Money changers in Pattaya

[flyingfox]

Had buffet lunch at Robin's Nest on Soi Diana today. The buffet is 200 baht and water is 40 baht.

Good price considering all you can eat or too expensive?

[Jingthing]

I buy soda water a lot and to my gauge on such things, does the price of the water reflect the price level of the restaurant in general? I have been charged between 5 (if I recall correctly, maybe 10) and 100 baht for the same product, so this is very relative. I think at place like the Robin's Nest a bottle of drinking water should be no higher than 30 though. If a restaurant abuses my subjective value meter by a lot (for example, L'Olivier charges 60 baht for soda water, to me way too high for their level of place) sometimes that annoys me so much I decide to skip the place for good. I wonder how many others deny regular business to places based on such things. Of course, if I seriously love a place otherwise, I will still go, but there is so much competition in town, skipping some places usually isn't a big loss.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Jingthing

[gmac]

I'm with Jing on the Soda water barometer. If I feel I am being charged too much for soda I won't go back, there are so many choices there is no need to return to a place that you feel is taking advantage. I seem to remember Shenanigans hitting me for 50 baht for a small soda, 7-8 years ago and I haven't been in a place bearing that name since!

[Jingthing]

I'm with Jing on the Soda water barometer. If I feel I am being charged too much for soda I won't go back, there are so many choices there is no need to return to a place that you feel is taking advantage. I seem to remember Shenanigans hitting me for 50 baht for a small soda, 7-8 years ago and I haven't been in a place bearing that name since!

It's also the sign of a tourist trap oriented place. Places hoping to attract expat regulars are less likely to play games like that, they are aware of the competitive issues and keeping goodwill. For one offs, who cares?

[lovelomsak]

I am a non alcohol drinker so for me 40 baht for water isnot a problem. If I like the place paying 40 baht for water is well worth it. When I like a place I want to leave knowing the profit on my nonalcohol drinking bill was as profitable to the owner as the same meal served with alcohol drinks. I have no problem paying 200 or more baht for my favorite drink half soda and half tonic with a twist of lime. I go to my favorite places to eat and support them . Also I seldom eat at buffet except for breakfast and then it is orange juice and coffee.

[Ulysses G.]

If a buffet is cheap, they usually get you another way. I would just look for something better than soda water for that price.

[basjke]

I am a non alcohol drinker so for me 40 baht for water isnot a problem. If I like the place paying 40 baht for water is well worth it. When I like a place I want to leave knowing the profit on my nonalcohol drinking bill was as profitable to the owner as the same meal served with alcohol drinks. I have no problem paying 200 or more baht for my favorite drink half soda and half tonic with a twist of lime. I go to my favorite places to eat and support them . Also I seldom eat at buffet except for breakfast and then it is orange juice and coffee.

No problem paying 200 baht or more for a drink with a actual cost of lets say 15 Baht maximum.I'm sure they love to see you.

[lovelomsak]

I am a non alcohol drinker so for me 40 baht for water isnot a problem. If I like the place paying 40 baht for water is well worth it. When I like a place I want to leave knowing the profit on my nonalcohol drinking bill was as profitable to the owner as the same meal served with alcohol drinks. I have no problem paying 200 or more baht for my favorite drink half soda and half tonic with a twist of lime. I go to my favorite places to eat and support them . Also I seldom eat at buffet except for breakfast and then it is orange juice and coffee.

No problem paying 200 baht or more for a drink with a actual cost of lets say 15 Baht maximum.I'm sure they love to see you.

Yes that is the reason I have no problem paying that. They are happy to see me and never have to worry about dealing with an obnoxious drunk. And make the same or more money. Many places want guys who drink alcohol they feel there is good money to be made. So when a guy comes in orders but doesnot include alcohol on the tab paying high costs for good non alcohol drinks makes sense in my mind. Profit is profit. Also i really do like that soda and tonic mix with twist of lemon ( I call them sonics). Use good soda and tonic it is delicious. Just think how many times would the waitress have to deliver beers to make the same profit for the boss as she would on one of my sonics. Less work same profit less overhead. If I drink a sonic for every beer another table is drinking which is the highest profit table?

Edited October 10, 2010 by lovelomsak

[Jingthing]

Some good points here. Often I am too lazy to look at the drink menu because believe it or not I actually enjoy soda water with my meals. But if I look at a menu and the soda water (and water) is very high, often a beer is just a little bit more, so they have priced it to incentivize you to order an alchoholic drink and disincentivize you to order water, and when I see that, sometimes I do just that. They got me!

[basjke]

I am a non alcohol drinker so for me 40 baht for water isnot a problem. If I like the place paying 40 baht for water is well worth it. When I like a place I want to leave knowing the profit on my nonalcohol drinking bill was as profitable to the owner as the same meal served with alcohol drinks. I have no problem paying 200 or more baht for my favorite drink half soda and half tonic with a twist of lime. I go to my favorite places to eat and support them . Also I seldom eat at buffet except for breakfast and then it is orange juice and coffee.

