Service Levels Going To The Dogs

[Tolley]

I have mainly being eating at home of late but I had a friend from Bangkok come down and we have been out for meals the last couple of days.

We may have been unlucky but out of four meals at different establishments we got shocking service in all four. Two were plain incompetent which you get a bit used to here but the other two the service staff were down right rude and nasty.

Yesterday had a late lunch at a well known pub in soi 6 and two meals arrived after about 15 mins. After thirty minutes mine still hadn't come and i enquired politely and was told it would be a minute. 10 minutes later when my companions had finished their meals and mine hadn't arrived i asked again what the problem was and said that 40 minutes was too long and the service was poor. Well then the service staff started getting really nasty saying that mine was difficult to cook and eventually brought the meal out and then proceeded to slam it down and walk off in a huff.

Customer service at its worst.

This morning went down to have breakfast in soi 7 and asked for srcrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Service lady says only cannot. Ask again then she says extra that is the all. Okay i say then meal comes out with scrambled eggs and two fried eggs <deleted>. I say i dont want fried eggs she says cannot change. Unbelieveably surly the whole time. Walked out without paying or eating the meal. WIll eat at home more from now on.

I wont bore you with the other two stories.

I usually eat with my TG so I am wondering if I have been somewhat insulated from the poor service in Pattaya's eateries because of that?

[Ulysses G.]

Service in Western restaurants has been like this in Thailand forever. If one wants to eat out at different restaurants, you just have to put up with it.

[Darrel]

"After thirty minutes mine still hadn't come and i enquired politely and was told it would be a minute. 10 minutes later when my companions had finished their meals and mine hadn't arrived i asked again what the problem was and said that 40 minutes was too long and the service was poor. Well then the service staff started getting really nasty saying that mine was difficult to cook and eventually brought the meal out and then proceeded to slam it down and walk off in a huff."

Leave. Don't pay. Don't go back. Problem solved.

[Pomthai]

You put too many r's in scrambled. Clearly this is what caused the confusion. Thai's have a tough time pronouncing this letter as it is without you complicating matters further. You ought to be ashamed of your self.

/my nonsense

[rgs2001uk]

"After thirty minutes mine still hadn't come and i enquired politely and was told it would be a minute. 10 minutes later when my companions had finished their meals and mine hadn't arrived i asked again what the problem was and said that 40 minutes was too long and the service was poor. Well then the service staff started getting really nasty saying that mine was difficult to cook and eventually brought the meal out and then proceeded to slam it down and walk off in a huff."

Leave. Don't pay. Don't go back. Problem solved.

Waited 20 minutes longer than I would have waited.

Soi 6, hardly an epicentre of culinary delights.

Edited January 3, 2012 by rgs2001uk

[thaimate]

My son who is 18 went out last night with some friends to eat ,came home and said they had waited an hour for the food ,i know service can be bad but thats stupid ,i told him they should have walked out

Edited January 3, 2012 by Rimmer
Underline removed

[Jingthing]

I haven't had a huge problem with slow orders in Thailand. In fact, often the food comes too fast as it is microwaved from who knows what state. Saw a funny notice on a menu yesterday:

Make sure your waiter understands your order!

I love the psychology of that. It's the customers job, not the waiters job to confirm the order. You know in that place if they get it wrong, you are paying ...

[mr.buffalo]

I once waited for about 40 mins for one of those big fried fish in the Dolpin roundabout Kiss restaurant. Never came, got up " where you go mister? ", " go my lome me ", never went back.

[Hooters]

Some people seem to attract trouble where ever they go. A mate who recently returned to the UK because Thailand is crap has managed to get barred from, Gullivers ,soi8 bar and the little bar next to it.

All were due to walking out regularly because of warm beer or to much froth and what he considered bill padding (after 15 beers)

I never have any problems because you have to expect warm beer or mismatched food orders. Those that fight to the death over such matters really need to leave Thailand before stress related health issues arise,

[doggie888888]

Once you start complaining or when the wait staff starts to turn nasty, it's best to walk away because you never know what they might do to your food!!!!

[Jingthing]

Some people seem to attract trouble where ever they go. A mate who recently returned to the UK because Thailand is crap has managed to get barred from, Gullivers ,soi8 bar and the little bar next to it.

All were due to walking out regularly because of warm beer or to much froth and what he considered bill padding (after 15 beers)

I never have any problems because you have to expect warm beer or mismatched food orders. Those that fight to the death over such matters really need to leave Thailand before stress related health issues arise,

I'm guess I'm off the hook then as I've only been banned from the one place (unnamed chippie) and now I am welcome back as they are under new management! In fact every time I walk by there, they are literally BEGGING me to come back. Edited January 3, 2012 by Jingthing

[NanLaew]

So, did you complain to a manager at these places or just bitch at the waitress and then whine on this forum?

