The "golden" Moment They Lost Your Business

[Cuban]

> Had you brought your own sugar as well ?

It was herbal tea, so didn't need sugar.

Seriously if you visit the bar every day don't you get bored of beer? Sodas are too sweet, and as for drinking water, you know what fish do in that.....

[Moonrakers]

Cuban.

Did you seriously just ask if we get bored of beer? Surely I am misreading this.

[bkkjames]

> Had you brought your own sugar as well ?

It was herbal tea, so didn't need sugar.

Seriously if you visit the bar every day don't you get bored of beer? Sodas are too sweet, and as for drinking water, you know what fish do in that.....

If I visit the bar everyday - I think I would need to see a doctor

[ExoticMatter]

Ordered Salmon in Ho Chi Minh city and got whale. Its not like its even cold blooded is it.

Only ever been given dog and cat (rarely I might add) in LOS

[ExoticMatter]

Can I add that the cat made me the most ill

[Richb2004v2]

We used to go to a fast food place called 'YumSap' because I loved the crispy crab. After a couple of years of this they seemed never to have it in when ever we tried. I then went once and asked myself in English if they had it. Yes they had it I was told. Sat down and ordered everything only to have them tell me once all was on the table that they didn't have it. it doesn't end there. Months later in Bangkok at a different branch of Yum Sap I convinced my wife to try again, I liked it so much. This time I had her ask in Thai and point the dish out on the menu. Yes they definitely had it. The waitress even laughed at my questioning. You guessed it, everything arrived except the crispy crab. They didn't have it!

Then I've had the thing when I order a Mocha and pay for it, only to have the guy tell me he doesn't know how to make a mocha and that I will have to make it myself. I don't know either, so thats good.

The American or English breakfast listed as being with bacon, only to have a slice of ham turn up is also a good one.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

I have identical experiences with one specific "Black Canyon", namely the one in Central Bangna (now closed and/or about to re-open at a different location, was on the ground floor).

EVERY time i went there with my boyfriend i usually ordered a tuna salad or something similar, and they were ALWAYS "out of lettuce".

When came time to order a desert i want banana split - and ALWAYS "sorry, no have banana". Then cross it off the dam_n menu, fools!

Oh, and at the same place - the main dish always appears ahead of the appetizer, and once i waited a stunning TWENTY-TWO minutes for my change! Despite "reminding" two different waiters and walking to the cashier myself. And no, it wasn't 3 Baht but change on a thousand (the bill was some 500-ish).

Also not gonna eat there any longer. No such problem in any other Black Canyon by the way, only there.

Oh, and also Sizzler i no longer go to.... because they keep increasing their prices! Some dishes that used to cost 199 Baht not too long ago are now 269 and what used to be 299 is now 399! At the same time the pineapple slice has been replaced by one single leaf of lettuce and the steaks keep getting smaller, too (therefor they have now something like "extra size" which is about what used to be the "regular" one year ago, of course it cost 50 Baht more now!)

Best regards....

Thanh

[Richb2004v2]

I used to occasionally use a Pizza Hut in a local mall. The food was fine and the service was ok too. This might sounds stupid but it was the sound system that drove me away. The music sounded like it was either being broadcast from underwater or the speakers were at the bottom of tin drums. It was extremely annoying and so obvious. The second time I went, a few months later, I tried to point it out to one of the staff as I couldn't believe that no one had bothered to try to fix it and that no one else had mentioned it. I haven't been back for a few years now but it wouldn't surprise me if it was still the same.

[pappy1]

n Italy they do the same,you get a bill of meter long

they charge

table

spoon and fork

bread

sauce

butter

etc... etc...

Fake, in Italy the restaurant charge for "pane e coperto", bread and kind of service, it's illegal charge for anything else, the VAT is already included in the menu price; usually, but not everywhere, service is not charged, but waiters expect a tip.

Great Italian restaurant in Mae Haad (near), best gnocci and lasagna since I lived in Lido degli Estinsi, is that you?

Cheers

[minimart]

I'm pretty easy going in restaurants but an incident happened to me and my family that caused me to walk out of an establishment for the first time in my life.

It's a seafood place on Kaenakorn lake in Khon Kaen. I've eaten there on numerous occasions and even though the service isn't the swiftest it hasn't been a major problem.

Me, my wife and my daughters went there for dinner just before Christmas. We got there quite early and the place was about a quarter full. After we ordered the place started to fill up. We waited about 25 minutes and there wasn't a sign of any food. I don't expect my food to come as soon as I've ordered but after 25 I expect there to be at least something as simple as fried rice on the table. Then we noticed people who'd came in after us were being served with their meals. My wife called the waitress over to inquire about the food. The girl didn't even acknowledge my wife, never spoke a word as in "I'll check the kitchen for you" and just strolled off.

