When you're UNDERCHARGED in a restaurant, do you correct it?

[SinglePot]

last time it happened to me was in a bar in Phnom Penh a couple of weeks ago. I had 3 beers, and was charged for 2. it all got a bit complicated because a street beggar with no legs below the knee was sitting on the pavement and I only had big dollar notes.

Answer to post. Yes.

[SpeakeasyThai]

My dear boy have you never heard of the expression 'Never look a Gift Horse in the face?'

[Estrada]

I always check the bill. Sometimes they do undercharge and I point it out to the waiter as the waiter will have to pay out of his own pocket if he is found out to have made a mistake by the Manager. You may notice that Thais nearly always check the bills for extras that they didn't ask for and didn't get. Fortunately I can read Thai so they cannot pull one over on me.

[hellodolly]

It just feels like stealing to me to not insist on paying for all that was ordered.

Thinking about this a bit more, I do tend to mostly eat at places I have a personal connection to, sometimes places run by one family.

If it happened at a big corporate place like SIZZLER, now I'm thinking maybe I wouldn't bother noting an undercharge at a place like that.

Well I very seldom check the bill as I pretty well know what it will be. I have on occasion been undercharged and brought it to their attention.

Your Sizzler comment got me to thinking how ever and yes I would pay it.

I would do the same where I come from and see no reason to change here in Thailand.

[winstonc]

You're one of a dying breed JT. Most people we accidentally undercharge say nothing

? how do you know they say nothing..if you dont know you undercharged them or did i read it wrong... im really confused now...........

[BikeThailand]

There really is no other way to see it. If you are undercharged and you notice it you should point it out just as politely and as helpful as you would if you were accidentally overcharged. I have traveled this country from top to bottom and left to right many times and have seen it happen both ways. I've often wondered if it was on purpose when I was overcharged but can usually tell by the way they act if it was intentional or accidental. Bottom line, do the RIGHT thing. Pay for what you ordered/received and don't pay for what you didn't order/receive. Sizzler or local Thai food stall, it really shouldn't matter.

[SinglePot]

There really is no other way to see it. If you are undercharged and you notice it you should point it out just as politely and as helpful as you would if you were accidentally overcharged. I have traveled this country from top to bottom and left to right many times and have seen it happen both ways. I've often wondered if it was on purpose when I was overcharged but can usually tell by the way they act if it was intentional or accidental. Bottom line, do the RIGHT thing. Pay for what you ordered/received and don't pay for what you didn't order/receive. Sizzler or local Thai food stall, it really shouldn't matter.

probably matters more to the Thai food stall but I'm not arguing with the concept.

[IrishIvan]

Ill take the undercharge and leave a small tip

[1FinickyOne]

If I ordered it, I pay for it - quite simple really and no need to fuss.

[hellodolly]

If I am at a big chain restaurant then no, I won't tell them I have been undercharged. If I am at a 'family' run restaurant then I will tell them.

If I get the wrong change at ANY place I tell them as I don't want a cashier etc having to put their hand in their pocket because of the mistake.

But I don't care about large chain places if I am undercharged, as long as it doesn't come out of the worker's pocket.

It's a bit like banks isn't it? If a mate gives you the wrong money you give it back. If a bank makes a mistake, well, they have been ripping us off and bending us over the bench for years so getting a little back is fine with me.

How do you know if they will have to pay it? Maybe the restaurant is not so sophisticated that they can push a key on a computer and tell what the value of the days orders were and what came into the till.

As for just leaving a large tip that is generally shared by all concerned and the restaurant still winds up short of the amount of food they dispensed in the day.

[notmyself]

Well I very seldom check the bill as I pretty well know what it will be.

So do I. Some people consider the ability to add up a number of items purchased over a couple of hours in your head to be magic.

[Jingthing]

Well I very seldom check the bill as I pretty well know what it will be.

So do I. Some people consider the ability to add up a number of items purchased over a couple of hours in your head to be magic.

I usually know too.

I reckon about 5 - 10 percent of checks have errors, mostly overcharging.

But I go to some funky places.

There are some patterns in Thailand where an error may not be an error according to the staff.

Such as when the menu says something is 100 baht and you get charged more and they say the menu hasn't been changed.

That can be touchy.

The other day at a funky place where I thought the food looked overpriced I ordered anyway and was served a TINY portion of food. When the check came it was charged under the menu. In that case, I assumed the menu price was for a large order and they scaled down my order, so I didn't mention it.

Similarly, there is often confusion with customers and staff over rice plate orders vs. main plate with rice separate orders.

I found that experience annoying because I left hungry and would have ordered more food if I knew the menu listings were for large orders.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Jingthing

[bangkokrick]

I think you might find that the expression is 'never look a gift horse in the mouth"

[CTO]

Always, especially if I got bad service, nothing like rubbing someones face in it.

[Jingthing]

I think the issue of do you challenge a bill when the menu says one thing and the charge is higher might be big enough for another thread. In cases where the issue isn't different sizes, different prices, but the excuse, we haven't updated the menu.