[BookMan]

Most i have waited is about 30 minutes i think. But boy oh boy! That chicken was sooooooo worth it!

[BookMan]

"After thirty minutes mine still hadn't come and i enquired politely and was told it would be a minute. 10 minutes later when my companions had finished their meals and mine hadn't arrived i asked again what the problem was and said that 40 minutes was too long and the service was poor. Well then the service staff started getting really nasty saying that mine was difficult to cook and eventually brought the meal out and then proceeded to slam it down and walk off in a huff."

Leave. Don't pay. Don't go back. Problem solved.

I wouldn't have been eating anything they gave me after that! Who knows what 'special' additives you would be getting

[tropo]

Service in Western restaurants has been like this in Thailand forever. If one wants to eat out at different restaurants, you just have to put up with it.

Sure, we experience bad service quite often, but I've never experienced anything nearly as bad as the OP just did.

Perhaps the location - Soi 6 and 7 - "whore's central", maybe part of the problem. I've never eaten in either of those streets.

Edited January 3, 2012 by tropo

[londoedan]

Service in Western restaurants has been like this in Thailand forever. If one wants to eat out at different restaurants, you just have to put up with it.

Sure, we experience bad service quite often, but I've never experienced anything nearly as bad as the OP just did.

Perhaps the location - Soi 6 and 7 - "whore's central", maybe part of the problem. I've never eaten in either of those streets.

Bit harsh - there is a good place at the top of soi 6/1 that does excellent breakfasts plus lunch / dinner etc - Tropical Berts - never had trouble with the service or quality of food there.

Hasn't there been an (unfortunate) change in management in one of the places on Soi 7 that might explain the poor service ?

The staff at Sportsmans on Soi 13 are very good. Its not my favourite place for breakfast (Berts and Le Katai) but Sportmans is a very good second best IMHO and their service levels are excellent.

Simon

[kevkev1888]

"This morning went down to have breakfast in soi 7 and asked for srcrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Service lady says only cannot. Ask again then she says extra that is the all. Okay i say then meal comes out with scrambled eggs and two fried eggs <deleted>."

Come on you gotta admit this is funny.

[Jingthing]

"This morning went down to have breakfast in soi 7 and asked for srcrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Service lady says only cannot. Ask again then she says extra that is the all. Okay i say then meal comes out with scrambled eggs and two fried eggs <deleted>."

Come on you gotta admit this is funny.

You're right. It is.

I did have a recent unpleasant experience. I went into a place and there was one waiter. He just ignored me for over 10 minutes (three other tables there). I looked at him, I waved at him, I moved the closed menu around the table noisily, made it into kind of a game. It was as if he was deliberately avoiding any eye contact. So finally I literally had to stand up and block his path. Then, as kind of a joke, I asked him if he was EVER going to take my order. I was smiling and joking but instead the guy who was a smiler before turned super nasty. I guess I should have been worried about the food as it is true waiters sometimes do things to get back at you.

[BookMan]

"This morning went down to have breakfast in soi 7 and asked for srcrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Service lady says only cannot. Ask again then she says extra that is the all. Okay i say then meal comes out with scrambled eggs and two fried eggs <deleted>."

Come on you gotta admit this is funny.

You're right. It is.

I did have a recent unpleasant experience. I went into a place and there was one waiter. He just ignored me for over 10 minutes (three other tables there). I looked at him, I waved at him, I moved the closed menu around the table noisily, made it into kind of a game. It was as if he was deliberately avoiding any eye contact. So finally I literally had to stand up and block his path. Then, as kind of a joke, I asked him if he was EVER going to take my order. I was smiling and joking but instead the guy who was a smiler before turned super nasty. I guess I should have been worried about the food as it is true waiters sometimes do things to get back at you.

Any reason he didn't want to serve you? He didn't like the cut of your jib?

[BookMan]

"This morning went down to have breakfast in soi 7 and asked for srcrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Service lady says only cannot. Ask again then she says extra that is the all. Okay i say then meal comes out with scrambled eggs and two fried eggs <deleted>."

Come on you gotta admit this is funny.

it is quite funny

[Jingthing]

"This morning went down to have breakfast in soi 7 and asked for srcrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Service lady says only cannot. Ask again then she says extra that is the all. Okay i say then meal comes out with scrambled eggs and two fried eggs <deleted>."

Come on you gotta admit this is funny.

You're right. It is.

