Heated Exchange Over a $250 Restaurant Cancellation Fee (legal, money)

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I've never been to her restaurant and I'll never go. Too many other places to choose from.

It seems like the restaurant owner is receiving more bad publicity than good publicity.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by AtkinsonDan

It seems like the restaurant owner is receiving more bad publicity than good publicity.

Based on who she is it seems like any type of attention will suit her. Ugh

[BostonBornMassMade]

The North End seems miserable.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Either way, the restaurant owner's primary beef should be with the credit card company rather than attacking the customer. She's right to be mad. But ultimately, the CC company is the one who made the decision to issue the chargeback.

Originally Posted by redplum33

Faulty logic. The customer asked the CC company to do the chargeback.

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Completely illogical. The credit card company took the action.

The action doesn't get taken if the customer hadn't requested it.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by redplum33

The action doesn't get taken if the customer hadn't requested it.

The action doesn't get taken simply because the customer requested it.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by AtkinsonDan

The customer was unexpectedly hospitalized. If that is not a valid reason to waive a cancellation fee then I have no idea what is a valid reason to do so. Ironically if the customer had died instead of being hospitalized, the restaurant owner probably would have kept the cancellation fee as I would doubt the customer's estate would have noticed the credit card charge in time to contest it. Honestly the only thing I find faulty about this entire story is the business model of the restaurant.

The reason doesn't matter. The customer entered into a contract when making the reservation.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by redplum33

The action doesn't get taken if the customer hadn't requested it.

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

The action doesn't get taken simply because the customer requested it.

The customer convinced the CC company to do it...with the hospital story. Highly unlikely the chargeback request would have been approved otherwise.

[TaxPhd]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I'd be weary about booking a dinner reservation at a place that required my credit card up front AND stated they would bill me $250 if I cancel without giving 2 days notice.

That type of behavior by a restaurant would make me so weary that I'd be wary of ever doing business with them.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by redplum33

The way I see it, this type of reservation is roughly the equivalent of buying a ticket to a game or a concert. If for whatever reason you can't attend the game or concert, you can't get your money back.

Originally Posted by msRB311

A meal at a restaurant should not be the equivalent to seeing a concert/game. If a restaurant thinks they're so exclusive and they want to take it to that level then they should treat their 'reservations' as tickets so the customers knows when they sign up they are basically spending $250. Clearly this customer didn't know what he was getting himself into. I'm skeevy about giving my CC info to a restaurant when making a reservation...if i did, then didn't make it to a reservation i'd be mad as hell to see that i was charged $250 (for nothing!) and i would certainly be fighting it.

He knew.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by redplum33

The action doesn't get taken if the customer hadn't requested it.

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

The action doesn't get taken simply because the customer requested it.

Right, the credit card companies can always reject customer requests.