tax at murphs

[richard]

JD

New owners appeared about 8 or 9 years ago. Not sure so I stand corrected

My not using the place is nothing to do with pricing although a punter should know up front what he is going to have to pay for a product whether it be a beer or a meal and tax should be included in the price on the tariff or menu. There should also be clear signs stating the times of entertainment surcharging. Eddie and John are running a good straight business but a punter needs to know up front what his bill is going to be

I don't use the place purely and simply because it is not my scene

[Big Boy]

I went into my couple visits to ElMurpheys with my eyes open ie I was aware of the VAT and the entertainment surcharge (even on the band's night off) because of what I'd previously read on this forum.

OK, I was on holiday, so money was for spending. However the additional end of night charges would not have put me off anyway. You pay for a product, and I was happy with what I got for my Baht. The entertainment was superb.

[cass1981]

hello im lee new here,whats the average price of beers around hua hin?
is it the same through the day and night?
ill be visiting in may for 5 days then phuket
thanks lee.

[eddysbay]

thank you all for the posts,as has been said, the band is cracking, the range of beer etc are good and the management are friendly.looking forward to the cold pints of cider !

[TypicallyTropical]

...I was aware of the VAT and the entertainment surcharge (even on the band's night off)...

THAT is the entertainment!

[Big Boy]

...I was aware of the VAT and the entertainment surcharge (even on the band's night off)...

THAT is the entertainment!

Just a quick explanation, I was chatting. I could have left when the surcharge kicked in, but I was enjoying the beer and the air conditioning. My son was enjoying the music selection on the computer. We opted for another beer. Another 20 or 30 Baht isn't going to break the bank when you're on a holiday budget.

[margaretcarnes]

In fact, in places that add VAT to the final bill you may be paying less than places that don't. For example for places that include VAT, a menu item that they want to sell for 100 Baht plus 7% equals 107 Baht. No way they'll charge that, it will be marked up to 110 Baht on the menu. They'll never mark it lower than actual. Pete

Yes I agree Pete, although from a business owners point of view (and software as JD points out) it is easier to just go all inclusive and round up. It's a shame that in the process of apparently trying to be transparent Murphs is creating this kind of doubt, which makes me wonder if their policy is worth all the hassle at all.
But as JD also says we accept these things without question in the UK - except for service charges which should be personal choice - so why not in HH?
What I personally wouldn't accept though is a cover charge on what appears to be such a regular basis. It does sometimes work in the UK - for example when a pub has just one live gig night a week which is well advertised and on a specific night. Regulars get to know - and as often as not there will be a seperate bar anyway for non participants, so there is still a choice. But most often these music nights are free here, particularly where there is only one bar area.
Bars in HH don't have the rooms/space to be able to provide the choice to customers so for a one space place there shouldn't be a charge. It's either a bar with music - or a nightclub where cover charges are acceptable - indeed expected.

[Super Joe]

As I said I do not frequent the place for this reason but was a little surprised to read that a cover charge is made for entertainment. Is this displayed ? What happens if you are in the bar before the entertainment arrives - are you given the option of leaving or are all prices automatically adjusted at this time ?

From early last year, so don't really know if still current, but...

The music.
Since we reopened in Dec 2009 we have put a charge on drinks (20b-singha 90b) during show time. (We have never charged a cover charge even on New Year etc. 1st come 1st served).Thankfully the band do not play for free they are talented artists and are paid as such. Over the course of a year this charge covers 45% of their saleries and we pay the rest. It also covers new sound equipment etc,etc. Other music venues in town and Thailand charge 80b more on their drinks all day (singha 170+). It is our mission to provide the best entertainment while keeping our costs to you down.

Think BB's got it about right, and I might be wrong but I thought that the surcharge on the drinks, is during band show time, ie: if they play say 9pm to midnight, then you pay the surcharge during those times. So if you came in at 20:55pm you don't pay it but might watch them, if you come in for a quick one during one of their breaks, you pay it and might miss them. That could be the confusion with 'paying when there's no entertainment on'.

The band are great imo, even though it's not my type of music, and they're also great lads too, making an effort to socialise with the punter. The staff, service and food is excellent in their too, there's a comfortable, personal touch type feel about the place. I only know Eddie to say a quick 'hows things', but he puts a serious amount of effort into making that place run right, and trained up some very competent staff. As do other places in town ofcourse, but it seems to be the exception rather than blah blah.

