You're Told a Bottle of Wine Costs "Thirty-Seven-Fifty"... (1 Viewer)

[massraider]

The somm did verify the wine.

He didn't repeat the price, because no somm would ever do that.

No somm would ever call a $3750 bottle "thirty seven fifty".

umm, OK? Not sure what that has to do with my post.

You said the somm identified the price and he didn't.

No, I didn't say that. I said the somm verified the wine. Which as far as I can tell, he did.

Do I think the somm verified the wine, by walking over sand yelling out, 'Sir! Do you agree to this bottle of SCREAMING EAGLE wine for the ungodly price of THREE THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY AMERICAN DOLLARS?!?!?!'

No, you got me. I don't think he said that. He was obviously in on this fraud.

 

[thayman]

"sommelier"

Ranks right up there with "Feng Shui Expert" and "Diamond Appraiser"

You'd be even more disgusted when you find out how much these guys get paid to drink wine and act pretentious.

You'd be even more shocked to know that a sommelier also knows about beer and spirits. And menus, people skills, dishwashing, etc...we do everything there is help needed in a restaurant

 

[Sebowski]

"sommelier"

Ranks right up there with "Feng Shui Expert" and "Diamond Appraiser"

You'd be even more disgusted when you find out how much these guys get paid to drink wine and act pretentious.

You'd be even more shocked to know that a sommelier also knows about beer and spirits. And menus, people skills, dishwashing, etc...we do everything there is help needed in a restaurant

You are one? If so, that's awesome and good for you. Sounds like one of the best jobs in the world. I just know the ones I've encountered in Vegas make well over six figures. So my comment is more out of jealousy than anything.

I always wondered why Jules can be a pompous ### sometimes. Now I get it. I wonder if that is part of the training.

 

[gianmarco]

I think that's exactly what the server was trying to do.

I don't, only because what server would ever think that wouldn't come back to bite them?

I think the server was trying to pump the bill, recommending a crazy expensive wine, and is pretty much inexcusable.

This doesn't make any sense. A party of 10, who is spending about $60 per person for a total meal cost of about $600 is going to order ONE bottle of wine that costs 6 times that amount?

So are you saying she recommended that bottle of wine thinking they were actually going to say "sure, let's go for it?"? It's nonsense to suggest that bottle of wine for that price as a server when you know they are 100% going to tell you to #### off when you suggest it unless you're trying to somehow mislead them.

So again, I think that's exactly what she tried to do. No one is suggesting a $3750 bottle of wine and expecting a table such as that to say "sure" if they know how much it is.

 

[Rick James]

the patron said he "doesn't know wine" so the sommelier recommends a $4k bottle. hilarious. nothing shady there.

 

[heckmanm]

In fairness:

The guy had the wine list, the server pointed to the wine, and the server and somm both verified the wine.

The server used that phrasing to soften the blow of the price, but I really doubt she was trying to make everyone think it was 37 dollars. Recommending a wine that expensive was the real questionable part.

Not for nothing, you have the wine list, the server points to the wine......customers have the menu for a reason.

There is a fine line between softening the blow and being misleading. A waiter/waitress that has the balls to suggest a $3750 bottle of wine is in all likelihood being misleading. The customer pointed out he could not read the menu, which is why he asked for the price. You can't fall back on that.

If the customer did point out he couldn't read the menu, I totally agree with you.

There's nothing anywhere that says he pointed that out to anyone at the restaurant.

From the original article:

"I asked the waitress if she could recommend something decent because I don't have experience with wine," Lentini said. "She pointed to a bottle on the menu. I didn't have my glasses. I asked how much and she said, 'Thirty-seven fifty.'"

I think you're being deliberately obtuse here.

 

[pantagrapher]

If you're in a place that sells $3,000 bottles of wine, shouldn't you be ordering from the sommelier, not a waitress? And if not, assuming this is a very nice restaurant, what kind of idiot server would make that kind of recommendation to a patron who just said he didn't know much about wine?

 

[Guest]

In fairness:

The guy had the wine list, the server pointed to the wine, and the server and somm both verified the wine.

The server used that phrasing to soften the blow of the price, but I really doubt she was trying to make everyone think it was 37 dollars. Recommending a wine that expensive was the real questionable part.

Not for nothing, you have the wine list, the server points to the wine......customers have the menu for a reason.

I think you're undervaluing the inappropriateness of the recommendation. Inexcusable given the circumstances. Waitress must have felt some dissonance - or else has no radar or felt she got one over. To not use the word "thousand" on top of it all makes this an overt screaming eagle of a situation created by the server.

