12-May-2008

Short change buying a round of drinks

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I’ve been short changed when ordering a round of drinks at the bar on many an occasion. Okay, I admit that sometimes I’ve been out with friends and we’ve all been a bit merry and I haven’t checked my change until it was too late.

We all make mistakes, and so do bar staff. The onus is on the customer to check change given, because as they say ‘mistakes cannot be rectified later’. However, I do get the feeling sometimes, that some bar staff in some pubs and clubs are a bit unscrupulous and seek to take advantage of customers once they have had a few too many drinks. They’re okay at the beginning of the evening and you’ll always get the correct change. But a few rounds later on, they are in the perfect position to know who is getting a bit drunk and could be fobbed off with change from a tenner instead of a twenty! Maybe they also watch customers to see who checks their change and who doesn’t.

Also, I’ve noticed that in general I am more likely to get short changed at some trashy club type place than you’re traditional drinking pub. The bar staff in these places are usually quite busy on a Friday and Saturday night, but it’s not like they have to do arithmetic in their head to work out how much change to give you back.

I’m not having a go at all bar staff in general though. The very large majority of them are professional, hard working and pleasant to customers. I have no problem with them. There is definitely however, a very small minority that would exploit customers to line their own pocket and these are the ones I have a gripe with.

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Seems to me that some unscrupulous bar staff will take advantage of unsuspecting customers.Had it happen to me more than once in a large chain pub in Southend.Always ask for a reciept,especially when buying a round of drinks.If short changed then kick up a fuss and tell them to get the manager.Take their names and tell them you will report them to the brewery head office.That will soon make them squeal.Don't be ripped off.

charlieboy 16-Apr-2008 23:01

Yep happened to us last night, we got the come back in the morning when the tills are checked, leave your numbr and the manager will get back to you!!!! Never did, so in I went the following day to ask for my money back..... I had to wait 35minutes at the bar for a manager to show, he never did, so I rang and asked for him, he wasn't in. If he doesn't want to give me my ten pound back then I'll be ringing the police and reporting a theft. I'll let you know how I get on.............

VideoX 22-Dec-2007 15:57

I was short changed last night at a night club, and I told her that I gave her a twenty not a ten, she then accused me of lying, I got them to send a manager so I can complain, and he said he couldnt check the till untill the morning, I left my name and number, and guess what, they havent got back to me.

shifty 04-Sep-2007 11:54

Watch out for this in the big bars in Newquay, I have been a victim of this so called T@@T tax. I don't Know if the police would even take it seriously. I understand that some staff take home over £100 extra per night at weekends

victim 19-Aug-2007 11:32

I hate getting short changed buying drinks. They're expensive enough to begin with and in every bar I've ever been in here in the UK you just feel like an inconvenience to the bar staff.

no more short change 03-Feb-2006 00:33

24 hr Drinking is not a proplem. Most decent folk will be tucked up in bed at the end of the evening. It'll be th home-less drinking till 5 o'clock in the morning, I just can't see the country sitting around bars till 4/5am, you must bare in mind the cost to do this..We have as a country a long way to go to educate on how to drink responsible, that will take time,However if some-one is going to be abusive and voilent they are going to be abusive and voilent that's not down to the Law offering 24hr drinking opition.
I haven't got a problem with it, however we should just leave this opition to the Capital and other Large City's, it makes sense and I'm sure hotels can do quite well, from the tourist. We won't be the only Country ! At the end of the Day its down to Education and being Responsible not the opition.

I.Finlay Southampton 25-Nov-2005 11:22

I've been short changed by the bar staff loads of times. They're always giving me the wrong change and being rude. You should be able to buy a round of drinks and not feel you have to count the change all the time

TwistedLemon 29-Jul-2005 20:42

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Short change buying a round of drinks

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