Restaurant order cock-ups !

[jacko45k]

Thailand? I recall ordering a breakfast in China, my 'orange juice' arrived and it was pineapple juice.

When my translator told her of the error, she blurted something back at him and walked off changing nothing.

Her answer was apparently 'It doesn't matter'....

[kkup]

Just make sure you don't order a cock.

[dotpoom]

Two years ago I went home for a holiday. Myself and my Ex went into a hotel and ordered a pot of tea for two...as distinct from two cups of tea. The waiter was from India. Just a little background, I have not let a drop of Alcohol pass my lips for over 14 years. Anyway, back to the day in the hotel, the waiter duly arrived at our table with a lovely silver largish sized pot, two cups and saucers, spoons, sugar and milk. I was looking around the hotel while "she who used to have to be obeyed" did "Mom"...and commenced to pour out the tea. Next think I heard her give a loud laugh and I looked at her in surprise...."Here", she said "Smell this"......it was Whiskey ....the song "Whiskey in the Jaro" came to mind (can You Tube it). The tea pot was full of whiskey. I remembered afterwards that he had to ask us a few times what we were ordering. He obviously misunderstood Tea...for... Whiskey.

[Crazy chef 1]

I once ordered 'La fromage a la raze le fenetre ' and the waitress had no idea what I was talking about, strange woman.

Outrageous did you file a complaint with the tourist police and sue the restaurant, the natives need to learn, cant speak proper English, dont know what basic French dishes are, this would never happen in New York City, which is in America

Better still, I reported the case to Dave Walsh.

The ex-SAS mobile strike force are now on their way to the venue (via Jomtien) to crush this rebel waitress.

Resistance is futile but apologies are a side dish and cost 10 Baht extra.

Heard their arrival will be delayed because a certain person jumped on their baht bus and start arguing with the driver...

[Crazy chef 1]

I'm not sure I believe this- but it was the choice of the word domesticating that has caused a issue- is English your first language .

I think probably socialisation would be preferable .

Wrong topic mate...

[onni4me]

Well, if even in best hotels in Bangkok one gets something that he has strongly tried to avoid due to an allergy issue than there is no hope...it is downright dangerous when one can't eat - let's say - crab meat or any other seafood and asks if they are very sure there is no sauce or anything in it with crab or similar and with innocent eyes they tell you there isn't and you believe them...just finding yourself choking few minutes later...

For this reason as dull as it sounds I carry around my own water kettle with tea and coffee and tend to prefer salad bars and buffets. When at home I cook myself so I know what I have in the plate. Most little food shops just are plain unhealthy. Sugar, MSG, cheap ingridients and all kinds of fats added.

Back to the OP...German sausages I would have eaten but no French Fries or that noodle thing and eaten less at lunch. Otherwise it doesn't look too bad...

[yaudah]

1. It's amazing, always the other ones fault, the waiter, the chef, the Tuk-tuk driver outside, and if there is no-one around the rat or the cat.

2. After all our Thai language skills are perfect ! It's the Tais who have not mastered it.

3. Fantastic that someone goes to the length and in detail incl. photograph reporting such a trivial matter.

4. Any the masses are chiming in.

Lovely !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gerrytraveller]

comment on the menu in my own humble coffee shop..

....if you wish to change something on the menu you do so at your own risk 。TIT.

[masuk]

Does anybody else think the bacon looks like a dead frog, indeed does anyone else care?

Don't waste perfectly good road kill!

[Suradit69]

Numbered menus. .......When the waitress rights the number of the item down the odds go up you will get your order.

When the waitress writes it down and repeats your order. maybe.

When the waitress just listens.....Forget about it most of the time.

"When the waitress rights [sic] the number of the item"

It's just amazing how farang always get everything "write."

I eat in Thai restaurants several times a week and can't recall being served the wrong thing, but I have a feeling that sort of thing happens in restaurants in any country from time to time.

I guess the TV choir is hitting bottom of the barrel for things to whine/whinge about.

I even order in Thai and get them to repeat back what I ordered to make sure they understand.

Oh well, same same to their ear I guess.

If you're ordering in Thai, would omelette ( kài-​jiiao ) and marmalade (yɛɛm-​bplʉ̀ʉak-​sôm) sound remotely alike? Maybe it's not the Thai waiters' ears that are the problem.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Suradit69

[Baerboxer]

Well it's no wonder that the waitress was confused, poor woman.

