Retox Lengkee - no more baht buster breakfast

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts removed

[Ling Kae]

3 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I know a guy who has a popular restaurant/bar here.

He told me they make more money off a coffee or tea order then they do selling the inexpensive breakfast specials. Charging 50 or 60 b for an instant coffee or cheap tea.

Why would anyone pay that for an instant coffee when you can get a real brew coffee for 35 baht and drink it in air conditioned premises?

[Leaver]

On 9/9/2019 at 4:21 PM, TaaSaparot said:

It's called Low Season and I have seen over 30 of them, it's nothing new.

There's low season, and then there is "dead." 

 

Be honest, how would you rate this low season out of the 30 you have seen?  For me, it's the quietest low season I have ever seen, which may tend to indicate the quietest high season ever seen is approaching, which may see a lot of businesses close. 

[Ling Kae]

10 minutes ago, Leaver said:

There's low season, and then there is "dead." 

 

Be honest, how would you rate this low season out of the 30 you have seen?  For me, it's the quietest low season I have ever seen, which may tend to indicate the quietest high season ever seen is approaching, which may see a lot of businesses close. 

Seen quite a few myself and I think this is probably one of the worst. Biggest factor is lower exchange rates for all currencies and they've put up the prices locally. 295 baht for a full English breakfast is expensive, comining in at 8 GBP a head. No need to pay that much, many many cheaper options around.

[TaaSaparot]

4 hours ago, Leaver said:

There's low season, and then there is "dead." 

 

Be honest, how would you rate this low season out of the 30 you have seen?  For me, it's the quietest low season I have ever seen, which may tend to indicate the quietest high season ever seen is approaching, which may see a lot of businesses close. 

Nothing beats the Low Low Season of 1993.

[Leaver]

42 minutes ago, TaaSaparot said:

Nothing beats the Low Low Season of 1993.

The low season of 1993 eventually ended. 

 

This low / high season is here for the foreseeable future. 

[TaaSaparot]

5 minutes ago, Leaver said:

The low season of 1993 eventually ended. 

 

This low / high season is here for the foreseeable future. 

Roll on next years Low Season Wishful Thinking.

[Leaver]

Just now, TaaSaparot said:

Roll on next years Low Season Wishful Thinking.

No doubt you will focus on the peak season, which is not actually the high season, to say how busy Pattaya is, but from 1/11 to after Songkran, peak season aside, it will most likely be very quiet also.

 

Happy to be proved wrong, because we all have an interest in seeing our favorite places remain open.

 

Time will tell.

[jacko45k]

On 9/13/2019 at 5:58 AM, bkk6060 said:

I know a guy who has a popular restaurant/bar here.

He told me they make more money off a coffee or tea order then they do selling the inexpensive breakfast specials. Charging 50 or 60 b for an instant coffee or cheap tea.

I was told the same from a coffee and drinks caravan at a UK seaside place. A cup of tea costs nearly nothing and has the best profit percentage. Tea with breakfast in Pattaya is often awful, it comes first, and is cold before the greasy food arrives. Often a cheap Liptons tea bag dumped in nearly hot water from a dispenser. 

[nightfox]

On 9/1/2019 at 10:13 AM, barmatt said:

Cheap Charlies breakfast is way better.

 

On 9/1/2019 at 10:13 AM, barmatt said:

Cheap Charlies breakfast is way better.

Tried it once, it was horrible, tasteless, bland low quality. Bhatbuster was way better IMO.

[nightfox]

The "ORIGINAL" Bhatbuster at I-Rovers for 139 Bht is still my favorite for a full good quality and price breakfast....Plus they show all NFL, NBA, UFC sports there.

[jacko45k]

30 minutes ago, nightfox said:

The "ORIGINAL" Bhatbuster at I-Rovers for 139 Bht is still my favorite for a full good quality and price breakfast....Plus they show all NFL, NBA, UFC sports there.

Well they ain't doing it. I noticed the container is a BBQ-Ribs place now as I rode past yesterday. Has breakfast resumed yet? 

