Charging Extra For Bread And Water In Expensive Restauraunts

[Ulysses G.]

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

Another thing that pisses me off are these expensive places that charge for "extra" bread. Last night I went to St. Germain des Pres and there was a party of 15 Thais right in front of me. I kept waiting and waiting for food, but they had to be served first. I finished the 4 very tiny - somewhat stale - chunks of bread that they brought me with NO butter (I would say that all together they were smaller than one NORMAL slice of bread) and they asked if I wanted more bread. I was bored of sitting there and starving, so I said yes. At the end of the 500 baht meal I was presented with a charge for the extra scraps of stale bread.

Yes, it was only 20 baht, but no one bothered to inform me that there was an extra charge.

Anyway, I was so miffed that I did something that I never do; I took 20 baht off of the tip for not letting me know.

Edited November 25, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[Donnyboy]

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

Another thing that pisses me off are these expensive places that charge for "extra" bread. Last night I went to St. Germain des Pres and there was a party of 15 Thais right in front of me. I kept waiting and waiting for food, but they had to be served first. I finished the 4 very tiny - somewhat stale - chunks of bread that they brought me with NO butter (I would say that all together they were smaller than one NORMAL slice of bread) and they asked if I wanted more bread. I was bored of sitting there and starving, so I said yes. At the end of the 500 baht meal I was presented with a charge for the extra scraps of stale bread.

Yes, it was only 20 baht, but no one bothered to inform me that there was an extra charge.

Anyway, I was so miffed that I did something that I never do; I took 20 baht off of the tip for not letting me know.

thats another reason I like and support the noodle stalls

[siam-i-am]

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

Another thing that pisses me off are these expensive places that charge for "extra" bread. Last night I went to St. Germain des Pres and there was a party of 15 Thais right in front of me. I kept waiting and waiting for food, but they had to be served first. I finished the 4 very tiny - somewhat stale - chunks of bread that they brought me with NO butter (I would say that all together they were smaller than one NORMAL slice of bread) and they asked if I wanted more bread. I was bored of sitting there and starving, so I said yes. At the end of the 500 baht meal I was presented with a charge for the extra scraps of stale bread.

Yes, it was only 20 baht, but no one bothered to inform me that there was an extra charge.

Anyway, I was so miffed that I did something that I never do; I took 20 baht off of the tip for not letting me know.

You had to wait while Thais were served first? I thought that only happened at pasta cafe, I'm shocked and stunned.

[tigerbeer]

i like the dukes and some other places that provide water for free. good of them.

[uptheos]

UG - 20% off the tip....why did you leave any tip?

I don't at my local hole in the wall restaurant and noodle stall - they don't expect it and they never rip me off.......in fact they always give me larger portions.....with a smile! Quite frankly, I'm rather tired of a lot of these so called 'up market' restaurants and will support the smaller ones whenever I can (being a cheapskate helps).

[Rasseru]

UG - 20% off the tip....why did you leave any tip?

He said he took 20 baht off the tip, which I took to mean he left no tip at all.

[Jingthing]

Some places charge for the first portion of bread. Strange when it happens, but we wouldn't think it strange to get charged for an extra plate of rice (actually we would be shocked if not charged).

[Ulysses G.]

You had to wait while Thais were served first? I thought that only happened at pasta cafe, I'm shocked and stunned.

It was a party for a Chiang Mai Prince. He's always in the Chiang Mai Mail at social events.

I normally leave a 20 baht tip at somewhere like the Duke's (that gives you all the bread and water you want for free), but I normally leave 40 at St. Germain because I don't eat there often and it is supposedly more upscale.

I thought that if I complained - which I did - and left a tip that was exactly 20 baht smaller, someone might get the point!

[chanchao]

LOL, sure.

Next time, if you're miffed: don't tip.

Tipping any amount at all means you're happy.

[cm-happy]

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

Another thing that pisses me off are these expensive places that charge for "extra" bread. Last night I went to St. Germain des Pres and there was a party of 15 Thais right in front of me. I kept waiting and waiting for food, but they had to be served first. I finished the 4 very tiny - somewhat stale - chunks of bread that they brought me with NO butter (I would say that all together they were smaller than one NORMAL slice of bread) and they asked if I wanted more bread. I was bored of sitting there and starving, so I said yes. At the end of the 500 baht meal I was presented with a charge for the extra scraps of stale bread.

Yes, it was only 20 baht, but no one bothered to inform me that there was an extra charge.