Dopey farang customers! Some even expect their starters before their main course. Everyone knows much better all together. And, why ask for no sugar or MSG - you not want real Thai style?

I don't get these issues with my breakfast. Gwai diyaou sans lek, congee, or whatever. Promptly put in a plastic bag and tied with a nice red laggy band. Little bags of chili powder, sugar and chili vinegar; and some veggie. Aroi mag mag. Mind you they threw me once - used green laggy bands. Outrageous - threw me off balance for days. Almost rang the gov's complaint line.

[Baerboxer]

Numbered menus. .......When the waitress rights the number of the item down the odds go up you will get your order.

When the waitress writes it down and repeats your order. maybe.

When the waitress just listens.....Forget about it most of the time.

"When the waitress rights [sic] the number of the item"

It's just amazing how farang always get everything "write."

I eat in Thai restaurants several times a week and can't recall being served the wrong thing, but I have a feeling that sort of thing happens in restaurants in any country from time to time.

I guess the TV choir is hitting bottom of the barrel for things to whine/whinge about.

I even order in Thai and get them to repeat back what I ordered to make sure they understand.

Oh well, same same to their ear I guess.

If you're ordering in Thai, would omelette ( kài-​jiiao ) and marmalade (yɛɛm-​bplʉ̀ʉak-​sôm) sound remotely alike? Maybe it's not the Thai waiters' ears that are the problem.

You're one lucky fella. You never get any problems here, everything is always perfect, nothing ever happens to you.

I eat out many times a week, sometimes breakfast, sometimes lunch, sometimes dinner. Often with my wife and/or other Thai friends. We order in Thai. There are errors - wrong dishes, forgotten dishes, missing bits off dishes, forgotten drinks etc etc. Usually in when they're busy but not always; and not confined to cheap, medium or expensive either. Regularity - probably less than 10% of the time, maybe even less than 5%.

Is it important - not really in the scheme of things. Does it happen elsewhere - yes, IME, even at some posh places, in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Now, in your perfect world, where no mistakes ever happen to you, wouldn't it be nice to perfect a sense of humor? Or if that's too hard, develop the skill to learn which posts to take seriously, which to ignore?

[Soutpeel]

Numbered menus. .......When the waitress rights the number of the item down the odds go up you will get your order.

When the waitress writes it down and repeats your order. maybe.

When the waitress just listens.....Forget about it most of the time.

"When the waitress rights [sic] the number of the item"

It's just amazing how farang always get everything "write."

I eat in Thai restaurants several times a week and can't recall being served the wrong thing, but I have a feeling that sort of thing happens in restaurants in any country from time to time.

I guess the TV choir is hitting bottom of the barrel for things to whine/whinge about.

I even order in Thai and get them to repeat back what I ordered to make sure they understand.

Oh well, same same to their ear I guess.

If you're ordering in Thai, would omelette ( kài-​jiiao ) and marmalade (yɛɛm-​bplʉ̀ʉak-​sôm) sound remotely alike? Maybe it's not the Thai waiters' ears that are the problem.

You're one lucky fella. You never get any problems here, everything is always perfect, nothing ever happens to you.

I eat out many times a week, sometimes breakfast, sometimes lunch, sometimes dinner. Often with my wife and/or other Thai friends. We order in Thai. There are errors - wrong dishes, forgotten dishes, missing bits off dishes, forgotten drinks etc etc. Usually in when they're busy but not always; and not confined to cheap, medium or expensive either. Regularity - probably less than 10% of the time, maybe even less than 5%.

Is it important - not really in the scheme of things. Does it happen elsewhere - yes, IME, even at some posh places, in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Now, in your perfect world, where no mistakes ever happen to you, wouldn't it be nice to perfect a sense of humor? Or if that's too hard, develop the skill to learn which posts to take seriously, which to ignore?

I guess the crux of the question is this ?

Even if one did get the wrong order would you write a thread on TV about it and even post photos ?

[Baerboxer]

Many years ago at a hotel in Hadyai a friend ordered 3 minute boiled eggs.

Soon after the waitress to arrived with 3 raw slightly warm eggs in a glass.

For the first 6 months I lived in India I was a resident of a 5 star hotel (still there, and there's usually one of them in many many cities around the world).

