Overcharged at a SoHo Sandwich Shop: When Customer Service Meets Shockingly Bold Responses
Dining out can sometimes become an unexpected experience—particularly when you encounter pricing discrepancies or customer service that leaves much to be desired. Recently, during Pride celebrations in the city, I found myself in such a situation at a casual eatery in SoHo, highlighting the importance of vigilance when it comes to restaurant menu pricing and the potential pitfalls of rushed decisions.
The Scenario: A Quick Bite Turns Sour
On a lively day in the city, my partner and I decided to grab a quick sandwich from a place called Cafeteria on Charing Cross Road. Typically, I prefer to choose establishments with strong reviews, but in this case, we decided to take a chance. My partner ordered a sandwich priced at £7.99. As she proceeded to pay, I noticed the staff member was quickly turning the card machine away, preventing her from seeing the transaction amount.
Despite my immediate call of “Wait!”, the payment was processed before I could intervene. To our dismay, she was overcharged by £5—a billing total of £12.99 instead of the listed £7.99. When I politely pointed out the clearly displayed price on the wall, the response from the staff was startling. The employee yelled back, “What, you really believe you can get a sandwich for that price in this city?” and, when I reaffirmed the posted price, called me an “idiot.”
The Unexpected Response
While the aggressive defense and denial of the advertised prices were shocking, I couldn’t help but be oddly impressed by her brazenness and outright refusal to acknowledge the clear signage. It was a blunt display of customer service that felt almost surreal, yet revealing of the restaurant’s approach.
Lessons Learned: Be Vigilant and Know Your Rights
This experience underscores the importance of always reviewing your bill before finalizing a payment. Given the apparent frequency of such tactics—Google reviews of the establishment show an average rating of just 1.6 out of 5, with reports of overcharging—it’s evident that patrons should exercise caution.
In fact, there are reports of customers being charged exorbitant amounts, such as paying £40 for a single slice of pizza. While our overcharge was less egregious, it serves as a reminder: always verify the transaction amount on the card reader, especially when the staff try to obscure it.