Bar overcharged me - won dispute with CC - what happened to vendor?

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
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few weeks ago i went to a bar

started a tab, got about 4 drinks

first 2 purchases were fine. after that, got horrendous, profanely bad service. after finally getting my drink i asked for check to gtfo.

tab should have been about 15 or 16 dollars, but it showed only 11, and i signed for 0 tips and 11 total.

credit card statement shows charges of 36$. i called citibank to dispute and they granted instant dispute resolution in my favor.



now all of this is really inconsequential to me, to citibank, to bar, and to bartender. im curious how the process works, though -- will they recharge the bar or did they just credit me on their behalf because it saves complication of ACTUAL dispute ?
 

crystal

Platinum Member
Nov 5, 1999
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Bank takes money from the merchant and you will have something extra from the bartender. :p
 

Stojakapimp

Platinum Member
Jun 28, 2002
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Do bars normally agree with it as well? Like couldn't I just do this all the time then? Like maybe only dispute a couple bucks here and there so they don't catch on. Wouldn't this be possible?
 

D1gger

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,411
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Credit card company simply charges the costs back to the bar. If the bar then does come up with a valid signed credit card slip then the charge will re-appear on your statement.
 

randay

Lifer
May 30, 2006
11,018
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bar loses the money and your business and anyone elses business. please name and shame :)
 

bignateyk

Lifer
Apr 22, 2002
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Was the bar crowded? In state college, the bars are pretty much wall to wall people on the weekends, so you get terrible service since so many people are trying to order. If you have a tab open, normally they will give you a couple drinks for free as an apology for their slow service (so that you will still give said bartender a tip)

If this happens, I will normally tip close to the amount of the free drinks because I know its not the bartenders fault it is so busy.

But they had no right to overcharge you.. sounds like the bartender was pissed you didnt tip him, and added one in for you.
 

Thorny

Golden Member
May 8, 2005
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Originally posted by: D1gger
Credit card company simply charges the costs back to the bar. If the bar then does come up with a valid signed credit card slip then the charge will re-appear on your statement.


QFT. If the bar can't provide that signed slip, they are SOL
 

randay

Lifer
May 30, 2006
11,018
216
106
Originally posted by: Stojakapimp
Do bars normally agree with it as well? Like couldn't I just do this all the time then? Like maybe only dispute a couple bucks here and there so they don't catch on. Wouldn't this be possible?

credit card fraud.
 

oogabooga

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2003
7,806
3
81
Originally posted by: D1gger
Credit card company simply charges the costs back to the bar. If the bar then does come up with a valid signed credit card slip then the charge will re-appear on your statement.

Pretty much -> they can garner proof you signed off on the purchase amount and that the card was swipped via a card swipper or there is sufficient proof they saw the card/were authorized to charge it you will get charged back.

I'm pretty sure that it is 1) stupid 2) illegal to contest a charge you know is valid.
 

Ktulu

Diamond Member
Dec 16, 2000
4,354
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Originally posted by: randay
please name and shame :)

seriously, I don't live any where near Texas but a place like that shouldn't be in business.

 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
5,858
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Originally posted by: SonnyDaze
Bar overcharged me - won dispute with CC - what happened to vendor?

Who gives a sh|t about the bar. You got your money back.

"now all of this is really inconsequential to me, to citibank, to bar, and to bartender. im curious how the process works, though"

Originally posted by: randay
bar loses the money and your business and anyone elses business. please name and shame :)

continental club in downtown Houston. i wouldnt boycott the place--seems like a nice joint...but bad bartender on bad day.


Originally posted by: bignateyk
Was the bar crowded? In state college, the bars are pretty much wall to wall people on the weekends, so you get terrible service since so many people are trying to order. If you have a tab open, normally they will give you a couple drinks for free as an apology for their slow service (so that you will still give said bartender a tip)
i took that into account. in the context, it was still flagrantly bad

 

bignateyk

Lifer
Apr 22, 2002
11,288
7
0
Originally posted by: Ktulu
Originally posted by: randay
please name and shame :)

seriously, I don't live any where near Texas but a place like that shouldn't be in business.

