COPA are scamming your bills

[gerefan]

Case 1 Last night, did the mental arithmentic... 1900B, Waiter returns total 2380B. Two items had been inserted into tub..

 

Case 2. Order bottle of Whisky (1700B). Checked the price day before and told less 10 0/0 for Balcony Card (1570B) . Check Bin 1700B.. Waiter comes back and says cannot use Card for Bottles.,then agreed OK...

 

Case 3. New Years Eve. Check Bin time and there are 7 items in the tub. Total, my maths, 960 Baht less 10 0/0 for use of Balcony Card = 886 Bt.

Waiter comes back and says cannot use Balcony Card today, Bill 1120B.I ask why not as someone next to me has just used his and why 1120B? Waiter returns and says Sorry Yes, can use . Addition wrong. Bill agreed at 886.

 

1.Possible Insertion of extra items at the Till.

2 Wrong addition on large Check Bins or many items.

3.Submit Balcony Card at Check Bin time. Waiter goes to Cashier with the card and returns saying it cannot be used for some reason. However card details taken...

Gerefan

 

[PattayaMale]

It is always best to bring these kind of complaints to the management right away. Arguing with the waiter does not usually seem to bring results.

 

May I suggest that the very first time something happens is the time to call the manager or owner over. So if the staff is really pulling a scam, the staff will know they won't get away with it on you. And may I further suggest that people always do it politely.

 

Please let us know if the owners resolved the issue for you

[Guest gwm4sian]

Interesting post. can't comment on COPA, but I can comment on Oscars, the bar next door.

chance for a scam

If you ask for checkbin and there are more than a couple of items in the bin, the waiter takes the whole lot away, and then brings the whole lot with a total written down. So very easy to check that nothing has been added.

 

If you use a loyalty card, then the maths is very clearly shown along with the additions and you are asked to check and sign, so again, no chance of a scam.

 

Would that all bars were as honest

[Gaybutton]

The point is to always make sure of how much the total bill is and confirm it with the waiter before you pay. Also, make sure of how much you are supposed to be charged in the first place. I've been billed as much as 150 baht for a 110 baht drink before.

 

If you have some sort of a discount card, make sure it will be honored before you order anything.

 

I don't have any reason to believe the bars themselves are out to cheat their customers on drink bills. It's more likely individual waiters who either cheat people or get confused even with simple math.

[Guest luvthai]

I always pay for the checks as they are delivered. I don't let the checks accumulate before paying them.

[KhorTose]

I always pay for the checks as they are delivered. I don't let the checks accumulate before paying them.

 

I too was ripped off by the Copa last time I was in Pattaya, This is a very good idea and it is so simple. Sure beats the heck out of arguing with the waiter. Thanks luvthai, makes me go duhhhhhh, for why didn't I think of doing this myself.

 

[Guest Oogleman]

I have been in many bars where mistakes are made. Remember these are mostly country boys with little schooling or business experience.

 

I often get peoples gin and red wine tickets and they get my beer ones etc . A simple this is not mine to the waiter and a bit of scurrting about and embarrassed looking waiter normally sorts it out.

 

Of course i do know that skulduggery does go on.... how? many Thai guys with me will check the bins before allowing me to pay - when i asked why they tell me "sometime cashier not good man"

[Guest rowland]

I mean, it is really not systematic cheating of guests, but invited or univited error of waiter. I was in Copa (and Throb/Splash) many times and never been cheated.

I was cheated in other bar or restaurant (not only gay), but with the smile was problem solved. I dont want to waste my time in discussions with owners or managers on my holiday and when some mistake happened I solved it with waiter. And I mean that it isnt everytime invited error...

 

I mean that there is main problem with cards (for example this Balcony card) and for example in Copa there is few new waiters (who were go go boys before), so again they must not know when they can accept this card (or it is possible too, they know it and cheat...)

 

I agree, that this situation is better solved when the problem happened (even if manager in Copa is for me so unsymphathetic, that I would get over the loss of few money rather...)

[Guest]

I have been in the old Throb/Splash and the bill was wrong every time I had a group of over 5 guys there. Every time. I finally got to where I would not go there. There was one waiter who I always thought did this and I am not sure still there. I have no other problems at other bars.

[Guest Astrrro]

invited or univited error

 

I dont want to waste my time in discussions with owners or managers on my holiday and when some mistake happened

 

I mean that there is main problem with cards (for example this Balcony card)

 

It leaves a bad taste in my mouth when a discount if offered and promoted but not honored.

 

However, it seems very often both in Thailand and back home in the States there is very often problems with the redemption of these special offers.

 

When I'm in a bar, or any other business, I don't want the hassle of having to sort things out with a manager to simply get the price which is heavily promoted.

 

I much prefer everyday low prices and/or an owner which gives free drinks on a personal basis.

 

And mail in rebates, don't get me started.

[Gaybutton]

I much prefer everyday low prices and/or an owner which gives free drinks on a personal basis.