[barmatt]

1 hour ago, nightfox said:

The "ORIGINAL" Bhatbuster at I-Rovers for 139 Bht is still my favorite for a full good quality and price breakfast....Plus they show all NFL, NBA, UFC sports there.

Last time I had the baht buster everything was dried out and shrivelled like it had been sitting on the hot plate all morning. Never again for me. 

[topt]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Well they ain't doing it. I noticed the container is a BBQ-Ribs place now as I rode past yesterday. Has breakfast resumed yet? 

No.

[bkk6060]

On 9/13/2019 at 7:44 AM, DannyCarlton said:

Cheapeskate 555. Most places do coffee and tea free with an English breakfast.

Not really free.

Edited September 14, 2019 by bkk6060

[JamJar]

I actually feel sorry for vendors supplying European, especially British customers. They have high costs, but customers who insist on rock bottom prices.

So it's just a race to the bottom. how can they provide a quality product when so many are focused on price alone.

I wouldn't eat in any of those places for that reason alone. When I have a cooked breakfast, I choose coarse ground high quality sausages, dry cured bacon, organic eggs, vine ripened tomatoes...everything is bursting with flavour.

How can you expect an English breakfast, in Thailand, of any quality for 99 baht? Then to expect the vendor to survive?

Of course everything is reduced to the cheapest possible, in order to survive.

 

I don't compromise on the quality of the products I purchase to eat.

 

[Leaver]

10 hours ago, JamJar said:

I actually feel sorry for vendors supplying European, especially British customers. They have high costs, but customers who insist on rock bottom prices.

So it's just a race to the bottom. how can they provide a quality product when so many are focused on price alone.

I wouldn't eat in any of those places for that reason alone. When I have a cooked breakfast, I choose coarse ground high quality sausages, dry cured bacon, organic eggs, vine ripened tomatoes...everything is bursting with flavour.

How can you expect an English breakfast, in Thailand, of any quality for 99 baht? Then to expect the vendor to survive?

Of course everything is reduced to the cheapest possible, in order to survive.

 

I don't compromise on the quality of the products I purchase to eat.

 

With less western tourists coming here now, and that's a sharp decrease, not a blip on the graph, many of the establishments you describe with either lower their standards, race to the bottom as you say, or raise their prices, or do neither of these, and close their doors.

 

Over the next 6 to 12 months we will be seeing which businesses do which of these. 

[DannyCarlton]

10 minutes ago, Leaver said:

With less western tourists coming here now, and that's a sharp decrease, not a blip on the graph, many of the establishments you describe with either lower their standards, race to the bottom as you say, or raise their prices, or do neither of these, and close their doors.

 

Over the next 6 to 12 months we will be seeing which businesses do which of these. 

It appears that, with restaurants, the race to the bottom seems to be the trend. With small beer bars, they were already operating with minimal profit margins, so have cut costs but not prices, in an attempt to keep their heads above water. With the tourist dependant chains, (Nightwish, Retox et al) they have cut costs and increased prices. Gogos seem to be desparately trying to attract a different demographic (Koreans, Japanese, et al). Only time will tell which is the most successful business model.

Edited September 15, 2019 by DannyCarlton

[Ling Kae]

Last night at around 7 pm the Hungry Hippo restaurant was full. Not a table vacant. They won't be closing anytime soon. Today I believe they are putting on roast chicken with several veggies and potato and gravy for 129 baht. I was warned to get there early because by 12 noon it will be full. Some with reasonable pricing will survive, those that charge too much will not last.

[champers]

23 minutes ago, Leaver said:

With less western tourists coming here now, and that's a sharp decrease, not a blip on the graph, many of the establishments you describe with either lower their standards, race to the bottom as you say, or raise their prices, or do neither of these, and close their doors.

 

Over the next 6 to 12 months we will be seeing which businesses do which of these. 

Sadly, the race to the bottom seems to be customer driven. There is much bragging about how cheap a breakfast is and it is oneupmanship if you have found a brekky cheaper than the next man.

