Is This Ethical? Version 3.0

[Big C]

Keeping the theme of the last 24 hours rolling, I feel like this one is a bit more "gray" than the others. Or....... maybe I'm just a thief like everyone else. 

I order Chipotle for lunch several times a month. I always get double meat in my order. Those of you who eat at Chipotle know that the person(s) who put your bowl are generally not the same people who ring you up to pay. 

95% of the time, my extra meat order is communicated down the production line and I am charged the appropriate amount. Every once in awhile, one of the employees will miss marking my order appropriately. If the cashier asks me what I ordered, I will always answer honestly. If they don't ask and simply ring me up for the single meat price, I do not correct them. 

Is that ethical?

[mcanadiens]

@Big C. Most of the time in that sort of situation my assumption would be that they screwed up the order and there is only single meat on the food itself. Most of the time, I'd let that go. ... If, on the other hand, I knew the food was double-meat, I'd probably point it out to the cashier if I noticed it. 

Guess I've had a version of this happen a few times over the years. 

The last time I recall, I was buying a six-pack of beer. The convenience store had a new guy working and he rang me up for just one of the six beers.

I did point it out. 

 

 

 

[chspeed]

This one is just as clear as the others. It's unethical by omission. Here's one that's actually grey.

You are golfing with a group of friends. At the pro shop, you offer to pay for everyone's round (you just got your bonus and are feeling very generous).

After the round, one of your friends (call him Mike) is hanging out the proshop. The pro there says, "hey I see you guys around all the time, here's a credit to play sometime in the future." The credit is for one person. Is Mike entitled to keep it or should he offer it to you?

[snapfade]

If I'm at the nudie bar and sitting next to a group of Japanese business men and they are paying every girl there for a lap dance is it unethical of me to look? I mean they are only 3 feet away, I don't really see the harm. I have to look somewhere.  Am I taking money out of their garter belt? Will they not make their trailer payment this week?  

[chspeed]

8 minutes ago, snapfade said:

If I'm at the nudie bar and sitting next to a group of Japanese business men and they are paying every girl there for a lap dance is it unethical of me to look? I mean they are only 3 feet away, I don't really see the harm. I have to look somewhere.  Am I taking money out of their garter belt? Will they not make their trailer payment this week?  

That is different. The point of a lap dance is that they are sitting in your lap. You're just looking, and they know you're watching.

But if you found a hole in the wall at a movie theater and watched the movie through the hole, then yes you're stealing.

Edited July 17, 2023 by chspeed

[mcanadiens]

3 minutes ago, snapfade said:

If I'm at the nudie bar and sitting next to a group of Japanese business men and they are paying every girl there for a lap dance is it unethical of me to look? I mean they are only 3 feet away, I don't really see the harm. I have to look somewhere.  Am I taking money out of their garter belt? Will they not make their trailer payment this week?  

Anything in sight in the main part of the club is fair game to be looked at, but no touching. Now if you busted into the back room during a guy's private dance, that would be different. 

 

[snapfade]

6 minutes ago, chspeed said:

That is different. The point of a lap dance is that they are sitting in your lap. You're just looking, and they know you're watching.

But if you found a hole in the wall at a movie theater and watched the movie through the hole, then yes you're stealing.

Depends on what kind of theater. That hole might have another purpose.

[colin007]

42 minutes ago, chspeed said:

But if you found a hole in the wall at a movie theater and watched the movie through the hole, then yes you're stealing.

What if you live next to the drive-in? 

[StuM]

1st: I can't honestly answer since I have not gone into a Chipolet for years and doubt I ever will again.

However, If I was aware of the error I would likley say something out of habbit, without actually thinking about it.  But frankly, at fast food, etc. I ususally just order what I like without looking at the price and then just pay whatever they tell me I owe.  About the only time I would catch something is if the price was way way off from my general expectation.  If they ask what I ordered I would answer honestly and if I heard them ask another employee and get bad information I would correct it.

 

[snapfade]

9 minutes ago, colin007 said:

What if you live next to the drive-in? 

Now that is a good ethical question. I would argue that the drive-in should install higher fencing so the the guy who lives next door cant get a free view. However, if it is here in Florida, there would be some HOA rule, or city ordinance that would prevent this from happening. 

[mdl]

1 hour ago, Big C said:

Keeping the theme of the last 24 hours rolling, I feel like this one is a bit more "gray" than the others. Or....... maybe I'm just a thief like everyone else. 

