Montfort Restaurant owner in Burlington refuses to honour coupon
Restaurant Review
“We are a franchise and they did this without telling us. That’s why I want to get out of the business.”
Strange words from the owner of the Montfort Restaurant (Millcroft location) on Itabashi Way in Burlington, Ontario.
That’s what he said to me after we presented the coupon for the buy-one-get-one-free offer. He refused to honour the offer. Instead he gave me a flyer with the head office phone number for franchise enquires.
He suggested that I save my receipt and call the Montfort Restaurant head office to complain.
The coupon which we received in our mail box states,
“$10.00 value – Enjoy one complimentary Dinner Entrée when a second Lunch or Dinner Entrée of equal or greater value is purchased.” The coupon listed the two Montfort Restarant locations in Burlington, Brant Street and Millcoroft.
I understood that to mean that if I buy one lunch for $10.00 I would get the second one free. Sounded like a good deal. That’s why we stopped in for lunch on Monday at the Montfort Restaurant in Millcroft, Burlington.
We presented the coupon before we ordered just to be sure that there were no surprises. The waitress baulked at the coupon. I asked for the manager. Then the owner showed up and said, “Can I help you?” Curious that he didn’t smile, greet us, give his name or identify himself. Just that play-dumb line, “Can I help you?” I asked if he was the manager and he answered that he was the owner. He didn’t sound happy about it.
I showed him the coupon and stated that we wanted to use it to get our complimentary lunch.
He said, “No”. He refused to accept the coupon or honour the offer. Instead he suggested that if I ordered a dinner entrée at $15.00 or more that he would give me $10.00 off on the second entrée. I explained that I didn’t want a dinner at lunch time – just a lunch and that I expected to pay $10.00 for one lunch and get the second one complimentary.
At least a few times he suggested that I call the Montrfort head office to complain. I pointed out that any differences he had with his head office was his responsibility to resolve not mine. I just wanted to have lunch.
He had pretended not to know the issue when he approached us yet he had the head office flyer in his hand.
This Montfort Restaurant Franchise owner appeared to be an angry man.
He never apologized.
It was 12 noon on Monday. Only two other parties were in the restaurant. You would think that he would have welcomed the business on a slow day. Our drinks would’ve given him the profit he needed on the sale. He had the opportunity to make friends. Instead he was too angry to care for his customers.
After wasting a lot of time we left without ordering. We spent $30 on lunch at another restaurant in Burlington. That included two drinks. No special deal but at least we weren’t deceived or lied to.
What a shame.
If the restaurant franchise owner treats his customers that way and is that angry at the franchisor then he is not going to be in business for much longer.
We’ve eaten at this Burlington Montfort restaurant several times and we like the food. The service has been good. Imagine our surprise and disappointment at this unfriendly treatment druing this visit.
I don’t know what the problem was. Head office prints and distributes flyers to get more customers in your restaurant and you are angry? We hadn’t been for awhile and the coupon convinced us to go to Montfort instead of elsewhere.
Was there an ongoing dispute between this franchise owner and the franchisor?
Was the flyer deceptive? Perhaps. It offered a complimentary Dinner Entrée yet all Dinner Entrées were priced at a minimum of $15.00. So was this meant to be a $10 coupon or a buy-one-get-one coupon. Don’t pretend to offer a complimentary non-existent Dinner Entrée if your coupon is limited to $10.
Was this simply a sloppy marketing program? Maybe.
Who messed up?
It doesn’t matter. What matters is that this customer left the Montfort and might not be back. I wonder how many other potential customers they have disappointed.
The coupon states that it is valid to December 31, 2010. That suggests that there will be more unhappy customers visiting and departing the Montfort Restaurant in Millcroft, Burlington. When will they learn?
If you want my business don’t lie to me, don’t deceive me, don’t embarrass me, don’t play weasel word games and don’t disrespect me.
When marketing and customer service fight, both lose.
What a shame.
It will be curious to see how quickly this franchise owner gets his wish to be out of the business. Be careful what you wish for - you might get it.
George Torok
Montfort Restaurant Review
Millcroft, Itabashi Way
Burlington, Ontario
4 comments:
Curious. I posted this review of my experience at the Montfort both on my blog and on a restaruant review site. Then I sent the link to the Montfort head office.
I have not heard a peep from them. Curious.
That was a terrible experience. I think Montfort is new to the franchising business and clearly they are not going to be doing it long if this continues. The restaurant business is iffy at best and treating customers like this isn’t going to help them. I have to wonder how many other customers they have driven away besides you. I’ll certainly be adding any coupons from Montfort that arrive in the mail to my blue box.
They clearly don't get it - and the franchisee is not communicating with the franchisor. We received another of the same promotional flyer from the Montfort Restaurant this past week.
I have Eaten at the Montfort on Brant Street many times and used coupons without so much as a blink. They are very accomodating and the service is excellent. I have not tried the other location and now likely wont but dont let this experience turn you off next time use your coupon at Brant the food is deliscious.
Bonnie Kettenbach
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