Restaurants and stores lying about prices

[KoachKrab127]

Has anyone else experienced this lately? It seems to be pretty common to go to a drive-thru, and a menu item being advertised as priced for $10.99, but when they ring you up, it’s actually $11.49 (or something similar).

Here’s a specific example of this happening to me today. I went to a local taco restaurant. On their website they have a lunch special, where you can get any 3 tacos for $9.99 any weekday. Also, on Tuesdays, all tacos are $2.99 all day. So I went today with my daughter, and we both ordered 3 tacos, expecting to get the $2.99 per taco price. When I got the check, it said, “lunch special - $12.98” for each of our meals. I questioned the waitress, and she corrected it. So I did get the right price ($2.99 for each taco). So after tip, we paid about $9 less than they initially tried to charge us.

But the $12.98 really grinded my gears, because the price was wrong on multiple levels. First of all, the lunch special is advertised on their website, and on their front door as $9.99, not $12.98. Second of all, since it’s Tuesday, all tacos are supposed to be $2.99 each. So they were wrong on both counts. Were they trying to pull a fast one on me? Is this something they do to customers often, and get away with it because some customers don’t want a confrontation? Or is it an honest mistake?

I just really don’t like how it seems that it is becoming customary for restaurants and stores to be so deceiving.

 

[Go aeiou]

Has anyone else experienced this lately? It seems to be pretty common to go to a drive-thru, and a menu item being advertised as priced for $10.99, but when they ring you up, it’s actually $11.49 (or something similar).

Here’s a specific example of this happening to me today. I went to a local taco restaurant. On their website they have a lunch special, where you can get any 3 tacos for $9.99 any weekday. Also, on Tuesdays, all tacos are $2.99 all day. So I went today with my daughter, and we both ordered 3 tacos, expecting to get the $2.99 per taco price. When I got the check, it said, “lunch special - $12.98” for each of our meals. I questioned the waitress, and she corrected it. So I did get the right price ($2.99 for each taco). So after tip, we paid about $9 less than they initially tried to charge us.

But the $12.98 really grinded my gears, because the price was wrong on multiple levels. First of all, the lunch special is advertised on their website, and on their front door as $9.99, not $12.98. Second of all, since it’s Tuesday, all tacos are supposed to be $2.99 each. So they were wrong on both counts. Were they trying to pull a fast one on me? Is this something they do to customers often, and get away with it because some customers don’t want a confrontation? Or is it an honest mistake?

I just really don’t like how it seems that it is becoming customary for restaurants and stores to be so deceiving.

Fast Food Restaurants are hiring the bottom of the barrel these days. often they just aren't trained. Most, but not all, don't give a dam.

 

[VOLLeeann]

Happens too often to be mistakes. Some are honest errors, some are deceptive rip-offs. It's gotten ridiculous. I have to double-check grocery purchases, online restaurants OMG the fees that come out of nowhere at checkout having spent 15 minutes entering your order (pickup fee, delivery fee, ourdogissick fee).

Good thread. I'm sick of it.

 

[joevol33]

Our dollar store is horrible. They'll have a sticker on say cereal "2 for $6", but when you check out they charge you full price for both. I went to buy 2 boxes like that, and it rang up over $11, full price for both. They do that often, lots of people complain. Our Walmart is also bad about spinning your bags around like you got them all, but didn't. I've seen people who used to work there post they do that on purpose, and put the stuff back up after you have paid for it.

 

[superdave1984]

Several years ago we frequented a local burger joint that had a special on Thursdays. If you wore their t-shirt you got your meal 1/2 price. Normally we had zero problems with it as the older kids had a shirt and so did my wife and I. The little kids didn't because they didn't sell kid size shirts and the smallest they had was just huge on them. But it was never an issue and they still got 1/2 price kids meals.
Then one fine evening they refused the discount because all family members did not have the shirt on. We asked for the manager, who was new, and explained the situation. He was a pecker about it giving us some nonsense about if the whole fam didn't have on the shirt then none got the discount. My wife went off on this dude. We did get our discount and never went back. I still wear the shirt though, but the place is closed.

 

[VolFaninFla]

Got cc a coupon in the mail for two burgers for $5.99.
When I got there, the board had the same burgers at two for $5.00.
That and the surly kid that took our order made us decide to never go back

 

[LouderVol]

if its a chain they love to include some lingo like: based on availability at location, so they give themselves a legal out.

and similar to joe's story, I buy 4 bagged salads most weeks, and typically grab whichever they have a special on, usually the same type of deal 2 for less than normal. they try to charge full price because I am not getting EXACTLY 2. I argue that it should be 2 seperate 2 for less than normal. sometimes I win the argument, sometimes I don't.

 

[superdave1984]

if its a chain they love to include some lingo like: based on availability at location, so they give themselves a legal out.

and similar to joe's story, I buy 4 bagged salads most weeks, and typically grab whichever they have a special on, usually the same type of deal 2 for less than normal. they try to charge full price because I am not getting EXACTLY 2. I argue that it should be 2 seperate 2 for less than normal. sometimes I win the argument, sometimes I don't.

