Restaurant ripoff?

[Jerry D Mead]

Hi, Lisa...why on earth would you lurk with this easy-going bunch? Welcome aboard...XXXXOOOOOOO

Well, you're forcing me to write a long answer. This happened about ten or twelve years ago at a well-known chain hotel near San Francisco Airport. My offices used to be nearby and as my secretary had worked way late that evening, I offered to drive her home and along the way, I realized I was hungry and she probably was too...the hotel was the first place to eat that we came to.

No one knew me from Adam...I had never been in this hotel before. Our enthusiastic waiter was with us in a flash with menus, his name, a wine card and offers of cocktails.

I ordered a bottle of red wine and from the by-the-class-selection two glasses of Korbel Natural.

Once again our guy was back in a flash with the two flutes and the bottle of red. While he was opening the red I sniffed the bubbly...I knew without tasting that this was not Natural. It wasn't Asti, but it did contain some Muscat, had bubbles the size of basketballs and one sip said a dosage at the high end of the Extra Dry range or higher.

I made no accusations. I only asked a question: "May I see the bottle from which this glass was poured?"

Our waiter started immediately asking if there was a problem and could he bring me something different. I said, No, I'd just like to see the the bottle from which this was poured.

He tried to take the champagne away, but I wouldn't let him, firmly insisting I only wanted to see the bottle.

Previously a speed demon...rushing back to us in one flash after another...I'd say 15 minutes passed this time with no one coming back to the table.

Then a "suit" showed up, who identified himself as an "Assistant Manager." He also wanted to know if there was a problem with our drinks and if he could bring something else. (By this time surrounding tables were watching and eavesdropping intently.) I again insisted no problem...I just wanted to see the bottle.

He was obviously uncomfortable but still wouldn't fess up and kept insisting on knowing what was wrong.

I finally said: "To tell you the truth, I don't think I received the Korbel Natural I ordered and I want to see the bottle to see if you mis-poured my order, or if Korbel has dramatically changed its style."

At about this point he figured out who I was...I think he had seen me at some trade tasting or other...and asked if I was Jerry Mead.

At this point he went into a song and dance about being in the midst of a wine list change and the new wines and list weren't in yet, but that they were sold out of several items on the old list...and that Korbel was one they were out of and that the bartender had substituted something of equal value, acknowledging that he shouldn't have done so without asking. He then offered me a full bottle of Clicquot or some such as an apology...which I accepted...but not before asking what the "substitution of equal value was."

He mumbled something I couldn't understand. I made him repeat it. "JFJ," he said...the $4 a bottle bubbly they poured for Sunday Brunch.

To the amusement of the other patrons, I howled aloud and expounded on the price differences of the two wines.

The following morning I had a call waiting for me from the General Manager...who swore that was not hotel policy, that the bartender who had made the substitution had been severely repremanded and that no similar thing would ever happen again.

I still wrote about the occurrence (without naming the hotel in print...but saying if I ever had similar complaints about them that I would...and offering to name them to anyone who would send and s.a.s.e.). And I didn't stop there. I called Gary Heck at Korbel...and the head of Korbel's marketing at Brown-Forman and the local wholesaler...all the next day.

Oh! And I reminded the manager that brand-switching is a violation of the California ABC act, and that if there was a next time I would turn them into the ABC as well as naming them in print.

In fact, most states have laws against brand switching, though often they were written with spirits in mind (to prevent bars from refilling premium brand bottles with bar brands and private labels...or giving you Old Overshoe when you ordered Jim Beam), but usually cover wine as well. And the threat of reporting someone to the local ABC is something they do not want to hear.

But the other guys gave you the best advice of all...call for the manager or owner...and if they're not present, get their names and let the folks who are there know that you'll be calling back.

Fred Dame's next column in The Wine Trader has a similar theme...the sad practice of untrained waitstaff bringing wines to the table already opened. It's an invitation to abuse, though usually it just indicates incompetence.

The Long-winded Curmudgeon