Which Is The Best, Big C, Tesco Or Makro?

[arthurwait]

Not trying to be clever .................. really, but I have always considered that these store's, all three, main asset is that they are one stop.

Yet many posters above seem to select various things from each, depending usually on price and perceived quality.

Maybe I'm lazy, but I prefer to get the lot in one go irrespective of which store I visit, usually Tesco which is my nearest.

I wouldn't traipse around to save money as time and petrol used would mitigate against this. For vast differences in quality, yes maybe. But they would have to be significant.

Perhaps I'm just not fussy enough as well as being a lazy so-and-so.

P.S. I hate shopping.

The fruit and veg in a decent market is far better quality than the often weeks old stuff on offer in the above 3 and less than half the price.

We have to go to Makro for the business anyway on occasions so usually buy whats needed then. Except sandwich ham. 220B for a kilo instead of 70-100B for a few slices in Big C or Tesco and lemons.

In Bang Saen(sukumvit) there is 2 big C's (one ex carrefour), one tesco/lotus and a Makro within a few minutes drive of each other. So it's no hardship.

But yes usually we usually buy everything in just one shop on a shopping trip except the fruit and veg.

[aneliane]

(Simple answer France of course , at least it's a country on its own)

Yep because everyone hates you

But that's only because we're better at a game Roastbeefs invented but never win at called footie?

that's petty

[trainman34014]

Remember you need a member card for Makro. How you get one I don't know as my wife gave me it.

If you don't get one just pretend you can't find yours and the person behind will let you use theirs.

You can get a temporary slip each time you go shopping. Just stop at the customer services desk when you go in and ask for one.

One way to get a permanent card is to get your wife/Thai relative to say you have a small shop and fill in the form - we got a card easily.

You don't need to pretend you have a business. Just give them your name and address and they will give you a permanent card, Farang or Thai. They want your business, period.

[MrRed]

Makro will let anybody in nowadays.

They have started to sell bags ...yes sell bags! before they didn't have any!

The bread is very good and as stated fruit and veg and meat is good too! if you have a shop it is a good place to buy because most stuff is in bulk and priced very well for shop owners and the like.

While we are at it has anyone been to IKEA? and had a hot dog yet

[Semper]

Makro will let anybody in nowadays.

They have started to sell bags ...yes sell bags! before they didn't have any!

The bread is very good and as stated fruit and veg and meat is good too! if you have a shop it is a good place to buy because most stuff is in bulk and priced very well for shop owners and the like.

While we are at it has anyone been to IKEA? and had a hot dog yet

I thought they were in the furniture trade?

[MrRed]

correct Semple

I just like there hot dogs.

Edited May 30, 2012 by MrRed

[aneliane]

Makro will let anybody in nowadays.

They have started to sell bags ...yes sell bags! before they didn't have any!

The bread is very good and as stated fruit and veg and meat is good too! if you have a shop it is a good place to buy because most stuff is in bulk and priced very well for shop owners and the like.

While we are at it has anyone been to IKEA? and had a hot dog yet

Been there yes

Veggie tho, so no hot dog

[garrya]

Remember you need a member card for Makro. How you get one I don't know as my wife gave me it.

If you don't get one just pretend you can't find yours and the person behind will let you use theirs.

You can get a temporary slip each time you go shopping. Just stop at the customer services desk when you go in and ask for one.

One way to get a permanent card is to get your wife/Thai relative to say you have a small shop and fill in the form - we got a card easily.

You don't need to pretend you have a business. Just give them your name and address and they will give you a permanent card, Farang or Thai. They want your business, period.

I have never had any card with them but shopped at Macros numerous times.

[arthurwait]

Makro will let anybody in nowadays.

They have started to sell bags ...yes sell bags! before they didn't have any!

The bread is very good and as stated fruit and veg and meat is good too! if you have a shop it is a good place to buy because most stuff is in bulk and priced very well for shop owners and the like.

While we are at it has anyone been to IKEA? and had a hot dog yet

Once I saw how dry and tasteless the swedish meatballs looked I didn't stay.

[aneliane]

Makro will let anybody in nowadays.

They have started to sell bags ...yes sell bags! before they didn't have any!

The bread is very good and as stated fruit and veg and meat is good too! if you have a shop it is a good place to buy because most stuff is in bulk and priced very well for shop owners and the like.

While we are at it has anyone been to IKEA? and had a hot dog yet

Once I saw how dry and tasteless the swedish meatballs looked I didn't stay.

their chips are good though

their organic ginger thins (55 thb a packet) are nice too, and the chocolates butterscotch

[arthurwait]

Butterscotch you say. I might have to force myself round zombieland again then.

[aneliane]

Butterscotch you say. I might have to force myself round zombieland again then.

Also, frozen mash potatoes, their legendary almond cake, potatoes+onion friters, etc

and it has merged with mega -same stuffs than downtown- but 10 kms away from town so more opportunities to spend money

[plopmeister]

I still haven't been to Makro! Am I missing out?!

No phuturatica ... not missing out on anything.

Nothing like a 7/11 ...

Depends on where you live I suppose but Makro Kamphaengphet sells the 5 ltre Mont Claire White wine so is worth the longer drive than Tesco Tamakluah that only sells red.(?????).Tesco sometimes has decent cheese but Makro never does. Makro has excellent fresh pork ribs and Tesco never does...BigC?? Can't think of any reason to go there other than Pizza Hut and Swensons....and the kids have to twist my arm and issue a heavy blow to my nether regions before I contemplate spending an atrocious amount of money on soggy cardboard....even though I buy a bottle of red from BigC to wash it down with!!

