Sketch refuses to let customer take leftovers home
The two-Michelin-starred restaurant Sketch, in London's Mayfair, is reported to have told a customer she couldn't take her leftovers home, which resulted in a flurry of outraged tweets.
According to reports from http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/top-london-restaurant-sketch-tells-customer-you-cant-take-your-leftovers-home-a3209571.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">The Evening Standard, the restaurant told Luisa Gottardo that council rules meant she was unable to take the rest of her blue cheese and pear risotto away with her in a doggy bag.
Gottardo claimed she had taken food home from Sketch before and said she did not believe the rule was issued by Westminster Council.
Following the incident, the restaurant subsequently cancelled a booking she made for her partner's 30th birthday.
She said she thought the manager was joking when he replied "No, sorry" after she asked if she could take the rest of her food home. "The response was so ludicrous," she said.
"I was told that only cakes and macaroons could be taken home… but then why have I been able to take home an unfinished meal of steak and chips?"
She later received an email from Belle Toor, the chief executive's PA, which she photographed and posted on Twitter with the caption: "Another hilarious attempt at customer service at Sketch."
Headed "Without prejudice", the email said: "As Sketch cannot satisfy your request to take restaurant food off the premises, I have taken this opportunity to cancel your reservation."
Gottardo was blocked from seeing tweets from @sketchlondon and contacting the restaurant on Twitter, which has 15,000 followers on the social media site.
Her partner Yaël Levey tweeted: "So @sketchlondon just ruined my bday surprise, whilst showing the grace of a rampaging rhino dealing with customers."
She and another of Ms Gottardo's followers, who tweeted "Are you f*** serious?! That's totally unnecessary! @sketchlondon, that's how you do customer service?" were also blocked by Sketch.
Gottardo added: "I was shocked by Sketch going to war with me on Twitter - they just block me and any others who supported me. I felt really angry. Can't I ask for clarification on why I was misinformed without getting blocked?
"Having paid quite a large amount for food in Sketch over the years, I originally did feel quite upset and annoyed that I couldn't take home the rest of my food. But I was then shocked and disgusted at how Sketch responded… I'm painfully unhappy and upset."
Toor said Sketch had been in constant communication with the customer (since 26 February) and the matter was now closed. She said the restaurant had no further comment on the matter.
A Westminster City Council spokesman said: "There is absolutely no council rule banning doggy bags. It is up to individual restaurants to decide whether they allow customers to take leftover food home."
Sketch charges £110 per person for its tasting menu and counts the likes of Elton John, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid among its many fans.
