Help: I sent the wrong 7‑course tasting menu (Plate #42) to a table – what liability do I face?

Off my chest: last night I was the maître d' at Le Petit Garde and somehow the kitchen ticket for Table 12 (the VIP party) got swapped with the ticket for Table 5 (the brunch crowd). The result? I sent a 7‑course tasting menu – including a foie gras torchon and a 2018 Château Margaux paired with a 0.75 L Bouchon 3000 decanter – to a group that only ordered a simple brunch à la carte.

The kitchen crew freaked out, the sommelier tried to salvage the wine list, and I spent the next 15 minutes apologizing while the guests stared at their plates like they’d been served a legal brief.

I know the restaurant’s SOP (Mise en Place Protocol v3.2) says the maître d' must verify the ticket number before the pass, but I was distracted by a phone call about a pending contract dispute. Does that count as negligence? Is there any precedent where a mis‑served dish led to a claim of breach of contract or consumer protection violation?

Quick rundown of what went wrong:

• Ticket #1124 (7‑course) printed on the Miele 9000 printer, but I entered "1125" into the POS.
• No double‑check step because the “verify ticket” checkbox was unchecked (a known UI bug in the Toast POS v2.7).
• Guests left with a bill for a menu they never ordered – they’re now demanding a refund and a formal apology.

Any advice on how to frame this in a written response to the owners, or whether I should consult a lawyer about potential liability? I’m not looking for a career change, just want to avoid a HR nightmare.

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