 

[massraider]

I think that's exactly what the server was trying to do.

I don't, only because what server would ever think that wouldn't come back to bite them?

I think the server was trying to pump the bill, recommending a crazy expensive wine, and is pretty much inexcusable.

This doesn't make any sense. A party of 10, who is spending about $60 per person for a total meal cost of about $600 is going to order ONE bottle of wine that costs 6 times that amount?

So are you saying she recommended that bottle of wine thinking they were actually going to say "sure, let's go for it?"? It's nonsense to suggest that bottle of wine for that price as a server when you know they are 100% going to tell you to #### off when you suggest it unless you're trying to somehow mislead them.

So again, I think that's exactly what she tried to do. No one is suggesting a $3750 bottle of wine and expecting a table such as that to say "sure" if they know how much it is.

Using that line of thinking, no one would ever sell a $3000 bottle of wine. But it happens. And you know what, it probably happens most often at the nicest casino in town.

It's probably not the first time that server has sold that bottle, and whoever bought it, was probably not spending more on food than these people.

 

[massraider]

If you're in a place that sells $3,000 bottles of wine, shouldn't you be ordering from the sommelier, not a waitress? And if not, assuming this is a very nice restaurant, what kind of idiot server would make that kind of recommendation to a patron who just said he didn't know much about wine?

Yes

and

Pretty scummy.

Appears the somm served the wine, after the server sold it.

 

[Guest]

I think that's exactly what the server was trying to do.

I don't, only because what server would ever think that wouldn't come back to bite them?

I think the server was trying to pump the bill, recommending a crazy expensive wine, and is pretty much inexcusable.

This doesn't make any sense. A party of 10, who is spending about $60 per person for a total meal cost of about $600 is going to order ONE bottle of wine that costs 6 times that amount?

So are you saying she recommended that bottle of wine thinking they were actually going to say "sure, let's go for it?"? It's nonsense to suggest that bottle of wine for that price as a server when you know they are 100% going to tell you to #### off when you suggest it unless you're trying to somehow mislead them.

So again, I think that's exactly what she tried to do. No one is suggesting a $3750 bottle of wine and expecting a table such as that to say "sure" if they know how much it is.

Using that line of thinking, no one would ever sell a $3000 bottle of wine. But it happens. And you know what, it probably happens most often at the nicest casino in town.

It's probably not the first time that server has sold that bottle, and whoever bought it, was probably not spending more on food than these people.

I'm guessing the policy for what a server recommends will be changing shortly.

 

[RUSF18]

I think that's exactly what the server was trying to do.

I don't, only because what server would ever think that wouldn't come back to bite them?

I think the server was trying to pump the bill, recommending a crazy expensive wine, and is pretty much inexcusable.

This doesn't make any sense. A party of 10, who is spending about $60 per person for a total meal cost of about $600 is going to order ONE bottle of wine that costs 6 times that amount?

So are you saying she recommended that bottle of wine thinking they were actually going to say "sure, let's go for it?"? It's nonsense to suggest that bottle of wine for that price as a server when you know they are 100% going to tell you to #### off when you suggest it unless you're trying to somehow mislead them.

So again, I think that's exactly what she tried to do. No one is suggesting a $3750 bottle of wine and expecting a table such as that to say "sure" if they know how much it is.

Using that line of thinking, no one would ever sell a $3000 bottle of wine. But it happens. And you know what, it probably happens most often at the nicest casino in town.

It's probably not the first time that server has sold that bottle, and whoever bought it, was probably not spending more on food than these people.

No, using that line of thinking, no one would ever recommend a $3750 bottle of wine. The sale tends to happen when the customer knows what he wants or throws out a "bring me your best bottle".

 

[massraider]

In fairness:

The guy had the wine list, the server pointed to the wine, and the server and somm both verified the wine.

The server used that phrasing to soften the blow of the price, but I really doubt she was trying to make everyone think it was 37 dollars. Recommending a wine that expensive was the real questionable part.

Not for nothing, you have the wine list, the server points to the wine......customers have the menu for a reason.

I think you're undervaluing the inappropriateness of the recommendation. Inexcusable given the circumstances. Waitress must have felt some dissonance - or else has no radar or felt she got one over. To not use the word "thousand" on top of it all makes this an overt screaming eagle of a situation created by the server.

I don't think so. I think the server was completely in the wrong. Which I said. Repeatedly.

I also think she possibly thought the guy holding the menu, on which she pointed out the wine, might have a little responsibility.

