special evening spoiled by restaurant - compensation?

[Kristal53]

Hi
A few weeks ago we planned a speciall night out with a few friends - there are a couple of vegetarians, including me, in our group, so we went online and picked a top class local restaurant whose online menu showed some nice veggie options. When we got there and started to order we were told that the veggie options were no longer available -it was saturday night 8pm so no chance of booking anywhere else. The Kitchen said they could provide a couple of alternatives - grilled cheese with chips or a noodle salad -this is a 5* establishment by the way, not a pub. We reluctantly ordered the noodles, which came covered in cold shop bought sweet chili sauce. No appologies and no freebies - we were charged the full price for a main course - the same as our fellow diners eating tenderloin steak and lamb. When I complained they said they were under no obligation to offer what was on the online menu as it was just an example- is this correct? to have an online menu that tempts diners to book is surely minor fraud? what official governing body could i complain to, if any?

[trt]

And 95% of the customers that day could have been 100% disappointed!!!!!

[owdhamer]

give em some stick on trip advisor

[ummmm]

So let them complain. It's jack Sugar to do with you....you haven't been.

Jeez....stick to getting free goodies or something...

[ummmm]

owdhamer....are you talking to the OP?

[jackthehat]

Did you re-check the website for disclaimers?

[joko]

they are indeed entitled to serve whoever an whatver they like...but they should not lie about it to get you to come in...then offer you some cobbled together substandard food

i agree, name and shame...and leave a message on their website if possible...

[AlBags]

Who and where are they? Don't be shy!

[cathfromsaron]

websites are usually a taster for what is available! as a veggie i always phone ahead and find out from the chef what will be able to cook for me!

and no, they are under no obligation to sell you anything whatsoever or even give you a table, whatever they advertise on their menu or promise! but most chefs, i have found, are more than willing to provide tasty dishes for all customers!

accepting 'a booking' is in fact a verbal contract ON BOTH SIDES, but when restaurants suffer from 'no shows' there is little they can do!

next time check out <veggieplaces.co.uk>?

[JimmyCooper]

heaven help us

Fraud?
Citizens advice?
Governing bodies?

If you weren't happy they you should have sorted it out there and then and either left without ordering or refused to pay

I can just see the governing body been over run with complaints of cold chips and the CAB is vastly overworked helping people with real problems not someone not being able to get the right main course.

get a life/grip

[Kristal53]

the restaurant i was referring to is http://www.riverside-restaurant.co.uk The riverside Restaurant, Barnard castle, County Durham. It goes without saying that the review i submitted onto their webiste was never published - but i have added a negative review on trip adviser. I don't think they will be remotely bothered about some 'tree hugging veggie' giving them a bad review, though the meat eaters who dined with us thought the food was just average and not good value -very different from the customer reviews on the site

[venator]

They commit the unforgivable - "our Menu's" on the website.

says it all...

[Kristal53]

and they are still advertising veggie meals even though when you get there they inform you they are 'off'.

[jackthehat]

You know that this has happened subsequent to your visit?

[NOX]

Perhaps it was an unfortunate one off that they had problems that evening etc... I think really the time to have sorted it out was on the evening concerned, you could try writing to the owners, but as to it being ' fraud' I think you're on a sticky wicket there tbh.

[Kristal53]

i would presume if there are a couple of veggie options on a 'sample' menu -which BTW -it does not state view 'sample' menus it says 'our menus' then there would be a couple of veggie options on the menu at all times - maybe not the same as on the online menu but at least a choice -my complaint was that there was NOT ONE veggie option, save a few nibbles on the starter menu and even then the butternut squash soup had been replaced with a chicken broth. it is easy to say it shoud have been addressed at the time but you do not know the circumstances - had i been there just with my hubbie then the preverbial would have hit the fan, but was with friends, not close ones either -and thier friends and did not want to make a fuss. I did write (email0 to the owner via their web-site and got no reply - I emailed twice -a small reply with appologies and perhaps the offer of a free starter should we return would have made all the difference.