Shopping / Supermarket Prices In Pattaya

[tropo]

" It's impossible to do a price comparison of supermarkets based on a few odd items "

please explain why?

I thought I already explained it. Let me try again.

Let's take a particular item to try to illustrate my point: SW Applesauce.

Friendship: 125

Villa: 115

Foodland: 147

(Here's a good one):

Jenny-O young turkey:

Foodland: 6.3 kg for 1300 baht

Tesco Lotus: 4 kg for 1300 baht

For turkeys Foodland is much cheaper than Tesco. (can you believe it - 2 more kg of turkey for the same price)

For SW applesauce Foodland is much more expensive than Villa and Friendship.

You'll never get the best prices for every item at one store. You need to shop around.

Like other switched on shoppers I shop at many places:

Foodland, Foodmart, Villa, Friendship, Big-C Extra, Tesco, Tops Central and occasionally Big-C, but not for food.

For anyone boycotting Foodmart, you should have another look - it has improved a lot in the last year.

Availability of items that I want is also an important consideration. The least of my considerations is how courteous the staff are.

Edited April 14, 2012 by tropo

[tropo]

the shopping route of my wife is Makro > Tesco > Friendship > Carrefour > Foodland. she seems to know where to buy what.

twice a month i do some shopping in Foodmart and Foodland.

You should stop off at Villa. They have organic flaxseeds, both golden and brown varieties.

[stailmanki]

For daily items like bread milk & orange juice we shop at the small Tops place in Jomtien , it's 5-10% cheaper than 7-11 & cheaper than Food Mart too. Use their loyalty card for points , not really sure how that works but my wife seems to think it's worth something.

[besth]

Foodland, indeed maybe a little bit more pricey, but you have :

Nice shopping area, not to big, not to small.

Very polite staff

Open 24 hours

Good background music

I agree (except I'm not so sure about the quality of the background music, but that doesn't matter). Tesco Lotus has better prices, but as the OP mentioned it is too big to be comfortable. Foodmart probably the worst prices of all the ones mentioned and now even has parking problems sometimes.

[NormanW]

Friendship, Foodland and Carrefour (Big C) for me.

Villa I found too expensive for the things I was buying and Foodmart was a no go because it is just the same distance to Friendship from my place.

[Suradit69]

Tops and Friendship unfriendly staff

I don't find that to be true. I don't expect anyone working in a grocery store for hours on end, earning a pittance to be all giggles or to regard me as her best friend, but the people in Friendship seem quite nice and helpful.

In Tops, at least the one in the basement of Tukcom, they seem a bit shell-shocked or something, but polite nonetheless. They may be suffering from sensory deprivation and frost-bite since they're below ground and the a/c seems to be set to freezing.

[bartender100]

I eat mainly at home so shop a lot for food, Friendship comes out top of my list, not just about price as I am sure its more expensive than the big chains, but the veg selection is good, and I think they have the best steaks in the butchery.

Living in Jomtien, I do use Foodmart a lot also, not much other choice.

One thing to be careful of there is chilled meat pies with a two week self life, so if you see one that's got a few days left and think it ok, its already been in the fridge 10 days, no thank you.

Getting nice fresh fish is my problem, and no I am not going to trail all the way to Naklua. Tried Makro, but non seemed very fresh.

[doggie888888]

Honestly, that kind of bad treatment kind of makes me want to be rude back. How can you be rude to a cashier that doesn't care?

You remember those satang copper coins and one-baht coins? You use as many of those as possible when you pay at your least favourite cashier. Just dump enough coins to pay for whatever and walk off.

Yes, I need to get a life.

[Suradit69]

Honestly, that kind of bad treatment kind of makes me want to be rude back. How can you be rude to a cashier that doesn't care?

You remember those satang copper coins and one-baht coins? You use as many of those as possible when you pay at your least favourite cashier. Just dump enough coins to pay for whatever and walk off.

Yes, I need to get a life.

Having read through this thread, you're not the only one.

Let's all focus on ways to make store clerks feel even more crappy about life in general and farang in particular! Are you all so insecure that you can't generate a little sympathy for people who have to be pretty close to the bottom rung in terms of working conditions, job security and pay?

Rather than trying stare them down, heave 25 satang coins at them or think of nifty rejoinders, why not say something nice? Or just leave it and move on. Taking everything as some personal affront is just a form of egocentrism. Everything isn't about you and your fragile feelings.

[Jingthing]

Honestly, that kind of bad treatment kind of makes me want to be rude back. How can you be rude to a cashier that doesn't care?

You remember those satang copper coins and one-baht coins? You use as many of those as possible when you pay at your least favourite cashier. Just dump enough coins to pay for whatever and walk off.

Yes, I need to get a life.

Having read through this thread, you're not the only one.

Let's all focus on ways to make store clerks feel even more crappy about life in general and farang in particular! Are you all so insecure that you can't generate a little sympathy for people who have to be pretty close to the bottom rung in terms of working conditions, job security and pay?

Rather than trying stare them down, heave 25 satang coins at them or think of nifty rejoinders, why not say something nice? Or just leave it and move on. Taking everything as some personal affront is just a form of egocentrism. Everything isn't about you and your fragile feelings.

No. If you're going to be a cashier, be the best darn cashier in the world!

[Naam]

the shopping route of my wife is Makro > Tesco > Friendship > Carrefour > Foodland. she seems to know where to buy what.

twice a month i do some shopping in Foodmart and Foodland.

You should stop off at Villa. They have organic flaxseeds, both golden and brown varieties.

we don't buy organic fertiliser for the garden or septic tank action enhancers at Villa

[bangkokgabe]

Why would an American be more used to fake smiles. I'm a white guy from new Orleans and I'm more used to overt meanness with some racial slurs thrown in. I don't get what this guy is talking about....

