How Tolerant Are You With Bad Experiences In Restaurants?

[besth]

For me, if I have had one or two previous good meals and the next one is not great, I tend to give it another chance and see how it goes.

If the first time is mediocre, not terrible, and I like the place/the kind of food, I feel inclined to do the same and try again.

REALLY BAD first experiences may sometimes be just bad luck both for the restaurant and for me, but they will keep me away forever.

What about you?

Edit: spelling (any others I may have missed)

Edited June 16, 2012 by besth

[timekeeper]

if its bad, i tell them its bad, pay as little as i can and i never go back.......

[petercool]

I confess to not being very tolerant with poor food or service in restaurants - at least in those who charge higher prices for expected higher quality. Once I have had a bad experience in such a place, I spend my money elsewhere next time.

[pauljones]

Usually I'll give a place several tries if there is potential. (or a very cute waitress)

Some places it's one shot only, like the restaurant at Soi 6 Beach Rd.

There was a photo menu showing two fried eggs, 80Bt. I ordered but asked to scramble please.

The bill came but was 90Bt. so I asked why?

"Extra 10Bt to scramble the eggs."

Bye bye.

[TommoPhysicist]

My last bad experience, ordered toast, bacon, fried eggs (well done), sausages, baked beans.

The toast wasn't toasted, the beans were stone cold, the eggs still had runny whites.

I pointed that out and the plate was removed and returned later as requested.

You just got to tell them what you want corrected.

[PoodMaiDai]

If it's bad the first time I never go back. If it's usually good and they mess up here and there, I am forgiving.

[Darrel]

"Extra 10Bt to scramble the eggs."

Wear and tear on the fork, I suppose.

[Darrel]

There are lots of places to eat in Pattaya so if I don't like a place first time around I would not normally think of going back.

Perhaps I would make an exception if they were the only place in town doing a particular type of dish that I was desperate to have, but I'm not aware of there being any such place or indeed any such dish.

[hotandhumid]

Not very tolerant at all to be honest.

I was in 'Little Home' in Central just last week, now I was in a bad mood anyway as I had had an explosive row with the better half just before. Now let me say first of all Little Homes food is generally very very good and very clean and good value for money, I use to go to their branch in Thonglor, Bkk, when I lived there....anyway I ordered a burger for bt155.00 which aint cheap but I gave it a go anyway...what came out on the plate can only be described as an insult....a small crumpled up burger on a soft roll, and the burger was a brown colour...I told then under no circumstances will I be paying bt155.00 for that, I said it is worth no more than bt40.00....to be fair they probably agreed with me, as they took it away and that was that, I was not charged for it, i ate the egg salad that i had aslo ordered which was vey good.....the end.

[brit1984]

If the food is the problem, I pay the bill as usual and give a tip as usual, but don't return.

If the service is the problem, I pay the bill but give less or no tip, and again don't return.

I never cause a scene in a restaurant but I do warn friends when I have had a bad experience.

Until restaurant review websites start operating in Thailand, some trial-and-error is unavoidable.

Edited June 16, 2012 by brit1984

[Ulysses G.]

Until restaurant review websites start operating in Thailand, some trial-and-error is unavoidable.

There is always Trip Advisor, but most of the posts are from owners saying how fantastic mediocre places are or their competition saying that they got sick.

[brit1984]

Until restaurant review websites start operating in Thailand, some trial-and-error is unavoidable.

There is always Trip Advisor, but most of the posts are from owners saying how fantastic mediocre places are or their competition saying that they got sick.

I actually like Trip Advisor but, as with all review sites, you need to use some common sense when reading the reviews.

The issue is that it is the only teview site here and it isn't that popular so many restaurants aren't listed or don't have any reviews from serious reviewers.

Back in the UK, I can get a good idea how the restaurant will be (by reading reviews on multiple sites) before I go there; here it is a bit more hit and miss.

As discussed on another thread, there is certainly space in the market for more review sites in Thailand (although also some legal issues). I hope some will be brave enough to have a go.

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

[pauljones]

"Extra 10Bt to scramble the eggs."