I'm sure the place is just fine. It was obviously just one bartender who was pissed about not getting a tip, and added one in for him/herself.

What were the circumstances? Was the bartender rude to you? Was it just slow service? Like I said before, the bartender was most likely trying to make up for the poor service by giving you a few free drinks.
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: D1gger
Credit card company simply charges the costs back to the bar. If the bar then does come up with a valid signed credit card slip then the charge will re-appear on your statement.

Figures... but I've done a dispute with citibank before, and they issued a "temporary credit" while they 'investigate' the dispute.

In this case, since they granted an instant resolution in my favor, seems like they forfeit a chance to recharge ??
 

yowolabi

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
4,183
2
81
Originally posted by: LS20
Originally posted by: D1gger
Credit card company simply charges the costs back to the bar. If the bar then does come up with a valid signed credit card slip then the charge will re-appear on your statement.

Figures... but I've done a dispute with citibank before, and they issued a "temporary credit" while they 'investigate' the dispute.

In this case, since they granted an instant resolution in my favor, seems like they forfeit a chance to recharge ??

If the bar can come up with a signed slip for the amount they charged you, I guarantee that you can be recharged.
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
5,858
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Originally posted by: bignateyk

What were the circumstances? Was the bartender rude to you? Was it just slow service? Like I said before, the bartender was most likely trying to make up for the poor service by giving you a few free drinks.

NOT busy college bar. standard laid back small venue.
first 2 drinks were served timely.

i was ignored trying to get 3rd drink. i made eye contact multiple times with server. kept passing me by. put my hand out for a while, too. finally received a hands-up 'yeah-i-see-you' confirmation, but still got passed on for another 5 minutes. (friends teased about how i couldnt get any service)

next drink i got from a different bartender. but tab was started by the first one so i decided not to tip on that tab
 

James Bond

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: Stojakapimp
Do bars normally agree with it as well? Like couldn't I just do this all the time then? Like maybe only dispute a couple bucks here and there so they don't catch on. Wouldn't this be possible?

It's not a special agreement that bars and banks have. If a merchant (bar) is using the banks services (credit cards, etc), then the bank is in control to do what they wish.

In the case of a chargeback, the bank will investigate what happened, get documentation from the merchant, and "get to the bottom of it". Keep in mind that they reimburse the customer right off that bat for appeasement purposes, then snatch it back if the customer was wrong/lying.
Since it is just a bar, the bar will probably just hand over the money to the bank (since the customer now has the banks $36), rather than jump through hoops trying to prove that they really were owned that amount.
 

Thorny

Golden Member
May 8, 2005
1,122
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Originally posted by: Tizyler
Originally posted by: Stojakapimp
Do bars normally agree with it as well? Like couldn't I just do this all the time then? Like maybe only dispute a couple bucks here and there so they don't catch on. Wouldn't this be possible?

It's not a special agreement that bars and banks have. If a merchant (bar) is using the banks services (credit cards, etc), then the bank is in control to do what they wish.

In the case of a chargeback, the bank will investigate what happened, get documentation from the merchant, and "get to the bottom of it". Keep in mind that they reimburse the customer right off that bat for appeasement purposes, then snatch it back if the customer was wrong/lying.
Since it is just a bar, the bar will probably just hand over the money to the bank (since the customer now has the banks $36), rather than jump through hoops trying to prove that they really were owned that amount.


Acually, the bar won't have a chance to hand it over, the bank will take it from them. Plus, the bar may never even know thanks to the statements being so frikkin complicated, you can get a chargeback mixed in with your fees and not even realize it.
 

Kappo

Platinum Member
Aug 18, 2000
2,381
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If you split the tab (or even have other people at the table and they split it at the end) sometimes they do a charge for the whole amount and then charge back the amount you werent supposed to pay.

Some of the Aloha POS systems from IBM and a few of the NCR ones do it like that. Its stupid, but it just locks that amount until they confirm that they have recieved payment from another source (ie - the other person paid cash, once that goes into deposit for them in the POS system it sends and auto un-charge).