double the amount that I actually owed (over $30 instead of $17). I caught it only when he had charged my card already, and asked to talk to the manager. Another youth came by and told that he was "the manager" but did not give me anything else but his first name (no business card or any such). Instead of apologizing, he went: "And so, what's the problem, I can take it off your card and charge the correct amount." The waiter didn't apologize either, but they were openly laughing and snickering with the "manager." The overcharge was taken off, but that was that. I am extremely upset of how the whole business was handled, and how that kind of thing could happen in the first place (I was given a charge for 2 people instead of 1, later they explained that "it was the bill of the people who sat in that table previously" ???). I would like to know what are my rights as a consumer--how to try to complain to the real managers and owners of the restaurant (how to find and contact them), and what outside agencies to involve. What are the obligations of a restaurant to handle such kind of incidents?

Answer 1

Call the restaurant and ask to talk to the General manager or the Front of House Manager.  Be sure it is not just an MOD(manager on duty) which is who you probably dealt with on your meal. Be sure you know what day you ate there and what time and they can deal with them appropriately

Managers don't carry business cards with them.  They really don't need them. But I do doubt that anyone under thirty was a manager or if they were they certainly were not qualified to be doing the job.

Bad service like this costs the restaurant a lot of money.  Figure each customer is worth up to $1000 year in sales(once a week at $20) and if you bad mouth the restaurant they could lose five or more potential customers.

I got bad service at a Burger King six months ago that I use to go to three times a week because the manager on duty told me that my cold fries that I was returning were "hot enough."   I had returned a first order in from the drive through for being cold and the second order was colder.  

Answer 2

You should have looked at the bill before you gave the server your credit card.  The server obviously had more tables than just you.  It was a mistake and it was fixed as soon as it was brought to the servers attention.

Most restaurants have several FOH managers(Front of house managers).  They can be hourly or salaried.  Only the salaried managers have business cards and you have to ask for them(usually at the host stand).  

The only thing you can do is write or call the restaurant and ask for the proprietor or manager.

It was just a mistake, no harm was involved and it wasn't intentional, so if I were you I would just forget about it.

If the service was that bad don't go back.

Answer 3

If it was an independent restaurant then you should try writing a letter addressed to The Manager, or The Proprietor. In the UK if a restaurant is licensed to sell alcohol then the owner's name will be displayed somewhere on the premises.

If it was a chain branch then write to head office.

Obviously, the treatment you received was totally unacceptable, but in the end you might just be better off voting with your wallet and not going back. You could write to a local paper, or give online reviews if that will ease your annoyance.

Answer 4

usually the manager will take care of it.  but otherwise you would have to inform the head office.  i've always seen comment cards that had the address or ask someone for it.

maybe look up on google?