Bringing your own drinks?

[The stuttering parrot]

Thanks you guys for your input on the tip topic?

So I know most farang bars don't allow it but bringing your own drinks to a bar or restaurant is a common Thai trait .

The wife says they make money on the soda and ice but surely that's a pittance when running a business .

Now a mate of mine drinks at two bars. One run by a Thai and one by a farang. At the Thai bar he has a bottle sometimes he buys it at the bar other times he brings one in and charged for the extras and leaves a good tip.

Goes to the farang bar where the Thais bring their own bottle on the same deal so he decides to test the water.

Result a big blue about double standards because he can't do the same as the Thai guy.

Sorry for the long post but I just wanted to explain the situation .

By the way I drink beer at bars so it doesn't affect me but out at dinners I'm always offered those whiskey sodas etc

Thanks

[ukrules]

Well this is plain wrong, all customers should be treated and charged the same. That's one sure way to lose a paying customer.

There should be a standard corkage fee on bottles brought into the establishment by any customer.

[andyphuket]

The profit is very small for whisky per bottle. Most thai places make their money on mixers and food. Normally corkage fee only applies on wine, as no mixers are needed.

[malcoml]

From memory i saw a lot of places charge 300 baht or so corkage on a whiskey bottle.

I always thought it a little rude bringing your own drinks to a bar.

[billphillips]

As a western style bar owner, I do allow bottles to be brought into the bar. The set charge is 150b + ice + mixers. Most customers find though that it's not a cheaper option. When a drink is bought the ice and mixer are included in the price and in a group, a multiple choice of drinks are available rather than everyone having to drink the same thing.

A rather interesting twist is that local men ... are politely asked to leave before ordering a drink. Racism = maybe, it works both ways. It's mainly to protect the staff from jealous or unwelcome attentions.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

What many Thai bars will allow is for you to buy a bottle of say whiskey at a lower price than per tot and then leave it there for future use. They write your name on the bottle. And yes I know they can cheat.

[ehs818]

As for bars, they are in the business of selling drinks. That's how they pay the rent, their staff, and make a living. It's quite incorrect to assume you can just bring in your own drinks. As for how they treat Thais vs Farangs here, well, get over it! Now, separate from the bar scene is the question of bringing drinks into a restaurant. I have had several friends that have owned restaurants here. While the profit margins on food is usually small, the margin for drinks is much better, and well needed to make profits and pay for everything (overhead). But drinks, while the costs are small for us, are significant to the success of the restaurants. I was out years ago to a 99 baht buffet and a man in our group was so angry. He had brought in his own bottle of water, and when he paid the bill they charged him 30 baht for his own water. And he was so upset!! At this restaurant this fat man ate a huge amount of food (a buffet) and complained about them making a little money on drinks, his drinks! If he put a pen and paper to it he'd understand that unless the restaurant makes some money, it won't be there next month for him to be a pig again. A very stupid man indeed. As for me, I don't bring outside food or drink into any bars or restaurants. It's just bad manners and insulting to the restaurant owners. But then, that's just me.........

[swampdonkey]

As for bars, they are in the business of selling drinks. That's how they pay the rent, their staff, and make a living. It's quite incorrect to assume you can just bring in your own drinks. As for how they treat Thais vs Farangs here, well, get over it! Now, separate from the bar scene is the question of bringing drinks into a restaurant. I have had several friends that have owned restaurants here. While the profit margins on food is usually small, the margin for drinks is much better, and well needed to make profits and pay for everything (overhead). But drinks, while the costs are small for us, are significant to the success of the restaurants. I was out years ago to a 99 baht buffet and a man in our group was so angry. He had brought in his own bottle of water, and when he paid the bill they charged him 30 baht for his own water. And he was so upset!! At this restaurant this fat man ate a huge amount of food (a buffet) and complained about them making a little money on drinks, his drinks! If he put a pen and paper to it he'd understand that unless the restaurant makes some money, it won't be there next month for him to be a pig again. A very stupid man indeed. As for me, I don't bring outside food or drink into any bars or restaurants. It's just bad manners and insulting to the restaurant owners. But then, that's just me.........

Totally agree with you

[marko kok prong]

I know of very few other countries where you could do this at all,they would look at you as if you had just stepped out of a lunatic asylum if you asked this in Aussie,or Uk.

[jeab1980]

Last time in England Indian restaurant did same bring own bottle pay a small fee for corking or something like that. Asked why as I'm nosey manager said this way he did not have to pay a lot if money for drinks licence. But to answer question has to be wrong good for Thai good for Farang in my eyes.

