Buffalo Tavern

[huahinsimon]

I would like an answer to my question,

and a mandatory 10% service charge.
Hope you give it to the wait staff, Bill.
Don't buffalo us now.
Again, I don’t understand, what you are implying?
Who do you think gets the service charge???

Bill, I apologize for the cheap shot.
But to what was I implying?
In answer I'll quote Richard: "I think the 10% is steep, particularly when pricing out 2 meals in the 300 to 400 range but Bill will tell you overheads are high and that includes higher paid wages for his staff."

I ask: What do overheads and higher wages paid to staff have to do with the service charge? Nothing, me thinks! Overheads and wages should be costed to the price of the meal not subsidized by the service charge. I'm sure you agree?

Perhaps Richard was inadvertently putting words in your mouth when he wrote, "Bill will tell you overheads etc."

Richard also wrote that he gives a tip for good service directly to the service person. This also indicates some skepticism on his part, not to you personally,
but it is not unknown in the history of the restaurant industry for the totality of the service charge or for that matter the "tip" not to find its way to the wait staff. Not knowing you, I regret the gratuitous insult.

HHS

[JW]

In most major hotels all tips are pooled and shared between the relevant staff. That would seem to be very fair. One lucky member of staff may get a crazy tip, why should the team not share.

If you are trying to create a team atmosphere then this cant be a bad idea.

[huahinsimon]

Hi Bill,


Please dont offer the free food anymore - its driving me crazy. You don't need to do it, if the people want to come let them. There is no perfect restaurant, particularly here in Hua Hin. You have a nice place and i understand the generous offer but some people cannot be pleased.

All the best

JW

Bill,

With all due respect to JW, don't take his advice. Of course you don't need to offer a free meal. But what you do separates the sheep from the goats. By offering to attempt to please a dissatisfied customer, you admit that at times something can go wrong, not unheard of in the restaurant business, is it? and you are prepared to do your best to set it right.

Of course your offer drives JW crazy. He doesn't want to compete with your customer service attitude. That's why you made your offer in the first place, isn't it? to set yourself apart, to demonstrate your pride in your establishment and its products. Don’t be persuaded to change your way for that of the crowd.

I seriously doubt there are any "chancersâ€

[DawnHRD]

Hi Bill,


Please dont offer the free food anymore - its driving me crazy. You don't need to do it, if the people want to come let them. There is no perfect restaurant, particularly here in Hua Hin. You have a nice place and i understand the generous offer but some people cannot be pleased.

All the best

JW

Bill,


Of course your offer drives JW crazy. He doesn't want to compete with your customer service attitude. That's why you made your offer in the first place, isn't it? to set yourself apart, to demonstrate your pride in your establishment and its products. Don’t be persuaded to change your way for that of the crowd.

I seriously doubt there are any "chancersâ€

[Big Boy]

I actually think there is some merit in Bill's offer.

Normally in Hua Hin (or many other places) if I get a bad meal there is very little point complaining - at best you get a shrug of the shoulders and sometimes a sorry. I've just got in to the habit of complaining with my feet and not returning.

If you remember earlier in this thread I mentioned a terrible meal during one of my earliest visits. I have returned to Hua Hin many times since, and have simply avoided the various 'Buffalo' joints that have existed.

We now have a situation where Bill is prepared to stand up and discuss complaints with you. I applaud that, as constructive criticism should always be dealt with in the manner it is given. Being able to give that criticism Farang to Farang is a hell of a lot easier that Farang to Thai with their inbred Mai Penn Rai attitude.

The offer of a free meal is an added incentive to give that constructive criticism. At the end of the day, if something is going wrong in the restaurant, 300 or 400 Baht (and its not going to cost Bill that much) is very little to pay to be able to identify/correct a major problem.

Bill has been around long enough to know when somebody is trying to get one over on him. Even if they do try, I'm sure the beer sales that accompany the free meal will compensate enough. If somebody is going to try to get one over, they're not likely to chance their hand more than once before Bill becomes wise to them.

[richard]

Well the chip-shoulder Yank (Huahinsimon) and puffed-up Brit! (Richard from Yorkshire) have combined to send this as a joint posting especially for Farang

We met for a late afternoon Sunday lunch. We were both served with a good pint to wash down the meal.

