Would it been seen as unethical (or even 'bullying') to order take away food then haggle over the price when picking up?

[Deactivated] on 20/04/2022 - 20:26

Let's say someone orders some take away food by phone and are told that the bill will come to say $70.00.

They've already made the food (and again, told the price beforehand) thus would it be seen as unethical (even bullying) to haggle when picking up? Maybe you could say… 'how about' or 'would you' take $50.00 or some such discount as just one example. In many cases you'd have the upper hand as they've taken the time and made your selected order.

How might you expect a small restaurant or food service/take away to respond to this and would you see someone asking as rude, cheap or even bullying? Using more the example of the smaller establishment and not a huge chain such as Maccas' or KFC as of course systems will automatically disallow such.

Food & Grocery

closed Comments

  • Nugs on 20/04/2022 - 20:31
    +432

    sh!t move.
    .

    • SF3 on 21/04/2022 - 00:01
      +38

      Totally, swap contents for 💩 for such tactics.

      Would it been seen as unethical (or even 'bullying') to order take away food then haggle over the price when picking up?

      Why it is even a question! stating the obvious.

      Trolling may have reach a new level.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 21/04/2022 - 16:48
        +8

        I'll turn this damn bus around. That'll end your precious little field trip pretty damn quick, huh?

    • [Deactivated] on 22/04/2022 - 22:51

      This is why a lot of food businesses change their operations to pay first receive later. And food delivery apps resolve this sort of thing by default - similarly taxi apps also sort this out. The idea that a bunch of work gets done before payment may become less common. On the other hand - a business may choose to run this way to demonstrate confidence in their product.

  • djones145 on 20/04/2022 - 20:31
    +134

    Fireman : How do you live with yourself?
    George Costanza : It's not easy.

    • Makaveli99 on 21/04/2022 - 16:52
      +2

      Haha that was great episode, thanks for reminder.

    • Kosmo-Kramer on 22/04/2022 - 16:09

      No soup for you

  • kanmen on 20/04/2022 - 20:32
    +174

    Why would you do this to a smaller business? I think this is cheap and rude.

    • SF3 on 21/04/2022 - 09:18
      +16

      OP must have gotten this confused with OzUnethicalBargains.

      • AEKaBeer on 23/04/2022 - 09:15
        +3

        Not that far off all the clear pricing errors posted as deals that everyone dog piles on to. The members themselves commenting that they know it's an error but "it's worth a shot".

    • Hirolol on 21/04/2022 - 11:07
      +6

      They could agree to the $50 but then only hand over $40 worth of food and when the customer asks why they gave them less food than what they paid for the restaurant could say that’s exactly what the customer was expecting the restaurant to do.

    • gyrex on 21/04/2022 - 12:23
      +11

      Why would you do this to any business? The size of the business shouldn't factor into whether this is completely immoral or not. The fact that someone would even contemplate doing something such as this is unconscionable. These are the types who hit your car in a parking lot and don't leave a note - utter scum.

    • netjock on 22/04/2022 - 20:52

      Some people don't like taking on Goliath. They just want to fight with David's

  • DingoBilly on 20/04/2022 - 20:33
    +120

    This is horrific. Yes, this would absolutely horrible to do to people, and extremely uncomfortable for the person serving. I'd consider you to be a thief in this case, basically trying to commit robbery.

  • Agret on 20/04/2022 - 20:33
    +106

    How might you expect a small restaurant or food service/take away to respond to this

    Blacklist your phone number / email and any other details they can to stop you ordering from them again.

    • Pricebeat on 21/04/2022 - 10:28
      +11

      Also I would tell them to eff off, while I eat their ordered food in front of them. Just because it’s cooked for you doesn’t mean they have to give it to you at any cost.

    • amzinguserman on 22/04/2022 - 14:03
      +1

      they put your face up on their notice board - do not serve this person.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 20/04/2022 - 20:33
    +75

    How might you expect a small restaurant or food service/take away to respond to this and would you see someone asking as rude, cheap or even bullying?

    They may refuse to give you your order, and you may well be banned. It's horrible behaviour.

  • apsilon on 20/04/2022 - 20:34
    +77

    Dog act.

    • Ridiculous Panda on 21/04/2022 - 10:20
      +32

      Dogs are better than that.

      • Some Human on 21/04/2022 - 11:51
        +19

        I don’t know. My mum’s dog saw the freezer had been left open one time, so she pulled out a few kilos of meat and ate it all while mum was at work. She didn’t reimburse my mum for the meat at all.

        • Wiede on 21/04/2022 - 12:59
          +14

          such a human act

        • Ultimate Gattai on 22/04/2022 - 23:40
          +1

          We left shopping bags on the floor unattended once (learnt never to do it again), my sister's dogs ripped open the woolies bags and ate half the food inside, at least the dogs got a good feed, they really enjoyed the banana bread.

