Perfect example of how NOT to use a credit card. When you use a credit card you pay the balance at the end of each month, this way you have no payment as well as no doubt of the balance AND no interest to pay. The plus factor is that you get your bonus percentage on money spent, so in all actuality you get paid to use the credit card. This is the way a credit card SHOULD be used.

Good friends. They could have just paid his bill.

The staff teased and ridiculed you?!? Sorry but I'd be demanding to speak to their manager about getting the meal for free. That's unprofessional. Cards can be declined for various reasons so to be rude and make fun is just disgusting. Phone the manager and explain it got declined, you were made to sit inside, your friend begged and they made fun, give him the names/descriptions of the staff and I'd also leave a review for the restaurant saying you had payment issues and the staff laughed at you. People need to know what kind of dickheads they are dealing with.

Did you not have more than one way to pay? Like cash? Check? Debit card? And your friend had absolutely no money of any kind on them? And why couldn't your friend gone and gotten something else to pay? Why make him beg? Even if I know I will use my credit card, I always make sure I have some money on my debit or some cash incase of situations like this. I even had something like this happen I had to pay in a combination of loose change, cash, an old gift card and the rest on Debit. What would have been a better way for them to handle it is to take your phone or laptop or some other item more valuable than the meal as collateral. That way you could leave to get the money but they will know you will come back for your phone. But as someone who worked in a restaurant before, I've seen my share of people who "forgot their wallet" and things like that just expecting to do the dishes (which is illegal in most restaurants partially because in order to be in the kitchen or around food you have to be certified that you completed training that you know how to handle and prepare food and clean without causing cross contamination) or yet just expect to walk out and just not come back but with a free meal. Also unlike the person who worked at the grocery store, they have already eaten the food. You can't just put it back. If the person cannot pay, the restaurant is out money. So, while they did behave Inappropriately, I can see where their attitude was coming from. Though I think they should still be fired.

Seems like if between the pair of you, you need to beg for lunch, a soup kitchen is more appropriate than a restaurant ;)

That is SO rude of the staff. You should have spoken to the manager about their mistreatment of you. They had no right to humiliate you and your friend like that in front of everyone

Gotta watch your credit. That's life

Hahaha this is great hahah

.... OP I feel like you made this sound harsher than the reality was....You didn't have any money, the staff said a smart remark (or two) and your also penniless friend went to ask for money. Well one of you had to sit inside so they could hold somebody accountable for this free meal and it wasn't going to be the one asking for money outside. In conclusion don't villain-ize the waitstaff. FYL for the embarrassment and YDI for your unpreparedness.

This could have simply been a mechanical error. It's happened to me before. Also why I carry cash wherever I go.