 

[Thunderlips]

This waiter gets it....he mentions the actual price. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLUiK2lbN2s

 

[pantagrapher]

If you're in a place that sells $3,000 bottles of wine, shouldn't you be ordering from the sommelier, not a waitress? And if not, assuming this is a very nice restaurant, what kind of idiot server would make that kind of recommendation to a patron who just said he didn't know much about wine?

Yes

and

Pretty scummy.

Appears the somm served the wine, after the server sold it.

The restaurant should apologize and they should both be reprimanded, possibly canned.

 

[massraider]

No, using that line of thinking, no one would ever recommend a $3750 bottle of wine. The sale tends to happen when the customer knows what he wants or throws out a "bring me your best bottle".

I worked at a nicer restaurant than this. We were taught to make recommendations in multiple price ranges. Generally while pointing at the list. something under $100, something between $100 and let's say $250, and something big.

There were servers that always recommended the biggest wines on the list. They didn't wait for a customer to yell out, "Bring me your most expensive bottle of wine!"

It's kind of predatory, and the place I worked wasn't a flashy steak house, the clientele were much less showy, so I never, ever did that. I also never sold the big wines. The guys that recommended the big wines did. Without incident. So, in a lot of situations, they made the right call.

Look, it's shady to make a recommendation like this if you don't get the sense that the table a bunch of ballers on a corporate AMEX. Not saying that it isn't.

But it's not unheard of, and steak houses, at casinos? Yeah, they sell huge wines all the time.

 

[massraider]

If you're in a place that sells $3,000 bottles of wine, shouldn't you be ordering from the sommelier, not a waitress? And if not, assuming this is a very nice restaurant, what kind of idiot server would make that kind of recommendation to a patron who just said he didn't know much about wine?

Yes

and

Pretty scummy.

Appears the somm served the wine, after the server sold it.

The restaurant should apologize and they should both be reprimanded, possibly canned.

Just the negative publicity, the restaurant should have eaten the wine, and walked away. It has already cost them a lot more than that in meals that won't happen there because of what happened.

 

[sbonomo]

I ate at Bobby Flays for my 10 yr wedding anniversary. The wife and I decided to splurge and order a bottle of wine (we never do). The sommelier recommended a $40 1/2 bottle and for some dumb reason we agreed. I was beating myself up about the decision. I cant imagine $3750. lmao. Anyway, the wine was pretty good and then when we were done in the restaurant my wife hit a $5000 jackpot on her first machine!

this is what a good host should so. Allow you to taste a decent bottle of wine that fits you budget.

 

[jon_mx]

Meanwhile, Mr. Flay is busy trying to come up with a name for his new restaurant in Louisville. May I recommend Swindler's List?

 

[Mr. Cross]

This is what happens when traditional values are not taught. A women can not even be a good waitress these days.

 

[cstu]

Meanwhile, Mr. Flay is busy trying to come up with a name for his new restaurant in Louisville. May I recommend Swindler's List?

An error occurredYou have reached your quota of positive votes for the day

 

[Insein]

Was the server the

 

[cstu]

"sommelier"

Ranks right up there with "Feng Shui Expert" and "Diamond Appraiser"

You'd be even more disgusted when you find out how much these guys get paid to drink wine and act pretentious.

You'd be even more shocked to know that a sommelier also knows about beer and spirits. And menus, people skills, dishwashing, etc...we do everything there is help needed in a restaurant

You are one? If so, that's awesome and good for you. Sounds like one of the best jobs in the world. I just know the ones I've encountered in Vegas make well over six figures. So my comment is more out of jealousy than anything.

I always wondered why Jules can be a pompous ### sometimes. Now I get it. I wonder if that is part of the training.

Sommelier

 

[HellToupee]

I'm holding judgement until Bobby weighs in

 

[jon_mx]

I'm holding judgement until Bobby weighs in

In today's age, it is surprising he has not yet.

 

[avoiding injuries]

The quote from the story is paraphrased. We don't know if he told the waitress he couldn't see without his glasses or not. But minus a dog, cane and black sunglasses, she should have known that he couldn't make out the menu based on the questions.

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

Shark move is for Screaming Eagle to pay for the bottle but the guy stuck with the bill probably ruined that chance by not talking up the quality of the wine.

 

[Don Quixote]

Shark move is for Screaming Eagle to pay for the bottle but the guy stuck with the bill probably ruined that chance by not talking up the quality of the wine.

Screaming Eagle has a waiting list thousands of names long. There's not really a benefit for them to pay.

 

[RBM]

Who got the cheese steak?

