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The last 5 times I have been to a Pappa's restaurant I have had to have my bill adjusted. This has to be more than just a mistake. If you look at the kids menu, it says that a drink comes with the kids meal. Yet, like clockwork, I am charged for a drink on top of the kids meal. We have 2 kids who order off the kids menu, so we are always charged $6.50 extra. It may not seem like much, but considering drinks are usually $3+ at most restaurants, it really adds up and is extremely dishonest. I get a variety of reasons each time, and there is always an apology and the issue is always corrected.....but why does this always happen?
Im sure there are several customers a night that don't notice this and get overcharged, so Pappa's is making a nice tidy profit on what is already likely the most marked up item on the menu. Tonight we ate at Outback Steakhouse, and sure enough the same thing happened even though the kids menu clearly states it already comes with a drink. Maybe these places don't think customers will notice...
I was wondering if anyone has had this happen to them as well? Is there anyone in the industry that can shed some light on this?
What drinks are your kids ordering? For instance, in some places, they have bottled root beer, and it's always the regular charge, it's not included with a kids meal the way a fountain drink is. Or if they take drink orders before you place the food order and they bring a full size drink instead of a kids one, I could see where there is confusion on the bill. I normally said my son would have a "kid's Sprite" or something along those lines so it was clear he'd be ordering from the kids menu and it would usually come in a covered cup rather than a big glass.
It's a weird set up because you typically order drinks ahead of time. So if you order your kid a drink, and then later order a kid's meal that includes a drink, will the drink you already ordered be included? We typically order water in a restaurant and nothing else until I've looked at the menu in advance. When we order our daughter's meal from the kid's menu, we specifically state we would like the soda/milk/juice that comes with the kid's meal.
I've always seen the potential for the restaurant to charge you separately for the drink and then the kid's meal if you order them separately. Therefore, I've never had this happen to me.
They get regular fountain drinks which are included in the price. Sometimes they give them drinks in regular glasses, other times in kids cups. I have been charged and not charged in both cases. However, the kids have kids menus and are clearly going to order from the kids menu....so not sure why they would just decide to tack on an extra $3.25 because they decided to give them a larger cup.
Honestly it shouldn't matter what cup they put it in. My kids will drink the same amount whichever cup they get. So those smaller cups will just mean our server will have to bring more refills.
One time our server said we were charged for adult drinks because we didn't specify a kids drink (even though they ordered a kids meal). So they charged us extra for the bigger cup. This logically makes ZERO sense because, again, kids will drink the same amount regardless of what size cup is given....and refills are free. Furthermore, those kids cups and lids cost more money as opposed to the larger glass which can be used over and over again. The soda in either cup costs the restaurant maybe two cents...
I think emm74 has the answer. If you’re ordering drinks first off, the waitress will likely charge for each one, not realizing you’re getting a kid’s meal that includes it. They may or may not remember to make the adjustment later.
This is a great reason to check the bill before paying. It can happen, and it’s not always meant maliciously. I’d guess usually not, in fact.
Having worked in a couple of similar restaurants in the past, I suspect that the servers are trained to ring in drinks when they are ordered, before serving them, because otherwise they are often forgotten and not rung in at all. I would expect there's an option to ring in a kid's drink in such a situation, but I'm also well aware that sometimes POS software is not at all intuitive or in agreement with actual prices and procedures.
My experience as a server also taught me that in most cases, a server who is playing fast-and-loose with ringing in items is more likely to try to benefit the customer than charge extra, in an effort to encourage the grateful customer to tip more generously. So my guess is that it's most likely an honest mistake, especially since it gets corrected when you point it out.
We have never had this happen because we always order the kid's drink at the same time as the kid's meal. When the waitperson first comes around for drinks we ask for water and if for some reason we do order a drink for the little one we ask for the drink choices included with the kid's meal, so there is no confusion. How old are the kids in question? It could be that the waitperson is assuming they are not ordering a kid's meal and forgets to make the adjustment afterwards. My older kid's stopped ordering kids food well before the generally accepted age of 12.
I've never been to Pappa's and I have a hard time thinking they have a policy to overcharge for the drinks, but I guess you never know!
I've never heard of that restaurant but I'm guessing it's a chain. I would call corporate and let them know, it's likely a mistake in how their POS system is set up and hopefully they are an honest company and will fix the problem. If not go to your area BBB and Attorney General and let them know there is fraud.
Having worked in a couple of similar restaurants in the past, I suspect that the servers are trained to ring in drinks when they are ordered, before serving them, because otherwise they are often forgotten and not rung in at all. I would expect there's an option to ring in a kid's drink in such a situation, but I'm also well aware that sometimes POS software is not at all intuitive or in agreement with actual prices and procedures.
My experience as a server also taught me that in most cases, a server who is playing fast-and-loose with ringing in items is more likely to try to benefit the customer than charge extra, in an effort to encourage the grateful customer to tip more generously. So my guess is that it's most likely an honest mistake, especially since it gets corrected when you point it out.
Thanks for your input. I would also think that the server would be more apt to undercharge in my favor for the exact reason you stated. That being said, it could be the other way around; that the server is trying to inflate the bill wherever possible to increase the bill and therefore increase their tip...although I would assume that this is a less likely scenario.
We have never had this happen because we always order the kid's drink at the same time as the kid's meal. When the waitperson first comes around for drinks we ask for water and if for some reason we do order a drink for the little one we ask for the drink choices included with the kid's meal, so there is no confusion. How old are the kids in question? It could be that the waitperson is assuming they are not ordering a kid's meal and forgets to make the adjustment afterwards. My older kid's stopped ordering kids food well before the generally accepted age of 12.
I've never been to Pappa's and I have a hard time thinking they have a policy to overcharge for the drinks, but I guess you never know!
It would be hard for me to believe that they had such a policy.....if it didn't happen the last 5 times we went there and probably 8 out of the last 10. (between 2 different locations). You are the second person to suggest that we order water first, then order the kids drink with the kids meal so I think I will just do this in the future to avoid the hassle. My kids are 9 and 12.
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