I didn’t say it was necessarily a problem, but there is quite a bit of potential for it to be (or for one to arise as a result) - much more so than if a more senior person were to buy the intern coffee, donuts, or a sandwich. Which was my point, of course. And there is no way for that senior person to actually know…

“...within three months, New Coke was gone, locked away in the Coca-Cola vaults, never to be heard of again...until now.”

I didn’t say anything about getting an intern “plastered” - but your reply actually hints at the point.

Theres a huge difference between buying interns coffee and donuts or a sandwich and buying them alcohol.

Probably the kind who understand the issues of propriety and possible liability when it comes to such scenarios.

Only order what / and as much as you can afford, pay separately, and only go as frequently as you can afford to go. It’s not difficult.

Yes, that the restaurant was at fault in forgetting the entree has been established - I’m not disputing that.

I wasn’t making an argument about what the restaurant should or should not have done. They didn’t offer the meal free when the customer re-confirmed the order - if they didn’t want to pay for it, they had opportunity to cancel it.

“A max of £90 a night, for four days, is £360.”

Uh, ok?

“The dining experience will comprise a 2 course meal”

Exactly - and if you can’t adjust your work schedule to accommodate another potential client’s deadline, it’s likely because you are working on a project that has a deadline. 

Ok, but I think it’s safe to assume the letter writer is an adult - and your children are not?

“Certainly they lost less money by giving us free dessert than a free entree.”

I’m debating with you, not the guy who wrote the book.

Seems to me that someone who has spent “years investigating the art world and more specifically the gallery & auction ones” would have a much better way of making an argument about it than ignoring key words and telling someone to buy and read a book to help make the argument for them. 

And yet, it is still ultimately the final bidder who determines the ultimate value (i.e. ultimate sale price) of the item being auctioned, based on what they decide the value is to them. Minimum bids and reserves are the minimum sale price, not necessarily the ultimate sale price. You seem to be completely ignoring…

Also:

“This isn’t an “effort”, it’s a publicity stunt.” 

I think you inserted the wrong image by mistake - clearly it should be this one: