How honest would you be in this sort of situation?

[Saltyk]

As someone said earlier, it depends on my opinion of the place. If they were doing a terrible job, then I'd probably ignore it. Don't wanna keep our drinks filled, ignore us for half an hour, and dismiss everyone at the table more often than not? Well, I probably won't let you know that you forgot to charge me for a drink. And if you're really bad, you my not even get a tip.

I feel I should point out, I only left without tipping a server once. It was really bad service.

However, if the service and food were good, I would probably mention it with a smile and crack a joke. That's the thing about good service. Your customers appreciate it and are willing to forgive small transgressions or even pay when they may not have to.

Goes without saying that I would always mention it if I was getting charged for something that I didn't order, though.

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

depends if i am with a girl or like the establishment, other wise i am a take what you can get kinda guy.

CAPTCHA: take potluck...well yeah.

 

[Shdwrnr]

I will speak up regardless of where it comes from or who is to blame. Integrity is not tested when you're being scrutinized, it is measured by your actions when you are constrained by nothing.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

I'd point it out. Just because I'm not being watched or tested doesn't mean I should be any less honest.

I've had several opportunities to 'Dine and Dash,' if you will. There was a small shop on the corner next to a large gas station that I frequented before I moved. I went to buy one of their stuffed pizza pretzels without realizing that my wallet wasn't on my person. He allowed me to take the pizza pretzel on the condition that, at some point later that day, I come back and pay for the pretzel. As I was already on my way home from riding my bike, I went back with money almost immediately and they said it was on the house because I came back with money so quickly.

There was also one point I'd gone to get a freezie from Speedway, without realizing that I didn't have enough money on my card(I had no cash on me at that point). Payday was just around the corner but I hadn't really any money until then. The guy said it was okay that I take the freezie now and come back tomorrow(payday) and pay for it. The next day, I'd stopped in during lunch at work to pay for my freezie and they let me have a small freezie for free because I was honest and came back to pay for my large one.

Sometimes, it pays to be honest.

 

[Watcheroftrends]

I went to Applebee's with a few guys who were back on campus for the weekend after they'd gone for training in the military. It was veteran's day so they got free meals. Since I had my head shaved, they assumed I was one of the guys in the group who was in the military as well. I didn't get charged for my food so I just gave all I would have paid to the restaurant as a tip to the waiter.

I kind of wish I'd said something, but no one at the table had a problem with it. I feel bad I didn't give the money to the establishment, but I also feel like there was some balance given back to the universe because I gave the girl who served us some extra income for the hour.

 

[Catie Caraco]

Ever since I started working in retail I feel it's better to be honest about it. If I forget to ask someone if there's something on the bottom of their cart (or trolley, or whatever) and a manager catches me at it, they are going to rake me over the coals. I don't like the feeling of being publicly belittled, so I don't want to wish it on anyone else.

I'd like to know how many people who chose the "not bring it up" option have worked in retail or a restaurant, and vice versa.

Because I look at it this way. There are customers who make me feel like shit and go home to complain. I don't want to be that person for someone else.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

I would go back and pay. Fairness and honesty may make me a chump, but at least I'm an honest chump.

 

[DoomyMcDoom]

I always pay for things I get, whether or not they charge me for it, after all I have been in the situation of accidentally giving someone too much change, or forgetting to bill someone for something, and the ammount of grief I had to go through because of my fuckups each time, was astronimcal, I'm just glad that I don't screw up often enough to lose my job, only to get yelled at once in a blue moon, current boss is a great dude though.

In other words, honesty on my part saves others from the possibility of dealing with the shit that's caused me a great deal of stress and discomfort in the past, so I always make sure to do business honestly, regardless of whether it costs me more money.

 

[rob_simple]

Thing is, him not paying for his magazine was his own fault for leaving it in the trolley, it wasn't the establishment that forgot to charge him for it.

That's still kind of a shitty attitude, it probably wasn't that they forgot to charge you, but more likely they only hit the button once for a starter on the cash register when they thought they'd hit it twice. Restaurants are very fast-paced environments, so mistakes like that can happen.

That being said...

If the service in a place has been good then I would point out a mistake on the bill, but if they've treated me like shit the entire time I'm there, then I'm not above doing a runner without paying at all.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

Well, what seems to be the better deal to you - a one-time stolen bargain of a couple of bucks or people remembering you for being a nice chap, giving you stuff for free by their own free will and not spitting in your food?

I don't think a restaurant, ethnic or not really compares all too well to a supermarket scenario.

Generally speaking, I am more inclined to go back and tell them about the mistake, but I'd go to the same person that let me slip - you never know what dire consequences your honesty might cause for a lowly wage slave.

 

[VoidWanderer]

It would depend on the level of customer service and my mood at the time.

If I am in bad mood, I probably wouldn't point it out. But since I am normally not, and if the waiter was slightly stressed because of crappy customers, I would point out the error and leave a generous tip. If the service was great and there was a billing error, I would point it out.

 

[MorganL4]

I would have let them know that I owed them more money.... you have to realize, these people are trying to make a living, and we all make mistakes.

 

[MorganL4]

Depends on my opinion on wherever the item is from.