Anyway, I was so miffed that I did something that I never do; I took 20 baht off of the tip for not letting me know.

This sounds like a Weho post

[lannarebirth]

It doesn't bother me that nuch to pay a good price for delicious food I can't get elsewhere, but I hate being niclked and dimed. Were it me, it probably would be my last visit.

[elephantkungfu]

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

you still have to pay for bottled water at noodle stands don't you? its just the water in that big bucket that you have to scoop out that you get for free. expensive restaurants are just that... more expensive. you know that when you walk in. and you're only paying for stuff you've eaten anyway. to spend over 500 baht on a meal, and complain about 20 baht seems ludicrous to me.

[uptheos]

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

Another thing that pisses me off are these expensive places that charge for "extra" bread. Last night I went to St. Germain des Pres and there was a party of 15 Thais right in front of me. I kept waiting and waiting for food, but they had to be served first. I finished the 4 very tiny - somewhat stale - chunks of bread that they brought me with NO butter (I would say that all together they were smaller than one NORMAL slice of bread) and they asked if I wanted more bread. I was bored of sitting there and starving, so I said yes. At the end of the 500 baht meal I was presented with a charge for the extra scraps of stale bread.

Yes, it was only 20 baht, but no one bothered to inform me that there was an extra charge.

Anyway, I was so miffed that I did something that I never do; I took 20 baht off of the tip for not letting me know.

This sounds like a Weho post

Can you please explain what a Weho post is?

[Ulysses G.]

you still have to pay for bottled water at noodle stands don't you?

No you don't have to pay for it. Noodle stands give you the same bottled water for FREE that comes in small bottles, however it is cheaper in BIG bottles because packaging is not so expensive, so they can give it away with meals in a pitcher or a glass on your table.

[Ulysses G.]

Can you please explain what a Weho post is?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showuser=8654

[uptheos]

Can you please explain what a Weho post is?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showuser=8654

Cheers UG

[Ulysses G.]

Weho is God!

[cm-happy]

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

Another thing that pisses me off are these expensive places that charge for "extra" bread. Last night I went to St. Germain des Pres and there was a party of 15 Thais right in front of me. I kept waiting and waiting for food, but they had to be served first. I finished the 4 very tiny - somewhat stale - chunks of bread that they brought me with NO butter (I would say that all together they were smaller than one NORMAL slice of bread) and they asked if I wanted more bread. I was bored of sitting there and starving, so I said yes. At the end of the 500 baht meal I was presented with a charge for the extra scraps of stale bread.

Yes, it was only 20 baht, but no one bothered to inform me that there was an extra charge.

Anyway, I was so miffed that I did something that I never do; I took 20 baht off of the tip for not letting me know.

This sounds like a Weho post

Can you please explain what a Weho post is?

a bit off topic. Hope Ulysses & Mods dont mind.

A while ago a TV member (weho) posted a thread complaining about a Japanese restaurant charging extra for rice.

[KevinHunt]

How is it that every noodle stand can offer free bottled water with a 20 baht meal, but more and more expensive farang restaurants refuse to provide it?

Another thing that pisses me off are these expensive places that charge for "extra" bread.

I don't use 20 baht noodle stalls, but most Thai restaurants that I use have bottled water on the tables that they charge for; which is fair enough to me. I assume that 20 baht noodle stalls don't charge for water because the majority of the customers are using these sort of places 3 times a day and can't afford to pay the extra 10 baht for water. Labourers, and their ilk.

I personally wouldn't be 'pissed off' for being charged for water or extra bread, but that is only because one of my father's most anoying phrases was 'nothing in this world is free, lad!!' By and large, that turned out to be true.

Comparing 20 baht noodle stalls with expensive places is a bit like comparing chalk with cheese , I'd have thought. I would asume that an expensive French restaurant is probably expecting customers to have a few glasses of wine and perhaps a fine cognac with their meal, and may not look favourably on those that don't want to pay for a drink. On the other hand 20 baht noodle stalls would not be too surprised if a majority of customers didn't order a drink so they may offer free water out of sympathy.

All in all, certainly nothing to be 'pissed off' about for men of means, but an interesting little debate, nonetheless.

[KevinHunt]

You just reminded me of an amusing incident at my place a while back.

