Avoid Those Restaurant Rip-Offs

Are you looking forward to a special night out? Watch out for the restaurant rip-offs that could leave a nasty taste in your mouth.

The recession is claiming some pretty high profile scalps. One of the latest is TV chef Anthony Worrall-Thompson, who has had to close four of his six restaurants after his holding company was forced into administration.

Restaurants are desperate for business, so now's the time to support - and frequent - the eateries you think deserve to stay open.

However, it's also a good time to put restaurants under pressure to stamp out bad practice. Unfortunately, there are a host of rip-off tactics that could spoil your special night out.

So - a word to restauranteurs.

Sneaky supplements

A `fixed price' menu should be just that. Don't try and con us out of twice as much by adding a supplementary charge to practically every dish - just be honest and call it à la carte.

The elusive set menu

We don't choose to eat out so we can play `hunt the set menu'. If a cheap, fixed-price menu is displayed on your website or in your window, please present us with that option when we get to the table.

Don't just provide the à la carte option and make us beg for the alternative!

Be sensible with side dishes

Don't make us pay another fiver for a side dish that makes our main course palatable. A solitary chunk of meat does not a meal make.

Tipping trouble

There's a world of tipping controversy out there - read this article, by Szu Ping Chan, to find out more.

In the UK, my main tipping bugbear remains the `discretionary' service charge that's automatically added to your bill.

Yes, we know we don't HAVE to pay it if the service is bad, but we do have to go through a lengthy, unpleasant and humiliating experience to get it removed - not conducive to a good night out.

And then there's the practice of double tipping - when you're asked to leave a tip even when the `discretionary' service charge has already been added to your bill. Outrageous!

Cramming them in

At least at a fixed-seating joint like Wagamama, you know what you're going to get (usually a good look into some strangers' personal lives, and possibly an elbow in the face).

But please - don't try to pack more customers in by shifting our tables around when we're halfway through our meal. I'm paying for the ambience I stepped into - not to be carried halfway into the toilet.

The tap versus mineral water debate

In England and Wales, contrary to popular belief, it's NOT illegal for restaurants to charge for drinking water (in Scotland, they're obliged to provide it free, under legislation from the Scottish Executive).

I can actually see why restaurants might charge for tap water if a customer is eating practically nothing. It costs for the glass to be cleaned, for someone to fill it up and deliver it to the table, and so on.

However, it seems mean to charge someone for tap water if they're also paying for a full meal. If that happened to me, I probably wouldn't visit the restaurant again.

And please don't bully me! I don't want to feel like I've been added to a hit list if I decline mineral water. If I ask for a jug of tap water, please don't give me a thimble-sized glass and then `forget' to refill it.

Finally - a scary thought from the States. A friend recently visited a New York restaurant and was charged a dollar for `rocks' (that's ice cubes to you and me). The shape of things to come?

The clock is ticking.

I don't want to take my meal at a sprint. If there's a time limit on how long we can occupy the table, please make it clear before we book - not when we're sitting down.

I know you've got to get bums on seats, but be realistic. When booking a special birthday meal recently, I was quoted a `maximum turnaround time' of just one hour. Needless to say we chose to go somewhere else.

Cover charges

I doubted this practice actually occurred until I experienced it for myself. In a nutshell, I was charged £2 for walking into a restaurant and sitting down.

Oh, and please don't then try to pacify me with `free' bread before the meal. Let's call a spade a spade - that bread's costing me two quid.

How to fight back

Be canny: We all need to use a bit of common sense if we want a nice meal out without a huge price tag.

Yes, the wine mark-up is usually enormous, and restaurants do raise their prices on special occasions - but at least these are upfront charges. If you want to pay less, find somewhere you can bring your own wine, and stay at home on St Valentine's Day!

Check before you book: When you're booking a meal, it's best not to assume anything. Check table time limits, tipping policy and so on early - so you can take your business elsewhere if you don't like the way things are done.

Be polite but firm: If you really feel you've been treated badly, be polite but firm and stand your ground. Most Britons (including me) hate making a scene, but better that than be hopelessly ripped off.

If you're still not satisfied: If you've had a really bad restaurant experience, write a customer review for a website like Toptable or one of the View city guides.

Millions of people now decide where to dine using online reviews - so you can get your experience off your chest and help others at the same time.

Have you been ripped off in a restaurant? Do you want to recommend an eaterie that deserves a gold star?

Or perhaps you're a restaurant owner who thinks I've not been fair. Whatever your views, post your comments here.

More: 10 Luxuries You Can Get For Less | Eat Out For Less