Author Topic: Charity..to give or not to give? (Read 4447 times)

Emagggie · « **on:** December 09, 2009, 22:47:38 »

I went out to lunch today, and on the bill was added £1 per person by the restaurant to donate to the homeless of Southend.
I have to say I was a little miffed at someone else deciding to whom I should donate money and assuming I would be happy to do so. I do this myself every year to my chosen charities.
I didn't query it as it was a birthday celebration and it would have been rude to do so.
I'm told that most restaurants do this now, has anybody else come across this?
I feel a bit 'bah humbug' as I can spare the £1, but it would have been nice to be asked.

macmac · « **Reply #1 on:** December 09, 2009, 22:58:24 »

Blimey what a nerve,like you I believe in giving but that's not giving that's taking. :o

Ninnyscrops. · « **Reply #2 on:** December 09, 2009, 23:12:00 »

Totally agree with you Emaggie, up to you when and how much you donate to a charity of your own chosing.

We do a standing order each month to a hospice, I get peeved at them wasting "our" money contacting us for more with raffle tickets and Christmas cards.

Let us not forget, charities are businesses too with the top guys and gals paid top pounds.

They do lots of good work but don't overmilk the cows already in their parlours.

Ninny

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #3 on:** December 10, 2009, 07:54:50 »

Surely the point of Charity is that it is a choice? If not - it is just another tax or charge.
I'd be put out as well but if they asked I may have given £2!!

Jeannine · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2009, 07:57:57 »

I too agree this is wrong. Here in Canada we are being asked at some checkouts in stores if we wish to donate to the Canadian Olympics and I refuse, we were asked in the post office too if we wished to donate to a children's charity and again we refused. The reason I give is simple.. I believe we are rather put on a spot in a lineup and I feel sorry for the folks who may not have that $1 spare and I feel it would be embarrassing for them, so a great many folks are making a stand here and refusing and saying why. Personally we tithe the usual 10% in church and then we have an annual budget for other givings and we sponsor a foreign child. When in the UK there was not a church of our faith so we used our church tithe in the community as well as the other one. I feel this is plenty and collecting money in businesses is all wrong, I don't mind a box on the counter which we can drop into from our allocated budget but no one should be put on a spot like this..

XX Jeannine

saddad · « **Reply #5 on:** December 10, 2009, 08:05:05 »

Similarly I forget the number of times I have been pressured to buy Raffle Tickets for a "good cause". I do not do Raffles as it is a form of gambling but I quite prepared to give to charity. A frequent compromise is to get the seller to put their details on the stub... I once had the seller come round with "my prize" and she could not understand why I would not take it... ::)

Froglegs · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2009, 08:24:08 »

Wonder how much of that £1 actually got to charity.

betula · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2009, 08:54:21 »

Emaggie,I have never know a charitable donation to be added to a bill.

I donate to what I feel I want to and means something to me.

I sponsor a dog who has a permanent home at the dogs trust.Animal welfare is high on my list and you only have to walk round one of there dogs homes to see where the money is spent.

My son has made me very proud,he runs his own HGV recovery business and is very busy but he always find time to go out every week to go out with his church on a soup run.He sits with young people who are on the street and talks to them about what has happened to them and how they can move forward.

Hoping we can all open our minds and our hearts to people who need us ...............Happy Christmas.

Poppy Mole · « **Reply #8 on:** December 10, 2009, 10:11:08 »

Sorry but I would have refused to pay the £1 , but made a point of putting £2 in any charity box lurking on the counter, just to make my point that I wil give to those I choose.

OllieC · « **Reply #9 on:** December 10, 2009, 10:19:37 »

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest... If I can afford to eat out for a meal, I can afford £1 for someone that hasn't even got a house... Good on them for risking annoying the odd customer for a good cause - after all, the business doesn't gain anything from this.

asbean · « **Reply #10 on:** December 10, 2009, 11:23:52 »

It wouldn't bother me, but it would depend on how it was added to the bill. If I knew before the meal and it was well advertised that that was a charity the restaurant supported then I would be happy to donate. If it was just added to the bill and I found out at the end of the meal when I got the bill I would probably refuse.

Our new Waitrose have a good scheme, I don't know if they do it across the country. They give each shopper a token, which can be put into a bin near the exit which is separated into three local charities. The shop then makes a donation to each charity depending on the proportion of tokens for each charity. The customer always pays in the end, but it is a nice way of doing it and it gives all the local charities a chance.

