Cheap Charlie?

[sqwakvfr]

Is 199 Baht too much for lunch in LOS?  Yesterday I was at a Sizzler  ln CNX.  I frequently have the Sizzler salad buffet.  The normal price is 139 Baht and because yesterday was the Kings Birthday the price was 199.  For the additional 60 baht a few more items are in the buffet.  The chicken salad with mango and raisins was actually pretty good. Also, the tomato soup was good as well. I enjoyed my lunch, the employees are courteous and find it to be good value. 

 

During lunch an old foreigner came in and asked how much the buffet was? The friendly employee replied "199 because today is a holiday". The foreinger looked around the bufffet for a couple minutes and looked at everyone who was eating. He then asked "do you get any meat with the that?".  The employee replied no.  I presume the employee thought he was talking about something like a steak?  The old dude then stared at the employee  and said "that's too much".   He then shook his head and walked out.  I thought to myself there was no need to behave like this.  If you are not willing to pay the price for something or a service then  just say no thank you and politely walk out.  This was a mild case of a foreigner behaving rudely but I believe it will reflect on many of us foreingers in the eyes of Thai people.  At the time the majority of diners were Thai. 

 

In the end 199 Baht is $5.55. I am not rich by all means but spending $5.55 for a salad buffet lunch is not a deal breaker.  if it was I would not be in LOS. 

Edited July 29 by sqwakvfr

[Celsius]

so who is the cheap charlie? both of you?

[steven100]

and your point of this pointless topic is ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 29 by steven100

[Olmate]

So how much salad, soup, chicken, mango, and all thatjazz did you stuff onto your initial selfhelp serving, bitmore than a subway sanga? 

[BritManToo]

I wouldn't pay 199bht for a salad either.

[msbkk]

41 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I wouldn't pay 199bht for a salad either.

To be fair the salad buffet of Sizzler does include soups, fruits and desserts if I remember correctly.

[Ralf001]

$5.55 is a bit over the top for rabbit food.

[Olmate]

49 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I wouldn't pay 199bht for a salad either.

No gravy is the killer for most Brits! 

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

yesterday was the Kings Birthday the price was 199.  For the additional 60 baht a few more items are in the buffet.  

In Australia it's common practice for restaurants to increase prices on holidays, a surcharge. 

You won't get a few more items. 

 

The Sizzler salad buffet has a few meat dishes to choose from. 

 

I'd say he's not a cheap Charlie, those type would not spend 139 on the salad, I reckon he was just one of the many moaners here in Thailand. 

 

 

Edited July 30 by SAFETY FIRST

[KhunLA]

I guess it would depend if you like chicken salad & tomato soup enough to justify the added 60 baht.  Obviously you're not going to eat a kg of chicken.   I'm a fan of chicken salad sandwich and make them at home occasionally. 

 

And if what I make at home was served at a restaurant, Thai or Foreigner managed, it alone would be about a 200 baht value.

 

Considering  200 baht doesn't buy much any more, at any western fast food restaurant, and if you pig out, it's still a value.  Comparing apples to apples.

 

Can't a double buy Whopper for 200 baht any more.

Or a Big Mac meal, or possibly even a Big Mac, as haven't in a long time.

 

And yes, you can get a bag of salad at the fresh market for 30 ish  baht, and 3 double pork burgers at 7-11 or mix up 2 or 3 pre made meals for your 'DIY buffet' ... but you do have the comfort of AC, proper table to sit at, and hopefully better selection of salad items (fake crab or potato salad), fake bacon bits, Caesar dressing, and maybe grilled red & green peppers (not cheap).

 

And hey, if you're already there ... as always UP2U

 

Memory serves, been a while, but add a protein, and salad comes with it, pricing used to be in the 200 baht range anyway.  169-239 baht, I think ... as stated, it's been a while.   I never got the salad bar alone, as adding a protein made it a better value.  If you really want to be a CC, just pig out on the salad bar, and take the protein meal away, back home for another meal later.

 

Usually after done eating at Sizzler, always thought, "damn, I could of had ... ", probably why it's been so long since my last LPOS visit to any of them.  Along with no longer living near a mall that has one.

 

As for the foreigner shaking head and stating 'too much' ... not sure how rude that was,   Thinking the 400-500 baht a day employee would be in agreement with that statement, and didn't take it personal 

[ezzra]

I pay ridiculous fees and prices for a whole range of food items, fresh and cooked, government services

 fees and penalties, and everyday's  expense  that  would be a steal in many other countries

around the world, so what am i t o complain about, indeed, some cheap charlies will always be

about even if you give them food item for next to nothing they will still complain, is just human nature...

Edited July 30 by ezzra

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

The normal price is 139 Baht and because yesterday was the Kings Birthday the price was 199. 

That is a price increase of 43%!

And that is a big difference if the buffet is basically the same.

[sqwakvfr]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

and your point of this pointless topic is ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

If just makes some of us foreigners look like cheap charlies when many of us are not? If read what i said it would have been better just say no thank you and politely walk out. He did not do that.I guess you had to be there.  The guy was about 300 pounds with a beach ball gut.  Had this weird way of looking at people.  

Edited July 30 by sqwakvfr

[sqwakvfr]

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

$5.55 is a bit over the top for rabbit food.

Not in the California.  

[OneMoreFarang]

20 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

If read what i said it would have been better just say no thank you and politely walk out.

Obviously, I don't know what happened in the situation you describe. But in general, I think it is good if guests comment why they do what they do.

High prices are obviously a reason, but it can also be that the place is too loud, too crowded, he does not see item X, the place smells bad, or whatever reason.

And obviously that helps only if the manager and the people who work there listen. I think it is typical Thai that when something was not the way they want it, that they just don't return. It is more typical farang to complain about the bad coffee or the cold food or whatever.

