1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Harvard Business School Professor Goes to War Over $4 Worth of Chinese Food

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by swyyyguy, Dec 9, 2014.

  1. swyyyguy

    swyyyguy Member

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2008
    Messages:
    8,068
    Likes Received:
    3,323
  2. Ubiquitin

    Ubiquitin Contributing Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2001
    Messages:
    17,297
    Likes Received:
    11,763
    He was 100% in the right on this, though. You can't ****ing overcharge what's posted on the menu.
     
  3. Cranberry_Juice

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2012
    Messages:
    882
    Likes Received:
    208
    #Crimingwhilewhite
     
  4. Mr. Brightside

    Mr. Brightside Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Messages:
    18,949
    Likes Received:
    2,137
    Why didn't the Professor ask what the total bill was at the time he ordered? If he knew there was discrepancy from his own calculation and the restaurants's final bill, why did the Professor take delivery of his food.

    Like if you order a pizza from Domino's and they quote you 25 USD for a large pizza, you have the option of taking delivery of the item at that price or questioning the store if it is a pricing error.

    Seems like the Professor did not do his due diligence upon ordering of the food.
     
  5. ipaman

    ipaman Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2002
    Messages:
    13,020
    Likes Received:
    7,784
    100% douche bag lawyer who gives lawyers a bad name. restaurant owner admitted that the website menu was out of date (only $1 per item) and resolved the issue as soon as he was made aware even though the website and it's management was outsourced. on top of that he offered to honor the website prices and refund $4 dollars ($1x4 items) to that prick. not good enough for smartass douche bag harvard lawyers. way to pick on the little guys just trying to make a living you twat.

    also as the owner pointed out, the dbag lawyer went to the wrong website (another store location) to grab that menu. d******d lawyer should learn how to use the internet.
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. chow_yun_fat

    chow_yun_fat Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2002
    Messages:
    4,115
    Likes Received:
    47
    Wow...what a douche bag. I like how the restaurant owner handled himself.
     
  7. Kyakko

    Kyakko Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2002
    Messages:
    2,161
    Likes Received:
    39
    I think a problem with lawyers is that they expect things to be handled exactly within the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law. The restaurant owner clearly didn't mean any malicious intent and offered to refund the difference. You don't buy the food, eat it all and say it's delicious, then expect a full refund and call that justice. After that, both parties didn't back down due to principle.
     
    #7 Kyakko, Dec 9, 2014
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2014
  8. Two Sandwiches

    Two Sandwiches Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2002
    Messages:
    22,536
    Likes Received:
    14,067
    Seems Ben Edelman is a douche.
     
  9. shastarocket

    shastarocket Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2006
    Messages:
    13,773
    Likes Received:
    1,082
  10. Duncan McDonuts

    Duncan McDonuts Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2008
    Messages:
    10,143
    Likes Received:
    3,909
    Both seem like dickheads. The lawyer came off being dickish by asking 3x the refund. The owner should have immediately honored the online price as advertised. Instead, they grab their dicks out and measure them through legal means to make it more difficult for each party to come to an amicable solution.

    The restaurant isn't entirely innocent, either. When you think about it, the restaurant is charging an extra dollar per dish from their advertised price. With average dish prices around $12, that extra $1 is a profit increase of 8%. That's a large profit increase. The restaurant did a bait and switch, which the lawyer likely played hardball based on principle.
     
  11. Kyakko

    Kyakko Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2002
    Messages:
    2,161
    Likes Received:
    39
    I absolutely agree both were acting on principle, but

    A.) The customer ate all the food and was satisfied... should he get a full refund? If the customer didn't eat anything of it, fine, give him a full refund.

    B.) I don't think the bait and switch was intentional, but rather the lack of the owner's lack of business savy.

    In the spirit of justice (and remember, this is 4 dollars vs 14), what is right? What would you have walked away with if you were either parties?
     
  12. Bandwagoner

    Bandwagoner Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2006
    Messages:
    26,718
    Likes Received:
    3,475
    the restaurant offered to honor the website price as soon as the customer asked for the refund. I think he did OK. He should have just stopped correspondence once he said he would wait for the authorities to advise. Cause there won't be any authorities coming lol.
     
  13. ipaman

    ipaman Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2002
    Messages:
    13,020
    Likes Received:
    7,784
    the owner would also be a dick if in fact he didn't update the online menu as stated. then you could argue he was actively participating in fraud. but nothing in the article leads me to believe that he didn't update the menu prices.
     
  14. Duncan McDonuts

    Duncan McDonuts Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2008
    Messages:
    10,143
    Likes Received:
    3,909
    I think the customer was entitled to at least the $4. The restaurant should have honored the online price. I don't think this is the first time they've been questioned about the prices, either. The owner acknowledges that the online prices have been incorrect for a while. They probably just didn't do anything about it because they could get away with it.

    If I were the customer, I probably wouldn't have complained after they explained their online pricing was wrong. If I were the business owner, I would have offered a refund/credit immediately.
    The owner offered a $3 refund for a $4 error. The customer was a dick for asking 3x the amount, but that seems like a dick move to annoy the customer. Unless it was a typo, but the owner made no notion of it being an error. And it was also a dick move to not honor it until the authorities would come.

    This is a very petty argument and definitely not worth the time for both parties, but neither are saints here.
     
  15. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2001
    Messages:
    43,147
    Likes Received:
    25,187
    The lawyer, being a lawyer, wanted his piece of the "grand injustice" the restaurant owner pulled by overcharging website customers. Class action mentality.

    If your establishment has a leak you didn't know about, and it somehow damages a consumer, your ignorance or lack of business savvy doesn't cover you from some form of responsibility for those damages.

    So the lawyer acted that way because he's good (or thinks he's great) at what he does.

    Echoing the other replies, the fact that bar owner didn't immediately offer the refund OR to change the website before being threatened with legalesee means that the lawyer did website patrons a favor.

    If I was personally affected by this, I'd rather appreciate the douche's actions rather than get emotionally pulled by the fact that he had to be a douche for the bar owner to get off his ass and do something right, as opposed to patting his customers on the head when they bring it up and politely tell them to deal with it.
     
  16. Bandwagoner

    Bandwagoner Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2006
    Messages:
    26,718
    Likes Received:
    3,475
    That was obviously a maths error because he specified he would honor the menu price. He offered this after the customer asked for a refund which seems like a very reasonable time. The owners only crap move was leaving an out dated menu on his website when he clearly knew about it AND had the power to change it. Everything in the email exchanged seemed fine.
     
  17. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2002
    Messages:
    46,550
    Likes Received:
    6,131
    Harvard guy is a bully and a douche.

    Yeah, the owner was committing fraud by clearly stating the prices on the menu. Give me a break.
     
  18. Jontro

    Jontro Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2010
    Messages:
    34,299
    Likes Received:
    22,003
    This is why I'll never go to Harvard.
     
    1 person likes this.
  19. Kyakko

    Kyakko Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2002
    Messages:
    2,161
    Likes Received:
    39
    What is the damages really? He enjoyed great food for slightly more than he expected? Proportions man... I had diners accidentally served me raw food and all I asked was for them to reheat it.
     
  20. dachuda86

    dachuda86 Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2008
    Messages:
    16,308
    Likes Received:
    3,580
    This guy is clearly taking out frustrations of a different variety on this business. He's a bad person through and through.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now