Let's Make a Deal...

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

From Calgary Herald :

The owner of a high-profile Calgary restaurant is blowing the whistle on Edmonton Oilers players he says refused to pay a massive New Year's Eve tab.

Osteria de Medici owner Maurizio Terrigno says the players wined and dined 45 people, running up a bill he said was almost $18,000.

The original tab came to $14,234.23, not including an 18 per cent gratuity for groups. That $2,562.16 tip would bring the final bill to $16,796.39.

But when staff presented the cheque, the players were surprised at the whopping total for their drinks. Terrigno says they demanded a discount on their bar tab, which included copious tequila shooters, fine wines and $500 magnums of Champagne.

The liquor portion of the bill rang in at $8,000, Terrigno says.

...

My favourite line from TSN :

...

The restaurant tried to charge for a bottle of an imported expensive brandy after one of the players took a swig straight from it.

...

Boys will be boys.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I can't imagine how a restaurant bill could get up that high.

Even if the whole team ordered the most expensive stuff, that still sounds too high.

[Rivalred 630]

It should be counted against their cap.

[canadian wings fan 305]

haha, damn sounds like the oilers had a good f`in time.

[b.shanafan14 733]

I can't imagine how a restaurant bill could get up that high.

Even if the whole team ordered the most expensive stuff, that still sounds too high.

I thought that too, but if its a good portion of the team out, and I'm sure they were playing the high rollers and buying drinks for friends, family, beautiful strangers, etc. probably the most expensive stuff, and plus the automatic gratuity for large groups, could get expensive fast, though that still seems astronomical. From the looks of it the place they went was probably expensive to begin with and the restaurant was charging them by-the-shot prices on the expensive liquor and from the sounds of it the players thought bottles should have been comped because they are big hockey stars (last in the West )

Either way, I'm sure the blame lies a little bit on both sides.

[rage 24]

I don't know. I can see a bill on New Years getting that high when it's for a group of 45+ people.

Think about it.

$8 a shot. Say 45 people had 10 shots. That's $3,600 right there.

Then you have to add in all the bottles of FINE WINE, Champagne, and liquor.

I know where I worked at Garland which is a Golf Resort, we had to charge $150 a bottle for Absoult Vodka for parties. Say they bought 45 bottles @ $150 a pop. That's $6,750 right there.

Plus add in the expensive food, appetizers, etc.

So if I did my math right, I figure that's...

$6,750 +

$3,600

Say another $2,000 for food

and who knows what else the fine wines and etc come to. say another $5,000.

That would be $17,350. Plus 18% tip, so that's $3,123 for the tip = $20,473.

That's my numbers though, I could be way off. But I can totally see it coming to this.

Plus they are in Canada, so of course they didn't agree w/ the 18% TIP!! LOL

[redwings8831 40]

Here's the actual bill.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Oilers+s...0082/story.html

[Guest DetroitBoy313]

I can't imagine how a restaurant bill could get up that high.

Are you kidding me? You ever been out anywhere? 3 of my friends and I spent over 1,000 just the four of us one night and it wasn't New years eve.4 bottles of Grey Goose 250 each plus tip....Their bill was actually cheap if they wined and dined 45 people.

[55fan 5,133]

Here's the actual bill.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Oilers+s...0082/story.html

8 Coors Light; $44.

One of these things is not like the others....

It's been a very long time since I lived in Canada. Does anyone know if this is really spendy or if it's just that it's in Canadian funds?

I don't even know how much most of that stuff would cost in the US.

That's just out of curiosity. The fact remains that it is their bill, and they should be taking up a collection to pay it.

[rage 24]

Are you kidding me? You ever been out anywhere? 3 of my friends and I spent over 1,000 just the four of us one night and it wasn't New years eve.4 bottles of Grey Goose 250 each plus tip....Their bill was actually cheap if they wined and dined 45 people.

You're right my friend.

[Doggy 130]

I can't imagine how a restaurant bill could get up that high.

Even if the whole team ordered the most expensive stuff, that still sounds too high.

You could EASILY get a bill like that. I used to work for a liquor company and a "function" between 10-13 people we ran up a $3000 bill in 4 hours or so with just drinks and in Australia there are no tips. Granted, drinking in Oz is very expensive.

Plus, liquor in Canada is more expensive than in the U.S.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

8 Coors Light; $44.

One of these things is not like the others....

It's been a very long time since I lived in Canada. Does anyone know if this is really spendy or if it's just that it's in Canadian funds?

I don't even know how much most of that stuff would cost in the US.

That's just out of curiosity. The fact remains that it is their bill, and they should be taking up a collection to pay it.

That's only $5.50 a beer. That's actually reasonable if it was in NY or parts of LA, and that's without the exchange rate.

As to the bolded... Please, will you be a customer of mine? I'll even give you a deal if you point out who you are!

[Shady Ultima 40]

Plus they are in Canada, so of course they didn't agree w/ the 18% TIP!! LOL

There's no need for that.

