have you break a dish?
By smileonstar
@smileonstar (4007)
United States
August 30, 2009 1:04pm CST
hello,
Last night I took my family to eat out at this restaurant that we always go. I have been there for over 4 years now. I have two children with me so they gave me plastics bowls.
After I finished my food, my youngest one broke a bowl of mind. So, the waiters looked me like so mad and all kind of attitude, so I said Sorry cuz the kid knocked it off. Then I requested check, I review all the charge and I saw they charge me for a broken bowl, so I asked this is for the broken bowl? and the owner said YES. I said ok and she continued, oh the owner will blame me for not charging the bowl broke...
She thought I am dump or something, I have been there for over 4 years and I know who is the owner... well, just a old bowl and I dont mind to pay $3 but at least tell me something when you bring me the check. And they also made me feel not comfortable to go back there anymore. For all these year was end last night... and I will not going back to that restaurant again.
Do you think it fare to charge your customers with a broken bowl if they are your regular customers? Does the small bowl, an old one cost really $3? I can see scratch and an old of it.... God, $3 doesn't mean much to me but I hate people charge something to my bill without telling me. All they did was NON TAX FOOD ITEM...
4 people like this
9 responses
@dreamr802 (985)
• United States
31 Aug 09
My boyfriend and I were out and he broke a glass by knocking it off the table (he was very animated in his conversation he was having lol). Of course he was embarassed but the waitress had a good attitude about it. She was so nice. She was joking and said that was the first time someone over 20 broke a cup (usually it's kids). We left her a higher tip than we usually do because she was super nice and she had to clean up an extra mess...now whenever we go to that restaurant we sit in her section and we also always leave her a great tip.
@dreamr802 (985)
• United States
31 Aug 09
I don't blame you for not going back to that restaurant at all. They lost good customers. Was this a little local place or a chain restaurant. If it was a chain restaurant I would call their corporate office to just let them know about the awful customer service I had received. And I'm glad that your family found a new place to have your weekend dinner.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
1 Sep 09
lolz... if it is a corporation the I will call them from the first day already but it is just a local, and small restaurant...
thanks for the supporting my discussion
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
31 Aug 09
you see... once we get a great treatment then we give back a great prize ... but this lady just add it up, and I didn't even know about it. But my bad habit is over the bill, I said ok this and this and this and what???? 
I went up to her and asked, is this line for a broken bowl? and she said Yes. No further question, I just pay and said IT IS OK, no need to explain.
I left them only $2 tips, I usually leave them at least $5 for $40 bill. if I break the bowl I will put $10 but here what she got for me and there what I got for her. So now, I found a new nice place to spend my weekend dinner now and I will not go there again, ever.
I went up to her and asked, is this line for a broken bowl? and she said Yes. No further question, I just pay and said IT IS OK, no need to explain.
I left them only $2 tips, I usually leave them at least $5 for $40 bill. if I break the bowl I will put $10 but here what she got for me and there what I got for her. So now, I found a new nice place to spend my weekend dinner now and I will not go there again, ever.
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
5 Oct 09
Really smileonstar, the attitude of the owner of the said restaurant is too much indeed. Actually he should treat you as friend for you are his 4 year old regular customer. How could he have the heart to charge you just for an old broken bowl! Yeah, he would never realize that he will lose his old regular customers just for a few dollars 
I haven’t come across such situation of breaking any table ware in a restaurant. My kid did knock over a glass of fruit juice with two scoops of ice cream topping when the dessert served during his childhood. The kid flied into a tantrum of course. The lady owner approached and consoled the kid. Later on a brand new glass with the same stuff was served. My kid smiled again for sure. She never charged us even a single cent for that. So we were still her faithful regular customer 
Happy posting!
I haven’t come across such situation of breaking any table ware in a restaurant. My kid did knock over a glass of fruit juice with two scoops of ice cream topping when the dessert served during his childhood. The kid flied into a tantrum of course. The lady owner approached and consoled the kid. Later on a brand new glass with the same stuff was served. My kid smiled again for sure. She never charged us even a single cent for that. So we were still her faithful regular customer
Happy posting!@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
12 Oct 09
Really smileonstar, some silly outlet owners even don’t know how to value their regular customers 
They never realize that how important the regular customers are. The even never have the thought that regular customers might bring them more profit for their visit frequently in long term. They just worry about the petty gain or loss on the compensation of the broken bowl or any other table wares. The way they doing business, surely would scare away the regular or other customers
Have a nice day
They never realize that how important the regular customers are. The even never have the thought that regular customers might bring them more profit for their visit frequently in long term. They just worry about the petty gain or loss on the compensation of the broken bowl or any other table wares. The way they doing business, surely would scare away the regular or other customers
Have a nice day @smileonstar (4007)
• United States
9 Oct 09
Hello,
yes, she said cuz own will blame her if she missing a bowl. wow, what ???? well, I haven't return to that place since cuz I feel like they didn't treat me good as a customers. I am not going there everyday but every weekend, so at least count right? ... well, she can have that $3 but I will not return which I always pay over $40
1 person likes this
@jheLaichie (4438)
• Philippines
31 Aug 09
oh! that is i guess not the right thing? you are right my friend, if they are going to charge you for such item, i guess that it is better that they have to tell you about it. and that is too much for a single old bowl. if you are already a regular of the place i think they really need to talk to you about it and if ever they want to charge you with it, it cannot be that much, right?!
hope you could find a more descent place to eat and hope it wont happen to you again.
jhelai
jhelai@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
31 Aug 09
I have been to many nicer place than this one... but never break any dish at all... just that night, my youngest one was playing with it and I didn't know. sometimes they thing everything in their restaurant are made from gold... so we have to pay what we break. lolz...