I agree. I have always felt that having to present a card in order to benefit from some sort of promotion is ridiculous and actually ends up causing ill feelings when the guy right next to you gets some sort of discount because he presents a card, but you are essentially told, "Uh-uh. You don't have a card so you don't get squat even though you had exactly what the other gentleman had."

 

As far as I'm concerned, the venue can take their card and put it you-know-where. I won't mention any names, but well known bar in Pattayaland offers a 50% discount on one drink if you happen to have their discount card. I've seen web sites that have something to the effect of "print this out and bring it with you to get our promotion." Bar owners, guess what: I don't want to have to print out anything. What do you expect people to do if they're here on a holiday, have to go to an Internet shop and print out your nonsense to save 20 baht on a drink? What fun for the holiday maker!

 

I don't want to have to remember to carry the flier with me that one of your boys handed to me at the beach. I don't want to have to bring a card with me to get a better price at your bar. The way I see it, just offer your discount to anyone who walks in. Find another way to promote your bar. I'd rather just go to a different bar than have to play games to get your discount.

 

One other thing: You damned well better make sure your staff honors the promotion or discount you advertise. Do you really think I'm going to be a repeat customer if you've offered some sort of promotion, and then I have to end up having a confrontation about it with your waiter? Do you really think you're going to get more customers to visit your bar if they're treated that way? Don't you realize that a customer who is given a bunch of bullshit as to why they're not going to get the discount will not only refuse to return, but will also tell his story to as many people as he can? Don't you realize that the end result will be a loss of customers?

 

And if you have waiters who pad the bills or short change your customers, you better get rid of those waiters, right now. I don't know very many people who want to patronize a bar where they have to worry about losing their money to dishonest staff.

 

Also, if you own a bar, then be there and be readily available to handle customer complaints, and handle them amicably, not belligerently as some venue owners do. I would think, if you have any sense, you would want your customers leaving satisfied and looking forward to their next visit to your bar, rather than leaving upset, angry, and feeling cheated. Yes, you might have to lose a few baht here and there, but which makes more sense to you, losing a few baht every once in a while or losing a customer, along with others when he talks to anyone who will listen about his upsetting experience in your place of business? Believe me, when someone has been poorly treated or cheated in a bar, he's going to be talking to plenty of people about it.

 

While we're at it, if you have pushy mama-sans or overly aggressive touts outside, get rid of 'em!

[atri1666]

May be it is no good idea to use a card in thailand bars. I still only use my utopia card for guesthouses in thailand but in singapore i already saved some hundreds of dollars in the gay bars without any problems and also the saunas.

[Guest gay_grampa]

I agree. I have always felt that having to present a card in order to benefit from some sort of promotion is ridiculous and actually ends up causing ill feelings when the guy right next to you gets some sort of discount because he presents a card, but you are essentially told, "Uh-uh. You don't have a card so you don't get squat even though you had exactly what the other gentleman had."

 

As far as I'm concerned, the venue can take their card and put it you-know-where. I won't mention any names, but well known bar in Pattayaland offers a 50% discount on one drink if you happen to have their discount card.....

 

I have a bar discount card that cost me 500 Baht many years ago. It fits in my wallet along with my money and all the other cards I use daily. It is not any sort of inconvenience because it's always in my wallet.

I have never had a problem using it at the issuing bar or anywhere that is on their list of venues with reciprocal arrangements; or in any of the hotels, massage parlours, restaurants and other businesses that say they will accept it.

For me, buying that card has saved me tens of thousands of Baht over the years and is probably one of the best "Investments" I ever made. And I sure don't care if the guy sitting next to me gets offended ... he can go buy a card the same as anyone else.

 

[Gaybutton]

For me, buying that card has saved me tens of thousands of Baht over the years and is probably one of the best "Investments" I ever made. And I sure don't care if the guy sitting next to me gets offended ... he can go buy a card the same as anyone else.

A purchased card is a totally different thing. That definitely would entitle you to those discounts and I have no objection to those. You paid to get them. But that's not what I'm talking about at all. I'm talking about the garbage cards I referred to in my post. Those, in my opinion, are nothing but nonsense and regarding those I stand by what I posted above.

[Guest Astrrro]

While we're at it, if you have pushy mama-sans get rid of 'em!

 

And there are some very obnoxious ones. At one Sunee gogo, the creep will sit in front of me and look at me trying to see who I am interested in to push him on me. Always asking me to call down a boy. If I want to call down a boy I can do it without his suggestion.

 

And I just know this guy extorts money from the boys claiming they're getting offed because of him rather than in spite of him.

 

He's even had the nerve to ask me for a tip.

 

This is in a gogo where I don't particularly like the boys so it's no big deal. One I sort of like but no reason to go there since there are better alternatives.

 

[Guest]

I'm in favour of getting rid of pushy Mamasans also.

I tend to be fairly good at discouraging & ignoring them, but must make the next step & ask the pushy ones to go away in future.