[cardholder]

Makro by a country mile.,

I hate Big C and will avoid it if at all possible.

Edited May 30, 2012 by cardholder

[MrRed]

Big C has better looking staff and therefore gets a visit every now and then,the meat is also good at Makro though.

[plopmeister]

Big C has better looking staff and therefore gets a visit every now and then,the meat is also good at Makro though.

I MUST agree with you.. I met Mrs Ploppy in Big C, Lad Phrao when she worked for Lactasoy.....and yes, I was attracted by her nom.....

Edited May 31, 2012 by plopmeister

[barefoot1988]

Big C has better looking staff and therefore gets a visit every now and then,the meat is also good at Makro though.

what meat?

[Jessi]

I did my first shopping at Makro yesterday. I found the prices to be cheaper than Tesco, some items you must buy in bulk. The price of meat was a lot cheaper than Tesco and the pork I cooked last night was very tender.

As for the card I was told If I spent over 2,000B they would give me the card but I left all of that to the maid and she sorted it.

Overall a pleasant experience, although I don't like shopping.

[TomTao]

For bulk items we go to Makro, for one off items it Tesco or Big C, Tesco tends to have more variety than Big C, plus Tesco and Big C have Dairy Queen whereas Makro doesn't.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[zzaa09]

Waiting to see a K-Mart establish itself here.

Now, that's civilised.

[arthurwait]

I did my first shopping at Makro yesterday. I found the prices to be cheaper than Tesco, some items you must buy in bulk. The price of meat was a lot cheaper than Tesco and the pork I cooked last night was very tender.

As for the card I was told If I spent over 2,000B they would give me the card but I left all of that to the maid and she sorted it.

Overall a pleasant experience, although I don't like shopping.

Well done, you are finally one of us.

Did you notice all the stuff in the freezers you don't find in tesco and big c; lots of western stuff and the other meats: lamb,ostriech, crocodile, wild boar, duck ?

[buddy]

Silly question, it's like asking which is the best between France and England; (Simple answer France of course , at least it's a country on its own)

Big C is French, Tesco English

Big C is Casino and if it was British it will be the equivalent of Sainsbury's because of its market position on gourmet products.

In THL the difference is only reflected by a small selection of organic veggies at Big C (and none at Tesco), a line of casino "gourmet" products. While Tesco has chosen to offer a selection of all over the world imported products.

Electronics same same

Clothes identical

Macro is US bulk buying and has nothing to do with the other 2, in terms of product position

Which hole in the sand have you been putting your head in?

Big C like Sainsburys ha ha ha ha...you got to be joking, its not even in the same league!

Big C refrigeration is NEVER down to temperature in every store I have ever been visited, so it doesn't matter what they put in the store as there is a risk of food poisoning.

[plopmeister]

I did my first shopping at Makro yesterday. I found the prices to be cheaper than Tesco, some items you must buy in bulk. The price of meat was a lot cheaper than Tesco and the pork I cooked last night was very tender.

As for the card I was told If I spent over 2,000B they would give me the card but I left all of that to the maid and she sorted it.

Overall a pleasant experience, although I don't like shopping.

Well done, you are finally one of us.

Did you notice all the stuff in the freezers you don't find in tesco and big c; lots of western stuff and the other meats: lamb,ostriech, crocodile, wild boar, duck ?

....and Turkey!!!!

[Jessi]

I saw all of the different meats in the frozen section and I am Impressed.

The only thing I needed that they didn't have was margarine, must have run out.

[Jessi]

Silly question, it's like asking which is the best between France and England; (Simple answer France of course , at least it's a country on its own)

Big C is French, Tesco English

Big C is Casino and if it was British it will be the equivalent of Sainsbury's because of its market position on gourmet products.

In THL the difference is only reflected by a small selection of organic veggies at Big C (and none at Tesco), a line of casino "gourmet" products. While Tesco has chosen to offer a selection of all over the world imported products.

Electronics same same

Clothes identical

Macro is US bulk buying and has nothing to do with the other 2, in terms of product position

For a silly question its had 890 views & 59 replies, but your French right.

"I would rather have a German division in front of me

than a French one behind me."

~ General George S. Patton

[tjhorner]

Also made my first trip to Makro yesterday and was toughly impressed with their meat and produce dept. Great prices on beef, and it even looked like beef!!! Seafood selection was nice and reasonable priced, and everything was packed in ice; I get a little leery in Tesco or Big C as their stuff never seems to be cold enough. Produce section was large and full of normal and organic selections.... picked up some great looking red and green leaf lettuce. Didn't see any lemons however. Have a small farang selection consisting of Italian, Mexican, and some American foods. There bakery was rather small but adequate. Most dry products are bulk, but some things are not. I was able to pick up some creamy Jif peanut butter for 125thb for a 18oz jar, I swear its 175 in Tesco. I didn't have a card and they never said anything, we spent 2200thb. FYI, shopped the one in Bang Kapi on Lad Prao.

[tolsti]

Waiting to see a K-Mart establish itself here.

Now, that's civilised.

Yup.....unfortunately it also requires trailer parks.....

[tolsti]

something is always out of stock. they are no walmart.

Very true.... and maybe it's for the best http://walmart-people.com/Home

[arthurwait]

I saw all of the different meats in the frozen section and I am Impressed.

The only thing I needed that they didn't have was margarine, must have run out.

I don't think they sell it except some awful bulk stuff that was like plastic and went in the bin.

[Jessi]

I saw all of the different meats in the frozen section and I am Impressed.

The only thing I needed that they didn't have was margarine, must have run out.

I don't think they sell it except some awful bulk stuff that was like plastic and went in the bin.

OK thanks Arthur.