A US lawyer has reported a Chinese restaurant to "the authorities" and demanded damages after accidentally being overcharged $4.

Ben Edelman, a Harvard law graduate and an associate professor at Harvard Business School, ordered a takeaway from the Massachusetts branch of the Sichuan Garden restaurant. He thought it would cost $53.35, but when he inspected his bill he found to his horror that he had been charged $57.35. That's a $4 gulf.

    Edelman contemplates the greatest injustice of our time

When Edelman emailed the family-run eatery to complain, owner Ran Duan apologised and explained that their web menu was out of date. Edelman responded with grace statute:



However Edelman subsequently rebuffed Duan's offer of a refund, claiming that it would be "an exceptionally light sanction". He went on to explain that he had "referred this matter to applicable authorities in order to attempt to compel your restaurant to identify all customers affected and to provide refunds to all of them". The baffled restauranter replied, "you seem like a smart man, but is this really worth your time?" Apparently it was, because Edelman carried on like the biggest bore in the tutorial for some time.

When the correspondence leaked out and Edelman was accused by the entire internet of being a prize tool, he apologised. "It's clear that I was very much out of line", he said. "I have reached out to Ran and will apologise to him personally as well", though when he does he probably shouldn't accept the dumplings with special sauce.



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Comments

Anonymous 12 December 14 08:58

I don't know which was worse: the original bellendery or the fact his apology included the words ""I have reached out to Ran".

Anonymous 12 December 14 11:09

The guy has a point. The Sichuan Garden appears to be advertising one price while charging another. The differences will add up to thousands of dollars when applied to its entire customer base whilst the misrepresentation may also determine whether customers choose it or a rival take away. It's market abuse and unfair competition. Lock them up and throw away the key.

Anonymous 12 December 14 12:28

The guy acted like a complete douche - but he also called them out on a dishonest practice. Not okay to charge people more than the advertised price and blame "out of date" menus. But also not okay to be so aggressive and generally dickish about it.

Anonymous 12 December 14 12:56

Agree with anonymous @ 08:58 - Edelman should have gone to see Ran and said "I'm sorry for being a tw@t" rather than some lame reaching out drivel.

Anonymous 12 December 14 16:29

Ironic considering the Americans spent years trying to "introduce" a bit of capitalism into the Far East. Apparently reports that when Edelman complained about the "fluctuations" he was met with "f*ck you Yanks too" were not substantiated.

Anonymous 12 December 14 21:20

What an utter pedant. Harvard will no doubt be over the moon at all the press attention over a former student and current professor of theirs being so unbearably petty and smarmy. Eurgh.

Anonymous 13 December 14 11:21

He's doing a public service drawing attention to a business that seems to have been systematically ripping off its customers. Its not surprising that, being lawyers, some posters aren't able to see the bigger picture and have latched onto the smaller point to bash Edelman.

Anonymous 13 December 14 16:30

"Restauranter"? For older readers I say: Keep an eye on the pretentious prose of the half-educated, especially when he's abusing his betters.

Jamie Hamilton 15 December 14 14:44

Anonymous @ 14:28, this story was out of the trap (and in our mailbox) before our American brothers and sisters covered it. We always try and credit AtL.

Anonymous 16 December 14 11:39

people throw the word "hero" around far too easily these days...but sometimes, just sometimes, it is thoroughly deserved

Anonymous 27 January 15 00:46

I'd like to congratulate anonymous @ 8.58am on terrific use of 'bellendery'. Mr Edelman certainly seems to fit the bill courtesy of his rather OTT fit over the bill - clearly associate professors at Harvard have too much time on their hands...