I’ve been to this restaurant several times before, and every time, I’d ask them if they had any special items in stock (via Instagram DMs) and they’d let me know, and I’d decide what I wanted to add to my order.
This time, I dm’d them asking for their shellfish menu. I also told them to inform me if they had any must-try or seasonal items. Unlike previous times, they ghosted me this time when I asked, so I assumed they had not added any add-ons to my menu, and I ended up just asking for the standard shellfish menu.
During dinner, Chef never asked if I would like any extra items, never informed me what extras were available, and did not even inform me that the items he brought out to serve me were add-ons.
At the end of the meal, I was surprised to see charges for multiple add-ons. I told them I wasn’t aware those were extra, and I never agreed to them. The chef told me that I had requested them to add anything new they had to the menu. This never happened (can’t add screenshots tho).
Anyways I told them that I would pay if I absolutely had to, but I would like to discuss this as it wasn’t right. They ended up comping the charges after checking our messages and said it was a miscommunication.
The waitress made me feel like it was my fault for not being clear enough when my messages don’t leave room for misinterpretation. She kept emphasizing that some ingredients are expensive and not profitable to serve without charging extra—which completely missed the point. I was never informed of any add-ons nor did I ask for them to be added on.
“Let me know what new items you have” does not mean “add all items you have onto my menu”. And they didn’t even answer to let me know what items they had.
I felt gaslighted. It seemed like chef was trying to be ambitious and increase sales and just assumed I’d be okay with it but got mad when I raised an issue.
I’ve never tried to scam or dodge payment. If I order something, I pay for it. If I can’t afford something, I don’t order it. But in this case, I never ordered those extras.
I later found out I was blacklisted from returning. I’m obviously not going to fight that or try to come back. But the way it was handled makes me feel like a thief or a scammer.
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I’ve been to this restaurant several times before, and every time, I’d ask them if they had any special items in stock (via Instagram DMs) and they’d let me know, and I’d decide what I wanted to add to my order.
This time, I dm’d them asking for their shellfish menu. I also told them to inform me if they had any must-try or seasonal items. Unlike previous times, they ghosted me this time when I asked, so I assumed they had not added any add-ons to my menu, and I ended up just asking for the standard shellfish menu.
During dinner, Chef never asked if I would like any extra items, never informed me what extras were available, and did not even inform me that the items he brought out to serve me were add-ons.
At the end of the meal, I was surprised to see charges for multiple add-ons. I told them I wasn’t aware those were extra, and I never agreed to them. The chef told me that I had requested them to add anything new they had to the menu. This never happened (can’t add screenshots tho).
Anyways I told them that I would pay if I absolutely had to, but I would like to discuss this as it wasn’t right. They ended up comping the charges after checking our messages and said it was a miscommunication.
The waitress made me feel like it was my fault for not being clear enough when my messages don’t leave room for misinterpretation. She kept emphasizing that some ingredients are expensive and not profitable to serve without charging extra—which completely missed the point. I was never informed of any add-ons nor did I ask for them to be added on.
“Let me know what new items you have” does not mean “add all items you have onto my menu”. And they didn’t even answer to let me know what items they had.
I felt gaslighted. It seemed like chef was trying to be ambitious and increase sales and just assumed I’d be okay with it but got mad when I raised an issue.
I’ve never tried to scam or dodge payment. If I order something, I pay for it. If I can’t afford something, I don’t order it. But in this case, I never ordered those extras.
I later found out I was blacklisted from returning. I’m obviously not going to fight that or try to come back. But the way it was handled makes me feel like a thief or a scammer.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> The action I took to be judged is speaking up about being served add-ons at a restaurant without my knowledge. I had not ordered them in addition to my set menu, and I was never informed they were add ons.
The restaurant owner views me as an asshole who tried to get out of paying.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
I would absolutely leave a review for this place
YNTA at all. It’s totally fair to speak up when you’re charged for things you never agreed to.
NTA, it is the waitresses fault for not serving your properly (outlining the menu etc) and the restaurant’s fault for miscommunication. They now lost your custom. I would leave a review explaining the situation.
NTA: Does should like it was a miscommunication on the waitress part and the restaurant did take the charges off your bill, guess put it down to a bad experience and you got to get the extras for free which is a bonus. If you love the place maybe just let this one go.
Post reviews everywhere. NTA
NTA. Agree with all the other suggestions about posting reviews.
So you asked on IG about the menu and they just served you the things when you actually got there? Thats crazy… NTA
How did you not notice that you were being served things you hadn’t ordered?
Chef screwed up. He comped it and took the loss.
Server should have stayed quiet or left it as it’s too bad we had this miscommunication.
That YOU got 86’d? Was there more to the story? Or is it a shortsighted owner/manager that just lost your business?
I was a regular at a small place around the corner from home. Literally would stop in after work several times a week and would bring family weekly.
One time I got the worst food poisoning from them. Let it slide but didn’t go back for five years.
Decided to give them a second chance and took my small child with me. We ordered water for her and a beer for me. Owner brings out a capri sun pouch drink thing for kiddo. Sugary drinks were a treat so I only said “we don’t need it” but owner had opened it and insisted.
I was charged $4 for that pouch drink.
Never went back.
New owners now.
INFO: why are you asking about specials in insta dm’s instead of just asking in person when you get there and making your decision there?
It strikes me that this could have been avoided if you had asked in person?