[Roomuck]

Well this is plain wrong, all customers should be treated and charged the same. That's one sure way to lose a paying customer.

There should be a standard corkage fee on bottles brought into the establishment by any customer.

Wrong.

This is Thailand, it is not a requirement that all people are treated the same.

If I go go going with Thai mates in Pattaya about half the gogos don't let them in because they are Thai. I tell the door staff they are either Malay or Korean (depending which mate) and tell them to look blankly at the door staff if they are asked something in Thai. Doesn't always work.

I as a white boy can not go to the place behind Big C Pattaya Nua, only North Asians are allowed in there.

The poor bloody Indians struggle to get into a lot of places.

It is up to the venue owners, not up to some nanny state law that everyone must be treated equally.

[mrfaroukh]

I know in some Thai buffet we bring our own hard drinks and buy soda and eat food, in some bars they charge you something like 200 to 300 Baht for opening your own drink and you buy soda there to and some doesn't allow it at all.

[Fairynuff]

If I go somewhere and my thai friends aren't allowed in, I'm not going in either. If I'm going somewhere and I'm charged more than my thai friends, I'm not going in and they'd be right with me

[JHolmesJr]

If you take a bottle to a disco in Pattaya…like 808….the charge is 1500b!

BUt fair enough if it is a rare spirit that they don't sell.

[recom273]

Thais will bring their own bottle, I'm not too sure of the corkage, but i think quite small.

The owners are happy .. Because the mark up on soda, mixers and ice must be huge. Thais go through a lot of mixers because they usually mix their drinks light and a good server will keep on diluting the customers drinks, topping up the ice and spiriting the empty bottles away under the trolley.

A Thai will also order food constantly, whereas westerners probably just order dinner or one round of food.

[richard_smith237]

Wine:

The Wine Markup in Restaurants is huge... Thus: I always call the restaurant before hand and ask what their corkage charge policy is. I don't mind paying 300 or 500 baht for Corkage. Most restaurants allow this.

I've seen bottles of Wine which are THB: 4000 a duty free charged at THB: 15,000 in a restaurant.

That said: Some places are now offering decent Wine at much better prices.... I won't bring my own wine to a Wine Connection !!....

Whisky:

If I don't want to drink beer, I may take my own Whisky to a restaurant - Its decent Whisky, the restaurant generally won't have it.

I don't mind paying THB: 300 for Whisky corkage.

Beer:

No... It doesn't seem the done thing to take beer into a bar or restaurant. Although sometimes I want to as many restaurants do not serve light beer (low carb) such as San Miguel Light.

[wabothai]

Hey, if you cannot afford to buy a drink in a bar, just stay away, buy your own and drink it in your own kitchen.

Thais don't ask they just do. <deleted> rude.

[ukrules]

Well this is plain wrong, all customers should be treated and charged the same. That's one sure way to lose a paying customer.

There should be a standard corkage fee on bottles brought into the establishment by any customer.

Wrong.

This is Thailand, it is not a requirement that all people are treated the same.

<snip>

Wrong...It's my requirement that everyone be treated equally.

If a business owner wants me to go to their place of business and maybe spend 1000's of Baht every now and again they will meet my requirements or I won't go there.

[Roomuck]

Well this is plain wrong, all customers should be treated and charged the same. That's one sure way to lose a paying customer.

There should be a standard corkage fee on bottles brought into the establishment by any customer.

Wrong.

This is Thailand, it is not a requirement that all people are treated the same.

<snip>

Wrong...It's my requirement that everyone be treated equally.

If a business owner wants me to go to their place of business and maybe spend 1000's of Baht every now and again they will meet my requirements or I won't go there.

Good luck with that. Let me know how you get on with changing Thailand.

The pont is some businesses don't want you or your 1,000 baht. Up to them.

BTW, I always take my own bottle of water on balloon chasing nights.

[robertson468]

As for bars, they are in the business of selling drinks. That's how they pay the rent, their staff, and make a living. It's quite incorrect to assume you can just bring in your own drinks. As for how they treat Thais vs Farangs here, well, get over it! Now, separate from the bar scene is the question of bringing drinks into a restaurant. I have had several friends that have owned restaurants here. While the profit margins on food is usually small, the margin for drinks is much better, and well needed to make profits and pay for everything (overhead). But drinks, while the costs are small for us, are significant to the success of the restaurants. I was out years ago to a 99 baht buffet and a man in our group was so angry. He had brought in his own bottle of water, and when he paid the bill they charged him 30 baht for his own water. And he was so upset!! At this restaurant this fat man ate a huge amount of food (a buffet) and complained about them making a little money on drinks, his drinks! If he put a pen and paper to it he'd understand that unless the restaurant makes some money, it won't be there next month for him to be a pig again. A very stupid man indeed. As for me, I don't bring outside food or drink into any bars or restaurants. It's just bad manners and insulting to the restaurant owners. But then, that's just me.........

