A restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, US, has found itself in the middle of an online dispute after a customer called it out for charging USD 6 (around Rs 560) to take home the leftovers. The controversy began when a customer, known online as Millionaire Mace, shared her bill from STATS, a sports bar in Charlotte, on Threads last week. Reacting to the additional charge, she wrote, “I'm calling the police…this should be a CRIMEEEEE!”
According to the receipt shared by her, the bill included a USD 28 Cajun Alfredo meal, a USD 1.02 service fee, USD 5.10 gratuity and USD 3.15 in taxes. However, what caught her attention was an additional USD 6 listed for a to-go box.
Mace later explained that she was dining at the restaurant with a group of four and had not initially planned to get her food packed. She said the group had ordered drinks, shared a bottle, purchased shots and also paid for hookah during their visit.
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Mace explained that she simply could not finish her pasta and wanted to take the remaining food home. “I did not finish my pasta. Because I didn't finish my pasta, I got charged for a box at the regular price; however, you want to look at it. God forbid a girl gets full.”
Following the online backlash, STATS issued a statement on Instagram, addressing the controversy surrounding its Wednesday pasta promotion. The restaurant said it has been serving the Charlotte community for more than nine years and offers half-price pasta exclusively to customers dining inside the establishment every Wednesday.
According to the restaurant, customers who order promotional pasta for takeaway are charged the regular menu price instead. It maintained that the additional USD 6 on Mace's bill was not a packaging fee but a price adjustment because of the promotional offer.
“This promotion is designed to provide a special experience for guests enjoying their meals inside our establishment,” the restaurant explained.
STATS also acknowledged that its billing system could have caused confusion. “We understand the importance of clear communication, and we will adjust our systems to ensure itemized receipts more accurately reflect any price adjustments.”
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The restaurant said it would continue to explain its promotional rules and gratuity policy more clearly to customers. However, its explanation has not addressed the customer's central question: why should a dine-in customer pay a price adjustment for simply taking unfinished food home?
STATS also turned off comments on its Instagram statement following the controversy.