Restaurant Owner Calls Man Pathetic For Disputing A Cancellation Fee After Missing A Reservation While In The Hospital
It is not the restaurant owner's first time giving a customer a piece of her mind.
JLco Julia Amaral / Shutterstock A fiery exchange between a restaurant owner and a customer has taken social media by storm. After the customer had to cancel his reservation at the restaurant for health reasons, he received a scathing message from the restaurant owner over a month later which pretty much solidified his decision that he would never re-book with them.
Now, the restaurant owner is facing backlash, with some customers vowing that they will not be dining there again.
The restaurant owner called a man ‘pathetic’ after he disputed the cancellation fee for missing a reservation when he was in the hospital.
After Trevor Chauvin-DeCaro fell ill and ended up in the hospital last month, he had no choice but to cancel his trip to Boston, along with his train tickets, hotel, and dining reservations.
One of his canceled reservations was at a restaurant called Table, which is located in Boston’s North End. As per the app Resy, which Table uses to take reservations, if customers need to cancel they must do so at least 72 hours in advance. Cancellations made anytime afterward or no-shows are charged full price at $125 per person.
Since Chauvin-DeCaro could not cancel the reservation so far in advance, he used his credit card’s travel insurance to get reimbursed for the $250. He would later discover that his decision was not approved by the restaurant’s owner.
On February 22, Chauvin-DeCarp received a direct message on Instagram from Table owner, Jen Royle. “I just wanted to personally thank you for screwing over my restaurant and my staff when you disputed your cancellation fee,” the jarring message read.
“I really hope in the future you have more respect for restaurants, especially small businesses such as mine. Pathetic.”
Despite his shock, Chauvin-DeCaro took the opportunity to craft a lengthy response back to Royle explaining why he disputed the charges, and it was certainly not to screw anyone over. “WOW. My stomach turns with the gross decision to search for, find, and direct message a customer like this. Despite that shock, I hope the following message finds you well,” he began.
While acknowledging the challenges that small businesses encounter, Chauvin-DeCaro claimed that his decision was not intended to make their lives more difficult. “It is crucial to note that the cancellation was due to unforeseen circumstances, specifically hospitalization, which falls under the protection of my travel insurance,” he wrote.
“This was not a matter of disrespect or disregard for your business but a legitimate use of my customer rights under exceptional circumstances of finding myself in the ER.”
Chauvin-DeCaro claimed that his husband did in fact call the restaurant on the day of their reservation to alert them over the phone of why they had to cancel in an attempt to avoid being charged, but he was allegedly told that it was out of the restaurant’s control and to take it up with his credit card company if he was so “butt hurt.”
Chauvin-DeCaro said that after his interaction with Royle, he will not be booking a reservation at Table on his rescheduled trip to Boston.
“The decision to reach out to a customer with such a scolding and disparaging message is, frankly, astounding,” he wrote. “Such actions not only damage the rapport you have with your patrons but also reflect poorly on your establishment’s professionalism and customer service ethos.”
Moving forward, Chauvin-DeCaro hopes that Royle learns from the experience, and considers a more empathetic approach toward customers she may disagree with.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter. I wish you, and particularly your staff, all the best. Have the day you deserve.”
Unfortunately, Royle did not appreciate Chauvin-DeCaro’s message.
“First of all, you are not a customer. Second, when people have a sensitive excuse they reach out to a restaurant and cancel via phone to have a mature professional conversation instead of DISPUTING THEIR CREDIT CARD CHARGE which is hurtful to any business and their staff,” she replied.
“I’m embarrassed you don’t get it. Again, I truly hope you have more respect for restaurants in the future.”
Again, Chauvin-DeCaro explained that his husband did call the restaurant while he was in the ER to let them know over the phone, and repeated his rights to use his travel insurance for such reasons to dispute the cancellation fee.
“Your continued focus on the method of dispute rather than the legitimate reasons behind it is concerning. It reflects a rigid stance that fails to consider the complexities and nuances of customer experiences, particularly in extraordinary situations,” Trevor wrote back.
Additionally, he sent Royle a link to an online course that instructs business owners on how to interact with customers.
Royle took to her own social media to complain about her interaction with Chauvin-DeCaro.
“I spoke to about a dozen business owners today who shared their frustrations in people walking all over them and disputing their credit card charges,” she shared on her Instagram stories.
“THIS HAS TO STOP! The lack of respect and entitlement is gross.”
Royle sent another message to Chauvin-DeCaro, alleging that no one on her staff ever used the words “butt hurt” toward his husband and accused him of insurance fraud.
Eventually, Royle contacted her legal team regarding the situation.
“We privately messaged you and you chose to take this public. The amount of slander that the business is receiving is absolutely horrific. You will be hearing from our lawyers. I’m sorry that it has come to this,” she wrote in a direct message to Chauvin-DeCaro.
Royle is no stranger to lashing out at customers.
In 2012, Boston Magazine wrote that Jen isn’t shy about getting into public spats with rude customers.
“If a guest dispute comes up (as they do at every restaurant) and Royle thinks that she’s right (as she freely admits she almost always does), she has no problem making it clear to customers, past or prospective,” the publication wrote. “‘You don’t need to tell me that you’re not eating at my restaurant because I truly don’t give a [expletive]. Your loss. It’s delicious,’ is one of her greatest Twitter clapbacks.”
However, some people believe that the way Royle speaks to her customers, which she may disagree with, is no way to run a business.
“I have never had a restaurant find me and slip into my DM’s like that. That’s bizarre lol,” one X user wrote in response to the viral interaction.
However, others believed that Royle’s frustration was valid.
“I think the issue is that the chargeback landed on her. As a business owner, a transaction like this can put her at risk with the credit card processor, which would be really bad,” one X user shared. “I agree that a phone call to them for them to reverse would have been better.”
Others questioned Chauvin-DeCaro’s claims about being hospitalized since just hours before, it appeared that he could not make it to Boston due to a delayed train, as per his X post from that day.
While restaurant owners are human and are bound to have disputes with customers from time to time, it is best not to approach a customer in a hostile manner.
As difficult as it can be, maintain a professional demeanor at all times, even when faced with difficult customers or challenging situations. Remain calm, patient, and respectful.
Address customer issues promptly and effectively. Offer solutions that align with their needs and strive to resolve any problems to their satisfaction.
They don’t say you catch more flies with honey than vinegar for nothing! Maintaining respectable relationships with customers will only help your business flourish.
Instead of berating them for canceling a reservation due to hospitalization, offer them a gift card for their next visit and send them well wishes!
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.