Have them ring it up as a separate transaction.

 

[Velo Vol]

Our dollar store is horrible.

Dollar General has been sued over its pricing.

Dollar General Baits Shoppers With Deceptive Pricing

Inflation has everyone’s wallets feeling the pressure, but for some, their lack of purchasing power isn't because of the economic climate—it’s because they’re victims of deceptive pricing. On Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, the Ohio Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Dollar General Corp after...

www.forthepeople.com

 

[LouderVol]

Have them ring it up as a separate transaction.

good idea. I will try that the next time I catch them.

 

[KoachKrab127]

It happened again at Petro’s last week. Price was supposed to be $7.99, according to the drive-thru menu, but it was $8.49. I asked about it, and the worker didn’t know. He said it must have just not been changed. I wasn’t going to be a Karen over 50 cents, but maybe I should have. If we keep nonchalantly letting them get away with this, they’re only going to try to get away with worse things in the future. I only eat fast food when traveling now, though, and most of the time I try to stick to local restaurants and avoid chains. I’ve had enough of the terrible service. All of the fast food restaurants in my town are run terribly, even Chick-Fil-A. At this Chick-Fil-A, they don’t even let you look at a menu if you ask. You have to use your phone. I’ve seen the workers goofing around outside of the drive-thru, throwing garbage napkins at each other instead of giving people their food, and they have given me the wrong order multiple times.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Uber, Ticketmaster, MLB, and probably many others I can't think of are OPENLY changing prices for the same service all the time.

I can easily see restaurants "surge pricing" at lunch and dinner and easing back prices if you eat at off times. They already jack up delivery menu prices.

As consumers, we tolerate this crap all the time for various services and who wants govt involved in pricing to make it an issue?

Besides, asking the kid at the counter why the price is different on a display that they can't possibly change and cash register they can't possibly change is the wrong tactic. They're as powerless as you.

Even the store manager may have only limited power, unless it's a franchise, to alter register prices permanently.

Everybody, often even the franchisee, is just "working for the man" and anything they do that isn't from the neck down isn't appreciated by corporate.

Complain to corporate. They'll ignore you, but other than voting with your dollar, at least they COULD change the discrepancies.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Has anyone else experienced this lately? It seems to be pretty common to go to a drive-thru, and a menu item being advertised as priced for $10.99, but when they ring you up, it’s actually $11.49 (or something similar).

Here’s a specific example of this happening to me today. I went to a local taco restaurant. On their website they have a lunch special, where you can get any 3 tacos for $9.99 any weekday. Also, on Tuesdays, all tacos are $2.99 all day. So I went today with my daughter, and we both ordered 3 tacos, expecting to get the $2.99 per taco price. When I got the check, it said, “lunch special - $12.98” for each of our meals. I questioned the waitress, and she corrected it. So I did get the right price ($2.99 for each taco). So after tip, we paid about $9 less than they initially tried to charge us.

But the $12.98 really grinded my gears, because the price was wrong on multiple levels. First of all, the lunch special is advertised on their website, and on their front door as $9.99, not $12.98. Second of all, since it’s Tuesday, all tacos are supposed to be $2.99 each. So they were wrong on both counts. Were they trying to pull a fast one on me? Is this something they do to customers often, and get away with it because some customers don’t want a confrontation? Or is it an honest mistake?

I just really don’t like how it seems that it is becoming customary for restaurants and stores to be so deceiving.

The simplest answer is that inflation is galloping faster than they can change the menu prices.

Pretty soon, you'll go to Popeye's Chicken drive-thru and see "market price" on a 8 PC spicy.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Fast Food Restaurants are hiring the bottom of the barrel these days. often they just aren't trained. Most, but not all, don't give a dam.

Wrong answer

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Wait... you people really do not know what is going on. WOW... So let's blame the low wage workers... Or, let's blame the mom and pop restaurant... Or the chain restaurant... but don't you dare aim your rage at the people that are printing our money into oblivion and wasting on a daily basis! Let's just resort to slave-on-slave violence and outrage and talk $#!t on some zoomer/millennial that is working there.

 

[utvolpj]

My wife went off on this dude. We did get our discount and never went back. I still wear the shirt though, but the place is closed.

Your wife went off on a low wage restaurant worker over $3-4? Might make a good entry in the Karen thread

 

[utvolpj]

The fact is prices have been changing very rapidly and don't always get updated like they should. For a grocery store that could be hundreds of tags that need to be changed manually while the system update took seconds. I don't see how people can both complain about understaffed businesses and also believe this is on purpose. A little grace might go a long way

 

[KoachKrab127]

The fact is prices have been changing very rapidly and don't always get updated like they should. For a grocery store that could be hundreds of tags that need to be changed manually while the system update took seconds. I don't see how people can both complain about understaffed businesses and also believe this is on purpose. A little grace might go a long way

I do not blame the cashiers, nor would I ever yell at a cashier. I wouldn’t ever yell at a manager either. It’s more than just “inflation and forgetting to update” when multiple companies are getting sued and paying fines for lying about their prices. It’s corporations seeing what they can get away with, and if we don’t complain, they’ll only try to get away with worse in the future.

