Restaurant situation--who was more wrong?

So my family and I dined at a casual American restaurant a few weeks back, and were witness to something that got us talking. I wanted to see what other folks thought about it.

We ordered chips and queso as an appetizer. We never got it. Turns out, the food runner delivered it to the table across from us, and they ate it, despite the fact that they did not order it.

Our waitress figured out what happened a short while later and brought us our appetizer, explaining what had happened. She did not tell us that the neighboring table had eaten it without ordering it--we heard that from their own mouths when the waitress was talking to them about it a bit earlier.

Our interest piqued (and a bit miffed that those folks ate our chips and queso), we kept an eye on them. When their bill came, the waitress had put an order of chips and queso on there. They demanded that she take it off, and she did. The woman was obviously indignant over the whole situation, and tipped the waitress two quarters.

I was wondering who everyone thought was more wrong in this scenario.

I've never waited tables, but I'm guessing there is a rule, written or not, that you never charge a customer for an item that they did not order. It just seems like one of those situations where you grit your teeth and say "the customer is always right" when they are obviously not.

Conversely, the ethical thing for the customer to do is to refuse something not ordered, unless it is made clear that it is being given free. There was no mistaking this place for a Mexican restaurant--there was no expectation of free chips. They knew what they were doing. They thought they were getting a freebie due to someone else's mistake.

My wife and I ended up on the side of the waitress. Part of it, I'm sure, was a bit of personal offense over the other table eating the chips and queso that was meant for us. I loved seeing her try to stick it to them, even though I knew it was a risky move on her part.

I thought of what I would have done in their place, and it never ended up being what they did. We would have sent it back in the first place. If we did eat it, we probably would have been willing to pay for it, maybe being a bit miffed that it was put on there without our knowledge. If we did demand that it be taken off, we never would have stiffed. I just don't think the grounds for such indignance were there, given our complicity in the whole thing.

What do you guys think?

 

putting it on their bill without talking to them about it is not the way to go if you want a tip, regardless of if it was right to not tip her

 

I think chips and queso should be free in every Mexican restaurant like it used to be back in the day....

 

Depends on the age of the folks at the other table Old Young an dumb?
Was it their 1st time at the place?
I dont see a big deal either way .

 

If the bank accidently deposits $1000 in my account I am not legally able to claim it and spend it without repaying it.

So, I agree, the waitress is right in one sense - she could expect them to pay. But in this context, for something like an appetizer, I'd probably write it off.... unlike if she had accidently served one of the guests steak and lobster. Certainly the guest can't eat it and think it is free.

If she took it off the bill, those guests were *******s for tipping 50 cents.

 

most of the places with free queso have crappy queso anyway

tortillas and queso are just about never free outside of OK though it seems

 

Problem as I understand it, it was NOT a Mexican place. It was an American place say like a Ruby Tuesday's.

The jerks were wrong for accepting something they didn't order and eating it. They were wrong for not tipping.

If I ate it, I would expect to pay for it.

 

This.

 

**** them and their chips. They should have paid for it. we have had this happen and usually say something like "we'll take it if its just going in the trash" implying it should be free. But i would never east something assuming it would be free, then not tip because they charged me for something i ate.

****ing people...

 

What did they have to drink with said chips and queso?

 

The other couple should have asked "Is this complimentary? We didn't order
this." And sent it back. They're bums for stiffing the server. She should
have said something to the effect, "Since you folks took the order, I'll just
add it to your bill." When the couple squawked, (I'm sure they would have)
the server could quickly say that she was only following policy, but she'd not
add it to their bill. Server is a hero, couple is shown as the creeps they are and
Pricetag could catch the couple's eye and smirk...shaming the creeps and they
would feel guilty and at least tip the server. :triumphant::cocksure::sneakiness:

 

Of course there is a reasonable scenario where an appetizer arrives and everybody thinks someone else ordered it for all to share. This is more likely if the number in the party is large. So it is conceivable that they weren't consciously eating food they knew wasn't ordered.

I not suggesting this was the case in OP's situation.

 

1- Visit notalwaysright.com, notalwaysworking.com or retailhellunderground.com.

There is no #2. You will never feel anything but sympathy for the minimum wagers (or less) out there ever again. The #### they go through for piddly wages is insane.

 

the sense of entitlement they have is also high. meh.

 

1)The restaurant should not have charged either party for the chips and salsa.
2)The other table that received your chips and salsa should have said something.
3)The other table should have tipped well for a mistake that resulted in receiving a free app.

 

Yes.
And sadly, both orders would have come out of the waitress's measly paycheck in many instances.


Chips and Q are so common and benign. If she brought fried pickles or shrimp cocktail, the other table would likely have gone, "wtf"?

 

Truer words were never spoken.My mother was a waitress for most of the 40+ years of her working life and I have always thought food service is the hardest job for the least money. By law tipped employees don't get minimum wage,I think currently they get like $3.50 an hour plus tips, according to a waiter firend who works at Olive Garden.

I have had unordered food delivered to my table on more than one occassion.We always bring it to the server's attention. often resulting in free appetizer or dessert courtesy of management. Can't understand the mindset of those who don't speak up.

 

Why i said we need mo Info.

 

yup...or at least tell our waitress when it was delivered and they prob would say just have it on the house..can't take it back.

 

I'm always entertained by stupid people. Always.

If something comes to your table that you didn't order, how does one assume it's just free? Nothing is free.

Sure, the waitperson should not have charged the customer, but I'm sure the customer became irrate almost immediately (after cramming the "free" food in their pie hole, and knowing it wasn't really free).

Chances are, these people were going to tip poorly anyway. Sucks for the waitress.

I think we all know someone that is always looking for a "freebie". There's nothing wrong with being frugal, but always trying to find a handout (whether it's arguing with the waitperson, or complaining to a manager about service), it's asinine. Keep in mind, I'm not talking about the occasional instance when service is so poor that a discount is warranted, I'm talking about the person that goes in looking for a freebie every time. We all know one or two of those folks, and it sounds like that's what the waitress was dealing with from the start.