I did have a recent unpleasant experience. I went into a place and there was one waiter. He just ignored me for over 10 minutes (three other tables there). I looked at him, I waved at him, I moved the closed menu around the table noisily, made it into kind of a game. It was as if he was deliberately avoiding any eye contact. So finally I literally had to stand up and block his path. Then, as kind of a joke, I asked him if he was EVER going to take my order. I was smiling and joking but instead the guy who was a smiler before turned super nasty. I guess I should have been worried about the food as it is true waiters sometimes do things to get back at you.

Any reason he didn't want to serve you? He didn't like the cut of your jib?

The reason he gave me was that he thought my order was already in which was funny as he was the only waiter. Actually, I thought he was cute but that isn't happening. I was more amused than anything that he seemed to be a pro at avoiding eye contact, there was no way he was going to turn his head in my direction. But of course he took my flip comment as an insult, understandable cultural misunderstanding. Edited January 3, 2012 by Jingthing

[hands22]

Sometimes a big smile goes a long way. Still I wonder why a customer has to be 'nice' to the waiter first before getting some form of good service...and not the other way around.

Services overall in Thailand are patchy at best. The only consistently good service that I can count on comes from the staff from Swensen. Always smiling and all. I guess it's how they are trained from the top down.

[Darrel]

"Make sure your waiter understands your order!"

I like that one.

[Darrel]

I never have any problems because you have to expect warm beer or mismatched food orders.

You are very forgiving. I expect to get what I pay for.

7/11 can produce properly chilled beer for 30B so a bar should be able to do the same for 50 or 75 or 100 or whatever it is they charge.

And whilst I dont expect my local noodle stall to produce 10 dishes at exactly the same time for 30B each, I do expect places that charge 100 or 200 or 300 or more to pull their collective fingers out and get it right. That's why you pay more.

Many prices here are as high or higher than they would be in Europe, so there's no excuse.

[bartender100]

I have said this before, my biggest gripe in these type of places is putting nice hot food on stone cold plates. I sometimes think the owners/managers do not really have the experience to run these places, at busy times food should be supervised as it leaves the kitchen.

[Jingthing]

Yeah, Thailand really isn't cheap anymore, that's for sure. Even street food isn't really that cheap as the portion they give you is 1/3 of a western portion.

[pattayadingo]

Drinking Street up 2nd road. I went to a 'European' establishment. The Thai g/f got her food very quickly. I waited for a further 15 minutes for an English breakfast. By this time my g/f had finished her food. I looked at the bill, paid for her food and got up to leave.

The staff quickly saw I had not paid the full bill and a discussion ensued. The staff insisted I pay as they would have to cover the cost. I refused. No food, no pay.

What really annoyed me is the fact there were four customers in the establishment. You cannot say they were exactly run off their feet.

No, I never went back. And no I did not pay my half of the bill. No tip either

I was not embarrassed but my g/f was.

Next time, give them a reasonable amount of time depending on how busy they are and walk away. Maybe they will learn a lesson.

[BookMan]

"This morning went down to have breakfast in soi 7 and asked for srcrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Service lady says only cannot. Ask again then she says extra that is the all. Okay i say then meal comes out with scrambled eggs and two fried eggs <deleted>."

Come on you gotta admit this is funny.

You're right. It is.

I did have a recent unpleasant experience. I went into a place and there was one waiter. He just ignored me for over 10 minutes (three other tables there). I looked at him, I waved at him, I moved the closed menu around the table noisily, made it into kind of a game. It was as if he was deliberately avoiding any eye contact. So finally I literally had to stand up and block his path. Then, as kind of a joke, I asked him if he was EVER going to take my order. I was smiling and joking but instead the guy who was a smiler before turned super nasty. I guess I should have been worried about the food as it is true waiters sometimes do things to get back at you.

Any reason he didn't want to serve you? He didn't like the cut of your jib?

The reason he gave me was that he thought my order was already in which was funny as he was the only waiter. Actually, I thought he was cute but that isn't happening. I was more amused than anything that he seemed to be a pro at avoiding eye contact, there was no way he was going to turn his head in my direction. But of course he took my flip comment as an insult, understandable cultural misunderstanding.

So he wasn't just playing hard to get?

[Jingthing]

So he wasn't just playing hard to get?

No, there was real hate there after the criticism.

BTW, it was a restaurant for the Russian market, for whatever that is worth ....

[steven100]

That's just not on ! ...

you should have called the police and filed a police report ... the fact that your dinner was late and you keep experiencing crappy service ...

you should contact your embassy and complete the appropriate forms to see something is done. Don't forget to mention the lousy waiter about your scrambled eggs, maybe you can get her dismissed. it's just tragic !!

unfortunately, it's similar throughout thailand ( not all places ) although the communication breakdown causes alot of these mistakes.

Edited January 3, 2012 by steven100