I got friendly with the GM, who was British. We often had breakfast together with his wife at the hotel. It was amazing how much food from the previous day's menus was recycled as part of the following days menu. Whenever I mentioned things like this he kept a poker face and looked at the floor; his missus laughed.

Their restaurant regularly got orders wrong, maybe accidentally on purpose.

Small Thai restaurants and little street side vendors seem the opposite somehow. They always seem to go out of their way to get it right, worry whether you'll eat it and then look genuinely pleased when you do and say it was delicious - especially out of BKK and away from touristy areas.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Baerboxer

[Baerboxer]

I guess the crux of the question is this ?

Even if one did get the wrong order would you write a thread on TV about it and even post photos ?

Personally, no mate, I wouldn't. But then I wouldn't take photos of every meal and stick it on FB either.

But, it's a public forum. If someone feels they want to do that, or think it might entertain others, or find it amusing, then up to them. No one is forced to read every post.

[goreme]

You ate all of that between 2 people and in the morning? Incredible how many farang eat so much early in the day and so much at night. It's no wonder many have health issues.

Honestly, eating all that sausage meat, french fries, eggs, greasy noodles that early in the day is repulsive.

[northernphil]

Does anybody else think the bacon looks like a dead frog, indeed does anyone else care?

OMG can you imagine ordering Fried frog with french fries ?

[northernphil]

OK , just last night about 1 hour after dinner I went to see a good mate of mine who happens to be a LB and on getting out the car this girlie chap runs over to the car and says " No pub ,now work Hot Pot ". In I go then I get " You want Patlom " I said No thanks im ( full up ) " Then once more " You want patlom ? " Turned out Patlom is not Thai food but a fan.

[HerbalEd]

I hope you ate it all......and then refused to pay because it was not what you ordered!

This is a trick pulled by one farang I know, always cleans his plate and then does not want to pay!

And how often does your friend's "trick" work?

[Soutpeel]

You ate all of that between 2 people and in the morning? Incredible how many farang eat so much early in the day and so much at night. It's no wonder many have health issues.

Honestly, eating all that sausage meat, french fries, eggs, greasy noodles that early in the day is repulsive.

I will bet his Mrs who is Thai ate most of it

So guess that pisses on the premise of your who post, but nice try none the less now back to your lentils

[FangFerang]

it wasn't a restaurant, but I ordered number 27 at a club in soi cowboy and got two katois and a midget. maybe the math was the new math, I don't know.

[Asheron]

I bet most here saying "what's the big deal if you get the wrong food in Thailand" wouldn't accept that kind of service in their native country.

[Soutpeel]

I bet most here saying "what's the big deal if you get the wrong food in Thailand" wouldn't accept that kind of service in their native country.

Your correct but how many would write a post about it and post pictures from their own farangistan countries ?

[pgrahmm]

Pai is a little village in the mountains that has become a popular weekend/retreat for tourists/backpacker and sub-species types/Chinese and CM people wanting to relax in the area seeking ganga/'shrooms/bohemia and beyond Thai/Hill Tribe style......

There is a pizza place called Amicas....A farang use to own it but would rather kill his liver than work → so he sold it to a valued employee while he likes to spend time sitting at a table smiling vacantly while people wander by.....

However - the pizza has always been good - even now with the current owner → when she is there.....If not there are problem (no english but english menus).....

We arrived just as a whole table next to us left on a huff because most of their orders weren't right - should have been my cue/clue.....But sitting across from us was a semi drunk alluring Italian lass that was looking for attention and fancied talking to me - much to my wife's chagrin she was looking for company her last night in town......I enjoy the Italian ladies and much to MY chagrin those days are now memories....

The staff there was definately hill tribe.....

As my wife is Thai I was confident we could order....I ordered a Marguerita pizza + garlic with pepperoni - a good pie......

Everyone else in the family got what they ordered......

Then came mine - 1st = garlic bread (garlic) - 2nd = macaroni (pepperoni)

3rd = cheese pizza (marguerita pizza)

I didn't question it to the staff as they were completely non-plussed by the last table that got up and left = they were trying their best.....The garlic bread was the first clue/surprise......

Comical after thinking about it....

[tlcwaterfall]

Just come back from 8 nights in the Philippines.

Ate 3 meals a day with two of my friends plus others who joined us from time to time.

Not one order was was incorrect. All orders were repeated back to us in perfect English.

Meals were delivered and were exactly what we ordered.

