Adding up the bill

[Pockys]

Out to dinner with friends on the weekend…2 of the group were unknown to me, out of town business acquaintances of one the other couples.

The bill came in about 19,000, about what was expected, nothing to be concerned about. Divide by number of people and done…. Not so easy.

The out of towner and by that I mean out of country dude wants to check every item on the bill. Against the actual menu prices!!

After 10 minutes of very detailed detective work he exclaimed we had been overcharged! Not able to speak a word of Thai, he ushered for the waiter, who then ushered for other waiters who then ushered for the manager and in no time we had quite the crowd. Nothing we could say would dissuade the out of towner from his quest.

Speaking in his best Pidgin English to the Manager like this. “Bill too much. Charge too much. Me check bill. Too much charge us.”

And on it went.

The manager, in perfect American accented English, explained there was a VAT and Service charge added.

What an embarrassment. One of our regular places and this guy sounding like a complete fool in his Pidgin English. He didn’t even have the balls to apologize for making a mistake.

[sipi]

19000 divided by the "number of people".

What was the "number of people"? Where were you eating?

19KB seems a lot.

[onetime]

I don't blame him one bit! He probably learned from experience.

[Pockys]

19000 divided by the "number of people".

What was the "number of people"? Where were you eating?

19KB seems a lot.

Eight people. 19k was reasonable

[Pockys]

I don't blame him one bit! He probably learned from experience.

If you're saying his stupidity was from learned experience we agree

[Crazy chef 1]

19000 divided by the "number of people".

What was the "number of people"? Where were you eating?

19KB seems a lot.

190 people...99 baht breakfast: reasonable....

[Supaluke]

I'm way confused -

Why is a Thai person speaking anything else but Thai in a Restaurant in Thailand?

To the wait staff?

More to this tale?

[Pockys]

19000 divided by the "number of people".

What was the "number of people"? Where were you eating?

19KB seems a lot.

Eight people. 19k was reasonable

Do you live in LOS....?

yes

[Pockys]

I'm way confused -

Why is a Thai person speaking anything else but Thai in a Restaurant in Thailand?

To the wait staff?

More to this tale?

You get confused easily.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Pockys

[ripstanley]

I'm way confused -

Why is a Thai person speaking anything else but Thai in a Restaurant in Thailand?

To the wait staff?

More to this tale?

Read the thread again.

"The out of towner and by that I mean out of country dude wants to check every item on the bill. Against the actual menu prices!!"

[Pockys]

I'm way confused -

Why is a Thai person speaking anything else but Thai in a Restaurant in Thailand?

To the wait staff?

More to this tale?

Read the thread again.

"The out of towner and by that I mean out of country dude wants to check every item on the bill. Against the actual menu prices!!"

Thankyou. It seemed clear to me.

[MrTee]

so how much tip?

there appears to be something missing from this story..


I get you went to eat, someone spoke pigin Engrit to the manager, manager spoke in English..

you paid.

is that it?

Edited December 14, 2015 by MrTee

[Pockys]

so how much tip?

500 on top of the service charge

[stoneyboy]

So your grievance is against someone's Pidgin English not the cost of the meal ?

[stoneyboy]

so how much tip?

there appears to be something missing from this story..

I get you went to eat, someone spoke pigin Engrit to the manager, manager spoke in English..

you paid.

is that it?

Zackry.

[MrTee]

So your grievance is against someone's Pidgin English not the cost of the meal ?

Seems the whole thread is about belittling a dinner guest who tried to save some money by checking the bill..

[Pockys]

So your grievance is against someone's Pidgin English not the cost of the meal ?

Cost of the meal for eight people was no issue.

The excruciating pidgin English was a side lowlight of the idiocy needed to check the bill in microscopic detail. Just pass it to any one of us at the table and we could have solved the issue in a minute. The man comes to Thailand one month and knows it all.

[TheCruncher]

19000 divided by the "number of people".

What was the "number of people"? Where were you eating?

19KB seems a lot.

Eight people. 19k was reasonable

Do you live in LOS....?

You're not gonna believe it, but there are actually people living in Thailand who can afford something more than a fried rice with chicken.

[TheCruncher]

So your grievance is against someone's Pidgin English not the cost of the meal ?

Seems the whole thread is about belittling a dinner guest who tried to save some money by checking the bill..

Or could be about a dinner guest who made a fool of himself?

[MrTee]

So your grievance is against someone's Pidgin English not the cost of the meal ?

Seems the whole thread is about belittling a dinner guest who tried to save some money by checking the bill..

Or could be about a dinner guest who made a fool of himself?

Can we settle on belittling a dinner guest who made a fool of himself?

[smokie36]

19000 divided by the "number of people".

What was the "number of people"? Where were you eating?

19KB seems a lot.

Eight people. 19k was reasonable

Do you live in LOS....?

You're not gonna believe it, but there are actually people living in Thailand who can afford something more than a fried rice with chicken.

A shade over 2k Baht a head for a dinner and drinks in Bangkok is not particularly expensive....up country it is but even at that hardly a lot for a feast and boozy night in the likes of CM.