The management will only be able to fix problems when they know what the problems are.

 

 

[Ralf001]

23 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Not in the California.  

 

We aint in California.

[MalcolmB]

He was probably poor.

 

i don’t see it much in Phuket but I was surprised how many poor farangs I came across in Pattaya. I went to a slum condo that was filthy, worn down but many farangs living there.

 

i don’t think Thais care, they are used to seeing poor people

[sqwakvfr]

17 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

We aint in California.

I use CA prices as a reference to see how much I save by staying in LOS for most of the year.  Therefore, a salad buffet for $5.55 at a Sizzler is a bargain. Also, I do not take it for granted that I can stay in LOS for as long as I want.  Year to year things change in many areas so I always have a backup plan to go back home. 

[digbeth]

do people pay just for the access to salad bar? 

I thought the point is that they set the salad bar price so high it seems cheap to go for any of the 'meat' dishes with included salad bar

don't they have cheaper price during weekdays monday-friday too? maybe it's just that this monday counts as a hoiday so the normal weekday discount don't apply

[Ralf001]

50 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

I use CA prices as a reference to see how much I save by staying in LOS for most of the year.  Therefore, a salad buffet for $5.55 at a Sizzler is a bargain. Also, I do not take it for granted that I can stay in LOS for as long as I want.  Year to year things change in many areas so I always have a backup plan to go back home. 

 

Good for you champ.

 

Me personally, I don't give a sh!t about California prices !

[JimTripper]

5 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Is 199 Baht too much for lunch in LOS?  Yesterday I was at a Sizzler  ln CNX.  I frequently have the Sizzler salad buffet.  The normal price is 139 Baht and because yesterday was the Kings Birthday the price was 199.  For the additional 60 baht a few more items are in the buffet.  The chicken salad with mango and raisins was actually pretty good. Also, the tomato soup was good as well. I enjoyed my lunch, the employees are courteous and find it to be good value. 

 

During lunch an old foreigner came in and asked how much the buffet was? The friendly employee replied "199 because today is a holiday". The foreinger looked around the bufffet for a couple minutes and looked at everyone who was eating. He then asked "do you get any meat with the that?".  The employee replied no.  I presume the employee thought he was talking about something like a steak?  The old dude then stared at the employee  and said "that's too much".   He then shook his head and walked out.  I thought to myself there was no need to behave like this.  If you are not willing to pay the price for something or a service then  just say no thank you and politely walk out.  This was a mild case of a foreigner behaving rudely but I believe it will reflect on many of us foreingers in the eyes of Thai people.  At the time the majority of diners were Thai. 

 

In the end 199 Baht is $5.55. I am not rich by all means but spending $5.55 for a salad buffet lunch is not a deal breaker.  if it was I would not be in LOS. 

199 is pricey for just a salad bar in CM. Many seafood buffets are around that or maybe slightly more like 299 (unless they have gone up since I was there 🤣)

 

The ruler is what is appropriate in the location you're in, not other countries or how much money you have.

 

They meant "it's too much for me", not "it's too much". It was a private conversation between the patron and server. Maybe you misinterpreted what they meant or said by listening into their conversation for some reason being nosy. Next time mind your own business unless you are addressed directly.

Edited July 30 by JimTripper

[novacova]

5 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Yesterday I was at a Sizzler  ln CNX.

 

5 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

The old dude then stared at the employee  and said "that's too much".   He then shook his head and walked out.

CM seems to attract a lot of rude foreigners that either live here or visit, even Thais from bkk tend to be testy towards the locals. The locals post a lot of complaints on forums such as pantip and fb. 

[Lacessit]

If I don't want something because I think it is too expensive, I just say " Mai Ow Krap".

[scubascuba3]

someone mentioned to me yesterday the Sizzler holiday price, he declined tio go back after holiday. Golf courses also charge public holiday farang price, i go another day

[brianburi]

12 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

If I don't want something because I think it is too expensive, I just say " Mai Ow Krap".

wow, you are fluid,  any more lingo tips we should know........

[Pouatchee]

2 hours ago, digbeth said:

do people pay just for the access to salad bar? 

I thought the point is that they set the salad bar price so high it seems cheap to go for any of the 'meat' dishes with included salad bar

 

people do pay just for the salad bar. even at 199bht it is good value. they also give slices of toasted bread that are pretty nice. i noticed the salad bars are not the same quality from place to place. rayong sizzler is pretty bad. pattaya central is mediocre and pattaya terminal 21 has the nicest selection.

i like to order the ribs as they are great and i get the salad bar free. sometimes when my better half and i feel like a light meal we go just for the salad bar and even if it were 400bht for 2 we would gladly pay it.

we often go to the hilton buffets and one thing i have stopped doing is eating as much as i can. i see many people stuffing themselves as if it were their last meal on earth. i dont do that anymore as i feel bloated for many hours onward.

[BobBKK]

I am not going to ask why there is an increase in this "holiday", but where does the extra go? As a vegetarian, I could not give a duck beak about the meat.

[1FinickyOne]

7 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

I am not rich by all means

but by some means maybe?

 

I know what you mean though. I am embarrassed when I see farang behaving badly. I saw an old guy screaming at a bank manager over something the bank manager had no part in or control over. I think the old guy lost his bank card from his home country and was just angry. The manager is in a position of respect, being publicly reprimanded is not very nice for him. 

 

I stopped going to buffets during covid but I should go back to that one at Sizzler... 

[1FinickyOne]

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I wouldn't pay 199bht for a salad either.

I haven't been there in years, but they have much more than lettuce - pastas and soups - oh my. 

[Myran]

I fail to see the problem. He gave some feedback and then left. You feeling the need to make a topic about it is the cringiest part of the story.