Meat quality in Hua Hin restaurants

[Big Boy]

Has anybody else noticed the quality of meat has significantly dropped in some of the 'lower priced' restaurants? As an example, we've just got in from an evening meal. My son had a beef massaman, which he said tasted really good, but he's just fed the beef to our dogs. It was inedible - little more than grizzle. As part of the same order, I had a portion of pork fried rice, and it was perfect.

I've noticed the same thing on occasions with pork fried rice a couple of times, when what I've received has been pork fat.

It is obvious the 'lower priced' restaurants are struggling with meat price rises, but personally I'd rather pay a few Baht more and receive a meal that I can actually eat.

Another example, I ordered a lamb curry via Food Panda. That meal was not 'lower priced', but the lamb was disgusting. I'd guess the only beneficiaries of this low grade meat would be our dogs, and no exaggeration, some of this meat is only fit for pet food. Inflation is inevitable at the moment, please don't lower your standards, raise your prices and stay in business.

IMHO these establishments need to raise their prices to provide the same quality as they did in the past. If they don't change soon, I for one will look towards middle of the road restaurants to ensure I receive a better quality meat.

[Dannie Boy]

I don’t eat out often enough to make any useful comparisons but in the restaurants where you eat, did you provide any feedback to the staff/owner regarding the food quality? Maybe they are under the impression that most people would prefer to pay cheap prices rather than more for better quality?

[handdrummer]

I don’t eat out often enough to make any useful comparisons but in the restaurants where you eat, did you provide any feedback to the staff/owner regarding the food quality? Maybe they are under the impression that most people would prefer to pay cheap prices rather than more for better quality?

If most of the customers are working-class Thai, you are correct.

I don't why anyone would go to a cheap restaurant and expect high-quality food, it can't be done.

[Big Boy]

No, normally I'd think about it, but the beef was so obviously sub-standard, it had to be a deliberate ploy. As I said, the flavour was good, so the beef used was clearly for flavouring, not eating. The price was not really high enough to support the use of decent beef. It will be easier to avoid beef products at this place in future.

The lamb curry on the other hand would most definitely have seen me speaking with somebody, but when it arrives via Food Panda, there is nobody to talk to, so it's just a case of avoiding that outlet in future.

I'm not actually complaining about the restaurants. I'm just saying, "Please put your prices up enough to allow you to continuing selling a decent product." I'm being realistic - prices are going up all over the world, they can't survive by keeping their prices down forever. Lowering food quality is not the way to go.

[Dannie Boy]

No, normally I'd think about it, but the beef was so obviously sub-standard, it had to be a deliberate ploy. As I said, the flavour was good, so the beef used was clearly for flavouring, not eating. The price was not really high enough to support the use of decent beef. It will be easier to avoid beef products at this place in future.

The lamb curry on the other hand would most definitely have seen me speaking with somebody, but when it arrives via Food Panda, there is nobody to talk to, so it's just a case of avoiding that outlet in future.

I'm not actually complaining about the restaurants. I'm just saying, "Please put your prices up enough to allow you to continuing selling a decent product." I'm being realistic - prices are going up all over the world, they can't survive by keeping their prices down forever. Lowering food quality is not the way to go.

Best tell them then.

[Big Boy]

I don't why anyone would go to a cheap restaurant and expect high-quality food, it can't be done.

We were not looking for high quality food - we were looking for decent food that was edible. Decent priced street food, which is something Thailand is famous for. Something this particular establishment has achieved for a long time. It is unfortunate, these places are under increasing pressure not to put prices up, but it is impossible without lowering quality.

[buksida]

If it is a local place, they'll lose their local customer base to another restaurant in the area by hiking prices too much (competition in HH is cutthroat). The fancier places in tourist towns are already priced much higher than the local ones. Its a tough tradeoff in tough times.

[Big Boy]

It is just a shame. We will pay the extra cash, but will just go to the places that have taken the sensible step of upping prices sensibly. If a business is selling their beef content for 50฿, and the price of that beef rises 75฿, they have choices:

- increase their prices accordingly.
- do nothing, and sell at a loss.
- lower the quality of their product, to keep prices the same.

These guys are the clever businessmen. It is not my place to tell them how to run their businesses. I hope they will take the right decision.

[Dannie Boy]

But they might be making their decisions on wrong information - if they don’t know you’re unhappy why should they consider increasing prices and quality?

[Big Boy]

The key point is not increasing quality, it is maintaining quality. They've sold to a certain quality since they opened. They did not need me to tell them then what a decent quality was. Why do they need me to tell them now? They employ chefs to tell them this information - why would they listen to me ahead of the professionals?

My repeat custom has been my sign of appreciation. I will continue to use last night's restaurant, but not for beef products. I won't use the places that supplied poor lamb and pork products via Food Panda.

[buksida]

They did not need me to tell them then what a decent quality was. Why do they need me to tell them now? They employ chefs to tell them this information - why would they listen to me ahead of the professionals?

Is this a Michelin star place or a mom-and-pop noodle stall? The former will up the prices, the latter will be very reluctant which is why there shouldn't be such high expectations of them IMO. HH has thousands of restaurants ... vote with your feet.

[Dannie Boy]

All I was trying to say was that when you eat at a restaurant it’s quite common to give feedback - when you’ve had a nice meal you would normally say something positive, so why is it so different to say that your meal wasn’t to your liking - then they have a choice of whether to do something about it or not.

[HHTel]

Beware the defamation laws ......!!!

[Big Boy]

Is this a Michelin star place or a mom-and-pop noodle stall? The former will up the prices, the latter will be very reluctant which is why there shouldn't be such high expectations of them IMO. HH has thousands of restaurants ... vote with your feet.

It is a place that falls somewhere in between. It is what I'd call a budget restaurant - tables, chairs, waitresses, cheap beer. No tablecloths. Yes, plenty of alternatives in Hua Hin.

Dannie Boy.....

it’s quite common to give feedback

Yes, of course. We are also in Thailand, and feedback can be taken as criticism due to language barriers. Unfortunately, I won't speak Thai. If beeping a horn can win you 3 bullets, if misunderstood, where might that meat cleaver finish up? OK, that's taking it to the extreme, but feedback is not always that easy, or worth the effort. If the chefs are worth their wages, they know precisely what they are doing, and shouldn't need to be told.

[Dannie Boy]

Well at least we’ve had some positive exchanges on this subject and I accept that “negative” feedback could be easily misconstrued - I’m sure it wouldn’t result in a meat cleaver to the head, but possibly multiple visits to the loo!!