Wiener Schitzel and Archa ain't the choice of living for many of us.

Anyway back to my Heineken and scallops!

[NancyL]

I don't know where the OP was dining, but if it was here in Chiang Mai, that would have been a relatively upscale place with that kind of tab for eight people and chances are the management would have know me and/or my husband. We never would have let this farce go on. I would have stepped in to look at the bill, hoping it was in Thai and said "oh, I can read Thai", screwed up my face and pronounced it correct after a time. If it was in English, I would have pointed out the VAT + SC adder which does trip up so many newbies. If he really appeared to be making a scene, I suspect that Hubby (who doesn't like scenes) would have simply handed the staff the money and paid the entire bill himself.

[thaiduncankk]

A bit of an over reaction on your behalf.

If somebody believes they are being over charged, they are well within their rights to query the bill.

If everybody paid the figure put in front of them, without scrutinising the bill, it would give them the opportunity to rip off anyone.

I have queried bills in many types of venues, and spotted many mistakes of various kinds.

The reply you always get is 'oh sorry, I make mistake'. They refund the cash amount of the mistake, and everything is then OK for them. Most of the time it may not be a mistake, but 'pad the bill, they will not query it.'

I have also pointed out in some places, items they have ommited from the bill, hence undercharging me.

[Fabricus]

So your grievance is against someone's Pidgin English not the cost of the meal ?

Cost of the meal for eight people was no issue.

The excruciating pidgin English was a side lowlight of the idiocy needed to check the bill in microscopic detail. Just pass it to any one of us at the table and we could have solved the issue in a minute. The man comes to Thailand one month and knows it all.

I assume you speak, read and write Thai. If so, the onus was on you to manage the situation.

All of us have met pidgin-speaking clowns who consider themselves experts. It's up to you to make sure they don't destroy what otherwise might be a pleasant evening.

It's also prudent to consider leaving early when these fools turn up unexpectedly.

I avoid all farangs who talk too loudly and/or don't speak Thai.

[onetime]

I don't blame him one bit! He probably learned from experience.

If you're saying his stupidity was from learned experience we agree

If you're twisting my words to make yourself sound smart, we agree.

[Pockys]

A bit of an over reaction on your behalf.

If somebody believes they are being over charged, they are well within their rights to query the bill.

If everybody paid the figure put in front of them, without scrutinising the bill, it would give them the opportunity to rip off anyone.

I have queried bills in many types of venues, and spotted many mistakes of various kinds.

The reply you always get is 'oh sorry, I make mistake'. They refund the cash amount of the mistake, and everything is then OK for them. Most of the time it may not be a mistake, but 'pad the bill, they will not query it.'

I have also pointed out in some places, items they have ommited from the bill, hence undercharging me.

Let me be clear. There was no mistake on the bill. Your past experiences are irrelevant here

He should have left the checking and division work to any one of us, or politely, to his business acquaintance. Would you go to China as a visitor once a year for holidays and business and take it upon yourself to check a split bill at a function you are invited to?

Then it would be okay to start speaking Pidgin English?

He just wanted to show how clever he was and came off looking a total fool. I doubt he would be able to see it himself

[Pockys]

I don't blame him one bit! He probably learned from experience.

If you're saying his stupidity was from learned experience we agree

If you're twisting my words to make yourself sound smart, we agree.

Your comment was asinine to begin with

[Pockys]

Do you live in LOS....?

You're not gonna believe it, but there are actually people living in Thailand who can afford something more than a fried rice with chicken.

A shade over 2k Baht a head for a dinner and drinks in Bangkok is not particularly expensive....up country it is but even at that hardly a lot for a feast and boozy night in the likes of CM.

Wiener Schitzel and Archa ain't the choice of living for many of us.

Anyway back to my Heineken and scallops!

Yup. A few drinks and some fresh food superbly prepared, 2000 a head is a good price

[Pockys]

So your grievance is against someone's Pidgin English not the cost of the meal ?

Food and drinks were good value

[thaiduncankk]

A bit of an over reaction on your behalf.

If somebody believes they are being over charged, they are well within their rights to query the bill.

If everybody paid the figure put in front of them, without scrutinising the bill, it would give them the opportunity to rip off anyone.

I have queried bills in many types of venues, and spotted many mistakes of various kinds.

The reply you always get is 'oh sorry, I make mistake'. They refund the cash amount of the mistake, and everything is then OK for them. Most of the time it may not be a mistake, but 'pad the bill, they will not query it.'

I have also pointed out in some places, items they have ommited from the bill, hence undercharging me.

Let me be clear. There was no mistake on the bill. Your past experiences are irrelevant here

He should have left the checking and division work to any one of us, or politely, to his business acquaintance. Would you go to China as a visitor once a year for holidays and business and take it upon yourself to check a split bill at a function you are invited to?

Then it would be okay to start speaking Pidgin English?

He just wanted to show how clever he was and came off looking a total fool. I doubt he would be able to see it himself

How do you know there was no mistake on the bill without checking it ?

Are you 'Mr Big Licks.?