- Thread starter Freemo
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Result at TGI Friday's
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Yes there is, I don't know the name of it, but I do know 1 cafeteria/bar that was shut down here in Santo Domingo because of the state their kitchen was in. It was closed for about 3 weeks. while they cleaned up the place. Has since been closed permanently for different reason.
Even if Mrs Freemo hadn't hammed it up a full refund was perfectly reasonable.
All the diners would have felt queasy at the sight of the cockroach, and had it happened earlier in the meal it would have put everyone off their food - either way it would have ruined their meal.
From the restaurant's point of view it was also a good customer relations and PR decision.
All the diners would have felt queasy at the sight of the cockroach, and had it happened earlier in the meal it would have put everyone off their food - either way it would have ruined their meal.
From the restaurant's point of view it was also a good customer relations and PR decision.
Good question jr - if it was as big as some of the one's I've seen there [that even fly sometimes] they'd have to charge you for an entree.:ermm:
I would have been absolutely grossed out if I were at that table, and would have accepted a complimentary dinner if it was offered, but never would ask that the entire bill be comped as the OP did. There's a wonderful Yiddish word for people like that.
Luckily, I've never found a bug in a meal, but since a roach crawled up a wall alongside me in a booth at a very nice Italian restaurant in NJ years ago, I always prefer to sit at a table away from walls:cheeky:
AE
Its due to taxes and extra operational costs, but mostly taxes. Many food chains have to import specific foods from the franchiser and such imports are subject to double taxation with ITBIS being levied upon the arrival of the merchandise into the country (plus the other fees related to paperwork, etc) and then another ITBIS is charged when sold to the public.
BTW, all TGI Fridays in the Caribbean are owned by a conglomerate from Trinidad and Tobago. You will notice that the prices tend to be a little different in each island where they have a restaurant, and its probably due to the different fees/taxes levied by each government. In PR they used to be a little cheaper than the SD restaurant, but PR's economic crisis forced TGI to leave that market entirely.
From time to time news articles are printed of restaurants being closed by the authorities due to hygiene problems.
I think what the OP got was fair. If the roach was found at the beginning of the meal the whole table would have been reluctant to eat their meal and TGIF would have taken the hit either way. But I think it was good on the part of TGIF that they agreed to comp the meal as it is not an easy accomplishment with any customer service business. For example: on two different occassions at two different hotels, the first was at the Barcelo Lina here in SD. I was with my family and I was getting into the pool (made completely out of ceramic tiles) and slipped and fell on the wet tiles while I was holding my 20 month old daugther! I landed on my butt but took most of the impact on my arm as I tried to break my fall, which in turn jammed my shoulder. After a long wait the "house Doctor" from a local hospital arrived and took me to the hospital. All said and done the Hotel took care of the medical expenses but no other compensation was offered. The second time was at the newly built Hilton Hotel aslo in SD. Upon entering the room my now 22 month old daugther decided to explore and in doing so tripped on the rug and fell against a night table that had a glass top which had a chip on one of the corners. This corner cut into my daugther's arm. We rushed her to a nearby hospital because the hotel manager wanted to clean it and put a band aide on it. Long story short the hotel did nothing to compensate for the accident or time lost (as we were only there one night). They did remove the table but could not produce it when I asked to take pictures of it and only after insisting they cover the medical expense they did. But they did not comp our room for the night or at the very least offer a free night or discounted rate so that we could come back and fully enjoy the hotel. Then upon check out they wanted to charge me for breakfast (which was suppose to have been included according to expedia). I am from the US living here 6 years now and any Hotel in the US would have fully comp'ed any and all expenses and offered a future stay and upgrades just to keep our business and avoid a bad reputation.
So it is not the norm for anything in the DR to be comp'ed at least not without a fight or suggestion of further action (public or legal). So consider it a small victory OP.
So it is not the norm for anything in the DR to be comp'ed at least not without a fight or suggestion of further action (public or legal). So consider it a small victory OP.
As I understand Dominican law, there are no punitive damages in the DR and it is quite difficult for a non-Dominican citizen to sue a Dominican corporation.
Those hotels don't have to worry about a bevy of lawyers coming after them.
Makes a difference in how situations are handled.
Are you proud of committing a fraud and extortion?
A comped salad is one thing (having been in the restaurant/bar biz). But to intentionally threaten to make a scene that you admit is a bigger deal than the actual problem to gain financially is extortion and fraud!
You're really proud? Seriously?
I don't get it...
Yeah I'm please with the result
Extortion and fraud, guess I've joind the big-time criminal elite at last.
Confused ? - try ww.confused.com
no offence but both accidents were your fault. you trip, you slip - how is that a fault of a hotel? you could have slipped or fell in your own house just as well, who would you sue? :tired:
Didn't you know? Life has no risks anymore.
And folks want to win the Litigation Lottery.
I've been in various businesses both here and in the states for over 25 years-including a restaurant/bar not unlike Fridays. And I can't count how many times I've been sued over silly stuff. I never lost a suit, never settled, and paid royal legal fees. Part of doing business, I suppose.
Ex-wife ias an anesthesiologist. Unbelievable what folks will sue over. She never lost either, but all her legal issues were subrogated to her malpractice company...that she paid US$140,000 a year for insurance.
But folks on the "other" side don't care. They can take the tiniest incident and make it sound like someone intentionally put that iceberg in front of the Titanic.
In this case the OP intentionally and with forethought made a MUCH larger deal out of the incident for the expressed intent of taking from the business owner something he didn't deserve. And he did so with the threat of involving other folks in the controversy, other customers who had nothing to do with the situation, for the purpose of embarassing the owner. That is a form of extortion, period.
A flaw in today's culture is the entitlement attitude. The OP didn't want actual remediation of the actual error-a replacement salad with a comped salad. He wanted the ENTIRE bill comped and exagerated the problem in order to take something that wasn't his. AND he thinks he was so clever he felt a need to brag on a message board!
Such actions drive up the cost of business...and the end price...and further weaken a fragile culture. Folks here constantly complain about how Dominicans are always "out to get them", then they do something like this.
To be cliche: if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.
And it's really easy to say what "good PR" is when it's not your investment. There is nothing easier than spending someone else's money.
Cobraboy, I for one believe what you are saying is right on. Either you are a thief or you are not, and the op, well he brags about being one. It was a clear case of extortion and non deserverd or earned. A free meal for everyone at the table...come on. I really can't see how anyone can justify an action like that and say it with a straight face. A little example, last week I picked up 4 small packages at EPS in Santiago. Gave the young lady a 2000 peso note and she gave me back 1700 pesos, 500 too much because she was talking on her cellphone and wasn't paying attention.
I wonder if the op would have given it back ? (I Did), or would he have considered it the spoils of war, so to say.
I wonder if the op would have given it back ? (I Did), or would he have considered it the spoils of war, so to say.
Good for you waytogo, proud of you. My son came down to our house for the weekend and went out with a buddy Saturday night and found a new Blackberry on the floor of the club. Sunday he contacted the owner, who came to our house to pick it up and handed him $50 to say thanks. I was happy to hear my son say "No man, not necessary, just do something nice for another stranger some day". I was in another room, and it made me smile. There's hope for the next generation.
AE
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