blonde poker forum

Is service charge compulsary payment?
does anyone agree with it.

its pisses me off

Is it illegal to refuse to serve someone tap water if they request it?

I am asking these questions as I went to vemillion in manchester and i was pretty pissed off when i left because i wasnt allowed tap water so i end up paying 4.25 for a bottle and they charged me 10% of the bill for their service(which was pretty standard).

I can understand the service bit but it still pisses me off that they can charge people for the service in a restaurant

also  one shot of brandy for 250£

6k for a bottle lol

http://www.vermilioncinnabar.com/menus/cinnabarmenu09.pdf

Not sure if the new law includes restaurants but on the news yesterday it stated that bars will have to give tap water free. That is if they don't already as I know some places do.

Service charge tips
Your rights, according to Peter McCarthy of Consumer Association helpline Which? Legal Services (01992 822 800/www.which.co.uk)

Why do service charges vary?
It is up to each business whether they make the service charge compulsory or optional and what percentage to levy.

Do you have to pay it?
A business that adds a service charge must state this in a prominent place – on the menu, or on a sign on the wall, for example – where you can see it before you make your order. If this has been done then you are obliged to pay it, unless service has been really exceptionally bad.

What if the service is poor?
If a problem with service does arise – there is a long delay between courses, say – you should alert the management to it as soon as possible and give them a chance to put things right.

The last resort?
If alterting the staff or management to a problem with the service does not solve the problem, you can in theory withhold a suitable proportion of the service charge (though the proportion is hard to quantify). Alternatively, you can pay the service charge ‘under protest’ with the intention of claiming it back later in the courts – something you must state in writing at the time. But you should bear in mind this could take six to nine months and a court hearing – so it’s definitely best to resolve the situation some other way.

I thought any restaurant or bar reserves the right to refuse service to anyone - so if they don't want to give you anything, they don't have to.  They can't be compelled to provide a service.  But I think as Maureen said, if they are providing tap water, they shouldn't be charging for it.  However, can they charge you for the glass or the service, or maybe a seating charge?  I'm sure there are ways around it.

As for the service charge, some will charge a mandatory service charge.  This will be displayed on their menu or somewhere else in the premises, and if they want that can charge 100% service charge or whatever they feel suitable.  It's up to you to eat/drink there or not.

(edit. thediceman got in before me, I must type quicker)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/2010/03/departments_differ_on_free_tap_water.html

I think the intention of the free tap water in bars thing is to provide it in addition to normal drinks which you're buying, not as your only drink

if someone wants tap water and nothing else then they can gtfo

What about tap water and a glass?

that'd be fine

now, here's the thing I don't get about service charge. it's presumably a charge for service so how is it a %? unless this is one of those restaurants where they throw your tripe at you from across the room but do a little strip as they serve your lobster then generally service is the same no matter what value of dish I order so shouldn't the service charge be a set amount?

Paiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

or eat in cheaper restraunts

Oh dear.

Oh dear oh dear.

Tap water should not be free in any restaurant or bar, and if they dont want to serve it thats their choice.
WTF gives you the right to dictate to someone how to run their business?
You chose to go there, they didnt force you.

I used to dream about having dinner with Paul Ho.

Now im not so sure!

That bar menu looks pretty amazing - so many nice drinks.

Was the food any good Mr Ho?

you're assuming he had more than the free peanuts off the bar

Is there any justification whatsoever for £250 for a shot?

Tap water and free peanuts, sounds like a good meal! Does he still get a mint when his £0.00 bill comes?

Don't know ask these guys..
http://www.instanthitman.com/

Bizzare pricing - some spiirit bottles are a discount on 30 measures, some are a premium?

And £72 for a bottle of champagne or £90 for a Magnum is an interesting decision.

I'm never paying £90 for a choc-ice on a stick, never.

