Wow.. I bet he'll be a customer of theirs for a long time to come.

+1 for the OP. And great response by the company.

Absolutely a dick move on the part of Mr. Crudden. Absolutely hilarious and awesome response from the store owner. Almost makes the whole thing worth it.

That is hilarious. I like that they even added a pound to the cheque to cover the walk to the post box.

The 7th seal is now broken..

Holy cow.. If everyone was assigned a billable rate for their time and you deducted that from goods or services.. What has the world come to?

I can't tell whether the owner is trying to tell him to get lost as politely as possible, trying to win him back as a customer, or just confound him with his response.

The move is a bit dickish, but it can be a good way to make a point when actually faced with bad customer service (day long wait on Comcast, anyone?).

The response from Pret A Manger (i read it as Pat a Manager), however, is just plain awesome.

Never does my assholelishness end so well when I engage in such douchebaggery.

@Traveshamockery: I'll go with C.

That and in the end he hedged it with a "got suggestions?" in case the OP was serious, and then there is always the "if not, then tsfu"

The brits are great at this, in 1976 some jokers wrote to the Whitechapel Foundry who made the original Liberty Bell complaining about the crack. The Foundry wrote back saying they'd be happy to take it back as long as they returned it in it's original packaging.

That is some incredibly high level of pure, unabashed awesomeness. Both for the consumer to bill for time wasted and for the company to respond. There was a bit of a dickish tone to the response, tongue in cheek as it may have been.

When I make it to London, I will have to track down a Pret a Manger and get a sammich.

I could understand the complaints about the post office and bank they're not exactly optional services. But if a sandwich shop is consuming so much of your time perhaps you should bring lunch. Agreed though great company response.

@Traveshamockery: I think C, but the more I think about it, the more I think I really just dislike the letter-writer and love the sandwich company.

My Mother once submitted a bill to her GP Dr. for all the time she spent waiting in his office PAST her appointment time, and sent him a bill for the amount of money she missed by not being at work. While he didn't pay, she never was left waiting again.

Does anyone else keep seeing Pret a Manger as Pet a Manager? Not right, I tell ya. Not right.

@pecan 3.14159265: Hahaha see my earlier post. I read it as exactly that.

I draw a line with this sort of thing on whether I've purchased the item or service.

If I'm on hold with Comcast for 2 hours waiting to get my cable fixed, shame on them. If I'm waiting in line for an unacceptable amount of time to buy sandwich, shame on me. For the latter, I may contact the vendor to tell him that his service sucks, but I won't expect to be reimbursed for my time.

But if the OP can pull it off, more power to him.

@pecan 3.14159265: +1

I wonder what he does for a living. Lawyer (solicitor/barrister) perhaps?

@MostlyHarmless: I just caught your earlier post. Lord, silly minds think alike. I did a double take because at first I thought it might have been a post about a company called Pet a Manager. That's just weird.

If Fark has taught me nothing else, it's that the answer is always C. And Florida is one messed up state.

Also, images of cats or kittens with poorly spelled aphorisms are always funny, even though no one can explain exactly why this should be so.

Now that I think about it, Fark has taught me a lot, akshully.

I ask telemarketers for their Accounts Payable Department's address. When they ask why I would need that, I explain to them that I'm a consultant that charges $100/hr, two hour minimum for all consultations including phone - then I tell them they called that phone and I need the address to submit the invoice to. Most hang up immediately, others get a good laugh.

This guy had the balls to actually invoice them. Wow!

Props to the founder for having a great sense of humor, but the concern is the copycats that will now try to pull the same stunt.

@Traveshamockery: I say none of the above. I think Pret A Manger saw the potential for a (cheap) advertising opportunity and went for it. Brilliantly.

Pret a Manger uses Consumerist FTW. Probably the smartest, and most cost-effective, gambit I've seen in awhile. Consumerist bought it, and I'm happy to have read about it.

Hey Paul McCrudden, buy a book. Read said book while you are waiting in line. Problem solved.

The next time I am in London, I now have to eat at Pret A Manger. The response from Mr. Metcalfe was spectacular. I will also have to contact Mr. Metcalfe when there and offer to buy him a pint at the local pub.

@Traveshamockery: I'm going with A. I'm thinking the OP might have some trouble if he actually has the nerve to go back to any of the places who reimbursed him.

