Luca's -- Please pay upfront.

[vegan notes]

Just went to Luca's on North Cross Road. Food was pretty good apart from the Buddha bowl, which even Buddha himself, with his infinite patience, would have found a little lacklustre (mainly rice and hot spinach). The menu also seemed to contain lots of rules about 'no exceptions or substitutions being made' which set an unfortunate, officious tone, which proved quite apposite as they then asked me to pay the bill upfront (including a tip for service I hadn't received) because I was 'sitting outside', you know, where all the criminals sit. I guess they must've had people do a runner in the past, which is a shame, because it completely killed the chill vibe and gave me the ick. Won't be going back.

[Dulwich handy]

Ouch !

[mrwb]

Have to feel sorry for all businesses, especially small ones, in this awful economic environment. When you've got surging wages, power bills and all other inputs it's a recipe for serious trouble.

People doing a runner without paying is just despicable, hopefully Lucas can find a way to make sure people pay without doing this somehow.

[NewWave]

We are regular's at Lucas and go most Saturdays for brunch.

The staff and owner recognise us and when we sit outside we also get asked to pay upfront.

Do I object?

No-the waitress who knew us was apologetic about needing to ask for advance payment but I'm sure they wouldn't have needed to do this if people hadn't eaten then left without paying whilst seated outside.

Its a struggle for all independent businesses right now and I'd rather pay upfront and keep Luca's going than go to Megans where the food is truly awful and belongs to a chain.

[Spartacus]

Often when going to pubs with beer gardens, you are asked to pay at the bar when ordering, which makes perfect business sense and doesn't imply those sitting outside are criminals who will do a runner, but people do, I suspect, make a genuine mistake and leave without paying.

McDonalds is also a business that makes you pay before you get your food, do you object to their business practice too (although I do object to their food lol)

The tip is an interesting one and you can always leave them cash after you've eaten if you feel that's better.

Maybe tell the staff about the Buddha bowl rather then posting on a public forum. Feedback direct to a business is always better then posting about it after.

[TWB Cat Sitter]

You haven't the faintest idea what it's like to run a business, let alone in ED, vegan notes.

An overwhelming sense of entitlement & demeaning attitude is exactly why businesses like mine have to re-evaluate our policies.

NewWave's response should tell you something about yourself.

[Dan-the-man]

I'm a big fan of Luca's and am getting stuff from there (pretty much always takeaway) a few times per week.

Rule seems pretty reasonable to me, especially given the climate facing small businesses at the moment. Paying in advance is hardly unusual for service in cafe's - Cafe G does it too since you pay when you order.

[KidKruger]

Can’t blame the cafe for responding to thefts by making folks pay in front.

Not sure they should make exceptions for those who will automatically assume offence..

[Sue]

I think perhaps the problem is the way it is communicated, rather than the policy itself re paying upfront, which seems completely fair.

I also found the tone of some of the statements on the menu to be rather off-putting.

I'm sure Luca's don't mean it to come across in this way, but I was quite taken aback by what I perceived as the rather curt way in which customers were being addressed (not by the staff, I hasten to add).

I wonder whether they might reconsider their wording so that they get the same points across in a more customer-friendly way?