Having experience in both Canada and America... Americans fight automatic gratuity... and tips in GENERAL... FAR, FAR more often then Canadians do.

They ARE millionaires though, that shouldn't be too big of a deal.

[rage 24]

There's no need for that.

Having experience in both Canada and America... Americans fight automatic gratuity... and tips in GENERAL... FAR, FAR more often then Canadians do.

They ARE millionaires though, that shouldn't be too big of a deal.

I am sorry if you took offense to that, but I thought that was a good joke. Especially for anybody that has worked in an industry like I have.

Not sure about your experience, but with mine here in America, Canadians don't tip well at all. It's because they are used to Canada where Waitress make good Hourly pay or whatever.

When I worked at the Golf course, our Waiters and Waitress staff dreaded waiting on Canadians, Chinese, and Brits. Just how it was. They did not tip well if at all.

Sad, but true.

[Guest Four]

I am sorry if you took offense to that, but I thought that was a good joke. Especially for anybody that has worked in an industry like I have.

Not sure about your experience, but with mine here in America, Canadians don't tip well at all. It's because they are used to Canada where Waitress make good Hourly pay or whatever.

When I worked at the Golf course, our Waiters and Waitress staff dreaded waiting on Canadians, Chinese, and Brits. Just how it was. They did not tip well if at all.

Sad, but true.

Most people I know tip 15%, unless they are teenagers, which most of the time they don't >.>

Or if the waiters suck, I adjust their tip. I gave one person $1.50 for a $25.00 meal and then another $3.50 for a $7.00 meal the next day

[Hack & Whack Rule! 160]

Can we please not turn this into the Tip Thread?

$5.50 is not a bad price for a beer in Canada. Obviously cheaper in a beer store, by the case, but I've seen beer cost more than this in a bar or restaurant.

But, what a bunch of cheap bastards! Making the money they do, pulling in 45 people and whining cause they want you to pay for a bottle when you put your grubby lips on it! Oilers management should find out what the eff was going on, and then make the guys go back and pay the bill.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I don't tip.

Mr. Pink in "Reservoir Dogs" convinced me.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

What the Oilers ordered:

- -1 hors d'oeuvres -- $450.00

- -45 SP dinner Oilers -- $4,500

- -45 mineral water -- $357.75

- -1 blow job (shooters) -- $39

- -1 blow job (shooters) -- $250

- -1 Crown -- $24.00

- -1 Sljivovica -- $200

- -44 Hiball -- $286

- -3 Amarone 2000 res -- $450

- -2 Brunello 99 -- $260

- -1 Ripasso Sup 03 -- $60

- -4 Ripasso 05 -- $260

- -8 Dom Perignon -- $2,800

- -2 Mags Dom -- $1,000

- -5 Conundrom 07 -- $375

- -2 Moet & Chandon -- $200

- -3 Moet & Chand Nect. -- $450

- -52 Menabrea -- $338

- -8 Coors light -- $44

- -30 Bacardi -- $165

- -65 Tequila -- $487.50

- -62 Grey Goose -- $434

- -18 Sambuca White -- $126

SUBTOTAL -- $13,556.25 GST -- $677.98 Total tab without tip -- $14,234.23

[Broken 16 381]

I can't imagine how a restaurant bill could get up that high.

Even if the whole team ordered the most expensive stuff, that still sounds too high.

There are brandys out there going for 35k a bottle. Not saying that they were drinking THAT stuff, but I can easily see a group of millionaires hosting a New Years party ringing up a tab that big. I'm actually surprised it wasn't bigger.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Can we please not turn this into the Tip Thread?

$5.50 is not a bad price for a beer in Canada. Obviously cheaper in a beer store, by the case, but I've seen beer cost more than this in a bar or restaurant.

But, what a bunch of cheap bastards! Making the money they do, pulling in 45 people and whining cause they want you to pay for a bottle when you put your grubby lips on it! Oilers management should find out what the eff was going on, and then make the guys go back and pay the bill.

Not to mention the whole special treatment with the discounts because they're professional athletes.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

"I don't tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I'll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it's for the birds. As far as I'm concerned, they're just doing their job."

[13dangledangle 968]

I really don't get the big deal here, 45 People that I'm sure it's safe to say have some $coin$ go to a new years eve BASH and spend 378 bucks a person??? That's not that big of a deal here is it?

.....Though that only leads me to believe the owner is a complete Doucher.

Edited January 3, 2010 by 13dangledangle

[Nev 1,085]

When I worked at the Golf course, our Waiters and Waitress staff dreaded waiting on Canadians, Chinese, and Brits. Just how it was. They did not tip well if at all.

Sad, but true.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[rage 24]

Hey, I resemble that remark!

So that's why I just PM'ed Ya!! Rock on Brother!!!!

Hell Yeah!!

[Tr!PoD#19 524]

That's nothing.