I was hoping the letter was going to say that they've banned him from their store, for his convenience.

After reading this I was forced to send a thank you and a bravo to Julian Metcalfe. As I couldn't find his email anywhere, I just used the form on their website.

In looking at their website it's nice to see that the higher-ups (I think the co-founder would qualify) are available to get a hold of. They have a special number set up to get a hold of them, and they seem pretty accessible.

If Pret A Manager ever makes it to Minneapolis, they can be assured that I will stop ion for a sandwich periodically.

@MostlyHarmless: Ha, I did the same, only with just Pret, a Manager.

@wvFrugan:

I, for some, am of the opinion that assholelish ends should not mix with douchebaggery.

@jerry_101: They won't be hard to track down: they are almost as ubiquitous as Satrbucks. However, their food is very good and they seem to be a responsible company re. employment and the environment etc (I say seem because I've never known them do anything dickish but I'm sure someone else will be better informed.)

Just think, that might have cost them $105 to pay him... which seems like alot. Until you consider the free advertising they bought with that $105 check. Brillaint Pret A Manger... simply brilliant!

I always feel the same when asked to provide feedback to a company. I ask, whats my compensation? After all they are asking me to help their for profit company increase profits. Sounds like a business transaction to me.

This however is beyond sanity. I applaud the effort since insanity is a rational response to today's consumer environment.

That was the most incredibly dickish move that anyone has ever done. To further pile it on, the shop rewarded his bad behaviour with over 60 quid, and he's likely to send them a further bill once he's waited in the queue there again for a while.

Of course he'd rather be doing anything else besides waiting in the queue. Who wouldn't?

Now, if only I could get interest on the money the IRS "borrowed" from me during the tax year I would be in heaven.

I would be in heaven because the Earth would implode.

@gparlett: I don't know... he might bill the author (or publisher) for the time spent turning the pages.

@MarcTolbert: No need to go all the way to London. They're a chain, and all over NYC.

Really weird hours, though. I can't think of a time I've passed one that was open.

@MostlyHarmless: I read it as Pet a Manager...and was a little confused as to the actual service they provide. Thank you, Consumerist, for enlightening those of us who didn't know that it is actually a sandwich shop.

Are there any, by chance, in the States? I'd make a trip just because of the letter.

@pecan 3.14159265: I read that too (and posted the same comment almost!).

But I think you mean "great minds" ...

@pecan 3.14159265: I, for some reason, read it as Pret A Manager.. I didn't even notice it was Manger till after your comment.

What is Pret a Manger anyway? None of these options make any sense.

I want a sammich.

I guess the manager googled the Internet, find this guy's blog/website, figure out that it will grant their business a big big visibility if they make the unlikely move.

62.8pounds really worth the visibility gain.

Absolutely classic. I've never heard of a Pret A Manager until now, but talk about buying brand loyalty on the cheap. I'd have lunch there today if I didn't have to cross the Atlantic to do it.

Them be some smart sammich sellers. Real smart like.

@jerry_101: They're all over, and they're very nice inexpensive lunch places.

@kateblack:

Mainly, they do a killer lunch business.

@Kimaroo - 20% More Kitty Added!: Don't know about this guy, but they don't need to pay me to eat there. Awesome sandwiches. The wife and I ate there a grand total of 9 times during the week we spent in London. I would say I wish they'd come to the States, but I'm sure we'd just screw it up somehow.

@RStui: They're in Washington DC. I wasn't impressed with their selection though.

@floraposte: And they have loads of options from veg to low fat to gluttonous. And they are tasty! When I was in London on a budget they were a staple for me.

@junkmail: They are in the U.S. - but only NYC and 1 location in DC. I've heard good things about the DC one. I've enjoyed them in London, and they're the only thing that kept me sane during a 12 hour delay at Heathrow.

@Traveshamockery: I'm hoping that once the check is cashed, the Cafe owner bills McCrudden for the time he spent responding to his correspondence, having someone draft a check, etc.
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(And hopefully without the discount)
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Cafe Owner's time, say 30 minutes x $200/hr.
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McCrudden gets to cash the check and then write one of his own for $100. :)
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(I know, it's BPS not dollars but I don't know how to make the BPS symbol)