Would you expect to pay?

housewifehobbiest

I work for a restaurant that uses Opentable for reservations.  Someone made a reservation online with the note "it's my husband's birthday, so please send out a dessert with a candle" (word for word quoted).  We brought out a dessert with a candle, and she paid the bill.  Now she's calling me saying she didn't want to make a scene at dinner, but she expected the birthday dessert to be complimentary and wants the money refunded.  I quoted back her request, and told that that constitutes an placing an order, which one should expect to pay for.  All of our desserts are the same cost, so it is not as if we picked the priciest dessert on the menu to gouge them, we were just trying to accommodate her simple request. 


If you were the customer, would you expect to pay?  I know my feelings are obviously screwed working in the industry, so I'd be interested to hear what general expectations are.

petebergsh

I would expect to pay, for sure. Since she didn't ask beforehand if the dessert was complimentary, then she should have expected to pay for it.

NcsuPsych

I know that some places require payment for desserts and I feel like if it was requested, then yes, you should pay for it. However, if it's typical for this restaurant to provide free birthday dessert, then that could be a gray area.

In my personal experience though, anytime I've told a waiter that it's someone's birthday, I've fully expected to pick up the tab (if there was one) on my bill. That's just me though and I try not to expect things to be free (even though that would be awesome).

blgrout

If you ask for the cake=ordering the cake, IMO. 

Like Yaga said, if I made a reservation and said "it's my husband's birthday" and left it at that, and then got cake, then I'd expect if for free since I didn't order it.

She sounds way off base to me.  Some people have a warped sense of reality though.

ChristineNB

While I get that alot of restaurants do give a free birthday desert with a candle, I wouldn't expect that everywhere.  I'm assuming since you are on Open Table that you are a nicer restaurnat, and not a chain place (ie Olive Garden), and being someplace a little nicer, I would expect to pay

MyNameIsNot

She's crazy.  

People who constantly expect something for nothing make me nuts.  

dori851

Yes, I would expect to pay. A lot of restaurants in my area don't do the whole complimentary dessert for your birthday thing anymore. I agree with you, she placed the order so I'm not sure why she assumed she wouldn't have to pay for it?

maribeth721

I'm assuming you don't work at TGIFridays or Chili's or some other chain place. I wouldn't necessarily expect something like a birthday dessert to be free at a casual, chain restaurant but I wouldn't be surprised if it was because most of them are known for that. Outside of that box, I would absolutely expect to pay. Also, you paid for it, you ackowledged your responsibility. End of story.

AdeleDazeem

By her logic, she could have ordered their entire dinner in her little note and not have had to pay a cent for it. 

She's an idiot.

cwaggoner07

Agree with all PP. Even if she thought it MIGHT be complimentary, you get the bill and you pay for what you ordered! And yes, that was an 'order'.

housewifehobbiest

That you all for verifying that I'm not that out of touch.  I work at an upscale French restaurant known for its party atmosphere (I'm not sure if its kosher here to give specific work place names? I've heard stories of folks getting crazy here).  We'll give a dessert to a regular, or some champagne to a cute couple celebrating an anniversary sometimes.  Its always been at our discretion though; not a matter of company policy.  I'm actually the Hospitality Director here, so it is my job to decide those policies, which is why I was curious if I was so off base with this woman.

rlavach

Honestly, I've never paid for a birthday related dessert. It has always been complementary. BUT, they were always brought out on the decision of the restaurant, not me. I never asked. What she should have done is say 'please bring out a free cake with a candle' because then her expectation of 'free' is stated and then you could have corrected her and let her know it's not free. Most high end restaurants I've been to are more than willing to give something free to keep a customer happy, not that they have to. 

achiduck

In that case, because she specifically asked for the dessert I would expect to see a charge on the bill.

angele4200

I agree with all PPs. If you ask for it, you pay for it.

housewifehobbiest

Oh and Yaga, not MY restaurant, but one of my favorites is La Sirene in soho.  Its a TINY BYOB place with amazing French food.   I highly suggest it! 

housewifehobbiest

I swear its not too crazy!  Their truffle roast chicken and their mussels are two of my favorite things on the menu.  Its all just really well done food, but not crazy snails & frog legs stuff

Avion22

In this case, I think it was reasonable for you to charge her for the dessert.  If it was some kind of company policy to provide free desserts for brithdays, or even if this particular customer had received a free birthday dessert at your restaraunt in the past, then I could see where she was coming from. 

However, this lady sounds BSC.  It pains me to say this, but if it's easy to refund her money, and it's a small ammount compared to her overall bill, then it might be worth it to keep her form posting nasty comments about your restaraunt on Yelp or on Open Table itself.    

Mrs.B6302007

I would certainly expect to pay.  Why do people equate getting older with free food?  It's not the restaurant's responsibility to give you a free piece of cake on your freaking birthday.

StephanieM22

I would expect to pay. She ordered it so she should pay. If she mentioned it was her husbands birthday but did not request a dessert but got one and it was on the bill then we would have an issue.