Can I start by saying that leaving such a negative review is not something I take any pleasure in whatsoever, but I feel i have to share my awful experience to forewarn others. So….having not heard back from 2 other restaurants re our works Christmas meal, I decided on San Marino’s (we had been last year for our Xmas meal, and despite one incident, it had been a relatively good night). I was asked to confirm numbers, pay a £10 deposit per person and told that the deposits would be deducted from the bill for those that attended, but if someone didn’t come, their deposit would be lost rather than go towards the bill. I called in advance to ensure they were open and was told I had to pay cash. All good so far… I popped in after visiting a cashpoint, paid £80, received a receipt, and left. So we attended on Friday 23rd December; there were only 7 of us instead of the planned 8 due to sickness. We ordered, had truly beautiful food and were served by a lovely waitress. I left early, tired having been at work all day and left the deposit receipt and some extra cash for the bill with my work buddies. The next morning I received a call from one of them informing me that the restaurant didn’t ‘accept’ the deposit receipt and told my friends I hadn’t paid any deposit.. they claimed I had left my card details and unless they all paid the full amount they would bill my card instead. They felt bullied and scared for me being billed so paid and took all the receipts away. I honestly hope none of them thought what the restaurant said was true and that I hadn’t paid the deposit money they had given me. Basically San Marino’s told them I’d lied to them! I was furious. It was Christmas Eve, I thought everyone had had a wonderful night after working so very hard all year and now all of this!!! I went straight to the restaurant for some answers. I knocked on window as they were closed but I could see staff were there. A lady came to the door and I told her why I was there. I started by telling her I was very angry and explained what I had been told unfolded the previous evening. She did say she wasn’t there to be shouted at on Christmas Eve, to which I apologised but said that I also didn’t want to be there on Christmas Eve trying to sort all of this out (tbh I was proud of myself for not resorting to swearing considering the circumstances)!! The friend who called me sent me screenshots of the bill and my deposit receipt which I showed her. A man then came to the door and said it was him they spoke with last night. Remember I mentioned a previous incident last year.. this too related to this man.. he served me a meal I hadn’t ordered and insisted I’d made a mistake and wouldn’t change it.. I have extremely strict dietary needs and knew perfectly well what I had ordered and really didn’t appreciate being argued with about it! Ok… so he said my friends never showed him the receipt and if they would have, he would have deducted it from the bill accordingly. My friends have said they gave the receipt to the waitress who took it away.. he then returned with it and said I hadn’t paid despite it clearing saying in black and white I had. I don’t know who this man is..a manager, front of house, whatever.. he has caused a huge upset twice now, he had lied to my face and apparently was really rude on the night at the time. They gave me the deposit back in cash. They could never have billed my card as they never took the details insisting I paid cash! As for trying to say he hadn’t been shown the receipt, who do you think I’m going to believe.. him…some man who seems to want to cause drama, upset ppl and lie or an NHS specialist cancer nurse of 40 years that I work with day in day out and I am proud to call a dear friend???
So, yes I raised my voice, but I would like to think anyone could see why I was annoyed and I immediately apologised once it was pointed out… however, not a single apology did I receive from them!
The food was amazing, the restaurant and atmosphere were fab.. sadly all of this was then ruined by the actions of one person. Shame on him! He knows who he is. If he’s in charge then I can’t begin to imagine how many complaints they must get, if he’s not, get him out! He will destroy the business with an attitude and lack of respect or regard for his customers that has been demonstrated to us!