PVR Cinemas — Bill/receipt for payment made for snacks

I went to watch Mufasa at PVR Cinemas Juhu, Mumbai on Saturday 28th December 2024. It was the 2.15 p.m. show.

The card machines did not work at the ticket counter and we paid by GPay, Rs.1560/- . The tickets were sent to a phone number of a member of my group.

At the snack counter, the bill was Rs. 1720/- for popcorn and iced tea. I noticed again that their card machines were not working and was informed they were accepting only UPI/Card payments and not cash. I paid by GPay again.

I was asked for my phone number at the counter which I declined to provide.

I then asked for a hard copy of the receipt/bill. They said they cannot give me a receipt for the payment because I declined to give them my phone number and claimed that their policy was to send receipts digitally only!

I was then told there is a problem with the machines and the receipt would be given to me in the cinema hall. This did not happen.

Only when I insisted with the manager, after I finished the movie, that I should be given a receipt, did he take a print out and give it to me.

Is this allowed? Can an establishment decline to provide a copy of the bill/receipt to a consumer who does not want to share their phone number as a matter of policy??

I understand it is greener but there should be an option for a consumer to get a physical bill/receipt, isn’t it?

This just seems like a clever way of collecting phone numbers by PVR to add to their databases and not at all a fair practice.