Not getting the right change in Restaurants

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

4 hours ago, KittenKong said:

I learnt many years ago that in Thailand (and many other countries) you should always check everything carefully. If you dont then you can guarantee that someone will steal from you.

 

I've experienced short-changing or overpricing in large supermarkets, small convenience stores, condo offices, markets, food stalls, restaurants and once bank staff even "forgot" a bundle of 100,000B at the rear of their counter where it was invisible to me but fully visible to them. Luckily in every case I always checked and always got what was mine in the end.

 

Trust no one.

 

Yes, a good reminder. I do consistently check my change and items on the cashier list in the big supermarkets. There's big opportunity to hide change there as there are many more baht notes/coins in the transaction.

[JaiLai]

On 1/29/2019 at 6:59 AM, banglay said:

Try not to look like a you've just stepped off the plane ...I always  have my Buddhist amulet on display  and speak Thai to the best of my ability and of cause a friendly smile ...I've never to my knowledge been ripped off in any restaurant or shop for that case ...I find 99.99% of Khun Thai to be honest and honourable. But no doubt the doom and gloom brigade will have the opposite opinion ...    

You should fit right in, this will solve all problems encountered - lol

[NanLaew]

On 1/29/2019 at 11:07 AM, Henryford said:

Hard to name the places with Thailand's libel laws. Anyway it's probably the staff concerned not the restaurants' fault. The change is a lot more than 20 baht but even if it was 10 baht i expect to get it back. Hard to always have the exact change if the bill is say 700 baht.

What's so difficult about keeping 1000 baht in 500's and/or 100's + a fistful of 20's?

[bbko]

Math is not a strong point for many Thais in sales, just the other day I bought a watermelon the melon was 69 baht, so I handed the lady a 100 baht note and she had to break out the calculator to figure the difference, meanwhile I did subtraction in my head about 2 seconds (this happens a lot around town).  

[RocketDog]

On 1/29/2019 at 7:20 PM, Sydebolle said:

Another solution is paying by credit/debit card; no loose change, all on one statement and, depending on issuing bank, miles. Tipping, however, you want to do in cash as CCed tips end usually with the restaurant and not the staff. 

Seriously? You pay with a credit card?

 

99% of the places I eat don't accept credit cards and mine is based in my home country so I get to pay the going exchange rate plus a foreign currency fee. The restaurant pays a fee too, so net result is everybody loses money except the <deleted> bank. Grrr. 

I am also concerned about giving my credit card number, (and the verification code on the back of the card) to ANY vendor in a personal transaction, in any country. 

 

In my case, my Thai GF checks each item on the bill at her leisure while the wait staff stands there. Maybe 10% of the time the bill is wrong, usually a bit high, and very occasionally they don't charge for items we ate or give us too much change! We are always sure to correct this immediately. 

 

While I have no doubt that overcharging is occasionally done consciously, I never ascribe malice to actions that are more easily explained by simple negligence, wherever I am. 

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, RocketDog said:

Seriously? You pay with a credit card?

 

99% of the places I eat don't accept credit cards 

 

 

 

 

Yes, street stalls will not.

????

[JaiLai]

Math is not a strong point for many Thais in sales, just the other day I bought a watermelon the melon was 69 baht, so I handed the lady a 100 baht note and she had to break out the calculator to figure the difference, meanwhile I did subtraction in my head about 2 seconds (this happens a lot around town).  

If you buy something for 10 baht and hand over a 20 then about 90% of then use / need a calculator...


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[SammyT]

On 1/29/2019 at 3:40 PM, scorecard said:

Another one is to put some of the change well hidden under the flap on the small folder they use to bring the bill and then bring the change.

 

Some years back I was with a Thai colleague, he suspected short change so he checked under the flap, sure enough the rest of the change hidden. 

 

 

I always chuckle when they drop hints for a tip by putting about 50 or 60 baht worth of coins in the black folder, hoping you'll find the coins too much of a pain in the ass to take. 

 

I agree with the earlier advice about always trying to have smaller notes so that you can pay the exact amount or round up to a tip. I gave up trying to pay with 1000B notes about 18 months ago after continually having to wait for change to be found. 

[thaitero]

Use big notes in places you trust/know ( 7 eleven, family mart, restaraunts you are familiar etc ) and use excakt notes places you do not know..

Escpecially apply this rule when bar hopping etc.. Makes life so much easier even when there is no foul play since you do not need to wait for change..