We were even more busy than usual because of an FA cup final, and a group of 4 young guys had occupied a prime spot below the big TV to enjoy the game. They had all ordered a sandwich each and at half time they decided that refreshments were called for. One of them went off to 7-11 to buy 4 bottles of water and returned not long after, ready to settle down for the next 45 minutes of excitement. Having seen this, I informed him that whilst it was okay to bring your own drinks in, we had a policy of charging 100 baht corkage per bottle; reminding him of the fact that we sold water too.

His reply was that the we charged 25 baht a bottle (for obvious reasons) and that this was more than they charged for water in a pub in England. Having been reliably informed that pubs in England would charge the equivalent of 100 baht for a glass of lukewarm water from the tap I doubted whether his statement was true. Nonetheless, my reply was that I was no position to dissagree with his statement since in all my visits to pubs in England, I'd never ordered a glass of water.

Interestingly enough, the four young men in question were neither Israeli or Expats!!!

Edited November 26, 2007 by KevinHUNT

[Jingthing]

Interestingly enough, the four young men in question were neither Israelis ... !

Why don't you expand on your interesting feelings about Israelis.

Edited November 26, 2007 by Jingthing

[Ulysses G.]

Interestingly enough, the four young men in question were neither Israeli or Expats!!!

There are plenty of Cheap Charlies of every nationality!

[Ulysses G.]

I personally wouldn't be 'pissed off' for being charged for water or extra bread, but that is only because one of my father's most anoying phrases was 'nothing in this world is free, lad!!' By and large, that turned out to be true.

Well, you must hate these new-fangled shopping malls and hotels where one can actually use the nice, clean restrooms for free. I also HATE finding myself trapped at a bus station and having to pay just to take a pee!

[uptheos]

Interestingly enough, the four young men in question were neither Israelis ... !

Why don't you expand on your interesting feelings about Israelis.

Yes, what has being Israeli have to do with the scenario in question?

[p1p]

'Nuff said here - Back on topic please before this turns into a bad-tempered flame war.....

[KevinHunt]

Interestingly enough, the four young men in question were neither Israelis ... !

Why don't you expand on your interesting feelings about Israelis.

Yes, what has being Israeli have to do with the scenario in question?

Young Israeli back-packers have less money than most others and so over the years have become well known for their thriftness . Nothing wrong with that, except if you happen to be the owner of a busy bar or restaurant and four said youths order a small coke and four glasses. Or as I was told once , a free(!?) glass of water with their meal so that they could add the best part of a bottle of tomato ketchup to make a tomato juice. Whilst I can almost admire their frugality and inventiveness, as a business owner I'd rather have four free-spending Japanese tourists occupying that table.

I had four young Israelis in for a match recently and they spent freely. I quite liked them. In fact it was one of them that explained their fellow-countrymen's financial predicament, and why they have acquired their reputation.

The same is sometimes true of Expatraiates.

[p1p]

Back on topic.

I have owned and run expensive restaurants in London where our (home made) bread was free and we charged only for special mineral water. That from the tap was always free.

We did occasionally have problem with customers who came in and emptied the bread basket into a bag (two or three times) when they thought we were not looking, asking for more. We gave them more, ignoring their behavior and, as the customer left, we tried to shame them by handing them a box of breads and asking for the contents of the bag back, explaining we appreciated that they enjoyed our product, but please not to steal from us again.

Few returned.

EDIT - Any further discussion of Isreilies will be removed and the offender officially warned... KEEP ON TOPIC.

[KevinHunt]

Back on topic.

I have owned and run expensive restaurants in London where our (home made) bread was free and we charged only for special mineral water. That from the tap was always free.

We did occasionally have problem with customers who came in and emptied the bread basket into a bag (two or three times) when they thought we were not looking, asking for more. We gave them more, ignoring their behavior and, as the customer left, we tried to shame them by handing them a box of breads and asking for the contents of the bag back, explaining we appreciated that they enjoyed our product, but please not to steal from us again.

Few returned.

EDIT - Any further discussion of Isreilies will be removed and the offender officially warned... KEEP ON TOPIC.

Interesting approach. Since you mentioned that it was an expensive restaurant, we can only assume that they had a good sized bill. They took a bit more free ( and since it was home-baked , presumably inexpensive) bread than they should have, accused them of theft (does that apply to free bread?) , publicly disgraced them , causing them to lose face, and they never returned!??

[Ulysses G.]

Anyone who dumps "the bread basket into a bag (two or three times) when they thought we were not looking, asking for more" deserves the disgrace that they brought on themselves.