No problem paying 200 baht or more for a drink with a actual cost of lets say 15 Baht maximum.I'm sure they love to see you.

Yes that is the reason I have no problem paying that. They are happy to see me and never have to worry about dealing with an obnoxious drunk. And make the same or more money. Many places want guys who drink alcohol they feel there is good money to be made. So when a guy comes in orders but doesnot include alcohol on the tab paying high costs for good non alcohol drinks makes sense in my mind. Profit is profit. Also i really do like that soda and tonic mix with twist of lemon ( I call them sonics). Use good soda and tonic it is delicious. Just think how many times would the waitress have to deliver beers to make the same profit for the boss as she would on one of my sonics. Less work same profit less overhead. If I drink a sonic for every beer another table is drinking which is the highest profit table?

I don't want to get in an argument but please let me correct you at some point.

A beer is sold at most establishments with a profit margin of 150 % I guess.Your "sonic" carries a profit margin of about 1500 %.Of course the owner will laugh all the way to the bank but the waitress can't be arsed if she has to serve a alcholic drink or your Sonic because at the end of the day she will have earned excactly the same.

Then again if someone would make a profit of 1500 % on my food and drinks that would be the last time he had seen me from the front.

[lovelomsak]

I am a non alcohol drinker so for me 40 baht for water isnot a problem. If I like the place paying 40 baht for water is well worth it. When I like a place I want to leave knowing the profit on my nonalcohol drinking bill was as profitable to the owner as the same meal served with alcohol drinks. I have no problem paying 200 or more baht for my favorite drink half soda and half tonic with a twist of lime. I go to my favorite places to eat and support them . Also I seldom eat at buffet except for breakfast and then it is orange juice and coffee.

No problem paying 200 baht or more for a drink with a actual cost of lets say 15 Baht maximum.I'm sure they love to see you.

Yes that is the reason I have no problem paying that. They are happy to see me and never have to worry about dealing with an obnoxious drunk. And make the same or more money. Many places want guys who drink alcohol they feel there is good money to be made. So when a guy comes in orders but doesnot include alcohol on the tab paying high costs for good non alcohol drinks makes sense in my mind. Profit is profit. Also i really do like that soda and tonic mix with twist of lemon ( I call them sonics). Use good soda and tonic it is delicious. Just think how many times would the waitress have to deliver beers to make the same profit for the boss as she would on one of my sonics. Less work same profit less overhead. If I drink a sonic for every beer another table is drinking which is the highest profit table?

I don't want to get in an argument but please let me correct you at some point.

A beer is sold at most establishments with a profit margin of 150 % I guess.Your "sonic" carries a profit margin of about 1500 %.Of course the owner will laugh all the way to the bank but the waitress can't be arsed if she has to serve a alcholic drink or your Sonic because at the end of the day she will have earned excactly the same.

Then again if someone would make a profit of 1500 % on my food and drinks that would be the last time he had seen me from the front.

Do not worry no argument here.And I agree 100% what you are saying about the 150% to 1500%. All I was trying to state was the waitress has to make one trip to make 1500% or 10 trips of 150 to achieve the same amount being the 150% x 10 is the equivalent amount of the 1500%. But never mind. To put it another way I take a friend for dinner. We each have 4 drinks he drinks beer I drink sonics. each are the same price(mind you I think not to many 200 baht beers out there)it costs me 1600 baht for drinks. 800 for beer 800 for sonics. so beer 150% x4 =600% Sonics 1500%x 4 = 6000%. So for the boss to make the same amount from each drinker that day the beer drinker would have to take it up a notch to 40 beer instead of 4. Hence 40 trips for the waitress, not 4 like the sonic trips. And yes it doesnot matter to her if it is sonic or beer but 40 trips to 4 trips does matter to her.

But I would like to say I actually can back to this thread to say I amnot knocking the alcohol drinking and felt bad I used the term abusive drunk it was totally uncalled for. If the alcohol wasnot there being served the place would have gone broke a long time ago. Drinkers of alcohol have supported regularly and I truly appreciate that. That is also why I have no problem when I go these eatablishments I have no problem paying more for my time there in mark up costs. A night for me in a good place drinking sonics I feel I should spend the same as the other guys drinking beer or what have you. I do it less often but pay my share and tip well.

[thrilled]

i'm going to start asking for 1 bottle of water and 2 glasses with ice

[golfho]

A little off topic but i had Interesting story. I am a a semi-regular (once or twice a week) at a bar restaurant. I am walking by and engage the falang owner and another mutual acquaintence and the owner asks me if i would like a drink and suggests the same thing he is drinking and holds up his drink. I say sure just to be sociable. The drink is delivered along with the check. If i offer you a drink i buy. If the waitress asked me if i wanted a drink and i ordered i would expect the check. Not an issue of the money but i see things a little different and it is not all about the money but sometimes about hospitality. Now if i want a drink i order it and if he offers i say no thanks. He is a good hardworking guy and we still are sociable but where i come from it is different. But then again i am not running a business in Thailand in these difficult economic times.