Thailand is well behind with their English. Most waitresses try their best to get the orders right but their best is simply not good enough many times.

Edited August 14, 2015 by tlcwaterfall

[MZurf]

You're one lucky fella. You never get any problems here, everything is always perfect, nothing ever happens to you.

I eat out many times a week, sometimes breakfast, sometimes lunch, sometimes dinner. Often with my wife and/or other Thai friends. We order in Thai. There are errors - wrong dishes, forgotten dishes, missing bits off dishes, forgotten drinks etc etc. Usually in when they're busy but not always; and not confined to cheap, medium or expensive either. Regularity - probably less than 10% of the time, maybe even less than 5%.

Is it important - not really in the scheme of things. Does it happen elsewhere - yes, IME, even at some posh places, in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Now, in your perfect world, where no mistakes ever happen to you, wouldn't it be nice to perfect a sense of humor? Or if that's too hard, develop the skill to learn which posts to take seriously, which to ignore?

I guess the crux of the question is this ?

Even if one did get the wrong order would you write a thread on TV about it and even post photos ?

Maybe not, but I sure as h*** wouldn't post in a thread that I found meaningless. You must have a lot of time on your hands.

Edited August 14, 2015 by MZurf

[gemguy]

Ha...that is nothing compared to some of the restaurant experiences that I have endured and or the ineptness that I have encountered.....to the point that I more or less avoid restaurants and rather prefer to eat at the food courts.

Over the years I have had my order forgotten so many times I can not remember or they tell me there is no more of whatever I ordered...while everyone else that ordered their meal received their meal and fed themselves and when I ask about my order, 20 to 30 minutes after ordering, the waiter or waitress comes back saying : No more chicken or no more of the ingredients for the dish you order.....and they never apologize...just deliver the bad news....and never ask if I would like to order something different...rather they just walk away after delivering the bad news.

Hmmmm...so obviously I did not leave a tip nor did I ever go back to that or those restaurants.

Then there is the all too many times I have gone into a restaurant while the place is nearly empty with say only 5 or 6 or 7 other people already there.

Good...not too many people so the service should be more attentive..right.

Where is the waiter or waitress...not to be seen...OK there she is...but she does not see me ...like I am the invisible patron.

Finally she looks over...but does not come over...she goes back into the kitchen...so I start waving at her or him...Nope ...no reaction....

Finally after saying Nong, Nong ...and no response I end up raising my voice much louder...NONG, NONG...Mah Nee Noi Cap.

Now I have her attention and she comes over, but timidly, like she has never seen a foreigner before ( maybe she has not )

I have to ask for the menu as it is not on the table but never mind I know what I want : I ask for chicken fried rice ...simple and one of the most simple dishes to cook up in no time at all...but I ask her to add extra chicken and tell the cook, not too much oil please...OK..understand???..Yes she understands.....Or so it seems.

I sit there waiting and notice there is no salt or pepper or napkins or water glass or fork or spoon or anything that you would want or need set on the table while the waiter never asked me what I would like to drink so now I have to get her attention all over again while she never looks over my way at any time so I have to more or less raise my voice a little bit and get her attention again.

When she comes over she is somewhat flustered while I ask her for a bottle of cold water and no need for a glass.

I wait while several more Thai people come into the restaurant and notice the waitress quickly comes to their table and takes their order.

I am still waiting for my simple bottle of water and 5 minutes has gone by so I get her attention again and ask her about the water while she looks at me with a perplexed, or is it a frustrated look on her face and off she goes...but still, 2 to 3 minutes later shows up with a bottle of water....And of course it is not cold while she walks away, so I have to call her back and tell her the water is not cold.....Do you have cold water??....No answer....Do you have cold water??....And finally answers...NO....Hmmmmm....OK do you have ice to go with the water....Yes???...No????......She says yes....OK, can I have some ice please.

Now, you would think, she knows that a bottle of warm water and a bucket of ice are somewhat useless by themselves so I wait to see what she does and sure enough she brings the ice but does not bring a glass with the ice....and walks away after putting the ice on the table.

So...I have to call her back to the table and I can see she is irritated that I called her back...for what?.....while I have to say to her: Do you have a glass to go with this Water and Ice......Yes, she says...OK, can I have a glass?....as in quickly and not 5 minutes from now......OK.

So she gets the glass and I am now drinking my water but still no fork or spoon or anything else set on the table....Oh well......lets see what happens.

