What's the law with web site adverts?
What's the law with web site adverts?
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Old Merc

Original Poster:

3,774 posts

188 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
Bit of a rant really, but I would like to know if this restaurant has committed an offence.

Nice country pub/restaurant, there web site showed Prix Fixe menu £19.95 for two courses and £24.95 for three. It was our wedding anniversary, so we booked a table. When we sat down and studied the menu it said two courses £50 and three courses £65, with a couple of items showing £10 supplement,
to rub salt in there was a "discretionary" 15% service charge. We ask and was told that there was no alternative.
I know we should have walk out, but we were dressed up for our wedding anniversary dinner. Had a nice meal, good service but the £131 bill gave me a bit of "indigestion", I was expecting to pay £65 - £70.

I`ve checked their web site and the old price Prix Fixe menu is still there, they are misleading their customers. I`ve also been on TripAdvisor and found a couple of posters had the same complaint as me.

Any comments guys?

Funk

27,234 posts

230 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
I'd suspect very little you can do. No-one made you eat there once you'd seen the menu and pricing in the restaurant.

sherman

14,781 posts

236 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
Are you sure its not a monday- thursday luch or ealy evening type deal.

When did you book for ?
If it was say 7pm on a Friday you will get the full price ala carte version of the menu.
It may be the same menu just priced differently because monday - thursday the are quiter and trying to drum up business. They are busy on a friday night so can charge more as people want to eat at that time.

Theres no laws over pricing apart from you should be charged what you were quoted(the menu you were physical given) not an online representation.

Old Merc

Original Poster:

3,774 posts

188 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies.
We emailed the owner, he has just taken over the place, having problems getting set up.
He apologised for misleading us, saying it was a mistake putting that cheep menu on their site so soon. It starts next week and is for lunch only. Did not offer us a discount on another meal though.
Not the end of the world is it, just suck up and move on.

Golfgtimk28v

2,797 posts

40 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
It is actually called bait and switch, an offence .

But is it really worth it if it was a genuine mistake?

Funk

27,234 posts

230 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
Golfgtimk28v said:
It is actually called bait and switch, an offence .

But is it really worth it if it was a genuine mistake?
The correct prices were on the menu in the restaurant and the OP was aware prior to ordering.

It's hardly a mastermind con, more likely just a mistake from the sounds of it. The OP could've result chosen to head elsewhere to eat.

Golfgtimk28v

2,797 posts

40 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
Funk said:
The correct prices were on the menu in the restaurant and the OP was aware prior to ordering.

It's hardly a mastermind con, more likely just a mistake from the sounds of it. The OP could've result chosen to head elsewhere to eat.
If the OP made the choice to visit the restaurant based on prices on the website, then it doesn't matter what the price was in the restaurant, that is how bait and switch world, read up about it.

Hoofy

79,178 posts

303 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
Golfgtimk28v said:
Funk said:
The correct prices were on the menu in the restaurant and the OP was aware prior to ordering.

It's hardly a mastermind con, more likely just a mistake from the sounds of it. The OP could've result chosen to head elsewhere to eat.
If the OP made the choice to visit the restaurant based on prices on the website, then it doesn't matter what the price was in the restaurant, that is how bait and switch world, read up about it.
I guess the other issue is that if you had say booked for 8pm on a Saturday night and then realise at 8pm that the prices were not right, do you think you could get a table for two at another nice restaurant at say 8.30pm? I guess they'd be able to squeeze you in between the students and alcoholics at the local Wetherspoons.

Funk

27,234 posts

230 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
It also sounds more like an innocent mistake rather than some dastardly scheme up lure in unsuspecting punters.

The OP said the owner's only just taken over and having trouble getting things set up so I'd be inclined to cut him some slack; although if I were the owner I'd have probably offered some gesture of goodwill but that's just me.

sherman

14,781 posts

236 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
Funk said:
It also sounds more like an innocent mistake rather than some dastardly scheme up lure in unsuspecting punters.

The OP said the owner's only just taken over and having trouble getting things set up so I'd be inclined to cut him some slack; although if I were the owner I'd have probably offered some gesture of goodwill but that's just me.
He did he told him when he could book for the cut price menu. More money off than a £20 gift card.

mrsshpub

928 posts

205 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
It could well be a genuine mistake, if it has just ownership — I contacted a restaurant via FB recently because the menu link on their website wasn't working and the response was that they didn't know they had a website!

Hoofy

79,178 posts

303 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
quotequote all
You could really fk up a rival business by putting up a website that looks genuine but the info is slightly wrong and annoys customers.

Or even very wrong, posting that certain minorities are not welcome!

Truckosaurus

12,813 posts

305 months

Monday 3rd October 2022
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mrsshpub said:
.... the response was that they didn't know they had a website!
It's not that uncommon, I've seen several pubs with outdated/expired/duplicate Facebook and Twitter pages most likely because the member of staff who set it up (or knew the password) no longer works there.

Golfgtimk28v

2,797 posts

40 months

Monday 3rd October 2022
quotequote all
Truckosaurus said:
It's not that uncommon, I've seen several pubs with outdated/expired/duplicate Facebook and Twitter pages most likely because the member of staff who set it up (or knew the password) no longer works there.
I'm no expert but is there a way to see when it was last updated on the webpage. That would tell straight away.

The bait and switch thing I've known pubs to use it to boost trade maybe a few weeks. People generally don't complain.

thebraketester

15,342 posts

159 months

Monday 3rd October 2022
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It’s quite simple with things like this. Vote with your feet.

Nimby

5,412 posts

171 months

Monday 3rd October 2022
quotequote all
Golfgtimk28v said:
I'm no expert but is there a way to see when it was last updated on the webpage. That would tell straight away.
Yes, if it's been crawled by the Wayback Machine
http://archive.org/web