Burger joint. "gourmet" burger place so a step up from McDonalds but it's not like you're getting steak on a bun.
Sunday is kids eat free day, so cheap friend takes wife + 2 kids. They ring through the whole order, kids are free and the adults were getting an advertised deal. NOPE. Cash girl talks to manager and they can't do the advertised deal (which is essentially $3 off a combo for each adult). Friend says fine ring it back through and do the kids free. Better to have two kids combos free than to have the adults with $3 off per meal.
When they bring out the food, they mention they forgot to bill the 2nd adult fries/drink. They only charged for the burger and the difference is about $3 plus tax. Friend asks to see itemized receipt and it all checks out.
Friend ends up talking to manager who was going to fix it and says "for $3 plus tax on an error your cash made normally a restaurant would just eat that cost". Manager says well we didn't bill you for the drink or fries...BUT if you give us back the drink (an unopened bottle of water) we'll just forget the $3 and you can keep the fries since we made them.
So full list of options
-pay the $3 + tax
-give the drink back and get nothing
-argue more and possibly get the bottle of water free too
-Should he also follow it up with a call or letter to the restaurant letting them know the full situation?
-LOL about giving back a water. Even if it's unopened, what if kids wipe their filthy hands on it?
I side with my friend who gave back the water and didn't pay the $3. But should he have really paid the $3+tax?
What would you do in this situation? AND the real question is What Would Dan Druff Do?