Now it is 15 minutes later and I see that all the people that came in AFTER me are being served the dishes they order ...several dishes for several people but my simple chicken fried rice has not arrived ....OK wait ..be patient

More people come into the restaurant and now about 20 minutes has gone by and all the new people have ordered their food and I am still waiting for my chicken fried rice.

So finally it is 25 minutes now or there a-bout's and I have to get her attention all over again ...like I am the invisible foreigner ..and finally she comes over looking like she is perturbed while I tell her in Thai language, it has been nearly 25 minutes since I order the chicken fried rice....did she forget me????

Wait, wait she says and off she goes and another 5 minutes later still no chicken fried rice and finally she comes to the table with the chicken fried rice...Good ..finally.......

But she does not bring any fork or spoon and she is walking away so I call her back and tell her I will need a fork and a spoon to eat this meal while she has a blank look on her face....and comes back with a fork and a spoon....

Off she goes while I start to eat my meal while I notice that there is no extra chicken in the dish and certainly no more than usual and the cook used too much oil but not excessively ..but the usual too much oil.

OK, Never mind ...but the girl did not bring the Nam Pla Prick or any napkins or bottled chili sauce or anything else that most customers would want to have on the table and should be there anyhow and not have to ask for it....so...I have to ask for it while she is all the more irritated that I am calling her back to my table...for what...again.

So finally I am finished the meal and it tasted OK..nothing special...and ask for the bill and the bill comes and it is like 200 baht for the whole meal while I am thinking that usually chicken fried rice in most places that are not too fancy is usually less than 100 baht ...so I ask for the menu and she is looking confused and irritated that she has to get the menu and I see that the cost of chicken fried rice is 90 baht and a bottle of water is 20 baht.... so why is the bill 200 baht??

Because you ordered extra chicken..... sir.

Hmmmm...yes I did ...but there was no extra chicken in there and if there was then the extra chicken in there is a joke relative to paying double the price..... for the supposed extra chicken......and had to suffer the extra slow and inept service to add insult to injury.....

So what does one do????...make a big scene and refuse to pay the extra amount or sit there and negotiate the price of a meal?

Nope...you pay the price and note the name and location of the lousy restaurant and NEVER go there again.

Point being...I have had scenarios such as that or something similar to that happen so many times I seriously hesitate to go to any restaurants if and when I am invited to join with other people.

If I am alone, I will seek out a food court rather than be subjected to a 50-50 chance of choosing a restaurant that is over priced and over crowded while the service is commonly amateur.... to say the least.

OK.......that is the end of my restaurant story ranting....lol

Cheers

Edited August 14, 2015 by gemguy

[MW72]

I once ordered a Pepsi and got a EST cola. Ferkin raging so I was.

[jaywalker]

Try ordering som tam tai (the kind with peanuts) and tell them to not put peanuts on it. I never tried it, always have the wife do it, and she has to repeat it 10 times.

I told her try ordering som tam poo without the crabs next time. She just looked disgusted & muttered "Farang!" under her breath.

We used to go to Steak Bao in Pattaya a lot years ago. It had nice ambiance and really good food is why I kept going back.

I'd always order Sai Krog Issan as an appetizer. About the 2nd time it came out last, after we'd finished the main course, I started ordering it as a standalone dish.

When they brought it out I'd then order the main dish.

[jaywalker]

Just come back from 8 nights in the Philippines.

Ate 3 meals a day with two of my friends plus others who joined us from time to time.

Not one order was was incorrect. All orders were repeated back to us in perfect English.

Meals were delivered and were exactly what we ordered.

Thailand is well behind with their English. Most waitresses try their best to get the orders right but their best is simply not good enough many times.

HAHA!

A bit off topic but I once ordered a pizza in Abu Dhabi, in a 5 star hotel, with green peppers, onions and pepperoni. It came out & 1/3 had green pepper, 1/3rd had onions, & 1/3rd had pepperoni on it.

=============

I walked into a Domino's there & was famished. Told the guy give me a large with everything on it. He was Indian & says "You want extra vaganza?"

I said "Not sure what vaganza is buddy. Just give me a large with everything on it"

He says "OK. That will be extra vaganza"

I was getting a bit irritated. "I never heard of vaganza, but whatever".

He pointed at the menu. It was what Domino's called the "Extravaganza" pizza.

Edited August 14, 2015 by jaywalker