Edmontonians: Classy people, or classiest people?

[Flubber]

Ever renegotiated a tab that seems to have a few extra items on it?

Renegotiated a tab-- Never.

Noticed that I was charged for something we did not have and the restaurant immediately and apologetically removed the item -- yes- In believe that has happened to me twice

Also, if I'm spending this kind of money, I would expect the establishment to comp me a few, as bartenders at the places that I go to do with their regulars. TIPs go both ways.

The Oilers are not regulars at a Calgary spot.

It was a new Years eve event where EVERY place is booked and usually pricing at a premium.

The guests were professional hockey players, minimum salary 400K with many in the millions (not a reason to get hosed but do millionaires on new years eve expect to get comped at a place they are unlikley to return to more than once every couple of years). So I don't think the OIl looked good here. Most of media and commentary was negative (whether thats fair or not)


Oh and I approve of comping -- I just don't see it as expected . There was a small Italian place back home where the owner would routinely comp stuff to larger tables. It might be food, it might be wine but he was only too willing to keep the party going for a table that was drinking-- Hell he would often sit and drink with you and he was quite entertaining. The bill at the end would be pretty big but you were only paying for 6 of the 9 bottles of wine and those snacks he had whipped up late at night and provided free were so yummy that it all felt like good value

[notyoueither]

The people who really come out of this thread looking bad are Asher and nye arguing for 2 pages about it.

Piss off!

It's four pages.

[notyoueither]

wow-- I hadn't realized you two had gone at it so much. I find a couple of things come out of this story

- The Oil do not look good here-- I didn't really see where they ever alleged they were charged for things they did nor have. IF they wanted by the bottle pricing they need to arrange that ahead of time. You don't have 40 shots of tequila and then say " we don't payfior 40 shots, we pay for one bottle.

-The restaurant does not look good here. The rush to the media with the story strikes me as completely wrong, particularly for an establishment that tries to cater to elite and celebrities. I would have thought a little decorum and tact would have been called for.

I don't know what happened here but in talking it over with friends they indicated that many restaurants at private parties are only too willing to open as many bottles of wine as possible since their markup on booze is so high. Usually there is no set rule on who can order so pretty much anyone can comment to a waiter " I like this wine, send out a case" and before you know it they will have those 12 bottles open and added to the bill.

I did say elsewhee that the original tab works out to less than 400 per person. Do I find that a bit high? yes. But I am not usually having even one bottle of really expensive wine. For

1)a bunch of millionaires drinking heavily
2)people drinking premium and expensive stuff and
3) an establishment thats probably as pricy as anywhere in Calgary

I was not completely shocked at the amount of the bill.

I agree with most of this, but I want to ask, where did you see the Oilers players' version of events reported?

[Asher]

Even in the initial articles, Oilers' PR department was recounting "their" side of the story.

[notyoueither]

"They received the bill which they felt was outrageous," said Watt.

"They inquired about it and they were unhappy about it and were unhappy with some of the charges. The restaurant adjusted it by $7,000."

That is about all the Oilers PR people said in those first reports.

Not much other than they felt overcharged.

That's why I asked Flubber about what he has heard of the Oilers players' side of events.

[Flubber]

"They received the bill which they felt was outrageous," said Watt.

"They inquired about it and they were unhappy about it and were unhappy with some of the charges. The restaurant adjusted it by $7,000."

That is about all the Oilers PR people said in those first reports.

Not much other than they felt overcharged.

That's why I asked Flubber about what he has heard of the Oilers players' side of events.

I saw no more than those stories. That part of the reason whay my wording was careful to say "I didn't really see where they ever alleged they were charged for things they did nor have"

Most of the media was the reasturant's side of things and all we really heard from the Oil was that they just were not happy with the bill. Thats not good enough to dispute a bill. You need to be charged for things you did not have or prices other than indicated.. or not get what you ordered perhaps that happened perhaps it didn't-- I wasn't there.

