Pub's brilliant response after customer complains about £2.40 carvery charge

Mark Graham, of the Star Inn in Vogue,
-Credit: (Image: dcm /olivier vergnault)


A popular pub that charged customers extra for leaving an unbelievable amount of food on their plates at its Sunday carvery has defended itself after a customer was taken aback by the policy.

The Star Inn at Vogue, a hamlet that blends into St Day, near Redruth, said it was the first time it had ever enforced the clearly stated policy and that the food left by two individuals was "excessive". A customer who paid £12 per person said their bill had an additional charge of £2.40 each when they went to pay.

The pub - which allows you to eat as much as you like for £12 providing you clear your plate and go back for more - explained the rule is very clearly displayed on the carvery station. But the customers were not impressed and had "never heard anything like that before".

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The pub landlords, who received an overwhelming amount of praise over the decision, then replied with a brilliant response after being 'called out' on social media. They said the food left by the two customers could have served two more people, if not more. They also shared images of just how much food the customers left.

Cornishman Mark Graham, who owns and runs the pub, told CornwallLive: "I say my mind and that's how it is. That was the first time we've ever had to put the charge on and the first thing I did was send my staff back out to ask if everything was alright. [The customers] said the food was lovely and that was it."

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Star Inn Vogue policy
The sign displayed above the carvery explaining how you might be charged -Credit:The Star Inn Vogue

The straight-talking Cornishman said: "I don't care about a couple of potatoes getting left. It's just stupid, excessive waste that bothers me. If everyone did that I'd have to cook shed loads of food."

He said the small surcharge would only help towards the cost of raw ingredients but wouldn't cover any costs of equipment used to make the food or to pay the staff. "You can take as much as you like, come back as many times as you like and as the old Navy saying goes, you can fill your boots. Do whatever you want, just don't waste it," he continued.

He said he was the last publican to be trying to make additional profits and that he even lets people with young kids pay for just one meal and have an extra plate, so it wasn't about the money.

"I tell everyone, I'm in this game to earn a living, not make a fortune. I just like the job. I've always been in and out of this job since I was 14 and it's a way of life. I enjoy it. I'm making a living, not a killing and I'm not ripping people off. We want to help everybody out."

Pictures taken by pub staff showed how the two plates came back to the kitchen nearly filled to the brim with slices of meat, two roast potatoes each, plenty of vegetables and some crackling. Mark and Rachel, who operate things, explained their carvery allows customers to go up for more when finished. They said this means there is no excuse for leaving a plate full of food.

The Star Inn Vogue
The far from empty plates show the wastage -Credit:The Star Inn Vogue

Verity Farmer, the customer who shared her experience on the public Facebook group Newest Newquay, said: "Just been for a Sunday carvery at the Star Inn, Vogue, St Day, we paid for our meal at £12 each, and when we got our bill it had got an extra £4.80 added when questioned about it they said it was a charge for not eating all our meal. I’ve never heard anything like that before."

Her post prompted nearly 400 comments in less than 24 hours. The Star Inn was one of those that replied. It said: "We just try and make sure there is enough food for everyone. I'm sure if you were a customer later on in the day and I had to tell you I had no food left for your booking because it had all been wasted and gone in the bin you would not be very happy and would have made another social media post too."

The situation sparked a big debate on both sides, although most thought it was a good idea to prevent people from piling up their plates for the sake of it. Wendy Ann said: "Never heard of this policy before but what a great idea and clearly this is a ridiculous amount of food to waste and I think not charging for children is brilliant. Great response to the poster and shows how you were fully justified."

Gary Barnes said: "Great idea to stop people being too greedy… just as long as it’s clearly advertised.." Hazel Petrie adds: "As my mum would have said they had eyes bigger than their belly. I hate to see good food wasted. The notice in the Star Inn is clear enough; I've seen it myself. It says you can go back for more so it's perfectly fair."

-Credit:James Dadzitis / SWNS
-Credit:James Dadzitis / SWNS

Jaz Holmes said: "Brilliant idea. We went to a carvery today and saw a woman pile on 10 roast potatoes. No exaggeration. I commented to my partner what an absolute waste that's going to be. If you're able to go up as many times as you like then there should be absolutely no waste. Take a small plate and go and get more if needed. Simples!"

Christopher Maguire adds: "That's an obscene amount of wastage that would feed me two days when I was broke."

Mark, who said "the news keeps finding me" also made headlines a couple of years back when fashion brand Vogue threatened to sue his pub. Condé Nast, the owner of Vogue magazine, sent a ‘cease and desist’ letter to the Star Inn at Vogue, to stop using the name ‘Vogue’ as it is their name - even though the pub is more than 200 years old and the village is older still.

The letter asked publicans Mark and Rachel Graham to stop using the name of the Cornish hamlet because it might confuse its fashionista readers. The magazine giant later admitted it didn't do its homework and apologised to the humble Cornish pub.