I used to break a nice glass in a fancy restaurant and they didn't even charge me, plus they come and help me clean...
@taztheone (1721)
• India
31 Aug 09
No way, I don't think its fair. Infact that should have never happened. Even I myself broke a couples of glasses & cups. However even though I was not regular in any of the restaurants, they never charged me anything. If its a restaurant, Such things will happen & no-one does it intentionally so its not good to charge the customers for that. If they do, then for saving $1, they might loose $100. Even restaurant owners knows this & never charges the customers if they break something. Well this is my experience.
Now it was really unfair that they have charged you & even if they did, they should have mentioned it clearly. If I was at your place, I would have definitely raised my voice & most probably they might not have got the money.
I really stand against the restaurant people for this.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
31 Aug 09
At first, I was so mad and really want to fight with them... but just for $3??? no, I think I will effort for this and just don't come back here again. well, like you said accident can happen anytime and just to save $1, you could loose $100 and that's what they have now.
It is alright to pay for $3 but remember, you will not see my face there again.
@crysontherocks77 (1273)
• United States
31 Aug 09
Well, first of all i think that you have every to question something on your bill. Second, those people don't have any respect or honesty abut them or they would have asked you to pay for the bowl, instead of just assuming that you would be able to pay for the broken bowl which you admitted already that your kid had broke. Undoubtedbly to some that would indicate that you would pay but that doesn't give them the right to just add it to your check. Now, personally I would have said let me talk to the store owner and lets see how he feels about it. Usually when you say something about upper management they start into a different tune.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
31 Aug 09
I dont mind to pay for the broken bowl, but at least she tells me something about it added to my bill. Here is the thing, if my customers break a glass of coffee in my store... first, I will not charge them and replace a new one for them for free but if they break so many time then I will charge but before I do that I will let them know what is going to their bill.
I hate to deal business with Asian, which I am also but I dont do that at all. Well, now it is over... she can have that $3 and I will not go there again and she will loose $40 customer every weekend.
@crysontherocks77 (1273)
• United States
31 Aug 09
yeah i completely understand. My mom one time went through mcdonalds near where we live and they took her order through drive thru and told her to pull up because they were cooking her tator tot things for breakfast and she was waiting on them. She got those and a cup of coffee. She said she would pull up and twenty minutes or so later, still no tator things. She went inside and fussed and talked to the manager. They gave her back her money and gave her the coffee and tator things for free. She's never been back in there again. We just about stopped going to the one out here, when i called after receiving bad customer service and told the manager about and the cashier got informed about it. It should really be explained. But from here own out I guess you would just need to ask if you are going to have to pay for something if something gets broke. It shouldn't have broke to begin with if they were decent dishes.
@gracefuldove (1668)
• Malaysia
31 Aug 09
Yes, there was one time that my daughter broke a small china bowl.Fortunately, the restaurant did not charge us. We told our daughter from then onwards not to mess around with chinaware. At home,we used plastic bowls and so my daughter taught chinaware was also unbreakable.We still go back to the restaurant because they know that we are their regular customers. charging you for the broken bowl was unfair. The restaurant should have absorbed that cost as wear and tear items that need replacement.Goodwill with customers is very essential to maintain repeat customers.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
31 Aug 09
well, you are right... I never want to complaint about this but it is just not fair to charge your customers for an old bowl, and not even replace a new one for me either... lolz.
I guess, they really want the money so much cuz even a bowl she charged me already.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
31 Aug 09
You would think that the restaurant would let it go as a PR exercise. These things happen and to charge a customer for a broken dish is a bit cheap in my opinion. It is different if it was caused by trouble makers who had been warned before. They could at least have told you before putting it on the bill at least. I wouldn’t go there again either.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
31 Aug 09
I agree with you... if they never ask me to pay, I still put at least $10 for the tips and that dish. but she added it, so my tips was $2 instead.
I should be pay for something that I break right, but at least tell me something about it.
1 person likes this
@Yori88 (1465)
• Philippines
31 Aug 09
Oh my gosh, what is a piece of bowl compared to your 4 years of loyalty to that restaurant? Well for me I think that is a cheap act that restaurant has showed you. I guess I will always patronize something if they earn my trust but then a hard-earned trust is easy to vanish when you found something cheap and improper from that establishment you once gave your trust with. In your case, they should have informed you that you will be billed for that bowl before they printed your bill. But if I were the manager or owner of that restaurant, a loyal customer will always be given more priority and better treatment. I mean that single piece of bowl should no longer be charged to you. Besides you did not mean to break it, I mean your kid. It was purely and genuinely accident. Why is it that they charged you for that well in fact you already admitted and said sorry about it. If that bowl costs thousands, then I guess they still have the right to charge you. But then they have not thought that $3 is equivalent to your supposedly more years of being their loyal customer who may spend more because you patronize them. Anyway it is their lost and not yours. So cheer up and find better restaurant that is not as cheap as them.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
31 Aug 09
for all these year, I always brought my family and friends there for lunch and dinner... tips is always high for them. But just that night made me feel so bad on how they treat me. Oh, well.... they have the right to charge me for the bowl but like I always say, please tell me something about it.
@killer04 (282)
• Australia
31 Aug 09
I never encountered this problem, but they should have told you about charging you for the dish before giving you the bill. I didn't think that restaurant's would make customers pay over just one broken dish. They should have a lot in the kitchen and the profits that they are making would cover for the dish. $3 is a lot for a dish, but I would not be surprised that they would charge you that amount as they aim for making profits.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
31 Aug 09
I know.... I deal with customers all my life and they break this and spill there... I never say thing, beside smiling and give them free stuff... and you know what, they are happy and give me more tips.