Sorry to say, but it would appear your Friends have got it the wrong way round. Food is normally charged at 60% gross profit (ingredients, labour intensive, gas etc) and drinks at 40% gross profit.

[swissbie]

In ordinary Thai bars (not Pattaya or other tourist places) it's quiet normal to bring your own bottle of whiskey. Some money for corkage will be asked, what usually is no problem at all.

[Aussieroaming]

Bringing your own booze to a bar only seems reasonable if you drink something not stocked by the bar but there should be a fee for ice, glasses, mixers, service etc

As for restaurants, I don't mind buying restaurant wine if its reasonable quality, but quite often the restaurant wine list is less that palatable, hence i think bringing your own wine and paying reasonable corkage is a better option if allowable. I think the choice of whether to allow BYO wine in restaurant should be the restaurant managements decision, not the customer.

[ukrules]

Bringing your own booze to a bar only seems reasonable if you drink something not stocked by the bar but there should be a fee for ice, glasses, mixers, service etc

As for restaurants, I don't mind buying restaurant wine if its reasonable quality, but quite often the restaurant wine list is less that palatable, hence i think bringing your own wine and paying reasonable corkage is a better option if allowable. I think the choice of whether to allow BYO wine in restaurant should be the restaurant managements decision, not the customer.

It's always the customers choice. If the customer doesn't get what he wants then he goes somewhere else which provides it.

[bazza40]

I think it is normal to take your own alcohol to a restaurant here - Thais seem to do it all the time.

However, taking your own alcohol to a bar sounds a bit weird - why wouldn't you drink it in the comfort of your own residence? Or are there bars that don't serve alcohol?

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Never allowed it in our place.We used to tell them 650 b if it was Samsong + 50 b each soda 50 b for a small bucket of ice.

The 650 was what we would have made on a 70 centiliter bottle. It went up according to what the booze was.

We used to tell the customer in advance.So there was no misunderstanding.We found that it was Indian people and Arabic people that used to try it.

needless to say it never happened.

Why would we be in business otherwise.

Its like me taking my own Indian food into a curry house.

Nah! bad form old boy.

[thaiduncankk]

I know of very few other countries where you could do this at all,they would look at you as if you had just stepped out of a lunatic asylum if you asked this in Aussie,or Uk.

On my numerous visits to Australia, I noticed loads of b.y.o. restaurants.

[Stevemercer]

I sometimes have to wonder in what part of Thailand many contributors to TV live. Service charges, charges for corkage, charges for bringing your own drinks into restaurants? None of that exists in rural Isan. You can bring what you want into a restaurant with no charge. Beer, whiskey, soda, soft drinks, it does not matter. If you want a bottle of whisky a staff member will run out and buy you one at cost. Many Thais even bring their own food into restaurants and ask the staff to heat it up for them and plate it (this is done for no charge). I must admit I find the last one a bit bizarre, but my wife often brings fruit and various delicacies into restaurants to spice up the meal.

[Bantex]

The profit is very small for whisky per bottle. Most thai places make their money on mixers and food. Normally corkage fee only applies on wine, as no mixers are needed.

Corkage fee has nothing directly to do with bringing your own bottle wine but is a nominal fee paid to the establishment, when you bring any kind of drink, for them supplying glasses, washing them afterwards, seating and tables etc.

[The stuttering parrot]

I think the corkage fee for byo wine is pretty much standard all over the world.

As for bringing your own say whiskey or buying one from the bar seems the norm in some places .

However when Thai guys brought their own bottle and were observed many times doing this a farang decided to do the same and then the blue started .

Needless to say he doesn't go back to that bar.

I've been with Thais on many occasions where they bring their own but I've only ever taken wine and paid the corkage no problem for me.

Thanks for all your replies guys?

[Sydebolle]

It depends on what is on offer. Take a Thai seafood restaurant; you want to bring your own white wine - and accept the corkage. Go to a 5* European with a comprehensive selection of wines then I consider it an insult to the restaurateur - accept the high corkage (I saw places charging B900) - and for good reason as very drinkable Australian Cabernet Sauvignon was available for just about the same amount.