250 quid for a shot is probably about the right price...but save your money and have the Remy Martin LouisVIII, at onlt 135 quid a shot.

obviously in these recessionary times, the 115 quid saved from every glass could be put to better use.

what happened if i needed water to take some medicaton? Also i only have money for the food that i am gonna order

Why did you go to a restaurant like this if you only had enough to pay for the food you were ordering? Did you chose from the online menu?

Personally for the sake of good customer service and not wanting to piss people off i'd offer free tap water.

That said, a restaurant obviously has every right to serve whatever they want. Nothing saying tap water has to be on that menu.

no the food was turd it was redic spicy
 but i only went for lunch


I had alot better thai before. They also had alot of indian food there too, which i thought was abit strange.

The starter was bigger than the main course. lol

its abit over priced for some dishes. £8.50 for a dessert is abit ott


The restaurant looks really nice (4 mill refurb) Probs a better place to chill and drink rather than eat.

I heard they get alot of footballers and rich ppl that go there. It is also in a strange location as it is in the middle of no where.

So I'm guessing you don't recommend it? Was thinking I might try it if I'm ever around the area. If not for the food, may just go for some good whiskey/cognac.

Go to the toilet and use the toilet water, not the tap water because thats all you deserve!!

not for food

but for drinks yes looks like a very nice place to drink

Sunny!

I think we should go bud and do a proper review on the place!

Food sounds good.

Their tap water is a bit ropey though.

.

btw i ordered drinks too coffee and apple juice
the starter was stupidly spicy thats the reason i wanted tap water. but got refused

I should of really mentioned this at the start.

water sure is a good thing to counteract spicy food. if you're going to order something that won't help you may as well just get a beer

That sounds like a plan sir!

The official Blonde food critics? Every review will probably be the same though:

We arrive on time at 7pm, and we are directed towards the bar whilst the waiter just checks our table. I do a quick scan of the whiskey on offer and quickly set my eyes on the full bottle of Black Label glistening on the top shelf. Mr Hopkin, meanwhile, discovers they have Guiness on tap, and offers to buy the first round. 5 hours later, we are told the restaurant is closing, but by this time none of us care for any food, we simply want another drink! We are escorted outside, and we comply since we figure we can still get in at the local Oceana nightclub. We didn't eat a single bite, but due to the very efficient and polite bar staff (look out for Cindy, she's gorgeous), we award this place 5 stars. 

LOL.

WTF are people talking about; free tap water but pay for the glass??? "oh no sir if you want it for free you need to come in the back and stick your head under the tap and lap it up like a dog"

I hope you werent out with no ho's paul ho as that shit wouldnt go down in my town!

Whilst I broadly agree with the free tap water argument, when you look at it from the restaurants perspective its a different matter.

There is an opportunity cost, i.e. if you are drinking free tap water then you are not drinking mineral water or a beer.
There is a cost of filling the glass, bringing it to your table and then cleaning the glass.
Even the water is not free as there will be water rates to pay.

wtf would you want to go to a posh restaurant (i'm assuming it's posh as £250 a shot is quite alot) and ask for tap water? I would literally be too embarrassed. I don't agree with service charge as I like to tip depending on service, a little if it's rubbish quite alot if it's good.

Went to Vermillion for new year. Basically you don't go there and winge about the bill or there would have been a hell of a lot of winging!

Yeah the restaurant is a business and can charge for a service...but if it charges for tap water it's not doing business very well. And that should be the primary concern of a business. What's the revenue stream like on tap water in that place? Enough to appear inhospitable to your guests over? 

As a side note there was a friend of mine from school who needed a liver transplant. He carried this buzzer around with him and if the buzzer sounded it meant a liver was available, so he had to get to a phone real quick to let the hospital know he was around. This was before kids had mobiles btw. He was in Burger King one day when the buzzer sounded. He rushed to the counter and asked to call the hospital but the staff wouldn't let him use the phone cos they don't offer that service and he missed out on the liver. He got another one soon after, but he went to KFC after that.

Maybe it's shrewd.