For example, the local pizza place that I've visited down the years, I would tell them, because they've always treated me well, and they make my favourite food.

However, a restaurant that I went to were my friends and I weren't exactly treated well (late to be seated and served, the food wasn't great, the waiter wasn't exactly welcoming etc) I would be less likely to point it out mainly because I had a bad experience with them.

This also sort of goes for large companies vs local store as well, I'm more likely to point out that mistake to a local store than a Sainsburys for example, mainly because the local store would miss the money more.

You obviously don't know how big stores work.

If a big store loses money (for whatever reason) theft, forgot to charge, broken product, the money is taken out in the form of available hours for the staff... Which results in lower paychecks for the guys making $10 an hour. The Mitt Romneys of the world don't take a hit in the least bit.

 

[MysticSlayer]

Given how I've reacted in the past to that situation, I would definitely bring it up. Besides, a lot of times they just say to not worry about it, but I least I have a clear conscience. I also work in retail, so I understand how much the built up loss in revenue affects the workers, and I also understand how many of the workers you see at these stores and restaurants are working paycheck to paycheck. I figure that, if I was willing to pay for it in the first place, the money doesn't mean as much to me as it likely does to them.

 

[Liviola]

Depends on my opinion on wherever the item is from.

For example, the local pizza place that I've visited down the years, I would tell them, because they've always treated me well, and they make my favourite food.

However, a restaurant that I went to were my friends and I weren't exactly treated well (late to be seated and served, the food wasn't great, the waiter wasn't exactly welcoming etc) I would be less likely to point it out mainly because I had a bad experience with them.

This also sort of goes for large companies vs local store as well, I'm more likely to point out that mistake to a local store than a Sainsburys for example, mainly because the local store would miss the money more.

You obviously don't know how big stores work.

If a big store loses money (for whatever reason) theft, forgot to charge, broken product, the money is taken out in the form of available hours for the staff... Which results in lower paychecks for the guys making $10 an hour. The Mitt Romneys of the world don't take a hit in the least bit.

You're the one missing the point.

The companies who treat their employees so poorly don't deserve to stay in business, and therefore don't deserve customers doing nice things like offering to pay missed items on the bill. Andy Shady's decision is more morally reasonable, because ultimately it will support stores/managers/owners who actually care about employees and offer quality of service.

Back to OT, the customer should never be expected to pay for items on a missed bill. I agree with you OP about how it's the mistake of the waiter. Things like this happen ALL the time in shops/restaurants/like any service anywhere, and it's one of the things the store must be accountable for. The blame should go all the way to the top. I.E. If a waiter forgets to put it on the bill, then it's actually the manager's fault for not overseeing the smooth running of the restaurant or hiring an incompetent waiter, and the regional manager/CEO is responsible for hiring a good manager who makes sure their employees do well.

It makes sense to not pay, because as the consumer, it's a bit like "tough love" from a parent -- you shouldn't reward a restaurant that provides poor service (waiters who don't pay attention and charge wrong). Of course, the nicer thing to do is to point it out to the waiter so they become aware of their mistake so it hopefully won't happen again.

 

[Right Hook]

I will speak up regardless of where it comes from or who is to blame. Integrity is not tested when you're being scrutinized, it is measured by your actions when you are constrained by nothing.

Exactly my thoughts, I was waiting on this answer. It has nothing to do with them and everything to do with how I present myself.

 

[Legion]

When I was 17 I paid for something with a £10 note, but they put it through as a £20 and gave me the change accordingly. I am not proud to admit that I kept it. I don't think I would do anything like that now though.

Not now I am significantly more aware of the consequences that could have for the person who made the mistake. In some cases they could get in a lot of trouble for it, and I'd never willingly do something that could cause that.

I don't care if a multi-billion pound company loses a small amount of money because of a mistake, but not at a workers cost.

Err... isn't not letting them know about something like actually considered theft? You did leave without paying for something, after all.

I do not know about other countries, but in the UK I know that it is. In fact a woman recently get arrested as she was paid twice by her company accidentally and she kept it quiet and spent the money.

 

[Lonewolfm16]

I like to consider myself a honest person. Always return found money, ect ect. And in this case, I would always point out the error, if it were significant (more than a few cents) regardless of almost any external factors. At the end of the day, if I requested something that cost money, knowing it costed money, I agreed to pay the price for it implicitly and I will therefore honor that bargain, even if they make a mistake. Besides, I would hate it if I got ripped off due to a mistake, so why would I rip someone else off due to a mistake? It might not be my job, but I view it as a moral duty. This also applies to large chains. People are people, and this includes large masses of people like those who own part of a business.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

Depends on who owns the establishment.

I'm only virtuous for my friends, so if it was some chain restaurant, I would take it as luck.

If it was a local place where I know and like the owners, I'd tell them and pay full price.

 

[Rednog]

Been there. Ordered a sandwich from Subway once, paid with a 10, got a 20 back in change.

I considered that a good day. Their mistake, my gain, no pain.

Except for the fact that at the end of the day the manager looked over the totals, saw the discrepancy, the worker got in trouble and had to pay it out of their own pocket.