Wear and tear on the fork, I suppose.

I actually pocketed 10Bt in that scam as I would have left 20Bt tip.

[Ulysses G.]

I find very few foreign restaurants in Thailand that are always consistant, so if I get two good meals and then a bad one, I pretty much expect it. I am pretty tolerant here, but only because I have to be.

[PattayaParent]

Having lived here a while I have my favourite restaurants where I regularly go.

Sometimes I hear of a new place and give it a try (thanks to Jinghting!) and if it's good first time I go back and it gets added to the 'list', if it's not I don't bother with it again.

[manxninja]

Perfectly acceptable to charge 10 baht to scramble an egg, too many kee nok farangs in pattaya.

[timekeeper]

Perfectly acceptable to charge 10 baht to scramble an egg, too many kee nok farangs in pattaya.

do you mean kee nee-ow, that means stingy, tight?

kee nok means bird shit

ho hum, maybe you were right first time.........

[Traxster]

Yeahh... the beans are quite often cold !!!

I mean like <deleted> is that all about ??

And lets face it....

most Thais don't have the foggiest idea how to cook Western food.

[edwinclapham]

In the UK I have had a couple of bad experiences only in restaurants and on the whole just by talking with management I thought they dealt with my complaint very well. I just firmly and quietly stated that I wouldnt be paying for the meal and it was handled very well by Management.

There is an old English law which covers you in this regard I believe.

In Thailand, I tend not to complain for obvious reasons but I dont go back.

In Australia a family group were dished up an "off" chicken curry of which we all became very ill.. the owner failed to even acknowledge it and I called in the Health department ... they acted very swiftly and the Restaurant was issued with a severe warning notice and a fine.

No I guess I am not that tolerant when paying substantial amounts .. "word of mouth" advertising usually does the trick for me.

Free meals

UK

It is a criminal offence on your part to go into a restaurant and order a meal with the intention of not paying for it. Restaurants often wrongly believe this means you have to pay for a meal whatever the circumstances. This is not the case. So long as you have a genuine reason for not paying and you leave your name and address, you have not acted in any way dishonestly.

[toenail]

When I am with a couple of my Thai buddies and I want to complain about the poor service (such as waiting 20 minutes between each dish served...or a cold dish that sat in the kitchen for 10 minutes; or a salad that isn't really a salad...) they look at me as if being rude. As we farangs know, Thais do not complain - it has to do with saving "face" . I ask my Thai friends how is the restaurant if no one makes a complaint? no answer

[hotandhumid]

When I am with a couple of my Thai buddies and I want to complain about the poor service (such as waiting 20 minutes between each dish served...or a cold dish that sat in the kitchen for 10 minutes; or a salad that isn't really a salad...) they look at me as if being rude. As we farangs know, Thais do not complain - it has to do with saving "face" . I ask my Thai friends how is the restaurant if no one makes a complaint? no answer

'thai buddies'

Ha ha ha.

[Semper]

Yeahh... the beans are quite often cold !!!

I mean like <deleted> is that all about ??

And lets face it....

most Thais don't have the foggiest idea how to cook Western food.

Hint. We are in Thailand, order Thai food, or don't complain about their ability to cook Western food to your liking.

[KeyserSoze01]

If the food and service are good, then I will usually return. If either are marginal, then it's usually one time and out. I do draw the line with restaurants that poison me though.

[ozzydave]

In the UK I have had a couple of bad experiences only in restaurants and on the whole just by talking with management I thought they dealt with my complaint very well. I just firmly and quietly stated that I wouldnt be paying for the meal and it was handled very well by Management.

There is an old English law which covers you in this regard I believe.

In Thailand, I tend not to complain for obvious reasons but I dont go back.

In Australia a family group were dished up an "off" chicken curry of which we all became very ill.. the owner failed to even acknowledge it and I called in the Health department ... they acted very swiftly and the Restaurant was issued with a severe warning notice and a fine.

No I guess I am not that tolerant when paying substantial amounts .. "word of mouth" advertising usually does the trick for me.