I order Chipotle for lunch several times a month. I always get double meat in my order. Those of you who eat at Chipotle know that the person(s) who put your bowl are generally not the same people who ring you up to pay. 

95% of the time, my extra meat order is communicated down the production line and I am charged the appropriate amount. Every once in awhile, one of the employees will miss marking my order appropriately. If the cashier asks me what I ordered, I will always answer honestly. If they don't ask and simply ring me up for the single meat price, I do not correct them. 

Is that ethical?

I don't know how things work at Chipotle in terms of monitoring revenue versus materials. For a giant corporation like Chipotle, if there's no chance the staff gets in trouble and your savings come out of their paychecks, take your free extra meat. Like you, if they asked me I'd tell the truth.

Same thing at a small business, you should correct the mistake.

5 minutes ago, snapfade said:

Now that is a good ethical question. I would argue that the drive-in should install higher fencing so the the guy who lives next door cant get a free view. However, if it is here in Florida, there would be some HOA rule, or city ordinance that would prevent this from happening. 

You guys need to lighten up! It's a cramped little world where one is thinking at all about the ethical considerations of what you can see out your window!

Edited July 17, 2023 by mdl

[chspeed]

22 minutes ago, colin007 said:

What if you live next to the drive-in? 

Again, it's unethical, but more socially acceptable.

Similarly, viewing a sporting event from a home outside the stadium is considered socially acceptable. Those views are often a "feature" and are shown on TV/Streaming - making the team seem egalitarian.

[snapfade]

Ok here you go. You get free refills on drinks at the fast food place. Is it unethical to fill up a big jug? On one hand a guy might make 4 or 5 trips up there to get a refill. How about just one trip, fill up the 64oz mug.  LOL

[Missouri Swede]

1 hour ago, colin007 said:

What if you live next to the drive-in? 

When we lived in San Antonio, our house was very close to Sea World (a few blocks).  Every evening we could watch fireworks from our sofa, watching through our front window. Fun with kids.

[iacas]

If I noticed, I'd point it out. I almost always know the rough price of what I'm buying, so I generally would notice.

If I get rung out and notice sitting at the table, I don't think I'd go back up to try to give them extra money, or have them cancel the transaction and re-process it or something.

[billchao]

4 hours ago, mcanadiens said:

@Big C. Most of the time in that sort of situation my assumption would be that they screwed up the order and there is only single meat on the food itself. Most of the time, I'd let that go. ... If, on the other hand, I knew the food was double-meat, I'd probably point it out to the cashier if I noticed it. 

I’m with you on this one. If I ordered extra meat but the back line doesn’t tell the cashier to charge for extra meat, there’s the distinct possibility that they missed it and didn’t put it on. If I’m really adamant about having the extra meat then I’ll make sure to ask the cashier to confirm if they put extra meat on and get charged appropriately.

If I can clearly see that they did make the food as I ordered, I’ll point it out at the register that they’re undercharging me.

1 hour ago, iacas said:

If I noticed, I'd point it out. I almost always know the rough price of what I'm buying, so I generally would notice.

If I get rung out and notice sitting at the table, I don't think I'd go back up to try to give them extra money, or have them cancel the transaction and re-process it or something.

I’ve gone home from stores with free things in the past when the cashier missed ringing up an item and I didn’t notice it at checkout. I have never gone back to the store to have them charge me for it. It was an honest mistake on both our parts and not like I was purposely deceiving people to get free things.

As for the poll question, I didn’t vote, because my answer is, “It depends.”

[ChetlovesMer]

52 minutes ago, billchao said:

I’m with you on this one. If I ordered extra meat but the back line doesn’t tell the cashier to charge for extra meat, there’s the distinct possibility that they missed it and didn’t put it on. If I’m really adamant about having the extra meat then I’ll make sure to ask the cashier to confirm if they put extra meat on and get charged appropriately.

If I can clearly see that they did make the food as I ordered, I’ll point it out at the register that they’re undercharging me.

Same for me. 

[The Flush]

I am not a member of the course I play most often. Sometimes when I go into pay, they only ask for the cart fee as if I was a member. I always remind them that I am not a member and should have to pay greens fees too. It is the right thing to do. Most of the staff know that I am not a member and simply forgot because a lot of the other players in the league I am in are members.

At every Chipotle that I have ever been to, you watch them prepare your food, so you know whether or not they put the double meat on.