Common scams in India

Cafe Coffee Day.

I went to a CCD a couple of days back and ordered a gourmet hot chocolate. Price on the menu - Rs 120.

I place the order and it is being billed. When I ask for the final amount I am being told Rs 200.

I take out my wallet and search for 2 Rs 100 notes to pay.

Wait. And then it struck me.

Rs 200 for a 120 drink? No. That’s not right. There seemed to be something wrong. Maybe, I heard it wrong?

I ask him again for the bill amount. Yes, it is Rs 200. I ask for the break up, he fumbles a bit and I ask him in a more stern manner.

And that’s when I get to know, he wants to add cream to my drink worth Rs 50 odd without asking me whether I want it or not. Apparently, he assumed that I needed it.

I point it out to him. He doesn’t seem to have an answer. I ask for his manager’s number and get his manager on the call. I am looking to explain the entire situation to him. But, as soon as I tell him that the manager that I was overcharged, he apologised and said that he understood that the representative must have added add ons without asking.

Again, wait. He sort of knew that this is what exactly happened before I even explained it to him? I would say that was because it has happened before and it happens on a regular basis.

Imagine, this happening to even 10 customers per outlet everyday for an average of Rs 30 to Rs 40. Or say even a small percentage of the many thousands of people that come to CCD to chill, relax, work over coffee. It turns out to be a huge sum across the approximate 2000 outlets that CCD has in India.

I would say CCD is a pretty big scam.

Update - So I didn’t realise so many people have faced such similar experiences. I have posted the link of this answer on your FB page. Hopefully, they take note and work to improve. Cheers!