I think it's a fair point, (if it's the case as I've never really noticed), about menu prices then having the tax added on unexpectedely, albeit a totally legit tax. But some of the things mentioned here like 'cover charges' and 'service charges', while genuine in nature, are unfair as they don't seem to exist. I think some of it was mentioned in the general sense industry-wise, but in a thread referring specifically to this place, it could be misunderstood by some readership. And we've never experienced anything other than the place being a decent, honest establishment, and absolutely value for money.

Right, where's me free San Mig

SJ

[dozer]

This is slightly off topic.
In mid January I was at the provincial revenue office in Prachuap Kirikhan with my wife and I did my usual thing sat in the car listening to music while my wife was inside.
At one point I went inside to use the WC and when my wife caught sight of me she called me over to look at a list that the clerical assistant was showing her.
The list consisted of all the bars/guesthouses in HH who were way behind in their payment of provincial revenue taxes.
I had a quick look at it and it seemed to me that just about 75% of the bars and guesthouses were on the list.
There were a couple on the list that did surprise me, as I had thought that they were pretty well managed establishments.

[jimmy40]

Well i know the vat is compusery, as far as i have always been there is no surcharge for holidays staff or what ever, when at el murfs i just leave the change for the staff, wheather it be 20, 30 baht whatever. I know this gets split with everyone, as i use to talk to the man on the door a bit. As for a bit dearer beers band nights, i really haven't noticed, as i must be having a great time. Anyway even if your beer goes up 20 baht or something and you drink say 10, a extra 200 baht for some real band action is worth it for a night, hell thats only $6 australian dollars, night clubs charge you $20 these days in sydney and melbourne just to get in the door, then charge big $$$$ for drinks. i think ill stick to the 2 days a week at murfs

[H2ODunc]

I can see how people are getting upset by having the extra, not advertised, charge added on to the end bill. Why can't they simply add it to the price that is in the menu then there can be no " misunderstanding " at the end of the night where people might rightly think they are getting ripped off.
Also why add a surcharge, again especially if not well advertised, on the price of the drinks when they have bands playing. To me that is just a way of getting extra cash from customers without their cooperation per se. Why not just put a cover charge on entry, as that's what you are doing anyway by adding to the cost of the drinks.
At least that way everybody knows just what they are paying and why.
If the bands are as good as they sound then people will pay a cover charge to hear a good band. I know I will.
I don't know the place but they have the option of being open and honest in their pricing or doing it the way they are doing now which seems to be driving people away.
I know which I would do

[margaretcarnes]

Agreed H2ODunc. I would think that Murfs will have a sign somewhere explaining the extra charges during gig times - and to be fair there are positive comments on here about the standard of music. Some customers apparently don't even notice the extra charges anyway.
But for the sake of openess wouldn't specific gig nights be best advertised as such with a standard fee on the door?
I still don't agree totally with cover charges for what is essentially a bar, but CAN see the dilemmas faced by the owners. It's a difficult balancing act anywhere in the LOS. Owners will always be open to criticism whatever they do - and trying to balance this bar/music venue situation is, to be fair, something not done before in the centre of HH by a farang.

[littlebird]

Whatever Murph's rationale, the price displayed should be the price you pay.

[johnnyk]

People have a right to know what they are going to pay. It can be a factor in the decision of where they want to spend money and time. Its a bar and a music venue, understood. But the owner has to decide which is primary. Yes, it can be a dilemma for owners but that is part of being in the bar business and management skills are useful. Not good enough to simply ding the punter without informing him/her in some way.

Comparing prices to back 'ome is a recipe for discontent. Its Thailand, not samesame back 'ome.

[Gus]

I went into El Murphys virtually every day this last trip, but I still do not like the added tax bit.
If a breakfast is advertised at 99 baht, it should be 99 not 106, maybe they are taking a leaf out of fellow Paddy Michael o'Learys book who is the master for adding on extra charges.
Same with some of the draught beer, 'cheapest in town' I am not sure if it is still the cheapest when tax is added, maybe?
I think the main point here is that people are not complaining what you get for your money, it is how the total is arrived at, because IMHO El Murphys does give you good value for your hard earned.