      • apsilon on 21/04/2022 - 14:11
        +1

        That's true. Old saying, maybe we need a new one. A Farley Move perhaps?

  • ascorbic on 20/04/2022 - 20:35
    +29

    Not it qualifies as bullying but one would need to have absolutely no shame or decency to do that. How embarrassing.

  • dizzle on 20/04/2022 - 20:36
    +45

    How might you expect a small restaurant or food service/take away to respond to this and would you see someone asking as rude, cheap or even bullying?

    Even though I'd lose money, I'd say take it at full price or leave it. I'm not gonna stuff around and haggle, and I'm not going to set a precedent so that you try again next time.
    It's like hiring a taxi, running up a $70 fare and then saying how about $50? If you don't like the price, don't order.

    • CheapskateQueen on 20/04/2022 - 21:52
      +26

      definitely would prefer it in the bin than give it to this piece of shi.t

  • Daabido on 20/04/2022 - 20:36
    +44

    You'd be regarded far and wide as a f'wit.

  • whatwasherproblem on 20/04/2022 - 20:39
    +47

    Word to the wise OP: generally not a good idea to mess with the people who are making your food. So unless you plan to never patronage their business again after your haggling endeavor (and that's if they don't just ban you from the establishment outright), maybe just pay exactly what you said you would when you ordered?

    • derrida derider on 21/04/2022 - 21:40

      You'd never notice the extra taste if someone spit into your food. Just saying.

      • dbmitch on 21/04/2022 - 22:15

        OP should know better than to test the patience of their food makers during a pandemic of all times.

      • Wombat cave on 22/04/2022 - 05:18

        Who said "spit". Shit maybe.

    • goraygo on 22/04/2022 - 23:03
      +1

      Remember the American pie road trip of warming up the toast?!?!? :)

  • star-ggg on 20/04/2022 - 20:42
    +24

    How do you have the upper hand?

    1) If they take your lower price and hand over the food, they have just conducted an unprofitable transaction. If they keep the food, they pay cost price and get rewarded for their own time and labor to net equal.

    2) They know you're a shit customer so they just ban you from the premises (it's private property) saving them time from ever having to deal with you again.

    3) You have just wasted your time going to the restaurant. You have money but didn't get the food you want. What use is money if it don't exchange it for something you want? Does it taste better than the food?

    • dbmitch on 21/04/2022 - 22:17
      +3

      In the one restaurant I worked at, the staff just get to eat it on break if they fancy so it's not a total loss, it just turns into lunch for those who deserve it.

    • Grazz989 on 22/04/2022 - 11:27
      -1

      Think about it properly man.

      There's a lot of restaurants that you might never intend to return to, and won't care if you get banned from. Especially if you include families where you can get someone else to go for you if necessary.

      At that point you're putting the restaurant in a position where they've got a bunch of inventory they've just prep'd and which they might not be able to sell to another customer … And this assh*le customer is perfectly able to just go spend his dollars for food elsewhere - again, but you don't necessarily have the same freedom to sell the food to anyone, depending on whether it's customised or whatever.

      • star-ggg on 22/04/2022 - 16:15
        +2

        If a restaurant isn't worth returning to, then why are you wasting time going through the menu and making an order?

        "Inventory"??? It's enough food for a meal that the restaurant workers can eat in one sitting. The only loss is the opportunity cost to sell the food ingredients as another meal to someone else.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 20/04/2022 - 20:42
    +20

    This better be one of this hypotheticals about a friend of a friend’s cousins, dads neighbour twice removed called Joey Joe Joe jr. Shabadoo.

  • SBOB on 20/04/2022 - 20:50
    +30

    If it was my small business, I'd likely clarify your offer, re confirm you're not willing to pay the full price, then throw it in the bin and yell 'no soup for you'.

    I'd also, if I had the technical means, block your name, address or phone number from ever ordering again, and possibly follow it up with a social media post that calls out such poor behaviour to a small business (without calling you out specifically to avoid any liable issues)

    Why, do you feel like it's a good move to try it?

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 20/04/2022 - 20:52
      +4

      'no soup for you

      Mmm… jambalayaaaaaaa

    • cuteseal on 22/04/2022 - 15:32
      +1

      Agreed, though I would give it as a bonus to the next customer(s) for free instead of throwing it away.

      No wastage of food and you earn a loyal/happy customer.

  • M8y on 20/04/2022 - 20:58
    +31

    I expect they would see you as the d1ck you are, and save the meal for staffies later. Total d1ck move. Please exit the gene pool.

    • huon9 on 21/04/2022 - 18:12
      +1

      This is the comment I came here to upvote.

