Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/06/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We hired Compassion Catering to cater our wedding 8/17/24. We met with them 3 times to solidify the plans and times, yet were horribly disappointed and humiliated by their service. When we responded after the wedding saying they did not fulfill their own agreement and we should not be charged for agreements they didn't fulfill, they refused to take off any charges and sent our bill to a collection agency in less than 30 days, which could now unfairly damage our *********** are some of the problems we experienced. This is not a complete list:- They arrived 1.5 hours late. They did not call to let us know they were late; we had to call them and got an excuse that they had written the wrong time in their notes. They later claimed they just changed their minds what time they should arrive. I have emails proving they confirmed their arrival time weeks before - They served 30 minutes early, against our agreement, and against our explicit direction during the wedding to not serve early. This ruined our couple's first dance, since guests were in line for food - They turned guests away for food; we spent much of the night apologizing to guests and assuring them they could eat as much as they liked - We heard them privately insulting our friends and family to each other in our own home when they thought we couldn't hear them - They wrote the wrong name on the table sign, ("Congrats **** Mrs **** which became a running joke among guests at our expense - They left 30 minutes early - They left their station a complete mess; guests and I (the bride) had to clean up after them in order to serve dessert Though we believe we have reason to ask for much more off the final total, we asked only that they remove $300 of the $2200 final cost, removing: service charges (for refusing to serve guests), transportation (for lateness, leaving early, and their inaccurate mileage total), and 1/4 of supplies since we provided our own plates. We hope this never, ever happens to another couple.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/08/2024

  Dear *********** S,
  
  Thank you for your message regarding the complaint from ******* *****. I appreciate the chance to address this matter and provide our perspective.
  
  Response to Complaint:
  
  1. Initial Contact and Meetings:
     - ******* sent in a request April 8th, We first met with *****  on May 18, 2024, for a tasting where he was very pleased with the food and provided positive feedback. We also met ******* briefly on July 8, 2024, to finalize details. There were no additional meetings beyond these two. Any claims of multiple meetings are inaccurate. Our interactions were limited to these key dates.
  
  2. Service and Timing Issues:
     - We arrived at the venue at 3:45 PM on August 17th, in line with the setup time agreed upon in our correspondence. ******* had requested an earlier arrival time of 2:15 PM via email, but this was not confirmed during our meetings, and it posed food safety concerns. We do not guarantee last minute changes with timing. We sent a text letting them know we were on their way. We ensured the food was served at the appropriate temperature and started serving at 5:45 PM to accommodate guest requests, despite the initial plan to start at 6 PM.
  
  3. Addressing Specific Complaints:
     - Arrival and Setup:We were discreet during setup and relocated our vehicle as requested. We did not serve early against the agreement; instead, we adjusted based on guest needs and dissatisfaction.
     - Service Complaints: We did not deny service; rather, we began serving earlier than planned due to guest confusion about the serving time. We aimed to meet all needs promptly.
     - Cleanliness and Conduct: We regret any inconvenience but maintain that we conducted ourselves professionally. Any claims of unprofessional behavior are unsubstantiated.
  
  4. Response to Feedback:
     - We offered a significant discount and provided services below cost. The total charge was reflective of the actual food and minimal overheads. We did not include service charges or transportation fees as part of the final bill. Despite this, we were disheartened by the ongoing dissatisfaction.
  
  5. Commitment to Improvement:
     - We strive to exceed client expectations and are committed to learning from this experience. We acknowledge communication issues and are implementing stricter protocols for consultations and client interactions to prevent future misunderstandings. We apologize if any aspect of our service fell short, and we assure you that we are dedicated to continuous improvement.
  
  Final Thoughts:
  
  We deeply regret that ********* experience did not meet her expectations. We provided a high level of service and aimed to accommodate her needs within our constraints. We believe this complaint may be an attempt to avoid payment rather than a reflection of our actual service quality. As a small, women-owned, Black business, we are committed to ethical practices and fairness.
  
  We appreciate the opportunity to clarify these issues and remain open to further discussion if necessary.
  
  Thank you for your attention to this matter.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *******-********  
  Compassion Catering LLC  
    ********************;
  ************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/18/2024

  
  Complaint: 22250318
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  So many of Compassion Catering's responses are inaccurate - again.

  
  We met 3 times, the first meeting was by phone with the four of us (**** and Nazzy, owners of catering, and the ***** **** and bride *******) in April to solidify plans. Then a tasting meeting (where they again miswrote the bride's name on the sign, just like at the wedding), as well as a meeting at the venue site.
  The service charges and mileage ARE included on the final bill. In fact, the mileage charged is inaccurate as well, they overcharged by over 27 miles. Round trip from their business address to our venue is only 86.6 miles and they charged for 114. Service charges and mileage are not removed from final bill as they stated.
  
  Note: removing service charge for terrible, insulting service to our guests and us, and mileage for being so incredibly late is how we asked them to initially remedy the situation and we were happy to pay the rest of the bill. They refused and instead only offered us 10% off a future event (which of course we cannot use for fear they will again disappoint and go against our agreements) and they asked for a tip.

  
  Had this business made any efforts to take accountability for their mistakes, we would have forgiven so quickly and moved on. We asked only for $300 off the total, never suggesting we wouldn't pay at all. We tried to be understanding, and wanted to give them time to do the right thing. Had they honestly taken any amount off the total to account for so many disappointments, we would have accepted it and closed this chapter immediately.
  
  Instead, like now, we were met with ever-evolving excuses (on the phone the day of the wedding, they said they were late due to problems in the industrial kitchen, they later said they were late because they had written the wrong time in their notes, and then again later changed this story to that they decided they shouldn't arrive at our agreed time for the food's warmth). They also did not arrive at 3:45. I know this because I was standing at our front door waiting for them until 3:51, at which point the groom arrived and he saw me (the bride) before the ceremony, which was upsetting since we'd worked hard not to see each other for 24 hours before the wedding to honor tradition. 
  
  We had such high hopes for Compassion Catering, and were proud to help a new business by trusting them with the biggest day of our lives. We worked for months to make this day special for us and our guests, only to have our caterers make decisions against our explicit requests and ruin many moments we had planned, including our first dance. 

  At this point, we want nothing to do with them. We just want to do our best to forget so many disappointments from this experience and move on.