They are a high end venue, they probably don't want to attract the sort of people that order tap water.

coz the food was too spicy and my coffee wouldnt really help.

i wasnt wingeing about the price just the fact that they couldnt give me tap water and they include a service charge

you don't want water with spicy food. get some milk or a smoothie or something.

Ah, the old 'you distract them by saying you need to use the phone to ring the hospital for a new liver whilst I nip over the counter and steal the till' scam.

Classic.

  I dont think they would serve milk or smoothies or something at this restaurant
but i was thinking that tap water would be my best option as it will be cold and free.

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think they do free tap water at that restaurant

Maybe you could have had a bottle of water and a sorbet?

Do they provide tap sorbet?

Water does not reduce the spice of the food...it enhances it.  For that reason, restaurant should have given you the water imo. 

Is this actually true? Many a time i have gone for a glass of cold water after something spicy. It seems to cool my mouth while drinking. I admit i don't think it takes the spice away but cools you down short term. I don't think i've ever come away thinking that it had made it worse.
I just assumed this was a myth.

Back in my school days, we had a teacher who was a complete psycho.  If you were caught for anything, you had 2 choices of penalty.  Wallops from a wooden paddle or eat a chilli from one of his chilli plants kept in the classroom.  Number of wallops with paddle or chillis ate depended on severity of 'crime'.  With the chilli you had a choice of bread or water to accompany it, unless he was in a really bad mood...then you got the water.  You negotiated prior to punishment and there was no backing down once agreement was reached.  I'd been given the water info. by another teacher who was looking out for me - with strict instructions not to let the other kids know.  I ate a fair share of chilli peppers growing up...trust me about the water.  lol

The 'heat' in the chillies is oil based and water spreads it out around your mouth more, like putting water on an oil fire.

can you put a chip pan fire out with milkshake?

Which is why in India they often serve dairy-based drinks and yoghurts with spicy food.  The proteins or something in them help to break down the capsaicin which is what makes chillis hot.

If the milkshake was big enough.

thanks guys


I think next time i will order a sorbet with a shot of goats milk

Your mouth will thank you for it

when we were young a friend of mine had a car that overheated all the time. when it happened he'd head to mcdonalds for a milkshake which he'd pour over the engine. it seemed to do the trick, water never worked

laxie's case apart, why ponder over what drink to cool your mouth down? If its too spicy for you and you wanna be a pussy, dont have the chilli/spicy food.

im not gonna order food and not eat it.

This whole thread just makes me lol

I believe the above is what you will get if you visit the same restaurant

is that what it is

it does wonders
stops the burning within seconds

Please tell me this was the spicy bad boy that made you cry...

it was this

Doesnt look spicy?

it doesnt but thats the moral of the story

when u have something hot dont be a cheap skate and ask for tap water. order a shot of goats semen and a smmoothie


does anyone watch arnold

hey arnold?

For fucks sake what's wrong with asking for a jug of water with your meal????? I'm T-total and sometimes I just fancy water with my mean dose this make me cheap? It is now law that they offer you free tap water in every food place and bar Paul ho if not they could be fined up to £20k if found out,

Some of you are so stuck up Its untrue

Just found this by any chance were you on a date Paul Hoooooooooooo

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1266177/Diners-fury-refused-glass-water-posh-restaurant.html

YES!!!!!

it seems alot of thai placces refuse to offer free tap water.

yes!
classic
but thinking about it its arthur which is a cartoon about morals

nope sorry

Lol
Are you sure about the law? I just tried to find reference to it and all I found was campaigns for it.
Not so much to do with being stuck up from where Im coming from, why should you dictate to someone who had opened at a restarurant? Imo he can do, charge, conduct his business how he likes.
On a more stuck up note, if your going to eat somewhere like that I would be embarrased to ask for tap water, what difference is a five pound bottle of water going to make to your bill? If your worried about the fiver you shouldnt be eating somewhere like that in the first place.