  • JimmyF on 20/04/2022 - 20:59
    +11

    Just WOW…. Don't do that. Pay the price listed or don't order it at all.

  • bradl822 on 20/04/2022 - 21:00
    +78

    Mate I brake for wildlife but I wouldn't brake for you.

    • Pelicannn on 20/04/2022 - 21:08
      +19

      I'd swerve… if I saw them on the footpath.

    • Logical on 21/04/2022 - 15:46
      -1

      Sounds like OP is the actual take away store owner…. and is being hard done by scrooge mcduck

    • ProlapsedHeinous on 23/04/2022 - 19:42

      stop, you're killing me!………………….is what they'd say

  • WreckTangle on 20/04/2022 - 21:05
    +14

    I’m embarrassed for you

  • Bonsaichop on 20/04/2022 - 21:07
    +57

    As someone who has a small business (though not in the same sector as the above mentioned) and has had experienced this kind of behaviour we refuse to sell and tell them to never come again, then block them from conducting business with us in the future. We don't need it, things are hard enough as it is.

    This kind of behaviour hypothetical or not is awful and demeaning. Especially for small business owners who have to fight for every dollar they earn and it makes me furious that anyone would even entertain this idea.

    • Some Human on 21/04/2022 - 00:40
      +8

      That’s really sad to know this is a thing people actually do. I was naive enough to think op is the first person to think of this and wondered how someone could stoop so low. Then I remembered some humans are just terrible.

  • Pluto88 on 20/04/2022 - 21:40
    +22

    r/iamatotalpieceofshit

  • godofpizza on 20/04/2022 - 21:49
    +12

    not sure if this or being an "influencer" asking for free food is the worst of the 2.

    • zonra on 20/04/2022 - 22:08
      +15

      Definitely this.
      Influencers come pretty close though but at least they’re upfront about it before transacting.

      • dbmitch on 21/04/2022 - 22:19

        The decency to ask if they can scam in advance beforehand at least saves the ingredients from being wasted before getting told NO LOL.

  • AustriaBargain on 20/04/2022 - 21:52
    +7

    This is why small businesses are better off with Uber Eats, at least in one sense. You pay 30%, but at least your customer has to pay for all orders upfront.

    $70 isn't even a very big order as far as food goes. You need to order something more like a huge catering order to start talking about discounts.

    • USER DC on 20/04/2022 - 22:38

      Not always,

      e.g. what happens in case of a stolen CC use ?

      • Agret on 21/04/2022 - 01:15
        +5

        Isn’t the whole point of paying these companies the 30% is so they can deal with any billing issues.

        • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 21/04/2022 - 10:26
          +2

          Lol nope. Just like eBay, the small business always gets shafted.

    • Zondor on 23/04/2022 - 17:48

      Nah uber eats is RORT with people abusing the system. If the driver messes up, the resteraunt loses all the $$$

      • AustriaBargain on 23/04/2022 - 18:30

        Sure, but the vast majority of businesses that use Uber Eats, including mega chains like McDonald's, they simply can't deliver their own food. It's too big of a problem for restaurants to solve and only businesses that devote themselves to deliveries for a long time can handle it, like pizza places. Uber Eats also solves a problem in that most small businesses can't even manage to get and maintain a website for themselves. Being on Uber Eats is as good as having your own website, besides having to pay 30% of each order. And finally Uber Eats solves an even bigger problem for restaurants, which is letting them have an online ordering system. This is even harder for any restaurant to deal with than just having a website with their menu on it. Yeah anyone can make an online ordering system themselves, but it takes a long time to learn how to do it and even longer to learn how to do it properly so it's actually useful to the restaurant long term.

        Uber Eats is a problem for restaurants, but it's also a solution to a lot of problems most restaurants can't solve. I think in time Uber Eats will create more competition, their commission will lower in time, and self driving cars will make delivering food even cheaper, any any Uber Eats clone will be able to tap into the fleets of self driving cars out there for even cheaper delivery.

        And another thing is if a restaurant was never going to set up their own website, their own online ordering system, their own drivers, and their own marketing for the area around them, then all the sales they make with Uber Eats are sales they never would have made themselves without Uber Eats. So Uber Eats isn't costing them $$$, it is making them $$$.

  • CheapskateQueen on 20/04/2022 - 21:54
    +13

    were you seriously coming on here hoping someone would validate this? absolute scum behaviour

    • michaelTito on 21/04/2022 - 19:57

      i think he/she trying to justify their action.

  • Maglia Nera on 20/04/2022 - 21:58
    +15

    WE HAVE A NOMINEE FOR BIGGEST BABOON MOVE OF THE YEAR

  • Lovemydeals on 20/04/2022 - 21:58
    +4

    That someone would be blacklisted & probably be on the receiving end of verbal bashing.

