Feeling cheated about Shabbos Nachamu Program

amother

Firebrick

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 3:26 pm

dankbar wrote:

The upscale programs charge over $2000 for a couple but you get much more & more meals like from Thu night etc.

Usually even simpler events are in major hotels like Hilton not like yeshiva dorms.

I remember couple of years ago being by a cheaper event like $500 a couple & people didn't stop complaining on the little choices of food or being served cheaper type of food....what did they expect? Maybe their prior experiences they got more but they also paid more...

When you make food for a group of 200+ people then you are buying in bulk and it shouldnt be that expensive to make some cheesecakes for shabbos morning and/or have pancakes and omelets for sunday breakfast. You can also have a nice bbq for friday lunch with hamburgers and hot dogs. Pizza is fine as well for motzei shabbos. And having fish, chulent, cold cuts, and other side dishes should be expected, even if not very fancy but should be delicious and plentiful as they are buying these things in bulk. So yes, paying $1000+ or even $500 for a program should have expectations to get these things otherwise you can just rent an airbnb and buy a shabbos food package and it will come out cheaper so why bother paying for a hotel program?

amother

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 5:49 pm

I never said I paid $975 plus tax, I am saying that the price we paid was MORE than the programs that go for $975 a couple plus tax. There was an added for kids, but again, there is no price transparency with them so it's not clear what everyone else paid (likely around the same).

Another thing that got me is that the owner was going around like he was one of the guests. When we had issues, he was always missing/enjoying his shabbos meal with the family. I'm not saying a host shouldn't be enjoying too, but technically, a host is working throughout the shabbos to take care of guest needs.

My friend was once at a Pesach Program with an owner that is now no longer in business because he died. I remember, she told me, one time, the waiters didn't show up to the Seder, and the owner and his family wound up stepping in to help serve the guests. This was over 10 years ago, but that is the way it should be (and as far as price point, her program costed less per night than we paid per night of the Shabbos. Granted, that was 10 years ago, but Pesach food is way more expensive than regular Shabbos food).

I guess what we derive from this is that there are some good people who do this to make an honest living, and some slimy ones who just want to make a quick buck ripping people off. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism to stop the shady owners from doing this.

amother

Violet

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:00 pm

Op, I am saddened that there are people on this thread calling you entitled.

I see a trend in the frum market where consumers are treated poorly and we all just have to make do. I have long ago stopped shopping in frum stores for this reason. For around $1000 a couple you absolutely should have been able to get some extras in the way of food and the fact that others are telling you that "well some programs are more so you're not being reasonable" is the absolute exact reason why frum consumers are not treated reasonably by frum businesses.

It's because they get away with it, and it's because we let them.

watergirl

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:01 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

That’s what you derive from this? Myself and others have given you a lot of good advice how to prevent this from happening in the future. Do you want a mechanism to stop shady owners from doing this? Here ya go:

Only register for programs where the price is clearly posted for all to see.

Ask for a sample lunch, dinner, breakfast, and tea room menu.

Ask for the tentative itinerary.

Ask for all of the specific things you want to see or expect to see at the program.

Ask if there will be cheese cake, vienesse crunch, and pistachios.

Then make an informed decision.

amother

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:10 pm

Thank you for all the supportive comments and understanding.

I'm obviously not the only person who feels the same way.

It's more about the principle than the specifics--it's about an owner that clearly doesn't care about the program and who is very clearly out to make a quick buck off people, but promising one thing and delivering another.

I learned to do my research on program and ask for references, or maybe to just stay home Shabbos Nachamu like all the other smart imamothers.

amother

Khaki

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:15 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

what were you specifically promised, but not delivered?

amother

Khaki

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:19 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

you have a very interesting take on how things *should* be.

amother

Khaki

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:27 pm

amother [ Peach ] wrote:

Unless you're connected to the owner of this program, I don't understand why you (and others) are being so hard on OP?

She shelled out a large sum of money and was unhappy with what she got. Why can't you empathize a little?

I get disappointment. I get expectation.

I really don't like how OP is trashing the owner of this program - no I don't know him.

sty123

Tue, Aug 20 2019, 6:54 pm

amother [ Khaki ] wrote:

I get disappointment. I get expectation.

I really don't like how OP is trashing the owner of this program - no I don't know him.

It’s because the op is trying to be dan lchaf zechus that he was a amateur, and will learn from his mistake!!!!!
But as they say hindsight is 20/20 - and after doing a bit of research and homework I see this wasn’t his first ( I sure hope the last ) time having such issues with his program...... so I guess I should have seen the red flags .. but hey I am a trusting person and I would never imagine a “ frum “ or frum looking person, to take so much advantage of other unassuming ppl for a few dollars. Lesson learnt!!