In reply to smokie wanting a clear answer to if it is common practise,

Well there you go son a good excuse to go and investigate all the establishments in CM

perk up your social life if not your wallet

Could also find out what different varieties of frozen cocktails there are to be had in CM.

We're not going home dolly mixture.

Happy New Year to you!

PS.....I hope you aren't the liquerice one....

In reply to smokie wanting a clear answer to if it is common practise,

Well there you go son a good excuse to go and investigate all the establishments in CM

perk up your social life if not your wallet

Could also find out what different varieties of frozen cocktails there are to be had in CM.

If true then its no wonder many places struggle to find staff.

I think the common practice in many restaurants of writing down the order would solve this to common problem here. Of course when an establishment realizes the worth of investing in infrastructure and instals a POS (point of sale) system where the orders are imputed in an electronic device which not only sends the orders to their respective places but as well totals bills and keeps track of what is sold and inventory, understandably this is still not realistic for most places here but as a substantial number of my orders and bills are incorrect there definatley a need for improvement for a basic standard of service.

Well I may be wrong but I tend to think these lackadaisical attitudes and performances stem from a lackadaisical attitude towards education. It dosen't matter just move on.

The manageress claimed it was normal practice to serve the cocktail frozen.

It happens, you foreigners probably insist on air conditioning even in this cold weather.

You should have offered your coat.

HNY

Edited January 1, 201313 yr by uptheos

To me the fault lay with management not training staff to ask or making a distinction on their drinks list.

Also....had the Thai gf's not been with us then I believe drinks would have been changed without comment.

Your thoughts?

The manageress claimed it was normal practice to serve the cocktail frozen.

It happens, you foreigners probably insist on air conditioning even in this cold weather.

You should have offered your coat.

HNY

Take the high road ups.

Smokie, I have no idea if it is common practice but what I object to is them telling the customer. By telling you it seems they are trying a bit of emotional blackmail to get you to just accept the drinks as they are.

The manageress claimed it was normal practice to serve the cocktail frozen.

It happens, you foreigners probably insist on air conditioning even in this cold weather.

You should have offered your coat.

HNY

Take the high road ups.

Be careful, I'll have a word with Barry and your reserves could be looking for a new home!

To me the fault lay with management not training staff to ask or making a distinction on their drinks list.

Also....had the Thai gf's not been with us then I believe drinks would have been changed without comment.

Your thoughts?

I'd agree that it is the management's fault. If they decide to use frozen cocktails, then staff are following instructions. The message you were given was blatant emotional blackmail, and indicates poor management. The staff should not be penalized UNLESS you had specifically ordered non-frozen cocktails.

The manageress claimed it was normal practice to serve the cocktail frozen.

It happens, you foreigners probably insist on air conditioning even in this cold weather.

You should have offered your coat.

HNY

Take the high road ups.

Be careful, I'll have a word with Barry and your reserves could be looking for a new home!

ups for a beer then buzzard laddie?

To me the fault lay with management not training staff to ask or making a distinction on their drinks list.

Also....had the Thai gf's not been with us then I believe drinks would have been changed without comment.

Your thoughts?

I'd agree that it is the management's fault. If they decide to use frozen cocktails, then staff are following instructions. The message you were given was blatant emotional blackmail, and indicates poor management. The staff should not be penalized UNLESS you had specifically ordered non-frozen cocktails.

Precisely my thought.

If only Thais listened to us....

To me the fault lay with management not training staff to ask or making a distinction on their drinks list.

Also....had the Thai gf's not been with us then I believe drinks would have been changed without comment.

Your thoughts?

Nothing wrong in knowing more about where you are drinking ,and the practises that go on unknown to the customers.

.Again terrible management policy ,and i would bet that he/she would add into the agenda that the more gulliable farang or Thai for that matter would say nothing .

my question to smokie is why do you go there? and now that you know the shennanigans of the management towards staff and customers are you going to go back?

Some are missing the point of my OP.

The conversation regarding replacing the drinks occurred between my gf and the Thai manageress in Thai.

The tactic in my opinion was emotional blackmail.

I told my gf to call the boss back over and have the drinks changed as I was unhappy with both the drinks served and the attitude of the manager.

My only question is whether bars employ this practice.

Can anyone give a clear answer?

Yes many bars employ this practice because otherwise at the end of the day they would have worked for nothing. You understand that every wrong order has to be covered by someone, so if you have sveral staff who each take a few wrong orders a night, it quickly adds up for the owner.