    Would be funny if that someone were named and shamed among other restaurants in the area to collectively blacklist them. Similar to how stores post pics of people that have stolen from stores.

    It is rude, cheap and generally just a dick move when both parties have agreed on price for goods supplied.

    • ozbjunkie on 21/04/2022 - 07:56

      Yep I was gonna say "picture in the window" - and the way local businesses all talk and intermingle - that customer might have to find a new local shopping strip.

  • DarkOz on 20/04/2022 - 21:59
    +4

    How low can you go?

    • holdenmg on 21/04/2022 - 03:59

      OP is from Sydney…

      Trying to out-Deves, Deves in Warringah?

  • Mike88 on 20/04/2022 - 22:10
    +10

    What is wrong with you?

  • wombok2 on 20/04/2022 - 22:12
    +4

    I think the real question is, how do YOU see it?

    How would you respond if you were the takeaway shop?

  • godofpizza on 20/04/2022 - 22:20
    +2

    i don't even think anyone on the jackass show would go this low or pull this stunt. I would fear for my safety esp. if the head chef got wind of what your suggesting.

  • USER DC on 20/04/2022 - 22:37
    +4

    IF you want the food then simply pay for it at the price being asked by the supplier of that food (restaurant) and if you dont agree with that price, then DONT ORDER at first place, or ask for a concession (like loyalty etc and a better way to ask for concession would to ask them to give you a little more portion instead of asking them to reduce the price, at time of ordering (not after the supplier already spent effort just to make food specific to your choice)

    This is a seriously dodgy thing to do, this is the reason why most Restaurants will increase food prices for ALL, just because of minor people with this mentality. Or they will impose things like PREPAY for food, then only we will serve you something like that.

    AND BTW be prepared for getting reply like,

    No If you cannot pay the price, we cannot serve you the food etc. It may get dumbed in bin (most likely) or given to charity or homeless etc.

  • elgrande on 20/04/2022 - 22:47
    +14

    From the OP who brought you:

    'Is there anything with respect to manners and etiquette you wish new immigrants/visitors to Australia were made more aware of'

    • mapax on 20/04/2022 - 22:54
      +5

      And

      Just wondering. How do you deal with excessively relentless & brutal hagglers?
      Have you had customers push you to the point of becoming angry & walk away?
      Do you favour better payers and cut corners (or worse) with the truly soul-less haggler

      • Agret on 21/04/2022 - 01:14
        +9

        Maybe he runs a store and had this happen to him which is why he made this post?

        • Mistredo on 21/04/2022 - 13:48
          +5

          In that case, he is horrible at communication because now everyone thinks he is a (profanity).

  • djkelly69 on 20/04/2022 - 23:03
    +4

    I hope they theoretically take you to court or xCAT for breach of contract.

  • askme69 on 20/04/2022 - 23:06
    +6

    C**T ACT

    • Bob Svargis on 21/04/2022 - 07:21
      +1

      I’d go even further and say that whoever does this is a SH#TC$&T

      • MrFrugalSpend on 21/04/2022 - 22:26

        SHUTCART?
        SHOTCULT?
        SHOTCRETE?
        S.HATCHET?

        … na, can't get it.

        See you in the NT (Next Tuesday)

  • Archi on 20/04/2022 - 23:10
    +7

    The fact that you have thought of it, I question your integrity as a person , your moral values ad human being..

    I certainly hope you don't have younger siblings or unfortunate enough to have kids.. as you are a terrible role model

  • gromit on 20/04/2022 - 23:49
    +7

    It would be a really dog act that only the lowest piece of scum would try. If you want to try and haggle it must be before you order and in the current climate where service businesses have suffered so badly to even try it before ordering us pretty low.

  • helichopta on 21/04/2022 - 00:31
    +8

    After running a small business…. There would be no retort. If someone tried this on me, I'd open the bag and eat it. No dinner for you… Ooops.

  • altomic on 21/04/2022 - 00:33
    +8

    Wow, someone just made putin look like a nice guy

  • Some Human on 21/04/2022 - 00:50
    +8

    I would probably haggle back, “hey, how about $170? That’s $70 for the food and $100 for the butthole tax. Paying by eftpos? There’s a 150% surcharge.”

    Or

    “Sure, $50 is fine, we’ll even spoon feed it to you. However, the food won’t be entering the hole in your face”

    • macrocephalic on 21/04/2022 - 10:44
      +2

      Sure, you can have it for $50, but let me just duck out the back and add some special sauce to it for you.

    • StalkingIbis on 21/04/2022 - 08:05
      +4

      So, let them win and encourage them to do it again?

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join