[notmyself]

Such as when the menu says something is 100 baht and you get charged more and they say the menu hasn't been changed.

That can be touchy.

Never had that yet and don't know what I would do.

[BB1955]

If the under charge me or give me too much back, I always tell them . I eat alot of street vender food and I know how hard they work for the money they make . Lots of places if they make a mistake it comes out of the staffs pocket and I would not want that to happen ...

[NoshowJones]

I usually do, except if I got bad service or feel like the place has been overcharging anyway.

Even if the service was just OK, I would let the waitress know I was undercharged, as she may have to pay the difference from her own pocket.

[NoshowJones]

It just feels like stealing to me to not insist on paying for all that was ordered.

Thinking about this a bit more, I do tend to mostly eat at places I have a personal connection to, sometimes places run by one family.

If it happened at a big corporate place like SIZZLER, now I'm thinking maybe I wouldn't bother noting an undercharge at a place like that.

I agree with you JT, just as long as the waitress does not lose.

[connda]

Yes, I do.

[NoshowJones]

It just feels like stealing to me to not insist on paying for all that was ordered.

Thinking about this a bit more, I do tend to mostly eat at places I have a personal connection to, sometimes places run by one family.

If it happened at a big corporate place like SIZZLER, now I'm thinking maybe I wouldn't bother noting an undercharge at a place like that.

So by your own definition, it's Ok to steal from a corporate?

If the shoe fits. The irony is I don't recall ever being undercharged at a place like Sizzler!

More precisely if a place like Sizzler ever undercharged me I think it would be feel more like a lucky break than stealing. Not suggesting this is rational as it's clearly more about my bias against big corporate concerns and a bias towards smaller businesses.

Jing - the actual irony is that the moral view in your OP is suddenly reversed if you don't have any affiliations to the entity/person that is undercharging. I would have thought that the moral would have applied regardless of who the entity was, or indeed, how significant or insignificant the undercharge was. Just saying......

If the owner of the restaurant chain was to restaurants what Branston is to Flight Companies, I would do anything to get money out of them. You don't become multi millionaires through business without being a rogue, ie screwing the customers because they want to fly during the holiday period. But as I say, as long as the ordinary employee does not lose out of it.

[NoshowJones]

I would have to rectify the mistake.

My conscience would remind me whether I could live with the possibility the member of staff had had their wages docked.

I know this is a little bit off topic, but it has the same meaning. If you were walking past an ATM and it started spurting out money, would you take it if you knew there was no chance of getting caught? I would.

[CrypticBob]

...

If the owner of the restaurant chain was to restaurants what Branston is to Flight Companies, I would do anything to get money out of them. You don't become multi millionaires through business without being a rogue, ie screwing the customers because they want to fly during the holiday period. But as I say, as long as the ordinary employee does not lose out of it.

PICKLES!!!!

[Emdog]

I do my best to lead an honorable life. Easy if you "do unto others as would have do to you". I am an atheist, btw. My honor is worth more than any slight reduction in a bill. I sleep well at night and have a conscience.

[TechnikaIII]

It is theft not to return it.

[koratjohn]

This happens frequently and not just in restaurants but also in 7-eleven. I always count the money before I leave and make sure I'm leaving with the correct amount and when I get too much it takes a bit to explain the situation. Once they catch on to the mistake they are very appreciative of my honesty.

I'm hoping my honesty will be repaid with an overabundance of good Karma at some point and time.. Maybe just wishful thinking on my part?

[Briggsy]

It is important when living in the more degenerate parts of the world to maintain standards. This is also known as "playing the white man". it is a slippery slope when one begins to let things slip. Before you know it, you'll be sitting on the floor, eating with your hands, plotting how to rip off newly arrived compatriots.

[CrypticBob]

This happens frequently and not just in restaurants but also in 7-eleven. I always count the money before I leave and make sure I'm leaving with the correct amount and when I get too much it takes a bit to explain the situation. Once they catch on to the mistake they are very appreciative of my honesty.

I'm hoping my honesty will be repaid with an overabundance of good Karma at some point and time.. Maybe just wishful thinking on my part?

So it's just selfishness then? Or is the karma irrelevant?

[Jingthing]

As far as errors in change, I've found that to be very rare where I get more than due.

I think a different thing than the BILL being in error.

[SinglePot]

It is important when living in the more degenerate parts of the world to maintain standards. This is also known as "playing the white man". it is a slippery slope when one begins to let things slip. Before you know it, you'll be sitting on the floor, eating with your hands, plotting how to rip off newly arrived compatriots.

A Thai carpenter and his wife and their 8 chippies built our home.

I flew in from London and drove up to the half built house. They are all sitting on the floor eating lunch cooked by my wife and mil.

Two months later I returned. Home completed. Am I happy?

Carpenter and his wife undercharged me.

Put me straight Jingthing if I have got the wrong end of the stick.

Cheers.