Imagine going to Chipotle, as you’re entering there’s a guy carrying a box of cilantro. You hold the door for him and go in after him. You go down the food line, cashing out for around $10, and sitting down to eat.
Just as you finish eating, several employees line up at your table, each with a paper in hand.
The first employee hands you the paper and you realize it’s a bill. She tells you that she isn’t actually employed by Chipotle and she’s an independent worker who bills separately for her services. She is the rice-specialist who scooped the rice for your bowl. For your lunch, her fee is $49.
The next employee hands you a paper. It turns out he was the bean-specialist who is now billing you $27 for your lunch. Why is his price so much different than the rice-specialist? No one knows.
The building owner is also in line. He has a bill for use of the facility. There was a door charge, which you utilized when you entered, a line charge for standing in the line area, and a cash register charge. His fees total $475. You point at the bill and ask why there’s a “Restroom Fee” if you never used the restroom. He says, “That’s a surcharge we charge to all of our patrons, regardless of whether they use it or not. It’s for upkeep.”
Each person in line hands you a bill for the portion that they contributed to your bowl. The total now, for the food you’ve already eaten, becomes $758.
You ask them, “What about the $10 you quoted me when I cashed out? Why would you quote that, and then accept that as payment for the food you were giving me?” They respond, “Oh, that was an estimate. If you’re having trouble paying you can apply for financial assistance or set up a payment plan.”
You look at the bills and realize that they charged you for barbacoa but you got chicken. You try to point this out and tell them they aren’t even billing accurately and they tell you that you can call in to customer service to dispute any charges.
You tell them that this is completely unfair and an unacceptable way to conduct business. You paid what you were quoted and they accepted payment. They then respond by refunding your initial $10 payment, as if to erase the original agreement, and claim you haven’t made any payments on your bill, and then send it to collections.
Later that day, you call in to customer service to dispute the blatantly incorrect charge (as if the other parts are actually fair), explaining that you got chicken but they billed for chicken AND barbacoa. They tell you that they can send it to the review board which takes 30-45 business days and they can review it. You agree, assuming it will all work out, but they finally come back two months later telling you that you’re wrong and you were given barbacoa so the charge stands.
Six months later, you receive a new bill in the mail. This is for $90. It claims to be from the guy who owns the cilantro farm. His bill says that he had an interaction with you which he charges for.