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Can You Add??

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Hey Coach!

Can You Add??
« on: November 07, 2007, 06:25:21 PM »
Increasingly more and more I am finding myself in restaurant after restaurant with a waitress or waiter who can not add. For some reason all my meals cost 10rmb more than they should. In Suzhou it's getting worse.

Last night I had Good Eats deliver food to me. The delivery guy I didn't recognize. I ordered the same thing I always do and have the price memorized. He showed up and wanted 10 more rmb. When I asked for the receipt, he quickly said sorry sorry, it's 45 not 55. Funny, he said that before looking at the receipt himself.

Everyone make sure when you order your food that you remember exactly how much it cost. You just might save yourself 30rmb per day by doing so.

The Coach
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Glasgow Kiss

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2007, 08:37:41 PM »
If my memory serves me correctly, you may be being far more generous about the character of people than you should be.....
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contemporarydog

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2007, 08:51:30 PM »
I usually find it's the reverse in China.  They tend to undercharge rather than overcharge... I usually tell them (whereas I probably wouldn't back in Britain) since the amounts are utterly f.a for us...
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china-matt

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2007, 09:04:53 PM »
We keep finding restaurants that charge sit-down fees... after we ask if there is a few to sit down.
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contemporarydog

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2007, 09:37:05 PM »
Quote from: china-matt on November 07, 2007, 09:04:53 PM
We keep finding restaurants that charge sit-down fees... after we ask if there is a few to sit down.

Seriously?  Weird...

This was one thing that drove me MAD in Paris. asasasasas

Virtually every bar seemed to have really annoying pricing.  From about 5-7 they'd have a happy hour where it was quite cheap (say 1.50 in pounds) per pint wherever you were.  But after that, an entire range of pricing would kick in, where if you were standing at the bar it would be about 2.50, if you stood at the bar with an albatross balanced on your head while dancing the tango it was a bit cheaper, if you sat in the red seats it was 3.50, and if you sat in the blue seats it would be 5 pounds, etc.

 asasasasas asasasasas asasasasas

I have found a thing in some Chinese-style bars here (the sort of glitzy yet seedy places that only Chinese people attend, not expat bars) where you pay more according to where you sit, but it's more a case that you are compelled to order a larger amount of drinks.  The actual price remains identical.
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Con ate dog

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2007, 01:24:31 AM »
Quote from: contemporarydog on November 07, 2007, 09:37:05 PM

I have found a thing in some Chinese-style bars here (the sort of glitzy yet seedy places that only Chinese people attend, not expat bars) where you pay more according to where you sit, but it's more a case that you are compelled to order a larger amount of drinks.  The actual price remains identical.

Interesting.  Sounds more like a way of seperating patrons by level of inebriation.  Not a bad idea on paper.
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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2007, 05:35:29 AM »
I've seen a lot of attempted overcharging/inept adding here. Every woman I've ever eaten out with in China has always instantly snatched the bill as it arrived and gone over it with a fine-toothed comb, so I get the impression this ain't exactly rare.

This shouldn't be happening at Good Eats, though. I'll pass the word along and get some ass kicked. cbcbcbcbcb
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Dr.Everything

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2007, 08:51:21 PM »
The problem has been addressed at Good Eats and I would like to be notified if it happens again. Expect some price fluctuations over the next couple of months as we retool the menu. We at Good Eats are primarily focused on customer satisfaction.

As far as the debate over whether Chinese over or undercharge, next time you get out of a taxi, give the guy 13 instead of 14 and say sorry, I don't have any more. It's never been a problem. In the north, I remember, they undercharge on purpose.

What's funny about the sit-down fee is that I am now immensely curious. I am totally willing to pay a sit down fee just to see what kind of sit-down you have to pay for...
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contemporarydog

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2007, 10:27:55 PM »
Quote from: Con ate dog on November 08, 2007, 01:24:31 AM
Quote from: contemporarydog on November 07, 2007, 09:37:05 PM

I have found a thing in some Chinese-style bars here (the sort of glitzy yet seedy places that only Chinese people attend, not expat bars) where you pay more according to where you sit, but it's more a case that you are compelled to order a larger amount of drinks.  The actual price remains identical.

Interesting.  Sounds more like a way of seperating patrons by level of inebriation.  Not a bad idea on paper.

Yeah... quite often to sit in the best seats you have to buy a bottle of Chivas Regal or something for 300 RMB or so...
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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2007, 02:03:34 AM »
It should be added, of course, that Dr. E is the new executive chef/maitre d'/whipmaster/complaints box at Good Eats.
Oy, what this man can instruct others to do with a potato... bfbfbfbfbf
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"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)
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Senor Boogie Woogie

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2007, 05:16:34 AM »

Hola!

The Hyatt Hotel in Hangzhou is having Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, something they have been advertising for several weeks now, including our local expat forum www.hangzhouexpat.com.

Their price is 258 RMB + a 15% service charge per person.So in actuality, the dinner really costs 296 RMB altogether. The Hyatt is not the only place who does this, but it's usually the high end places that cater to foreigners and upper class Chinese. It's annoying and honestly makes no sense, except at first glance to appear to being a lower price. Why not charge 100 RMB plus a 200% service charge if that's the case?

Senor
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Con ate dog

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2007, 06:14:51 AM »
They're relying on our tipping tradition to put a fig leaf on this appalling overcharging.  Me, no way I can afford it; good thing I'm Canadian, and celebrated last month.  iiiiiiiiii
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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: Can You Add??
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2007, 06:17:21 AM »
The annoying 15% thing is standard at all the upper-star hotels. Hate it, though...

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"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)
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