Forum Topic

Wahaca's despicable policy on eat and run

You may have been shocked like me at policy of the Wahaca chain of restaurants to deduct revenue lost when customers run out without paying from waiting staff. I know that the business is tough at the moment but if there is any place in Ealing that has a similar policy - name and shame!

Tricia Arbuthnot ● 2489d8 Comments

Even if you accept the company's explanation despite a significant amount of evidence that they are not being truthful about this, what they are doing is still thoroughly reprehensible.They are effectively asking waiting staff to act as unpaid security staff. If you are working for the meagre hourly wage they pay the people who wait at tables losing even just a few pounds may be sufficient incentive for them to try and prevent non-payers leaving. The sort of people who leave without paying their bill are more likely to be the sort of people who would assault anyone who gets in their way. Wahaca are lucky this policy didn't come to light after a tragedy.

Andy Jones ● 2488d

https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/wahaca-waiter-charge-dine-and-dash-southampton-branch-customer-company-policy/

N V Brooks ● 2488d

Everybody is saying that the waiter would be deducted the price of the meal. Wahaca said this was not the case when a waiter in a London branch was asked by the manager to pay £3 towards a £40 unpaid bill. (BBC)

Fred Hunt ● 2488d

There was no rebuttal. The story broke when diners at the Kentish Town branch heard the manager telling the waiter that he would be deducted the cost of an unpaid for meal from his salary. On the radio this morning there was another former member of staff who confirmed this was company policy. The founder of the company refused to be interviewed but a spokesman said they were 'clarifying their policy'. Only retrospectively was it the case that Wahaca staff would be held accountable only if they were actively complicit in someone leaving without paying. That begs the question why would they not be instantly dismissed?

Mark Evans ● 2488d

I don't use 'chain' restaurants TBH and when I tip it is in cash even if paying by card.

N V Brooks ● 2488d

..'a clear rebuttal' only when they got caught out by the news story! When this kind of story came up a bit back, nearly every chain in the High Street seemed to have some sneaky trick over not passing on tips, or 'fining' staff for the company's losses, plus the usual zero hours exploitation and minimum wage avoidance. There was a chorus or 'lessons learned' and 'changes will be made' but clearly these things still go on.

Peter Evans ● 2488d

Wahaca offered clarification and a clear rebuttal.The policy is only implemented when the staff member(s) have been negligent and they had not intention of applying it in this case.

N V Brooks ● 2488d

>>>You may have been shocked like me at policy of the Wahaca chain of restaurants to deduct revenue lost when customers run out without paying from waiting staff. I know that the business is tough at the moment but if there is any place in Ealing that has a similar policy - name and shame!<<>> The power of using a comma, to render a sentence immediately comprehensible, is rapidly being lost in modern-day Britain.  (I'll get my coat).

Tony Heath ● 2489d