Hear an AI turn down a gift card and get $100 back for a bad dinner in Sacramento

What happened

Carol Hughes's party of six waited 55 minutes for their main courses after the appetizers, with no one saying why, and her husband got salmon instead of the halibut he ordered. Nothing came off the $412.80 check. JooVoice called the restaurant in Sacramento, asked for the manager, and said it was an AI assistant calling for Carol, with the call recorded.

Vincent apologized, said they were two cooks short that night, and offered a free dessert next time. JooVoice said Carol wanted the main courses refunded to her card. Vincent offered a $40 gift card, twice. Each time JooVoice said it didn't cover it and asked for $60 back to the card.

Vincent came back with $100 refunded to the Visa, three to five business days, and a note on the reservation for next time. JooVoice read it back with the card's last four digits and his name.

The outcome

Refund

$100 back to the Visa

Turned down

A free dessert, and a $40 gift card twice

Timing

3 to 5 business days

Also

A note on the reservation for next time

Moments to listen for

1. Says it’s an AI ▶ 0:21 I’m an AI assistant calling for Carol Hughes
2. Says what went wrong ▶ 0:40 the table waited 55 minutes for the main courses, and no one came by to say why
3. Turns down a free dessert ▶ 1:33 What I’m asking for, though, is the main courses refunded to the card.
4. Turns down a $40 gift card ▶ 1:57 That’s kind of you, but it doesn’t cover it.
5. Gets $100 back ▶ 2:30 I’m authorized to give you $100 back on that Visa
6. Reads it back ▶ 2:49 $100 back to the Visa ending 3-3-9-0

The whole call

Tap a line to hear it.

1. Restaurant manager 0:00 Delta Oak Grill, this is Vincent. How can I help you, darlin'?
2. JooVoice 0:04 Oh, good morning. Yes. I'm calling about a dinner there on Saturday, October 3rd, and I'd like to speak with the manager, please. Is this Vincent?
3. Restaurant manager 0:14 That's me, baby. I'm right here. Now, what can I do for you about that Saturday, October 3rd?
4. JooVoice 0:21 It was a party of six, 7 o'clock, under Hughes. I'm an AI assistant calling for Carol Hughes, and the call's recorded, so she has an exact record of what we agree. Is that all right with you, Vincent?
5. Restaurant manager 0:34 Yeah, sure. Fine by me. So, tell me what happened on the 3rd for Mr. Hughes' party.
6. JooVoice 0:40 Thank you. After the appetizers, the table waited 55 minutes for the main courses, and no one came by to say why.
7. JooVoice 0:48 And when they came, her husband's was wrong. He'd ordered the halibut and got the salmon. The halibut only came out after everyone else had finished.
8. JooVoice 0:57 Let's see. The check was $412.80 before tip, and nothing was taken off.
9. JooVoice 1:04 Carol would like the main courses comped, refunded to the Visa she paid with.
10. Restaurant manager 1:08 Oh, darlin', I am so sorry to hear about that wait.
11. Restaurant manager 1:12 55 minutes between courses and then the wrong food? That ain't how we run things here. Not at all.
12. Restaurant manager 1:18 I do want to tell you, though. We were two cooks short that night, and that really didn't help things.
13. Restaurant manager 1:24 Now, I'd love to buy y'all a dessert on your next visit, just as a little apology.
14. Restaurant manager 1:29 How does that sound?
15. JooVoice 1:31 That makes sense.
16. JooVoice 1:33 What I'm asking for, though, is the main courses refunded to the card. Can you do that, Vincent, or do I need to speak with someone else?
17. Restaurant manager 1:40 Look, darlin', I understand exactly what you want, but that free dessert really is a nice start, you know? To get things rolling.
18. Restaurant manager 1:48 How about this instead? Let me send you a $40 gift card to use on your next time over here. I promise we'll do right by you this time.
19. JooVoice 1:57 That's kind of you, but it doesn't cover it. Can you do $60 to the card, Vincent, or is a refund to the card truly not possible?
20. Restaurant manager 2:06 Baby, I really want to make this right for you, and that $40 gift card goes quite a ways, you know? Let me try that again. What do you say to that $40 gift card, sweetheart, just so we can try and smooth things over?
21. JooVoice 2:19 That's also kind, but it doesn't quite get there.
22. JooVoice 2:22 Mm-hmm. $60 to the card. Is that possible, Vincent?
23. Restaurant manager 2:26 Look, darlin', I really went as far as I could with those offers.
24. Restaurant manager 2:30 I'm authorized to give you $100 back on that Visa if you want, and that way Mr. Hughes can have his birthday on us a bit. Should be back on your card in about three to five business days, that Visa ending in 3390. Plus, I'll leave a note on the reservation for next time to make sure we treat her extra special. What do you say to that?
25. JooVoice 2:49 That's helpful. So, so that I have this right, $100 back to the Visa ending 3-3-9-0, within 3 to 5 business days, and I spoke with Vincent. Is that right?
26. Restaurant manager 3:01 That's exactly right, baby. $100 back on that Visa ending in 3390, and I'm Vincent. I hope Mr. Hughes had a great birthday in spite of all that. Thanks for calling. You have a good day now.

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