The manageress claimed it was normal practice to serve the cocktail frozen.

We have ordered the same many other times without a problem, therefore I found the situation unacceptable.

What do you say to the manageress explaining that if we changed the drinks then the staff wages would suffer as a result?

I must have missed that one.If the manageress claimed that the drink was normally served frozen, then there was indeed no fault with the service staff.

I think she just tried to politely encourage that picky customer, who insisted to have his drinks the way they are served in his hometown thousands of miles away, to change his mind and adhere to the local customs by using some emotional blackmail.

If I was the manager I would have said, if you don't like it you go home.

must admit i do admire the boss of the irish bar,he always has a cracker running his joint,and over the years ive seen him with some suay dolly birds,think he uses his place as a babe magnet,no its got nowt to do with cocktails,and customers petty jibes, but very unusual for a thai to complain about there drinks or meals,though, as they just dont like to make a fuss,no my missus would say we dont go there agian,they do take things personally.

To me the fault lay with management not training staff to ask or making a distinction on their drinks list.

Also....had the Thai gf's not been with us then I believe drinks would have been changed without comment.

Your thoughts?

Nothing wrong in knowing more about where you are drinking ,and the practises that go on unknown to the customers.

.Again terrible management policy ,and i would bet that he/she would add into the agenda that the more gulliable farang or Thai for that matter would say nothing .

my question to smokie is why do you go there? and now that you know the shennanigans of the management towards staff and customers are you going to go back?

I have been there once. Never again.

Some are missing the point of my OP.

The conversation regarding replacing the drinks occurred between my gf and the Thai manageress in Thai.

The tactic in my opinion was emotional blackmail.

I told my gf to call the boss back over and have the drinks changed as I was unhappy with both the drinks served and the attitude of the manager.

My only question is whether bars employ this practice.

Can anyone give a clear answer?

Yes many bars employ this practice because otherwise at the end of the day they would have worked for nothing. You understand that every wrong order has to be covered by someone, so if you have sveral staff who each take a few wrong orders a night, it quickly adds up for the owner.

The manageress claimed it was normal practice to serve the cocktail frozen.

We have ordered the same many other times without a problem, therefore I found the situation unacceptable.

What do you say to the manageress explaining that if we changed the drinks then the staff wages would suffer as a result?

I must have missed that one.If the manageress claimed that the drink was normally served frozen, then there was indeed no fault with the service staff.

I think she just tried to politely encourage that picky customer, who insisted to have his drinks the way they are served in his hometown thousands of miles away, to change his mind and adhere to the local customs by using some emotional blackmail.

If I was the manager I would have said, if you don't like it you go home.

Totally missed the point yet again.

To me the fault lay with management not training staff to ask or making a distinction on their drinks list.

Also....had the Thai gf's not been with us then I believe drinks would have been changed without comment.

Your thoughts?

Nothing wrong in knowing more about where you are drinking ,and the practises that go on unknown to the customers.

.Again terrible management policy ,and i would bet that he/she would add into the agenda that the more gulliable farang or Thai for that matter would say nothing .

my question to smokie is why do you go there? and now that you know the shennanigans of the management towards staff and customers are you going to go back?

I have been there once. Never again.

Good for you smokie

.We have to vote with our feet if need be ,in the land of no vote for many (thats Thais i am talking about)

shame on the others who know of other establishments who treat their staff as a commodity and STILL give them their custom

@The OP: This is standard operating procedure for this kind of establishment. Emotional blackmail, sure!

Did you make it up with the staff?

Nice bit of emotional blackmail I think or does this really happen?

No idea, but you should know as you were there. How was your drink, cocktail, beer?

My beer was fine. The other drinks were not what were ordered, although the manager at first claimed they were normally served in that way.

I wouldn't have been happy paying 170 Baht for what looked largely like a glass of ice.

I had my first Thai made cider at that place. I ordered a cider and got something with a cider label on back

Wish I could have my 100 baht (?) back on that one.

Undoubtedly the staff would be happy to chip in for you!

Some are missing the point of my OP.

The conversation regarding replacing the drinks occurred between my gf and the Thai manageress in Thai.

The tactic in my opinion was emotional blackmail.

I told my gf to call the boss back over and have the drinks changed as I was unhappy with both the drinks served and the attitude of the manager.

My only question is whether bars employ this practice.

Can anyone give a clear answer?

Yes many bars employ this practice because otherwise at the end of the day they would have worked for nothing. You understand that every wrong order has to be covered by someone, so if you have sveral staff who each take a few wrong orders a night, it quickly adds up for the owner.

