Millicent Cooke
A woman says she was horrified after receiving a $2,500 bill for a cocktail she ordered at a hotel bar.
TikToker Lynsey Bennett, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, took to the platform to share her mortifying experience at a five-star hotel.
It all started when Bennett, who posts under the username @lynsey_36, visited London in the UK for New Year’s Eve with her husband.
After an evening at the theatre, the couple returned to their hotel and decided to stop by the bar for a drink.
However, things didn’t go to plan when Bennett decided to try something new…
Related Article: Flight Attendant Explains Why You Should Always Leave A Shoe In Hotel Safe
Related Article: Woman Blasts ‘Tipping Culture’ After Being Asked To Tip For A $17 Smoothie
“I always drink champagne, I rarely drink cocktails. And I thought – you know what – I’m going to order something a little bit different. I’ll order a cocktail,” she explains.
“So I ordered a cocktail – which I think was called ‘1890’ – and I thought that was the cost of it – £18.90 [$23.21].
“So the bartender brought a bottle of Cristal Champagne, gold leaf, 30-year-old Cognac, gave me this huge book to sign, and there we were thinking we were the business.
“And then they presented the bill for £2,000 [$2,455]. And I was like oh, I can’t afford that.”
But the drama doesn’t end there, Bennett explains in a follow-up video responding to one of her viewers who asked what happened next.
“So when I discovered the cocktail I had ordered was £2,000 [$2,455], I showed my husband the receipt and he was furious at me,” she says.
“So he left the bar. Left me on my own to deal with it. And I said to the young guy behind the bar, ‘I’m so sorry, I had no idea it was £1,890 [$2,320]’.
“It was set out on the menu where it said ‘18’ gap ‘90’ so I assumed it was £18.90 [$23.21].
“Looking back at the menu, the rest of the drinks were like ‘19.50’ and it was £19.50 [$23.95] – so it was definitely my mistake. But it was a genuine mistake.
“So I started to panic. He started to panic. Then he called his manager over.”
Bennett says despite it being her mistake the manager was ‘so wonderful’ and reassured her that he would ‘sort it out’ – telling her to go to her room and enjoy the rest of her stay.
The TikToker says the next couple of days were a bit awkward – and she did everything she could to avoid the bar.
However, she eventually returned and was greeted with open arms by the same manager.
Shockingly, her relief was short-lived as the manager told her that the bartender who served her had been sacked.
Related Article: Ex-Disney Princess Says Married Men Would ‘Hit On Her’ And Offer Hotel Keys
Related Article: Student Dies After Drinking ‘Dangerous’ Lemonade From Popular Fast Food Chain
Bennett was distraught, and recalls breaking down immediately: “I burst into tears.
“I was so terribly, terribly upset. I said, ‘Look it’s not worth the guy’s job. I will pay the £2,000 [$2,455]. I’m so, so, so sorry. It wasn’t his fault’.”
Fortunately, it turned out to be a joke, with the manager confirming that no one had lost their job, but the bartender had been sent for retraining.
He explained that this wasn’t the first time this had happened and he should have made sure the customers knew how much the drink cost before making it.
Viewers rushed to the comments to respond to the cocktail saga.
“What on earth could they put in it to justify that price,” one person comments.
@lynsey_36 Replying to @Caroline💕 ♬ original sound – Lynsey
Another says: “Surely they would confirm the price with you first?”
“100% the bartender should check first. ‘Just so you’re aware this is… I know the menu can look different’,” somebody else comments.
“It’s an absolutely absurd price it should be made clear as day on the menu I’d say,” a fourth person writes.
Another comments: “I would never assume a cocktail would cost that much.”
Shockingly, the mind-blowingly expensive beverage isn’t even close to the world’s most expensive cocktail.
Priced at a whopping $22,579 [£18,391], those with expensive tastes can pick up the Diamonds Are Forever Martini at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo, Japan.
It features a mix of Absolut Elyx Vodka, lime juice and – of course – a $16,000 [$13,000] diamond as a garnish.
Do you have a story for us? If so, email us at [email protected]. All contact will be treated in confidence.