[Jingthing]

Why would an American be more used to fake smiles. I'm a white guy from new Orleans and I'm more used to overt meanness with some racial slurs thrown in. I don't get what this guy is talking about....

Some Euro types get their silly stereotypes about life in America from 1950's Hollywood movies. They also still think we exist on Wonder Bread too.

[bangkokgabe]

I never get those guys.....I've been here 5+ years and I really struggle with the America vs all of Europe thing. The difference is they seem to always be comparing themselves with us i.e. dollar vs pound etc...we're too busy not giving a shit about their tiny little countries to even think of comparing them. Oh yeah, we also don't even know where they are. It's not that we are naive (although geographically we are), it's just that we ARE the bar against which all 1st world countries are compared......sorry we're awesome.....555

[RabC]

I never get those guys.....I've been here 5+ years and I really struggle with the America vs all of Europe thing. The difference is they seem to always be comparing themselves with us i.e. dollar vs pound etc...we're too busy not giving a shit about their tiny little countries to even think of comparing them. Oh yeah, we also don't even know where they are. It's not that we are naive (although geographically we are), it's just that we ARE the bar against which all 1st world countries are compared......sorry we're awesome.....555

I rest my case ..................................

This really is a third world view of the real world.

Dream on.

[tropo]

For daily items like bread milk & orange juice we shop at the small Tops place in Jomtien , it's 5-10% cheaper than 7-11 & cheaper than Food Mart too.

Unlikely. The milk I buy costs nearly the same at all supermarkts and 7Elevens. The bread I buy at 7Eleven is exactly the same price as any supermarket and orange juice varies to much depending on brand. You can get some orange juice deals at Foodmart too.

[tropo]

we don't buy organic fertiliser for the garden or septic tank action enhancers at Villa

I don't either, but I do buy their flaxseeds. It may have saved you a fortune on useless and even harmful medication - and you could stop by at California Wow for some cardio while you're at it.

[tropo]

Why would an American be more used to fake smiles. I'm a white guy from new Orleans and I'm more used to overt meanness with some racial slurs thrown in. I don't get what this guy is talking about....

Some Euro types get their silly stereotypes about life in America from 1950's Hollywood movies. They also still think we exist on Wonder Bread too.

I got my introduction to fake American smiles at shops, restaurants etc from a 6 month tour around the US - 25,000 miles and 38 states by road. Sometimes it takes an outsider to see what's going on.

[bangkokgabe]

That was a joke- I'm new here. I forgot sarcasm is difficult to convey via this medium. my defense is ignorance, I've been reading this site for 4 years and just figured out TV stood for Thai Visa.....This is like my 11th post or so....no hard feelings .....go Arsenal.....oh yeah, sarcasm and TV......I'll figure this out

[Naam]

Why would an American be more used to fake smiles. I'm a white guy from new Orleans and I'm more used to overt meanness with some racial slurs thrown in. I don't get what this guy is talking about....

because you do get fake smiles from most supermarket cashiers in the Greatest Nation on Earth™. take that from a "Euro guy" who lived for 15 years in the GNoE™. for me it was quite boring answering questions "so you like this <insert product>? it's one of my husband's favourites too. not always available though. better you stock up."

the Mrs however did not seem to mind and whenever we spend some time in our home in Germany she used to complain "do i look like a leper or suffering from the plague? that's how i am treated by cashiers when checking out. no hello, no good morning, no smile, just beep beep beep beep beep... gimme freakin' sixty-five yewros twenty-five!"

"when are we going back again?"

[Naam]

we're too busy not giving a shit about their tiny little countries to even think of comparing them. Oh yeah, we also don't even know where they are.

bulls eye!

[bangkokgabe]

Oh, I think you were in a different part of the USA than I'm from. There's no chatting in the stores and the cashiers are quite clear about their contempt for you. I dunno, fake smiles beat outright nastiness for me. What cool city were you in that people were so chatty?

[RabC]

That was a joke- I'm new here. I forgot sarcasm is difficult to convey via this medium. my defense is ignorance, I've been reading this site for 4 years and just figured out TV stood for Thai Visa.....This is like my 11th post or so....no hard feelings .....go Arsenal.....oh yeah, sarcasm and TV......I'll figure this out

Reasons accepted and welcome to TV. You will learn quickly enough that some subjects can touch quite raw nerves.

[DrTuner]

for me it was quite boring answering questions "so you like this <insert product>? it's one of my husband's favourites too. not always available though. better you stock up."

Really, cashiers like that ? I'd instantly stamp them as CIA agents cataloging my purchased goods and draw a face that would drop the sun from the sky. Just pack my darned things and shut up is fine, a fake smile up to them, doesn't get any brownie points or tips from me so could as well save that for the next American on the line. Just get rid of me ASAP, win-win. German style is otherwise ok but you have to pack yourself, which sort of sucks, but has the benefit of not getting your yoghurts being placed under the heaviest item you bought.

[bangkokgabe]

Yeah, quickly! I've been watching it happen to others for years but never to myself.... New context for me....jai yen folks

[Naam]

for me it was quite boring answering questions "so you like this <insert product>? it's one of my husband's favourites too. not always available though. better you stock up."

Really, cashiers like that ? I'd instantly stamp them as CIA agents cataloging my purchased goods and draw a face that would drop the sun from the sky. Just pack my darned things and shut up is fine, a fake smile up to them, doesn't get any brownie points or tips from me so could as well save that for the next American on the line. Just get rid of me ASAP, win-win. German style is otherwise ok but you have to pack yourself, which sort of sucks, but has the benefit of not getting your yoghurts being placed under the heaviest item you bought.

no such thing like packing in any German supermarket. but then you don't have to feel really sorry for some old and frail gentleman who should enjoy his retirement instead of packing your goods.