 

[HellToupee]

Shark move is for Screaming Eagle to pay for the bottle but the guy stuck with the bill probably ruined that chance by not talking up the quality of the wine.

Screaming Eagle has a waiting list thousands of names long. There's not really a benefit for them to pay.

and it was wasted on these rubes

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

I asked how much a shot of Clase Azul reposado was last night and the server said "Fourteen."

I understand that restaurants have to make money somehow, but $1,400 for a shot of tequila is absurd. Something like $14 would be a lot more reasonable. (That'd be [SIZE=14.4444446563721px]"zero point one four" in restaurant-speak, I suppose.)[/SIZE]

 

[General Malaise]

I'd love for them to take this to Judge Judy.

Me too.

 

[General Malaise]

Meanwhile, Mr. Flay is busy trying to come up with a name for his new restaurant in Louisville. May I recommend Swindler's List?

Did you come up with that?

 

[General Malaise]

This is what happens when traditional values are not taught. A women can not even be a good waitress these days.

A women, huh?

 

[jon_mx]

Meanwhile, Mr. Flay is busy trying to come up with a name for his new restaurant in Louisville. May I recommend Swindler's List?

Did you come up with that?

Yes....an FBG original and exlusive.

 

[General Malaise]

Meanwhile, Mr. Flay is busy trying to come up with a name for his new restaurant in Louisville. May I recommend Swindler's List?

Did you come up with that?

Yes....an FBG original and exlusive.

Well then sir....bravo.

 

[culdeus]

I'm stunned he hasn't sent something out through his PR people. If nothing else, distancing from the whole affair.

 

[jon_mx]

I'm stunned he hasn't sent something out through his PR people. If nothing else, distancing from the whole affair.

At this point I think they just hope it goes away. Not sure that is the right play. I could see a small claims case in the future.

 

[RUSF18]

I'm stunned he hasn't sent something out through his PR people. If nothing else, distancing from the whole affair.

They're doubling down.

http://blog.northjersey.com/meadowlandsmatters/10063/borgata-patron-thinks-the-bottle-of-wine-costs-37-50-casino-says-no-its-3750/

[SIZE=12pt]UPDATE:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I spoke at length today with Joe Lupo, a spokesman for Borgata, to get their side of the story. Which is:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]- The casino did a “thorough investigation” that involved interviews with the server, the sommelier, and security video from this dinner.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]- The key walkaway for me is that the casino is saying that rather than just an innocent “heck, pick a bottle out for me,” leading to the $3,750 vs $37.50 issue, the man ordering the wine “multiple times told the server, ‘I want the best.’” If true, that undercuts the entire tale. Unfortunately the video does not include audio, so we may never know for sure. Still, Borgata says that the tape backs up the server’s story that the waitress pointed to the price.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]- Lupo said he believes that “there was a misunderstanding between the customer ordering the wine and the customer paying the bill.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]- It is somewhat curious that the customer who was to pay the bill confirmed the price is not the one complaining in the article, and that the buyer also confirmed that he knew the price during dinner, not only when the check came. On the other hand, the buyer notes that with the bottle opened and perhaps empty when he found out, he said there was nothing to be done at that point.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]- The customer who ordered the bottle, his wife, and a friend all expressed shock at the bill. The one element that can’t be reconciled by an honest misunderstanding is the issue of the order-er himself: either he insisted on “the best,” or he didn’t. Wait, maybe there is one possibility: The customer thought a decent bottle was $10 and “the best” was $37.50. Maybe at a cheap liquor store, but not at a restaurant. Still, the man who ordered claimed he knows very little about wine, so….[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]- The Borgata offer to cut the bottle price to $2,200 was paid “three way” among those at the business dinner, Lupo said. So the issue was resolved until the man who ordered went to the media, apparently. That’s relevant because a) Borgata accepted $1,500 less than the menu price; and b) the burden of proving a claim is on the bill-payers – who are not the ones in the story.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]- Lupo says that if a customer was hit with a markup of thousands of dollars beyond expectations, “we’d have a problem 100 times out of 100. How would we not expect it to be a problem?”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]- Is it possible that this is a case of the buyer’s remorse? Or that the server pointed to the $3,750 price, and a middle-aged man ordering it couldn’t read it? Like everything else in this tale, it’s just not clear.[/SIZE]

 

[johnnycakes]

So now we have the rest of the story.

"I'll have the best!"

"That'll be $37.50."

"Sounds about right."

 

[Quint]

FWIW, 2011 was a pretty shaky vintage in Napa. that '11 Screagle got low 90s from Parker...definitely not worth 5x markup from retail.

