Poll of the Day > Should you be allowed to change your mind from ''to go'' to ''dine in''?

(+) Yeah! (+)

a friend of mine got fined for trespassing because he went to a restaurant, ordered to go, decided to eat there instead, but refused to leave when the employees there told him he had ordered to go which meant he had to go.
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Yes, but if they ask you to leave it's not worth arguing over.
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Really stupid practice on their part, but it is their right.
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No restaurant would ever do that and I do not believe this story

If you're asked to leave, you gtfo, simple as that.
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I think you should at least inform them of changing your mind. at least in regular restaurants, I don't see fast food joints being too anal about it. some places actually have a very small "dine in" fee. i've never seen it be more than some change, but I guess its to cover the costs of having to clean the table when your done eating.
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MICHALECOLE posted...

No restaurant would ever do that and I do not believe this story

Eh. It's a really popular restaurant and it was during a popular weekend, so they were probably low on seats. Plus, it wasn't an immediate reaction or anything. My friend had 3 people (including the manager) ask him to leave before they called the police to escort him out.
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deserved
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In a fast food place, it absolutely shouldn't matter. But in a sit down restaurant I can see it being an issue. Especially if you just seat yourself without telling anyone you want to eat in.
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Moonjay posted...

In a fast food place, it absolutely shouldn't matter. But in a sit down restaurant I can see it being an issue. Especially if you just seat yourself without telling anyone you want to eat in.

I agree though as I mentioned about the dine in fee, it was actually a fast food joint I saw that had that. think burger king, was like 10 cents. but i've once seen a manager be anal over something like that. but then again at that location the managers had a tendency of bending over backwards for the customers so they wouldn't get any bad reviews. except the head manager, as I said in another topic I watched her kick a paying customer out just for being angry and taking it out on her.
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...dine-in fee for a fast food joint?

uh

no.
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helIy posted...

...dine-in fee for a fast food joint?

uh

no.

yeah the bad part was they don't inform you of it. I only found out because I saw it on the receipt. I mean it was only 10 cents though so I don't bitch
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That is a really weird situation

Whatever the actual details are though, once a private establishment asks you to leave the best thing is to do so
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Other than the minor dine-in fee, I would just adhere to their request and eat in my car. Like some have mentioned already, it is not worth the time and energy to argue over.
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I've never seen that happen. We have had people change from to go to dine in a couple times, though.
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I would definitely have some choice words to say to a fast food place that charged me a dine in fee without it being posted or explained that they have that charge.
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I think the option only effects how they package it when they hand it to you. As in, 'is it on a try or in a bag'. It in no way limits where you can eat it. Nor does the choice effect the amount they charge.
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MrMelodramatic posted...

Should you be allowed to change your mind from ''to go'' to ''dine in''?

Sure. If they have the room for you then I don't see the problem. I actually think you could bring more business their way if you eat in.
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I've ordered to go in a fast food restaurant before and changed my mind and eaten there. Nobody cared.

It wasn't a fast food place, but it wasn't a sit-in place where you wait for a table, either. The closest thing can think of is like a Chipotle, except people walk around and will refill your drinks and bring your food to your table.
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Restaurant's a private establishment, your friend was asked to leave and did not comply.

Big fair next
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If they aren't too busy.

If you dine in a fast food place, there's a decent chance they'll type it in as a take-out order anyway. Should you really be expected to leave because the cashier typed in the order wrong?

May not apply specifically to this case, since the person admitted they ordered it to go, but I can't imagine the "order taker didn't put the order in right" sitch has never happened.

Muffinz0rz posted...

Restaurant's a private establishment, your friend was asked to leave and did not comply.

Big fair next

I will never understand these kinds of responses. No one's asking if the restaurant has the legal right to do this. The question is whether the restaurant should do this. And no, they shouldn't.
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Golden Road posted...

The question is whether the restaurant should do this. And no, they shouldn't.

So, what, they should've just bent over and given this cat a table? Which would subsequently push back every reservation and punish those who planned ahead, while subsequently rewarding the poor planning and decision-making of your friend?

Obviously, context is everything. If the restaurant was busy, then yes they should call the cops on him for being a disturbance. If the restaurant was empty, then no they shouldn't have.

That's why I fair nexted it. Because you didn't give enough context.

MrMelodramatic posted...

It's a really popular restaurant and it was during a popular weekend

I literally didn't read the rest of the topic past the OP before making my initial post, and then seeing this only reaffirms the fair next nature of it.
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What restaurant was it?
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It's fine for fast-food...Really you're saving them money on to-go bags..

A sit-down restaurant like applebees or something? I can see the issue. I know that most restaurants don't take reservations anymore, but on a busy weekend they're gonna want to seat people who are dining in since 1) there's a chance they'll spend more money on drinks/desserts and 2) servers can get tipped.

If he paid for the food to-go, then the restaurant already has his money and it's likely that he won't spend anymore. Idk.

LinkPizza posted...

What restaurant was it?

Yeah let us know so we can all never go there.
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Also, somewhat relevant. Some states charge you a dine-in tax.
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Rasmoh posted...

Really stupid practice on their part, but it is their right.

It is actually not

The question is meant to be how you want your food packaged
If you pay, you can stay
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"Dine in" food is taxed where I live, take out isn't. Legally, they can and might be required to kick you out if you don't pay for the tax. Most restaurants don't, but cities like to send cops to test whether businesses are collecting taxes correctly or following correct procedure, maybe that business was targeted

LinkPizza posted...

What restaurant was it?

Local taco place

DirtBasedSoap posted...

Also, somewhat relevant. Some states charge you a dine-in tax.

I dont think thats a thing in Texas.
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MrMelodramatic posted...

LinkPizza posted...

What restaurant was it?

Local taco place

DirtBasedSoap posted...

Also, somewhat relevant. Some states charge you a dine-in tax.

I dont think thats a thing in Texas.

So, is the place more like a fast food joint? Also, I'm in Texas...
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MrMelodramatic posted...

It wasn't a fast food place, but it wasn't a sit-in place where you wait for a table, either. The closest thing can think of is like a Chipotle, except people walk around and will refill your drinks and bring your food to your table.

Are you in the College Station area?
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