The manageress claimed it was normal practice to serve the cocktail frozen.

We have ordered the same many other times without a problem, therefore I found the situation unacceptable.

What do you say to the manageress explaining that if we changed the drinks then the staff wages would suffer as a result?

I must have missed that one.If the manageress claimed that the drink was normally served frozen, then there was indeed no fault with the service staff.

I think she just tried to politely encourage that picky customer, who insisted to have his drinks the way they are served in his hometown thousands of miles away, to change his mind and adhere to the local customs by using some emotional blackmail.

If I was the manager I would have said, if you don't like it you go home.

I get the feeling you witnessed the whole thing as the owner of that particular bar.

To me the fault lay with management not training staff to ask or making a distinction on their drinks list.

Also....had the Thai gf's not been with us then I believe drinks would have been changed without comment.

Your thoughts?

I'd agree that it is the management's fault. If they decide to use frozen cocktails, then staff are following instructions. The message you were given was blatant emotional blackmail, and indicates poor management. The staff should not be penalized UNLESS you had specifically ordered non-frozen cocktails.

This is making a lot more sense to me

1. If a drink is different from expected, down it, wait for the brain-freeze to subside and order another one. It's a bonus. Proceed directly to 'Go', collect $200.

2. If any kind of liquid or semi-liquid shows up in front of me that has alcohol in it then I'm happy.

3. If a drink can be frozen at all, it's a sure tell sign there's not enough alcohol in it. Order real drinks.

Edited January 3, 201313 yr by WinnieTheKhwai

If any kind of liquid or semi-liquid shows up in front of me that has alcohol in it then I'm happy.

That is usually my attitude in Thailand too.

If any kind of liquid or semi-liquid shows up in front of me that has alcohol in it then I'm happy.

That is usually my attitude in Thailand too.

What can I say? I have a fussy Thai gf.

If any kind of liquid or semi-liquid shows up in front of me that has alcohol in it then I'm happy.

That is usually my attitude in Thailand too.

What can I say? I have a fussy Thai gf.

Right, so quickly drink whatever it was, look perplexed at the empty glass and ask 'drink? what drink?' Then order whatever it is she really wants and guide the bartendy if needed.

Life is too short to fuss over the little stuff.

Also sometimes I'm next to some dude being weirdly specific about his drinks, you know the type, the 'I-ordered-my-Corona-WITHOUT-lime!' closet jobs, or 'I wanted only a dash of soda in my whisky, this is too much!' (Just add another shot then for #$(&* sake). So then I just gesture to give it to me instead and put it on my tab. Timewasters. And staff *really* appreciate that (because YES, it IS very common to make staff pay or get in some sort of trouble for it), more often than not resulting in some bone being thrown my way later.

(Dammit, now I actually answered the OP's question. )

Edited January 3, 201313 yr by WinnieTheKhwai

I wouldn't want to comment on any of my colleagues individual Western pubs, but all I can say is that I've never heard of any of my fellow landlords taking mistaken drinks out of wages and we at The Olde Bell certainly don't do that.

I guess many of us have issues, in that now that the minimum wage is 300 baht per day, we are expecting our staff to work more efficiently. Docking wages for incorrect drinks would be extreme though.

I know at least one of my colleagues contemplated taking the tips now that the minimum wage is in place, but anyone who actually carried through on that would quickly lose 'hard to replace' staff. It would also be a breach of faith with the customers who leave generous tips for the benefit of the staff - not to subsidise wages.

I wouldn't want to comment on any of my colleagues individual Western pubs, but all I can say is that I've never heard of any of my fellow landlords taking mistaken drinks out of wages and we at The Olde Bell certainly don't do that.

I guess many of us have issues, in that now that the minimum wage is 300 baht per day, we are expecting our staff to work more efficiently. Docking wages for incorrect drinks would be extreme though.

I know at least one of my colleagues contemplated taking the tips now that the minimum wage is in place, but anyone who actually carried through on that would quickly lose 'hard to replace' staff. It would also be a breach of faith with the customers who leave generous tips for the benefit of the staff - not to subsidise wages.

I commend your policy and I like your attitude.

Off topic, but I'm curious as to why you put 'hard to replace (staff)' in quotes. Are they in fact not that hard to replace, or did you just do that because you were quoting another poster's words?

Unless I'm drinking the national drink of a particular country, I stay with beer. I've never had to send one back.