[brahmburgers]

I buy soda by the case, and use the empty bottles for adding to walls I'm building.

I thought to buy a soda maker (found some for sale on E-bay), but the cost plus shipping made it expensive.

Can a soda maker be bought in Thailand? plus, small gas cannisters?

I got plenty of water. I got e deep wells on 3 parcels with no animals or chemicals in their watersheds - I doubt any of the big water companies could lay claim to such clean sources of water. I could even go in to the water/soda water biz, but don't want to get that busy - nor hassle with Thai red tape.

Have there been any comparative studies on the purity of water for sale in Thailand? I know of two drinking water bottlers in my area - each has farm animals near their source, and the ponds they take their water from looks scuzzy - not to mention dust particles and chemicals which fall in to the ponds. Sure, they must have some filtration, but can they get all airborne (smog-borne) chemicals out of the water?

Much can be fathomed by taste alone. Most Thai bottled water tastes odd/dusty to me. Same for some big name brands. Generally, water in the soft opaque plastic bottles is worse. Quite possible that trace bits of the plastic get in to the water.

[smedly]

although I see your point about water and soda % margins it doen't really work that way, I do believe that in principal and reality prices should always be based on mark up % (contradiction I guess) but for eg, i you sold a drink at 6baht that cost you 1baht to buy you'd have to be selling shit loads to make the 60baht mark up of a beer that cost 30baht, the real problem here is not that water is wrongly/under priced for the business to buy wholesale - everything else is, and I'm talking about the building right down to the seat you are sitting in and the food, and the Thai employees are cheap to hire also by comparison,

so based on what I am attempting to say here

for the falang retailer buying in product and reselling to customer

water correctly priced for a 100% markup so should be under 15baht to customer

beer selll at 60baht 100% markup

food sell at 100baht not 200 150% markup

employee wages correct based on the above

building..............way way overpriced, rent too high, biggest problem in pattaya, most falang run businesses are overpriced and unsustainable, small group of Thais own the bricks and mortar in this city and dictate everything, unfortunate that there is a constant crew of falangs willing to part will large sums investing in bars etc that simply will never do because of this.

Then try to compensate by overcharging for water beer and food = fail in 90% of falang owned busnesses, some manage to scrape a small profit.

[gk10002000]

Well, many go gos charge 100 baht for a bottle of water

[rodentwarrior]

Just to add more to the soda mix - many bars actually dispense soda water from a gun, which more often than not is supplied by Coka Cola, who also provide the gas and the ingredients - all for free.

So very often the soda you buy, may have almost zero cost to the retailer/bar owner.

Lets be real here - soda is water with gas in it. So if it's on the menu at 60 - 70 baht a glass, it's more expensive than petrol or beer.

I live in Bangkok, have done for years now. I recently discovered that a favourite bar of mine was charging me 50 baht soda mixers on a bottle that lasts more than one day. I spoke to the owner, (the soda is from a gun and therefore free) and he agreed with me that is was better to keep my goodwill (and more importantly my business in the quiet months) and give me free (free) soda for the life of the bottle - usually never more than 4 days anyway.

Ice has a cost involved in manufacture and/or purchase - I wonder when that will become chargeable?

[gmac]

Well, many go gos charge 100 baht for a bottle of water

Simple answer: Don't go go-go go elsewhere! Sorry, couldn't resist that, never been able to use the same word 4 times in a row in a sentence before!

[LennyW]

Just to add more to the soda mix - many bars actually dispense soda water from a gun, which more often than not is supplied by Coka Cola, who also provide the gas and the ingredients - all for free.

So very often the soda you buy, may have almost zero cost to the retailer/bar owner.

Lets be real here - soda is water with gas in it. So if it's on the menu at 60 - 70 baht a glass, it's more expensive than petrol or beer.

I live in Bangkok, have done for years now. I recently discovered that a favourite bar of mine was charging me 50 baht soda mixers on a bottle that lasts more than one day. I spoke to the owner, (the soda is from a gun and therefore free) and he agreed with me that is was better to keep my goodwill (and more importantly my business in the quiet months) and give me free (free) soda for the life of the bottle - usually never more than 4 days anyway.

Ice has a cost involved in manufacture and/or purchase - I wonder when that will become chargeable?

Many places charge for ice already, a lot of these small fishing parks dotted around do and quite a lot of the more Thai type Karaoke bars do!!

[Jingthing]

Well, many go gos charge 100 baht for a bottle of water

Of course, and some places more. But at a go go there is a show go, so not the same biz concept as a restaurant.