I firmly believe that you get what you pay for, so low prices mean poor ingredients. I am happy to pay more for better quality that is cooked consistently well. Poor cooking of quality ingredients should be punishable by making the chef eat all their meals at Sailor Bar for a month.

[Leaver]

9 minutes ago, Ling Kae said:

Last night at around 7 pm the Hungry Hippo restaurant was full. Not a table vacant. They won't be closing anytime soon. Today I believe they are putting on roast chicken with several veggies and potato and gravy for 129 baht. I was warned to get there early because by 12 noon it will be full. Some with reasonable pricing will survive, those that charge too much will not last.

Just to clarify, I have never said ALL bars and restaurants catering for westerners will close.  Some will survive, but many will close.

 

Hungry Hippo is known for it's cheap prices. 

 

So, with Hungry Hippo being "full" which nearby businesses will Hungry Hippo cause to close? 

 

Can you now see how, eventually, westerners will be left with less choice and variety in the future?  Then, do we see queues outside Hungry Hippo, as people wait for a table? 

 

Once Hungry Hippo has knocked out its competition, do they raise their prices? 

[Ling Kae]

2 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Just to clarify, I have never said ALL bars and restaurants catering for westerners will close.  Some will survive, but many will close.

 

Hungry Hippo is known for it's cheap prices. 

 

So, with Hungry Hippo being "full" which nearby businesses will Hungry Hippo cause to close? 

 

Can you now see how, eventually, westerners will be left with less choice and variety in the future?  Then, do we see queues outside Hungry Hippo, as people wait for a table? 

 

Once Hungry Hippo has knocked out its competition, do they raise their prices? 

I don't think that will happen. There are too many of the old places that do alright and have their regular customer base. There is just so much choice around. Not all of these places have high overheads.  If anything I think there is more choice now than ever.

[Leaver]

5 minutes ago, Ling Kae said:

There are too many of the old places that do alright and have their regular customer base. There is just so much choice around.

Isn't this contradictory?  You can only cut the pie into so many slices. 

 

In any case, the old places have an ageing customer base, which are not being replaced by new retirees, and not being propped up by tourists at the moment.

[bkk6060]

18 minutes ago, Ling Kae said:

I don't think that will happen. There are too many of the old places that do alright and have their regular customer base. There is just so much choice around. Not all of these places have high overheads.  If anything I think there is more choice now than ever.

It appears to me the western places are on the demise.

Long time places like Lonestar, etc gone.

My observation also is locals are cutting back on the big meal pricier western places.  

The newer spots seem to be Chinese and Indian.

[William Osborne]

What sausages do retox use....yuck ???? 

[bkk6060]

7 minutes ago, William Osborne said:

What sausages do retox use....yuck ???? 

Maybe you do not want to know the answer.

They seemed horrible.

[fforest1]

5 hours ago, William Osborne said:

What sausages do retox use....yuck ???? 

Seemed fine to me for 99 Baht.....

[fforest1]

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

It appears to me the western places are on the demise.

Long time places like Lonestar, etc gone.

My observation also is locals are cutting back on the big meal pricier western places.  

The newer spots seem to be Chinese and Indian.

The Indians have a interesting business model.....Almost no customers needed to be successful....Maybe the farang restaurants could make this work too...   

Edited September 15, 2019 by fforest1

[balo]

On 9/13/2019 at 12:58 AM, bkk6060 said:

Charging 50 or 60 b for an instant coffee or cheap tea.

Then the customers musty be really stupid.
Who wants to pay 50 baht for instant Nescafe when you can order a real brewed coffee, made from beans for the same price next door. 

I am happy to pay 99 baht for a breakfast without coffee as long as the same restaurant offer real coffee under 50 baht. 

[jacko45k]

21 hours ago, Leaver said:

So, with Hungry Hippo being "full" which nearby businesses will Hungry Hippo cause to close?

The Seaside on soi Pothole is trying to downsize and rent off half it's property, I think that is a casualty of the bargain basement places around the corner.