Just venting a bit here. I took my mom out for Mother's Day dinner to Red Lobster on Friday night along with my girlfriend. It's not my first choice, and certainly won't be my next choice for a dinner out. She likes it though and it made her happy. Anyways, for the three of us the bill was $160 +/-, about $185ish after tip. (I should have went to a nice restaurant for that cost, not an overpriced chain joint) Anyways, the problem isn't really with the price, I mostly expected it, but with their billing practices.
Currently my checking account shows 2 charges for the original cost of about $160 instead of a single charge of the $185ish. This is a load of crap. The charges are still pending, but my (checking) account balance is $140 less than it should be. Supposedly it will change from the double charge to the single corrected charge after it goes from pending to posted, but what gives them the right to hold double the cost of the dinner until then? It's already Monday morning and it is still holding the extra funds? What if I need that money for bills, gas, etc.
I've called both the bank and Red Lobster to dispute the double charge. Bank is on it but says it could take a while. RL is sticking to their story that it will fix itself, I still think it's bullshit. This can't be standard practice, I eat out a lot and have never noted a double charge just to effect a tip on a bill paid with credit (debit visa in my case). Maybe it's time to get a credit card for such transactions, but I hate to have one as I have zero debt currently and don't completely trust myself to pay it off every month.
Currently my checking account shows 2 charges for the original cost of about $160 instead of a single charge of the $185ish. This is a load of crap. The charges are still pending, but my (checking) account balance is $140 less than it should be. Supposedly it will change from the double charge to the single corrected charge after it goes from pending to posted, but what gives them the right to hold double the cost of the dinner until then? It's already Monday morning and it is still holding the extra funds? What if I need that money for bills, gas, etc.
I've called both the bank and Red Lobster to dispute the double charge. Bank is on it but says it could take a while. RL is sticking to their story that it will fix itself, I still think it's bullshit. This can't be standard practice, I eat out a lot and have never noted a double charge just to effect a tip on a bill paid with credit (debit visa in my case). Maybe it's time to get a credit card for such transactions, but I hate to have one as I have zero debt currently and don't completely trust myself to pay it off every month.
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