Poor service, Poor apology

Wed, Feb 23, 12:12 PM to Bihari,

Dear Megan

Thank you for your email.

Sadly we will not go forward with our provisional booking.

This is mainly due to the fact that the 75% deposit was not disclosed. Also, you were on speakerphone when my sister, Jodie, discussed things with you and I did not hear anything about a 75% deposit.

Then later in our email correspondence, you claimed to have mentioned this.

You know many restaurants we made inquiries with are able to accommodate our request where every guest pays for themselves, none of which needed an 8k deposit.

The thing is, had we paid the 8k and all our guests paid for themselves on the day then what? Do we get refunded? The process by which things are done is not disclosed in a way to make any patron comfortable / trust you.

Like even in your email correspondence with me, the email etiquette is just not what you expect from a restaurant whose review status is 4.3 stars on Google.

There is no, "I apologise if this is something I have failed to mention, however, our policy is XYZ"

You claim that the deposit is needed to ensure grocery orders when online there are reviews of customers whose food/ dessert is still frozen when it was served.

I question if you are really using fresh ingredients each time or recycling here and there?

In any event, it doesn't sit well with me after the 75% deposit was not disclosed and then still made to look as if my sister and I are crazy because " you did mention it" ( at this point it was more about the principle of the matter than the money)

This restaurant has lost out on 15k+ this weekend because of poor customer service delivery on a provisional booking.

I work in the sales industry, and to be honest, had I had a customer who was willing to bring 35 people each paying R290 excluding drinks and add on's. I would have gone out of my way to secure that booking.

Just coming out of Covid, business like this, is something any restaurant would jump for, and if not then they are naive. Because it's not only about the money. It's about marketing, people talk about their experiences.

Many people who were included on our guestlist are statesmen, doctors, managing directors of top construction companies. People with influence, where they dine, the next person wants to know.

However, your correspondence has left me feeling like we are just not good enough for your restaurant.

All the best to you, & Bihari, however, we will be taking our R15k dinner party elsewhere.

Bihari Newlands <newlands@bihari.co.za> Wed, Feb 23, 12:28 PM (5 days ago) to me, jodie

Dear Tamsyn and Jodie,

Sorry about the misunderstanding and the disappointment I have caused you.

Thank you for your response and letting me know that you are cancelling.

Keep well.

Kind Regards,