Free meals

UK

It is a criminal offence on your part to go into a restaurant and order a meal with the intention of not paying for it. Restaurants often wrongly believe this means you have to pay for a meal whatever the circumstances. This is not the case. So long as you have a genuine reason for not paying and you leave your name and address, you have not acted in any way dishonestly.

If the food is the problem, I pay the bill as usual and give a tip as usual, but don't return.

If the service is the problem, I pay the bill but give less or no tip, and again don't return.

I never cause a scene in a restaurant but I do warn friends when I have had a bad experience.

Until restaurant review websites start operating in Thailand, some trial-and-error is unavoidable.

If its not acceptable, after asking them to 'fix' it, then leave a tip by all means.

1 B in the middle of the gooey remants of whats left.

ANY place providing service of any type that does not make an attempt rectify their problem does not deserve to have any customers.

Also there is nothing like FREE advertising - how bad they are. I do give free advertising too (both the good and bad).

I doubt that anybody in asia will be interested in UK laws. Also I beleive that they need feed & water your horse if you check into a hotel (thats an ozzy one carried over from UK too). You do get strange looks in Oz when you jokingly ask them to stable your horse overnight.

[Phil Conners]

It's been a very long time since I a bad food experience here, but I tend to go to the same tried-and-true places where I know food and service is good, and in any case, try to avoid the most obvious tourist traps.

[PattayaParent]

It's been a very long time since I a bad food experience here, but I tend to go to the same tried-and-true places where I know food and service is good, and in any case, try to avoid the most obvious tourist traps.

It can be annoying when they have a change of staff though.

Went for lunch today at one of the favourite regular places and there's a whole new set of waiters. Asked for khao niouw and got khao saway.

[Bagwan]

In the UK I have had a couple of bad experiences only in restaurants and on the whole just by talking with management I thought they dealt with my complaint very well. I just firmly and quietly stated that I wouldnt be paying for the meal and it was handled very well by Management.

There is an old English law which covers you in this regard I believe.

In Thailand, I tend not to complain for obvious reasons but I dont go back.

In Australia a family group were dished up an "off" chicken curry of which we all became very ill.. the owner failed to even acknowledge it and I called in the Health department ... they acted very swiftly and the Restaurant was issued with a severe warning notice and a fine.

No I guess I am not that tolerant when paying substantial amounts .. "word of mouth" advertising usually does the trick for me.

Free meals

UK

It is a criminal offence on your part to go into a restaurant and order a meal with the intention of not paying for it. Restaurants often wrongly believe this means you have to pay for a meal whatever the circumstances. This is not the case. So long as you have a genuine reason for not paying and you leave your name and address, you have not acted in any way dishonestly.

The information about dealing with this problem in the UK is quite correct. Leave your name and address and it then becomes a civil matter and the restaurant can resort to the Small Claims Court. I venture that none do because the opportunities for a disgruntled customer to strike back publicly are manifold. Too many potential weapons in a kitchen to rev up an apology for a chef.

[cooked]

well it's not a Thai problem is it? I ate out at midday 5 or 6 times a week for over 30 years and there wasn't just one way of reacting to bad service/food/prices. I got most annoyed by bad service, usually went over to ask for the MANAGER! , bad food I usually ate and complained afterwards. Price? Well paying above average for what you expect to be a good meal and then being disappointed does merit a complaint. For the last 8 years of my working life I started making salads, sandwiches and packing some biccies + a beer, never ate so well and healthily. and cheaply. I now look on most restaurants as ripoff merchants, I find it difficult to cook as badly as many of them do.

Edited June 18, 2012 by Rimmer
no need for profanity

[JakeBKK]

My last bad experience, ordered toast, bacon, fried eggs (well done), sausages, baked beans.

The toast wasn't toasted, the beans were stone cold, the eggs still had runny whites.

I pointed that out and the plate was removed and returned later as requested.

You just got to tell them what you want corrected.

Right - got cold beans at a couple of places around Thailand, it seems there must be a thai cookbook out there with the hint: baked beans - DO NOT HEAT ! .

Same as giving you a tiny helping served in one of these mini plates for fish sauce