We sat there for a further 10 minutes and saw the same waitress serving other customers. Then the manageress walked by. MY wife said we'd been waiting the better part of 40 minutes and where was the food.. The manageress said she'd check. We never saw her again.

After a further 5 minutes ( with my daughters getting more restless and me getting more annoyed by the minute) The owner walked by. My wife said we'd been waiting 45 minutes with no food at all. His reply? "You'll have to wait. We're busy." No apologies. Nothing. My wife then pointed out that we were among the first to arrive and people who came later had been served first. Even with the same dishes that we'd ordered. He didn't speak and walked off himself. The bloody owner. My wife was the one to suggest leaving so we stood up and walked to the door. The owner spotted us and came dashing up saying "Where are you going?"

"This is terrible." my wife replied. "My young daughters are hungry and we've waited nearly an hour for food."

He had the audacity to say "You haven't paid"!!!

My wife (who is the easiest going person, let alone Thai, I've ever met] said "Well you'll just have to call the police then."

and we walked out.

Went to another place we know. Within 10 minutes delicious soft shelled crab and fried rice on the table and at about 70% of the price of the first place.

Some of my family back home own a restaurant so I know things can and do go wrong in the hospitality business. The thing for us was the complete lack of responsibility or apology for somebody who's giving them the best part of 3000 baht for their business. This is the major part of why I won't use an establishment or business again. The lack of an apology. I can tolerate and understand most problems (like the resort in Kow Yai that apologised to us that the food would be a little late because the kitchen was on fire!) with an apology but if there's none forthcoming then I'll go elsewhere.

The bitter sweet part is my sister in law often entertains her clients there. 10-15 people twice a month. Pretty big bill with the alcohol. She won't go there now because of how we were treated. The owner called her all kiss arse and asked why he hadn't seen her for a while. She told him that he'd treated her sister and husband poorly and as a result she'll take her customers elsewhere. He said that we should go back and he'd look after us.

Did a pig just fly past the window?

[brianinbangkok]

The moment They Lost My Business has usually been when they present the bill and after checking it is a few hundred bath higher then it should be when you just add up the menu items ordered....

Usually they fix it quickly and without any comments so I think they are aware of the "mistake".

Last time they see me.

[Oberkommando]

The hassle of eating out these days due to the low standard of eateries and restaurants in Bangkok has resulted in me cooking a lot more at home, and now I even cook stuff like breads and sausage myself.

Tonight I am having a Salmon steak that has been marinading in champagne vinegar, white wine, fresh dill, black pepper, olive oil and lime, served with a mixed salad and boiled potatoes.

I find myself thinking, "I could do better than this" when I eat out more often these days.

[polecat]

The hassle of eating out these days due to the low standard of eateries and restaurants in Bangkok has resulted in me cooking a lot more at home, and now I even cook stuff like breads and sausage myself.

Tonight I am having a Salmon steak that has been marinading in champagne vinegar, white wine, fresh dill, black pepper, olive oil and lime, served with a mixed salad and boiled potatoes.

I find myself thinking, "I could do better than this" when I eat out more often these days.

Yeah, Bangkok is world famous for its appalling food. Eating is such a joyless experience in this country.

I'll be tuning in tomorrow morning to find out whether you went with Cornflakes and milk with a dash of sugar, or lightly toasted bread spread with New Zealand butter and rasperry jam. I would also be interested in hearing whether you put milk into your cup before or after the coffee, or whether zzzzzzz

[ExoticMatter]

The hassle of eating out these days due to the low standard of eateries and restaurants in Bangkok has resulted in me cooking a lot more at home, and now I even cook stuff like breads and sausage myself.

Tonight I am having a Salmon steak that has been marinading in champagne vinegar, white wine, fresh dill, black pepper, olive oil and lime, served with a mixed salad and boiled potatoes.

I find myself thinking, "I could do better than this" when I eat out more often these days.

Is it just me or has the service and quality dropped in Falang areas. As soon as I stop seeing foreigners the food tastes great.

[wackysleet]

I hate when you have paid your bill and the waiter/ress returns with your change stands there waiting for the tip. Why?

They probably lived in America at some time, they didn't know you were an Aussie or they wouldn't have wasted their time.

[dave111223]

The hassle of eating out these days due to the low standard of eateries and restaurants in Bangkok has resulted in me cooking a lot more at home, and now I even cook stuff like breads and sausage myself.