Emagggie · « **Reply #11 on:** December 10, 2009, 12:04:56 »

Asbean, the first I knew of it was when the bill was presented. No indication or mention from the waitress at all.
We also have the excellent Waitrose scheme here.
It's not the supporting of that particular charity I object to Ollie, I've given bedding, clothes, etc. in the past, it's the way it was done, my money taken without my permission.

Flighty · « **Reply #12 on:** December 10, 2009, 13:06:11 »

I think that it's wrong and would be rather annoyed if it happened to me! Whether I give to charity is for me to chose, not to have it foisted on me.
In PR terms I don't think that it does the restaurant much good to do that, and it doesn't really help the charity either.

manicscousers · « **Reply #13 on:** December 10, 2009, 13:12:45 »

even ebay asks if you want to donate ::)

Sholls · « **Reply #14 on:** December 10, 2009, 13:40:24 »

I would most definitely refuse to pay if the 'donation' was added stealthily, tagged to the end of the bill without prior notification; I'd also quietly advise the management of my feelings. I understand why many establishments don't want to have collection boxes on the premises, but it doesn't take much effort to make a sign or slot a leaflet into the menu explaining that they are collecting for charity. If they were transparent in their approach they'd probably get much more than a £1 donation per table.

Mind you, I'm the sort that boycotts restaurants that automatically add a service charge to the bill...

OllieC · « **Reply #15 on:** December 10, 2009, 13:59:23 »

Blimey, season of goodwill to one & all!

If I was sitting back in my chair having had a hearty meal (costing what, £50 each inc drinks?), the afterglow of Brandy warming me for the imminent journey home, having just had a great celebration with others who could afford to do so, & saw that the proprietor had taken a quid extra off me to help someone who will be sleeping out in the cold tonight, I'd feel pretty good about it.

I find the thought that in a civilised society we can let people sleep on the street far more offensive than someone taking a quid without asking.

Where is this place? I'd like to write a letter thanking them.

Old bird · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2009, 14:26:57 »

Ollie

Did you not know that some people choose to live on the street. It is not the fact that we are a civilised society (though I often wonder if we are!) but it is circumstance and choices that puts people on the street, and I thank God that I am not one of them - but had I chosen different routes - I too could be one of them, we all could - but we were lucky.

I am not saying that it is a fun choice - but it very definitely is a choice either they choose to drink themselves into oblivion instead of paying for a roof over their heads, or they are, mentally unfit to accept normal lifestyles and some just choose to leave home for the "golden streets of London". There are a multitude of reasons why people are on the street. But I think that you are being santimonious about people choosing where their money can be used in the charitable giving type scenario. There are far worse things that happen in the world than living on the streets of England.

There are far poorer countries where to be on the streets, possibly aged only 10 or 11 and trying to survive, to find enough to eat, to keep clear of the bent coppers that round up the children and have them killed or dumped in a place where they will starve. People living on the streets of London Glasgow or whereever are fed by charities there are alternatives to living on the street - and - to be frank - what will a couple of quid donation per couple of diners get them? It certainly won't pay to get them homes.

I have sympathy with homeless people but would not be happy for someone to help themselves to my money without asking!

Ollie - there are certain practical ways you could help these people without giving them money - time - being one of them!

Old Bird

Emagggie · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2009, 15:39:21 »

It was £1 per head and we were a party of 10. There were quite a few diners apart from us, and if they do this every breakfast, lunch and evening, apart from the people who just have coffee or tea (I'm assuming they get charged too, but I don't know for sure), the homeless of our area will do very nicely especially if other restaurants are doing the same as I have been told they are.
Ollie I wish I could have had a hearty meal, but couldn't afford the biggie, and I was driving so no booze either. ;D ::)

Flighty · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2009, 15:55:17 »

Maggie was it for a named charity or quote just for homeless people. I'm not sure that a legitimate charity would agree to such tactics and if it wasn't for one then the restaurant could find itself in trouble for a number of reasons.

flowerofshona2007 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 10, 2009, 16:26:39 »

Its not that people dont want to give but its down to each of us to whom we give and even if its 'only' £1 we have earnt that money and its our choice !!!
I am sure trading standards would like to hear about it !
And before you jump on me i give plenty to my chosen charitys and foster rescue dogs !
Legally they must display a charity number !

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Author Topic: Charity..to give or not to give? (Read 4447 times)