All I know is in a party with 45 affluent people I can see lots of people feeling entitled to order stuff-- hell I have seen the phenomenon in less affluent groups than this. (spme person thinking it fun to order a round of $10 shooters for everyone-- They are served but half ther people don't drink them)

But when the bill comes whoever is paying gets a bit of sticker shock. I've seen it happen. In this case I doubt we will ever know exactly what happened but all I know for certain is that no one looked good in this

[-Jrabbit]

1. This thread is awesome.
2. Any restaurant charging $5.50 for a Coors Light should have its liquor license revoked.

[Flubber]

2. Any restaurant charging $5.50 for a Coors Light should have its liquor license revoked.

They charge $6 for a glass of tap water

[notyoueither]

1. This thread is awesome.
2. Any restaurant charging $5.50 for a Coors Light should have its liquor license revoked.

A lot of it is taxes. Beer is ~$2 per at the liquor store in Alberta.

[Asher]

They charge $6 for a glass of tap water

Isn't that what he said?

[notyoueither]

I saw no more than those stories. That part of the reason whay my wording was careful to say "I didn't really see where they ever alleged they were charged for things they did nor have"

Most of the media was the reasturant's side of things and all we really heard from the Oil was that they just were not happy with the bill. Thats not good enough to dispute a bill. You need to be charged for things you did not have or prices other than indicated.. or not get what you ordered perhaps that happened perhaps it didn't-- I wasn't there.

All I know is in a party with 45 affluent people I can see lots of people feeling entitled to order stuff-- hell I have seen the phenomenon in less affluent groups than this. (spme person thinking it fun to order a round of $10 shooters for everyone-- They are served but half ther people don't drink them)

But when the bill comes whoever is paying gets a bit of sticker shock. I've seen it happen. In this case I doubt we will ever know exactly what happened but all I know for certain is that no one looked good in this

The players' version is that they were overcharged for food, and the bill was padded with phantom alcohol.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Barnes+Overcharged+underperformance/2410766/story.html

The Calgary restaurant owner said plenty, slagging the Oilers publicly for disputing a bill that landed with a $16,796.39 thud at 1 a.m. on New Year's Day. I have no doubt a few players were rude and belligerent upon receipt of said bill, as the owner told media outlets. I imagine some of the people in the party of 45 were also intoxicated. But I also have no trouble believing Horcoff conducted himself properly as he negotiated a settlement that sliced $4,500 off a tab the Oilers say was inflated with charges for alcohol they did not order or consume.

"What happened at the restaurant was very unfortunate," said Horcoff.

"We were taken advantage of to an extreme level and we stood up for ourselves. He made statements about us that were absolutely false. Do I regret standing up for ourselves? Absolutely not. There is only one way to run a bill up that high and it's not food."

Wives, girlfriends and the parents of Gilbert Brule were included in the Oiler party which sat down at about 10:50 and were all gone by 1 a.m., with several of the younger players having left by 12:10 a.m. A source said the set menu was negotiated in advance by one of the players' wives, who was assured they would receive 45 meals of steak and lobster for $75 per plate. Instead, they were served a chicken entree, which by all accounts was tasty. It was also pricey, originally $250 per plate which the owner claimed was the New Year's Eve standard. They were also charged for 34 bottles of wine or champagne and 320 additional drinks, which included highballs and shooters.

Based on those numbers, it had to be a raucous, booze-soaked outing, right?

"It was calm," said Horcoff. "The mood wasn't great. We'd lost that night."

The mood worsened when the Oilers objected to the bill and the owner objected to their objections. Eventually the dinners were reduced to $100 per plate and the Oilers were allowed to pay for booze by the bottle rather than by the drink as they had been charged originally. The owner produced a new bill for $12,381 that included a tip of $1,888, and it was paid.

[Asher]

The 250 per plate charge isn't in the original receipt we've seen in pictures.

So now the next story is Horcoff is lying?

The gift that keeps on giving...

[notyoueither]

It does add more confusion, but it does provide information from the players' POV. Flubber now has information to evaluate, rather than his own conjecture that the team was not charged for items that they did not order or consume.

The bit about $250 per plate isn't Horcoff, BTW. It's a second source (not named). I'll engage in my own conjecture and guess that the Oilers wife asked the restaurant for details of booking and menu for a group of 45 without specifying New Years Eve. I am not shocked they were charged more and that the preferred menu was not available on the busiest night of the year in the hospitality industry.