Tonight I am having a Salmon steak that has been marinading in champagne vinegar, white wine, fresh dill, black pepper, olive oil and lime, served with a mixed salad and boiled potatoes.

I find myself thinking, "I could do better than this" when I eat out more often these days.

Sounds good; what's for dinner tomorrow night? Tube steak smothered in pubes?

[Ulysses G.]

Only good experiences w Pizza company in pattaya, a bit pricey but way better than any pizza back in the usa

Did you stick your tongue to a burning hot iron when you were a child?

[unforgiven]

Here is Pattaya there are thousands of restaurants. Many of them are clearly directed towards tourists and don't really care if they are one offs, but then a good portion are hoping to capture the locals/expats/long term residents market.

I feel with thousands of restaurants there is rarely a good reason to give them business unless they DESERVE the business.

Now some reasons to reject a restaurant are clear cut and universal: not your type of food/bad food/bad value (high prices not justified by the quality)/over your budget though good food ...

But then there are the cases where they actively LOSE YOUR BUSINESS. I know it in a flash. In a moment.

Here are some examples, what are yours? No need to cite specific restaurants:

Case One:

Mid to low end Thai food place catering to farang tourists mostly. I arrive near their closing time. There are no other customers. I am very hungry. I order TWO dishes of Thai food plus rice. The first dish comes ... I eat it. As is common with Thai food, I figure the second dish is being cooked and will come when it is ready. I finish the first dish. I look over. The entire staff is socializing and drinking by the kitchen. They are fixing to close. They never got the order for the second dish. It was a bad waiter. Now if the place was exceptionally good, I would forgive one time a bad waiter. But they weren't that good in the first place so it didn't take much to kiss 'em bpai bpai. LAST TIME THERE!!!!!

Case Two:

Similar place to above but slightly better food and many more Thai customers. The menu says FRESH JUICES. I order a fresh pineapple juice. It comes. I sip. I know it is not fresh. Don't say anything. When the bill comes I point out that on the menu it says FRESH JUICES. They acknowledge I didn't get a fresh juice (as I am staring at a FRESH whole pineapple sitting in the fruit area) and they say it WOULD HAVE BEEN fresh if I had ordered a smoothie. No apologetic attitude. More like, pesky farang for telling us and also I should have known they were not going to honor their menu, stupid farang. Now if they had just said oh I am sorry and there hadn't been the fresh fruit in view, I would have let it pass, but ... LAST TIME THERE!!!!!

How about you? What happened that made you conclude in a flash: LAST TIME THERE!!!!!

Had a waiter on rally beach present a bill of 850 bt for food and drinks totalling 600bt, he said old menu!!!!!!!we walked out he chased us with a kni fe .Then we paid 600 bt...........no tip ........sorry

[sanmiguellight]

I find myself thinking, "I could do better than this" when I eat out more often these days.

Yes im no great cook, but most restaurants i go into i think the same especially when it comes to western food.

Only reason for me not returning is the foods sh7te - Shennanigans Pattaya, the Western Style pub on Soi 8 Sukhumvit, both sell the worst food imagineable.

[ThaiPauly]

I had been using the same "Shell" service station to get my cars washed for the last few years.

I took my car in for a wash a week or so ago. The usual manager was not there,

I always ask beforehand how much its gonna cost so I don't get any nasty surprises so I asked the guy who looked like he was in charge and he said 200 baht just to clean the outside.

I said that I had never paid more than 120 baht before, but he insisted for no reason that it was 200 baht.

I drove off...I know its only 80 baht but when I factor in the tip it's way over the top of any other "fast clean" establishment I have visited, prices are not even that high in BK !!

LAST TIME THERE....

There are a hundred places to get your car washed here in CM, so I now go elsewhere

[zorro1]

The sukhumvit grande Hotel lunch Buffet by the pool. (yesterday lunch)

. Got there at 2.15 realizing it was late and not wanting to be hurried I first asked what time does restaurant close? answer 3.30 sir, so I sat down and ordered a glass of wine and within the first sip head waiter says sir you like some food from buffet? Strange question so i simply nodded while he stood there and the after a few minutes he says sir buffet finish 2.30 so I point to waitress and say she say 3.30 , "yes sir can sit untill 3.30 but buffet finish now

However I will go back at 450 bht + 7% just the sushi alone is worth it , now prepared by a sushi chef rather than being left out to dry like they used to, big slabs of tuna and salmon super fresh plus roasts and prawns and the usual int. stuff

The only other thing is service overkill, that is being asked is everything okay every 10 mins oh and never let the staff pour the beer from the bottle. Straight down the glass 97% foam and then she stands there waiting for the foam to go and does exactly the same thing second pour took longer than a guineas and flat as a tack

[ozsamurai]

WATCH OUT FOR McDONALDS.......