[4evermaat]

On 1/29/2019 at 12:17 PM, Skallywag said:

Yes ATMs give out 1000 baht notes.  Just saying if you are worried about not receiveing correct change, go buy a 10 baht Mentos at 7-11, break the 1000 baht so you have some change with you.  Calculator app a good idea.  Will likely happen to me sometime then I will be pissed for not following my own advice.  ???? 

There is a 5 and 6 baht 7-eleven branded drinking water in the refrigerated section.  Perfect for breaking 1000 baht.  I often wondered if there was anything cheaper like a lollipop you could buy.   

 

Another option @NCC1701A suggested is to pull 400/900 from the atm vs 500/1000 baht.  This works best if you have a local bank account w/ atm card opened in the same province that you are withdrawing from.

 

On 1/30/2019 at 7:17 AM, KittenKong said:

I learnt many years ago that in Thailand (and many other countries) you should always check everything carefully. If you dont then you can guarantee that someone will steal from you.

 

I've experienced short-changing or overpricing in large supermarkets, small convenience stores, condo offices, markets, food stalls, restaurants and once bank staff even "forgot" a bundle of 100,000B at the rear of their counter where it was invisible to me but fully visible to them. Luckily in every case I always checked and always got what was mine in the end.

 

Trust no one.

 

Trust, but verify.

 

I normally mention the amount of the bill when handing it to the cashier.  Minimizes confusion.

[Henryford]

21 hours ago, RocketDog said:

Seriously? You pay with a credit card?

 

99% of the places I eat don't accept credit cards and mine is based in my home country so I get to pay the going exchange rate plus a foreign currency fee. The restaurant pays a fee too, so net result is everybody loses money except the <deleted> bank. Grrr. 

I am also concerned about giving my credit card number, (and the verification code on the back of the card) to ANY vendor in a personal transaction, in any country. 

 

In my case, my Thai GF checks each item on the bill at her leisure while the wait staff stands there. Maybe 10% of the time the bill is wrong, usually a bit high, and very occasionally they don't charge for items we ate or give us too much change! We are always sure to correct this immediately. 

 

While I have no doubt that overcharging is occasionally done consciously, I never ascribe malice to actions that are more easily explained by simple negligence, wherever I am.  

Come on !! i have been short changed dozens of times, and it's always short not over. No way is that "simple negligence". Especially when as soon as you mention it they have the right change ready to give you.

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

Come on !! i have been short changed dozens of times, and it's always short not over. No way is that "simple negligence". Especially when as soon as you mention it they have the right change ready to give you.

Well, I never have and have been here for several years.

Is there something about you that makes you a constant victim of this crime?

[KittenKong]

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, I never have and have been here for several years.

You probably have been, but you just didnt notice.

[balo]

I had this happen to me recently on consecutive days. On both occasions I paid with a 1000 and was 100 short changed. When I get my change I fan it out and check it is right before pocketing it.
In both restos the wait staff picked up on the short change before I complained about it and gave me the missing 100. This confirms to me that some waiting staff are trying it on. A lot of people just pick up the change without checking it, so don't even know they have been diddled.
I won't name either restaurant involved but I would just advise caution. Same applies in bars; maybe moreso as drink dulls the grey matter, or so I'm told.
I must say that I have been given too much change on 2 occasions and I have handed the extra back. One amount was more than what the employee would earn in a day.

I think you should mention the names of the restaurants. Dishonest staff should not get away with it.

[champers]

28 minutes ago, balo said:

On 1/29/2019 at 12:32 PM, champers said:

I had this happen to me recently on consecutive days. On both occasions I paid with a 1000 and was 100 short changed. When I get my change I fan it out and check it is right before pocketing it.
In both restos the wait staff picked up on the short change before I complained about it and gave me the missing 100. This confirms to me that some waiting staff are trying it on. A lot of people just pick up the change without checking it, so don't even know they have been diddled.
I won't name either restaurant involved but I would just advise caution. Same applies in bars; maybe moreso as drink dulls the grey matter, or so I'm told.
I must say that I have been given too much change on 2 occasions and I have handed the extra back. One amount was more than what the employee would earn in a day.

I think you should mention the names of the restaurants. Dishonest staff should not get away with it.

I am not sure about the defamation laws here. Naming the restaurant does not identify the member of staff.

[bkk6060]

50 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

You probably have been, but you just didnt notice.

No.

