"We received our receipts and paid using the QR code provided on them. As we were leaving, we heard someone shouting "Hey!" from a distance. Not knowing what was happening, we continued on to the new restaurant where we were seated. Suddenly, the waitress and cook from the first restaurant showed up, accusing us of leaving without paying, essentially claiming we had dined and dashed. They did not even check their system to see that we had indeed paid, and it was embarrassing, especially with other customers witnessing this scene. To make matters worse, the manager did not offer any apology for the misunderstanding.
I felt humiliated and unfairly treated. I left a voicemail for the manager requesting not only a refund, including the tip, but also an apology for our experience. I've never encountered anything like this before and I have no intention of returning. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. It makes me wonder if they treat all customers this way, or if it's just their Black customers.
I understand the waitress was new, so I can give her some grace, but the other employees who confronted us were not new and should have known better. No one thought to check the system, even though we had the option to pay online. Instead, they decided to chase us down and publicly embarrass us in a new town. This experience completely ruined our evening; we lost our appetite and ended up eating very little at the next restaurant before heading back to our hotel. I would have confronted the manager in person that night, but I had an early flight.
My advice to the restaurant is to ensure that your staff is well-coordinated and informed."
