Fortitude Valley diner faces refund dispute over triple $400 booking fee
A family visiting from Taiwan has been charged $1200 in reservation fees at Restaurant Dan Arnold in Fortitude Valley, despite a booking confirmation email stating the establishment does not charge for bookings. The incident occurred after Sally Tsai and her family dined at the venue on July 10, 2026.
Tsai only discovered the discrepancy after her return home. She noticed three separate charges of $400 appeared on her statement, each listed with chef Dan Arnold’s name. The charges were spaced approximately 13 hours apart, rather than appearing as a single spam-like transaction.
Restaurant denies receiving extra funds
According to reports from The Age, Tsai contacted the restaurant and their booking service, SevenRooms, to request a refund. SevenRooms responded by stating that restaurants are responsible for their own charges.
However, the restaurant has not replied to Tsai’s inquiries. “Zero word, zero response,” Tsai told reporters. She has since lodged a formal complaint with the Office of Fair Trading, which is now attempting to facilitate conciliation between the diner and the establishment.
Chef Dan Arnold addressed the issue, attributing the extra payments to a third-party provider. He confirmed that the restaurant never received the additional money from an “isolated number of affected guests.” Arnold stated that while they have taken necessary steps on their end, the final processing time for the dispute is subject to the payment provider and the guest’s financial institution.
Another customer reports similar experience
The situation is not isolated to Tsai alone. The Age reported that another customer of Restaurant Dan Arnold experienced similar issues but eventually secured a refund. This suggests the technical glitch may have affected more than just the Taiwanese visitor.
Arnold, who opened the restaurant in 2018 after spending a decade in France, remains a fixture in the Brisbane hospitality scene. He previously took over La Cache a Vin in 2022 before selling his stake in 2025. He also launched Pneuma in the CBD with chef Matt Blackwell, though that venue closed in July 2025.
Arnold confirmed to the media that he is aware of the inquiry and is in communication regarding the matter. The dispute remains unresolved as the payment provider processes the refund.