Thais usually count the change 2 or even 3 times before handing it back to you.  Then, I count it myself after I receive it takes about 5 seconds.

Anyone that claims it has happened "dozens of times" is either not telling the truth and making a Thais are thieves reference or they are being victimized for a reason.  Maybe lack of focus, attention, the odor of alcohol, etc.

 

[madmen]

No.
Thais usually count the change 2 or even 3 times before handing it back to you.  Then, I count it myself after I receive it takes about 5 seconds.
Anyone that claims it has happened "dozens of times" is either not telling the truth and making a Thais are thieves reference or they are being victimized for a reason.  Maybe lack of focus, attention, the odor of alcohol, etc.
 

I'm going to try chewing on mints to see if alcohol is the real culprit [emoji23]

[KittenKong]

3 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Anyone that claims it has happened "dozens of times" is either not telling the truth and making a Thais are thieves reference or they are being victimized for a reason. 

You are forgetting that overcharging for some items, or getting the addition wrong, is basically the same thing as short-changing. The scams are endless here.

[bkk6060]

8 minutes ago, madmen said:

I'm going to try chewing on mints to see if alcohol is the real culprit

Good idea.

The urine stained cargo shorts and yellow Singha tank top with coffee and beer stains might be a precursor also.  ????

Overall appearance and an alert demeanor may assist one with not being a victim of these crimes.

[madmen]

Good idea.
The urine stained cargo shorts and yellow Singha tank top with coffee and beer stains might be a precursor also.  [emoji846]
Overall appearance and an alert demeanor may assist one with not being a victim of these crimes.

In a previous life I worked as a Ferrari salesman at scuderia veloce motors in Sydney.
I learnt very quickly not to judge a book by its cover and cargo shorts minus the pee stains of course plus the wife beater
.. Bought Ferraris lol

However I will test out your theory and start wearing a suit and not have a drink before I visit 7/11 [emoji16]

[RocketDog]

10 hours ago, Henryford said:

Come on !! i have been short changed dozens of times, and it's always short not over. No way is that "simple negligence". Especially when as soon as you mention it they have the right change ready to give you.

Your mileage may vary.

It's a big world Henry, and we each have various experiences, all of which are obviously possible since they happened.

 

It's often been said that one's attitude toward the world affects how the world treats one. 

 

I don't doubt your experience at all. Odd that it happens to you so often though. 

 

Everybody who is human makes honest mistakes at times. It is my observation that many restaurants are understaffed, thus their workers are overstressed. 

 

I personally prefer to think the best of people until I see proof to the contrary. It tends to make me happier. 

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, RocketDog said:

I personally prefer to think the best of people until I see proof to the contrary. It tends to make me happier. 

I lived for more than 50 years like that, with no problems at all. 5 years in Thailand changed my viewpoint entirely. I'm still happy, but I just dont trust anyone here.

[MRTELLYOUSTRAIGHT]

On 1/31/2019 at 2:33 PM, 4evermaat said:

There is a 5 and 6 baht 7-eleven branded drinking water in the refrigerated section.  Perfect for breaking 1000 baht.  I often wondered if there was anything cheaper like a lollipop you could buy.

Yes it gets me everytime the wondering if I could of pi%%ed off the 7/11 cashire just that little bit more buy handing over a 1000 baht note after spending a whopping 5 baht. No wonder many of them hate us.

[Happy Grumpy]

On 1/29/2019 at 11:07 AM, Henryford said:

Hard to always have the exact change if the bill is say 700 baht.

 

Not really.

 

I always withdraw x,900thb from the ATM when I want x,000thb.

 

And break the thousand baht notes when in a 7 or Tesco etc.

 

Result is I always have 900b in notes to accompany the 1,000b notes in my wallet

 

Works well in Thailand, and is really quite simple. ????

 

You're welcome. 

[Henryford]

Yes i do the same but i have other expenses during the day and don't always have the 700+ still in my wallet when i go to eat at night. I also agree with IGHT and am not comfortable breaking a 1000 note at 7/11 just to buy a 5 baht bottle of water.

[Yellowtail]

Why not just pay with a credit card and be done with it?

 

I don't ever seem to get shortchanged or overcharged.

[bkk6060]

On 2/1/2019 at 8:57 PM, KittenKong said:

I lived for more than 50 years like that, with no problems at all. 5 years in Thailand changed my viewpoint entirely. I'm still happy, but I just dont trust anyone here.

No doubt they feel the same way towards you.

A big win win..