Believe it or not, they are doing some pretty dodgy things to.

Yesterday TGF and I go for breakfast, we both get a sausage something set advertised for 96Bht, TGF doesn't drink coffee so opts for one of the juices (apple) in a tray of ice in front of the register (60Bht). I look at the board and see that I can upgrade my coffee to a McCafe Latte for 30Bht

96 Baht X 2 = 192Baht, they minus 25 baht for not having your coffee so 142 (2 burger 2 Hash browns)

The final bill came to 272 Baht? 130 Baht for the two drinks TGF drink was 60 mine was 30, where did the extra 40Bht go? When TGF confronted it, of course she was refunded, but there was no cashier mistake made, they had just decided to UPSIZE my coffee to the largest one, and not tell TGF that the coffee she was entitled to in her set, was now null and void. You can pay for it in your set but you won't get it, because you bought an apple juice.

You might say its only a $1, but it's one to watch for I think, if they manage to do this to a few 1000 a day??

Hmmm, makes you wonder?

[petedk]

A couple of days ago in a Thai restaurant in Central i was charged 5 baht ++ for ice in my water, I never knew there was a charge and they pointed it out in the menu (I never looked at the drinks page as I knew i would have water). I said I wouldn't pay it and the manager said he would have to pay it if I didn't, I said thanks for his offer and I let him pay it

I know its only 5 baht ++ but come on, it's ice <deleted>, the one and only time in 3 years I have seen a charge for ice in a restuarant

I've often thought about writing something about this.

Many restaurants do charge for ice and specify it on the bill (because "ice is expensive").

If you go to another restaurant or coffee shop that serves draught coke or pepsi and say "no ice please" they will charge you 5 baht or so extra!!!!

[zorro1]

So far this is a one sided one eyed view you would all be totally shocked that this happens in reverse just as much. How do I know? my TGF checks every single item on every bill and many times they also undercharge although this happens more at Thai restaurants for thais rather than 5 star. She always refunds if its undercharged. Admire her for that

[fabianfred]

Come on dude (although i'm not a big fan on Villa since they forgot my turkey one year), if you believed you were getting everything in every advertisement picture you'd be pretty disappointed all the time.

True but in Thailand sometimes this reaches to the point of ridiculous.

There was an Indian restaurant in town (always empty, sadly counting the days till closure) with a big ad board outside the restaurant filled with pictures of some wonderful Indian dishes. Some of the pictures looked great and represented dishes I would like to eat. So I talked to the owner.

Do you have this?

No

Do you have that?

No

Do you have that?

No

Do you have that?

No

Do you have any of the dishes on these pictures?

No

Ba Bye!

sounds like the monty python Cheese shop sketch

[fabianfred]

a HUGE brown rat

That wouldn't have phased me if it was otherwise a great place. Its funny the different reasons people have for rejecting places.

if it was skinny and had its ribs showing i would have been more worried!

[sanook2me]

Central department store.

Looking to by a food blender/mixer to make own milkshakes.

Skipped past 1 salesman to be accosted by another one

me "i am looking only, thanks"

walked off and left him with wife

3rd sales lady "helloooooo, sawadeeeee kaaaaaa"

Me " just looking thankyou" with a nice smile and talk to the palm raised

4th sales lady zoomed in

"helloooo"

Me "" silence

span out in circles adjusted my cap and walked off in a stupid farang huff....

Central is like the council back home overstaffed and underworked

This is one aspect that always gets me in a tizz.... just leave me ALONE to browse

Its so helpful but i find it overbearing.

[zorro1]

he he Robinsons also a classic. Just walk into the shoe section, within seconds 19 excuses for sales staff will tell you "we have many shoe sir" and then do that hand wave motion like the hostess on the price is right. Or even worse thrust a sandal in your face,usually the one under the 50% discount stand and at half price they still 1500 bht for crappy sandals lol

edit

When asked if they have my size, they insist I sit down. A logical sales tactic so you don't wonder into another wolves den. Really annoys them when I insist on looking around "please sit sir"

me: no thanks will look around other shoe

them: please sit here sir

me : same answer

them: run to back room looking for size 12 shoe which they never have anyway

Edited June 15, 2009 by zorro1

[Lopburi99]

...when the vendor frowns and complains why I didn't buy 2 of a item when the second was discounted.

[wackysleet]

When my wife and I go to a restaurant and I order a western dish and my wife orders a thai dish and they are served 20 minutes apart.