 

[Jayrok]

So now we have the rest of the story.

"I'll have the best!"

"That'll be $37.50."

"Sounds about right."

"No, sir.. that'll be $37 hundred fifty."

"Whatever, I'm not paying the bill... wench! Bring us the best grog you can muster... chop chop!"

 

[jonessed]

I'm stunned he hasn't sent something out through his PR people. If nothing else, distancing from the whole affair.

They're doubling down.

http://blog.northjersey.com/meadowlandsmatters/10063/borgata-patron-thinks-the-bottle-of-wine-costs-37-50-casino-says-no-its-3750/

UPDATE:

I spoke at length today with Joe Lupo, a spokesman for Borgata, to get their side of the story. Which is:

- The casino did a thorough investigation that involved interviews with the server, the sommelier, and security video from this dinner.

- The key walkaway for me is that the casino is saying that rather than just an innocent heck, pick a bottle out for me, leading to the $3,750 vs $37.50 issue, the man ordering the wine multiple times told the server, I want the best. If true, that undercuts the entire tale. Unfortunately the video does not include audio, so we may never know for sure. Still, Borgata says that the tape backs up the servers story that the waitress pointed to the price.

- Lupo said he believes that there was a misunderstanding between the customer ordering the wine and the customer paying the bill.

- It is somewhat curious that the customer who was to pay the bill confirmed the price is not the one complaining in the article, and that the buyer also confirmed that he knew the price during dinner, not only when the check came. On the other hand, the buyer notes that with the bottle opened and perhaps empty when he found out, he said there was nothing to be done at that point.

- The customer who ordered the bottle, his wife, and a friend all expressed shock at the bill. The one element that cant be reconciled by an honest misunderstanding is the issue of the order-er himself: either he insisted on the best, or he didnt. Wait, maybe there is one possibility: The customer thought a decent bottle was $10 and the best was $37.50. Maybe at a cheap liquor store, but not at a restaurant. Still, the man who ordered claimed he knows very little about wine, so.

- The Borgata offer to cut the bottle price to $2,200 was paid three way among those at the business dinner, Lupo said. So the issue was resolved until the man who ordered went to the media, apparently. Thats relevant because a) Borgata accepted $1,500 less than the menu price; and b) the burden of proving a claim is on the bill-payers who are not the ones in the story.

- Lupo says that if a customer was hit with a markup of thousands of dollars beyond expectations, wed have a problem 100 times out of 100. How would we not expect it to be a problem?

- Is it possible that this is a case of the buyers remorse? Or that the server pointed to the $3,750 price, and a middle-aged man ordering it couldnt read it? Like everything else in this tale, its just not clear.

They need to get some PR help quickly. This is just going to get bigger. This kind of media attention is not worth $2K.

 

[sbonomo]

Shark move is for Screaming Eagle to pay for the bottle but the guy stuck with the bill probably ruined that chance by not talking up the quality of the wine.

Screaming Eagle has a waiting list thousands of names long. There's not really a benefit for them to pay.

I am wine drinker that has had some of the best vintages/labels in the world. I have only seen this bottle one time (oddly enough in the staple center where they poured 1.5 oz for $60 which i paid). There is no way the are paying for this.....

 

[jon_mx]

If the guy really asked for the best, it at least justifies the watress's recommendation. Still kind of shifty at how he/she explained the price, but at least the waitress/waiter has a plausible reason besides being a total shyster.

 

[Sinn Fein]

If you have to ask how expensive it is, you can't afford it.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

If you have to ask how expensive it is, you can't afford it.

And if you can't clearly tell someone how much something costs, you shouldn't be selling it.

 

[Sinn Fein]

If you have to ask how expensive it is, you can't afford it.

And if you can't clearly tell someone how much something costs, you shouldn't be selling it.

Did she lie about the price? Did it not cost 3750? Did she say 37 and 50, thus indicating a decimal point? If the customer was unclear on the price, he should have asked for clarification.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

If you have to ask how expensive it is, you can't afford it.

This makes no sense at all.

"How much is that bottle of wine?"

"$15"

"I can afford that. I'll take it."

 

[Leroy Hoard]

If you have to ask how expensive it is, you can't afford it.

And if you can't clearly tell someone how much something costs, you shouldn't be selling it.

Did she lie about the price? Did it not cost 3750? Did she say 37 and 50, thus indicating a decimal point? If the customer was unclear on the price, he should have asked for clarification.

According to you they should have known that the guy couldn't afford it.