Bill joined us and after announcing to him that this was the foundation committee for TIBBAS we had a frank and friendly conversation and more than once mentioned and discussed the postings especially the critical ones about fish and chips

chip-shoulder yank decided on fish and chips and puffed-up Brit went for his usual boring roast pork dinner including very crisp crackling. Both meals were excellent. chip-shoulder yank was so impressed he photoed the mounds of food on the plates and offered them to Bill to include in his web site. I think the puffed-up Brit will go for the fish and chips next time based on his twitching nose at the aroma and the firm flaky white flesh of the nicely battered cod.

The plates returned to the kitchen completely clean

TIBBAS? Oh it's secret society for only invitees as members. It spells out as The Infamous Buffalo Bills appreciation Society

ps Can we have a new Emoticon showing a tongue in cheek motif. Reckon it would be well used by us 2 posters

[JW]

HHS,

"Especially in Hua Hin" - maybe should have put "asia"

Maybe its just me but you seem to be doing a lot of dissing in this thread - not me.

After that, all i will say is that you are very clever in the way you work your words - hats off to you.

Would be nice to meet for a beer sometime and talk about your obvious gripe with me, Bills would be good with me - beers on me.

Cheers,

JW

[JW]

My opinion - if i buy a drink or a meal and its no good i will either - complain on the spot, consume it anyway or leave it. If i consume or leave it has been my decision to accept the product.

To come back at a later date is just not cricket!

Respect to Bill for making this very generous offer.

[(buffalo) Bill]

Thank you John for respecting my generous offer, and you are more than welcome any time for a drink at my place, on me.

[JW]

Will come down for a bite this week sometime Bill, cheers. If you get the first beers you can be sure i'll get the second ones!

[huahinsimon]

Well the chip-shoulder Yank (Huahinsimon) and puffed-up Brit! (Richard from Yorkshire) have combined to send this as a joint posting especially for Farang

We met for a late afternoon Sunday lunch. We were both served with a good pint to wash down the meal.

Bill joined us and after announcing to him that this was the foundation committee for TIBBAS we had a frank and friendly conversation and more than once mentioned and discussed the postings especially the critical ones about fish and chips

chip-shoulder yank decided on fish and chips and puffed-up Brit went for his usual boring roast pork dinner including very crisp crackling. Both meals were excellent. chip-shoulder yank was so impressed he photoed the mounds of food on the plates and offered them to Bill to include in his web site. I think the puffed-up Brit will go for the fish and chips next time based on his twitching nose at the aroma and the firm flaky white flesh of the nicely battered cod.

The plates returned to the kitchen completely clean

TIBBAS? Oh it's secret society for only invitees as members. It spells out as The Infamous Buffalo Bills appreciation Society

Hot Dog!! I did it!

As Richard wrote above, I took pictures of our meals. Took me a while to learn how to put them on HHAD but is one of the benefits of this exercise BESIDES THAT FREE MEAL some people are all worked up about. Hope you think my foto's do your meals justice, Bill.






My commentary on our meeting and THE FREEBIE follow. Meet Richard and Bill about 4pm. I immediately got off on the wrong foot with Bill by saying I was there "to save his bacon." A clumbsy way of trying to say that since no one else had come forward to accept his offer, I was there to do so and give a report back to those interested.

After we worked our way past this gaffe, Bill ordered up the f/c and Richard's Sunday roast. As you can see, the f/c came wrapped in newspaper. I told Bill this did not happen first time around, which he attributed to his not being there at the time, because his staff would not break protocol if he were on the premises, but sometimes take short cuts if he's not around.

I can report that the presentation was great and the fish was of excellent quality and flavor, chips likewise. I submit that Bill's offer of a make up meal completely accomplished his desired effect. I advise those previously not happy but unwilling to accept his offer, let this sacrificial lamb's experience demonstrate that if you give YOBT another try, you most likely will be more than satisfied. Will be back to try the famed ribs!

Cheers to you, Bill.

HHS

[Super Joe]

Reading this does not get me 'worked up' so much but it did make me cringe.
Please tell me that really you went down there, thanked Bill for his kind offer but insisted that you pay for your food ??

The thought of someone actually accepting a free meal is cringeworthy to me. But thats just my opinion and we are all free to do what we want.


PS: If you print this post off and cut out the word 'free' in the last paragraph, you are entitled to come round my house for a complimentary drink.
Please note imported beers and spirits are not included in this offer.

[ozuncle]

Super joe,
I presume that if the beer is not cold enough I can come back for another free one!!!!

[JW]

Super Joe,

I think that we are on the same page!
Good post.

[(buffalo) Bill]

Glad you were satisfied - let me just say that the reason there was no yorkshire pudding on the roast and tons of gravy is that Richard requested it this way.