While this seems to be a trivial matter, there have been several cases in which the restaurants and even wine retailers have been charging extra money from the hapless consumers.

ST Krishnaiah ST (49), an advocate living in Amarjyothi Nagar in Vijayanagar, went to the restaurant and bar on 13 February last year and ordered a bottle of Sidus wine along with mushroom fry. When he was given the bill for the same, Krishnaiah noticed that he was wrongly charged for Tilt Wine which is Rs 90 more expensive than Sidus wine. Interestingly, both wines are made by Fratelli- Sidus is Goan Port whereas Tilt is the canned wine.

Krishnaiah sent a legal notice and filed a case before the consumer court along with the bar receipt. The bar, in an affidavit, denied the allegation. But the commission said, “If really the complainant (Krishnaiah) has not ordered for Sidus wine amounting to Rs.140 and he has ordered for Tilt Wine amounting to Rs.230 the opposition (King Fish The restaurant and bar) would have produced some related documents before this Commission. They could have produced the CCTV footage maintained by the restaurant or produced some other documents to show that they had actually served  only Tilt Wine costing  Rs.230 and not Sidus wine.”

The restaurant failed to establish their contention. On the other hand, the complainant had clearly established the unfair trade practice in their restaurant. The opposition has supplied one item of a meager amount and issued the bill for a higher amount even though they have not supplied the said item to the consumer. Hence the complainant is entitled for the relief claimed in this complaint,” the order said.

The case and this Article should encourage wine consumers to know their rights and be vigilant and approach the appropriate forum like the lawyer did and not accept the errors from the restaurant-knowingly or unwittingly.

https://indianexpress.com/

Subhash Arora