I’m not saying you need to be a jerk to the workers. You can complain without being a jerk. I’m saying you should stand up to these companies that are lying about their prices.

 

[utvolpj]

I do not blame the cashiers, nor would I ever yell at a cashier. I wouldn’t ever yell at a manager either. It’s more than just “inflation and forgetting to update” when multiple companies are getting sued and paying fines for lying about their prices. It’s corporations seeing what they can get away with, and if we don’t complain, they’ll only try to get away with worse in the future.

I’m not saying you need to be a jerk to the workers. You can complain without being a jerk. I’m saying you should stand up to these companies that are lying about their prices.

They're not lying they simply don't keep up with the signage. I've seen this complaint on multiple forums where people claim "Walmart is trying to rip us off!" when the most reasonable explanation is likely correct. Believing some of the largest companies in the history of the world are trying to secretly and purposely rip you off 10 cents at a time takes a pretty big leap in logic

 

[KoachKrab127]

They're not lying they simply don't keep up with the signage. I've seen this complaint on multiple forums where people claim "Walmart is trying to rip us off!" when the most reasonable explanation is likely correct. Believing some of the largest companies in the history of the world are trying to secretly and purposely rip you off 10 cents at a time takes a pretty big leap in logic

Walmart faces class-action lawsuit over 'deceptive' pricing in stores

A July 3 court ruling found retail giant Walmart must face a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company engaged in unfair pricing.

www.usatoday.com

Dollar General Overcharges ‘Hundreds of Thousands’ of Customers, Lawsuit Alleges

The prices paid at the register do not match the price tags, according to a class action lawsuit working through the courts.

prospect.org

These stories have already been posted and discussed in this thread.

 

[utvolpj]

Walmart faces class-action lawsuit over 'deceptive' pricing in stores

A July 3 court ruling found retail giant Walmart must face a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company engaged in unfair pricing.

www.usatoday.com

Dollar General Overcharges ‘Hundreds of Thousands’ of Customers, Lawsuit Alleges

The prices paid at the register do not match the price tags, according to a class action lawsuit working through the courts.

prospect.org

These stories have already been posted and discussed in this thread.

Like I said, labels not keeping up with corporate pricing updates looks to be the main culprit. Anyone can sue anyone and a class action benefits lawyers. This isn't camp lejune

 

[Go aeiou]

Like I said, labels not keeping up with corporate pricing updates looks to be the main culprit. Anyone can sue anyone and a class action benefits lawyers. This isn't camp lejune

True, corporate America is all about cutting cost any way they can. Smaller products (containers, servings, etc); Fewer employees, etc. Perhaps not enough employees. I did go into a JC Penny about a year ago, and I saw only two employees in their large store.
I grocery shop mainly at Publix. Most of the things I buy don't have a price lable on them. Just a small label on the shelving that has the price. Some things have a price label from the distributor. I look at signs (usually about 3" x 4") for the items that are on sale. Maybe twice in the last 15 years I've found a problem.
I don't go to Target, Walmart, etc very often.

 

[utvolpj]

True, corporate America is all about cutting cost any way they can. Smaller products (containers, servings, etc); Fewer employees, etc. Perhaps not enough employees. I did go into a JC Penny about a year ago, and I saw only two employees in their large store.
I grocery shop mainly at Publix. Most of the things I buy don't have a price lable on them. Just a small lable on the shelving that has the price. Some things have a price lable from the distributor. I look at signs (usually about 3" x 4") for the items that are on sale. Maybe twice in the last 15 years I've found a problem.
I don't go to Target, Walmart, etc very often.

At Publix, if the scanned price is higher than shelf they give you a free one. It's not on purpose but the last few years have seen daily price changes. Of course they are usually well staffed and clean so you do pay for that. Fair trade imo

Publix also had the best return policy around

 

[LouderVol]

Like I said, labels not keeping up with corporate pricing updates looks to be the main culprit. Anyone can sue anyone and a class action benefits lawyers. This isn't camp lejune

its false advertising. yeah its not a serious a lejune, but that doesn't mean it isn't an issue.

and you don't think that corporations are purposefully trying to find sneaky ways to make more money? That is literally their job.

 

[utvolpj]

its false advertising. yeah its not a serious a lejune, but that doesn't mean it isn't an issue.

and you don't think that corporations are purposefully trying to find sneaky ways to make more money? That is literally their job.

I personally view false advertising as deceit on purpose. No I don't believe they're purposefully changing prices in the system to grab an extra dime. The reports I've read from actual employees agrees with that. There's just not enough time or labor to get the changes made. It's why many are trying to go with digital labels