Awhile back I went with a friend to nice Italian restaurant. I won't give the name to protect the innocent but I will say it was on Thonglor. As usual we ordered one pasta, one pizza and one salad. So far so good right?!? The pizza arrives and it looks good. I do some prep work with the oregano and parmesan and start to chow down. For some reason I take a second look at the cheese shaker and there is an entire ant colony inside. I don't mean a few ants here and there...I mean there are tunnels and ants moving eggs around...a mini New York subway system. I checked the pizza and it appeared that only cheese had come out but I wasn't sure. Believe it or not I was prepared to eat it anyway...as long as I didn't spot any crawlies on it. I called the waiter and told him about the cheese. I did this as politely as I could. I hate people that have to make a scene all the time and I didn't want to embarrass the restaurant staff. I don't think he understood so I pointed to the little guys inside and he immediately went to dispose of it. A few minutes later he came back and took my pizza. While waiting for the new pie my friend overheard a couple of female hostesses talking about what had happened and were using "ii" and "ai" to refer to us. I didn't catch it as I'm sure my head was in the clouds. Anyway...my friend did and so she asked to speak to the manager. Apparently she wasn't working so my friend called her mobile and told her what had happened. Seconds later the restaurant phone rings and the girl is asked to take the phone. She admits to her rudeness but refuses to apologize. For the rest of the meal everyone is on eggshells. When we finish I ask if we are still expected to pay. Duh...this is Thailand...nothing is free but smiles. We did get a member card...oh boy...just what I want. Now I can come back whenever I want and get insults while enjoying my buggy food. The waiter apologizes on behalf of the restaurant but my friend says outright that she wants the girl to apologize. Finally she reluctantly comes over and wais. All in all such a stupid night. Not sure why it was so difficult (after admitting to her manager she did it) to just say sorry.  I have no intentions of returning to that restaurant and unfortunately the ants are the real losers here (they're currently staying at a homeless shelter near Phrakhanong). But for me I now always check first before I get too cheesy.

I think they learned a lesson, so give them a chance!!!

Hmm... yes, the lesson they learned was to move a bit further away before insulting the customers.

I have not had this experience exactly, but the one thing that amazes and annoys me even after all these years in Bangkok is that you, the customer, are still wrong. Why did you have to tell them about the ants? Why not just leave it and not say anything, then no-one will feel disturbed by your nonsense! As for the concept that they might give you the meal free as recompense for your inconvenience and to apologise for the problem with the food...what kind of fool thinks like that?

Yes, it is often really difficult to follow the way people think. I got myself in trouble the other day because I expected the service we were paying for, but what I ended up with was being told not to complain.

There is no understanding of the fact that if you go out to a restaurant and have a great meal, or are treated well, you will tell a friend, but if you go out and get a bad meal or are treated wrong, you will tell TEN friends!

Greer

Yeah...agreed. I'm a nice guy and was trying to be as discreet as possible. Too bad they couldn't have been more discreet with their comments. Even after all that on the way out the door I told the staff not to worry about it...it was actually funny!

..Remember the word "mai pen rai" ... remember.. ;-)

No extra charge for the fresh protein?

i hate rude staff. that normally puts me off everything. there is no such thing as 'excellent' food in bkk anyway... and most of the time surrounding/atmosphere is 60% of the perfection. Next time dont eat the food, just walk off. (ive never done that kind of thing, but that's just what i would do.)

lol...my co-worker poured out hot water from the water machine and is coffee was full of dead ants...boiled i guess :-)