Great Food, But the Billing Experience Left a Bad Taste in My Mouth…read more
Last night, our group of seven came here to celebrate a coworker's birthday. I've visited this restaurant three times before, and the food has generally been pretty decent. Unfortunately, this experience was enough to make me think twice about ever returning.
I understand that large groups can make splitting a bill more complicated, but what happened at the end of our dinner was both frustrating and disappointing.
Our group ordered individual meals, drinks, and some items to go. I personally ordered only the molcajete ($44.99), while everyone else had their own food and drinks. Three people paid individually in cash, leaving four of us to settle the remaining balance by credit card. Naturally, we expected to pay for what each of us had ordered, as has been my experience at other restaurants.
However, our waiter, Andres, informed us toward the end of the meal that he could only split the remaining bill four ways. Without asking us how we wanted to handle the balance, he divided it equally among the four remaining people, coming out to approximately $75 per person.
Excuse me? I ordered a $44.99 dish, and suddenly I was expected to pay roughly $20 more than my own order simply because the remaining balance was divided evenly? Why was this decided for us instead of asking the group how we wanted to settle the bill?
I understand that not every restaurant has the same billing system, and perhaps there are limitations with their payment terminal. But if that is the case, PLEASE communicate this before the end of the meal, especially when serving a group. Give customers the opportunity to work out a fair arrangement instead of putting them on the spot when everyone is ready to leave.
What made the situation even more frustrating was the way the gratuity question was handled. Since we were a party of seven, I wanted to confirm whether gratuity had already been included. Andres told me he would show me the bill "after" I paid? So now we can't see the check and what was charged before paying? Wth?
When I asked about the gratuity, his response was essentially, "I don't know, I'm just a bartender. We don't get tips here."
Honestly, that response did not inspire confidence. If you are handling a table's payment, customers should be able to receive a clear explanation of the bill, any automatic gratuity, and how the charges are being divided. Being told to pay first and ask questions afterward is not acceptable customer service.
To be clear, my frustration isn't about tipping or refusing to pay my fair share. It's about transparency, communication, and being given a choice. I was put in an uncomfortable position in front of my coworkers during a birthday dinner, and I wasn't about to turn a celebration into an argument over the bill. I paid, but that doesn't mean I was happy with how the situation was handled.
The food may be decent, but good food alone doesn't make up for a disappointing service experience. I've been here three times before without this issue, which is precisely why this caught me off guard.
A heads-up for anyone planning to dine here with a group: Ask about the billing policy BEFORE ordering, confirm whether gratuity is included, and request an itemized bill before paying. Don't assume you can pay for your own order at the end. Unfortunately, this experience has taught me a lesson.
There are plenty of restaurants that serve good food AND handle their customers with better communication and professionalism. Sadly, this is one place I won't be rushing back to.