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TGI Friday’s sued over drinks menu
A man charged $10.39 for a mixed drink at TGI Friday’s is suing the chain, claiming it deliberately failed to print the price of drinks on its menu to trick customers into paying more.
TGI Friday’s is accused of deliberately failing to print the cost of drinks on its menu
Michael Grace of New Jersey was charged a “staggering” $10.39 for a mixed drink at a New Jersey TGI Friday’s in September, a drink he said was offered for sale without a price.
In a complaint filed with the District Court of New Jersey, Grace claims that by failing to print the cost of the drink on its menu the chain is encouraging impulse purchases.
This, he claims, is allowing the chain to charge “slightly excessive prices on some drinks without losing sales” while “charging grossly excessive prices on other drinks,” according to court documents.
It accuses TGI Friday’s of “‘menu engineering’ – the deliberate and strategic construction of menus to exploit consumer psychology and manipulate customer perceptions”, claiming that Fridays is also “charging different prices for the same beverage depending on where in the restaurant the beverage is ordered.”
Marketing drinks without making its cost clear on its menu, the complaint claims, is a violation of the state’s Consumer Fraud Act.
It goes on to claim that anyone that has purchased a beer, soda or mixed drink from a New Jersey TGI Fridays from 14 July 2014 onwards is entitled to a $100 civil penalty, per drink purchased.
If successful, the case could prompt payouts of more than $5 million. However the Texas-based chain has denied the allegations and said it would “vigorously defend these allegations.”
A statement released by the chain said it was “committed to delivering a great experience to every guest at fair and competitive prices”.
Menus that fail to include the price for any item, food or beverage, are an indication that you are in the wrong restaurant.
I hope that this gentleman receives every penny entitled to him from his lawsuit and that restaurants everywhere will get their act together
Could he not have asked for the drink’s price? TGI Friday’s is hardly a restaurant with enough repute to print a menu without price listings, but… if I were in that same situation, I think I would have just asked for the drink’s price.
Most of the servers in these restaurants don’t know the drink prices when they are asked.
When I’m given a menu w/no prices I just don’t buy. I automatically feel that I’m not going to get any honesty, so I withhold my business. I also think it’s lazy. A big chain has the money to custom print menus at an individual location – they’re just not. Additionally, this practice closes out locally produced products. Only the big guys can get on the menu.
If they can list their calories, they certainly can list their prices.
Just ask the price, it’s that easy liquor distributors change the price all the time. I get it, the only thing that is strange to me is that they charge different prices in different areas of the restaurant. I think that is a lame way to get a bump on the bottom line.