Rum & Coke

[FlyAway]

So the other day at the Poolside Bar at the Davao Marco Polo I order a San Mig Light and a Rum & Coke. Bar tender fills the glass with ice, pours a shot of Bacardi Rum, then says they are out of Coke.

"Well then what do you have?" I ask.

"We have Coke Light sir."

"OK"

So he pushes the glass towards me with the can of Coke Light.

 

I ended up getting charged for a shot of Bacardi, a can of Coke Light and the San Mig Light. It was P120 for each. But by the time they added the VAT, Service Charge, and then the VAT on the Service Charge it came out to P490.52!

 

Funny how they add VAT on everything!

 

Moral of the story? Do not expect a bar that looks like a bar in your country to be run the same. They may have all the nice looking bottles but do not expect them to be able to mix a simple drink not on the menu. Later I tried to see if it was different in the inside bar, same thing.

[JJReyes]

I ended up getting charged for a shot of Bacardi, a can of Coke Light and the San Mig Light. It was P120 for each. But by the time they added the VAT, Service Charge, and then the VAT on the Service Charge it came out to P490.52!

 

Don't forget to tip. This is expected since you are not Filipino. The tip is expected even if there is a service charge.

Edited January 2, 2014 by JJReyes

[Gerald Glatt]

Whoops thought if there was a service charge no tip expected, if service was above and beyond then another 7-10%.  I tip from bill total if there is a tax break down is it proper to deduct before calculating the tip?

[scott h]

I just double the VAT, since we usually go to the same places to eat etc, we always get great service

[Jollygoodfellow]

 

I ended up getting charged for a shot of Bacardi, a can of Coke Light and the San Mig Light. It was P120 for each. But by the time they added the VAT, Service Charge, and then the VAT on the Service Charge it came out to P490.52!

 

Don't forget to tip. This is expected since you are not Filipino. The tip is expected even if there is a service charge.

 

 

Expected is about right but that does not mean one would get a tip. Australians do not tip in our country and the reason Americans do is because they do it at home as the American wage system is such that in the hospitality/food industry wages are low and tips make up the difference. In the Philippines and Australia I believe that the wages are what they are and not in such a fashion where tips are a source of income.

So the idea of tipping is just something brought in by visiting Americans and not part of the normal culture as stated Filipinos are not expected to tip. 

So the problem is that visiting foreigners brought on an added cost to dining out.  :)

[FlyAway]

Well they got nothing extra because I was charging to my room and the receipts did not have a place to add extra tips like they do in USA. :no:

[Tukaram (Tim)]

It is funny that sometimes ordering a rum & coke will sometimes get you a mixed drink.... and sometimes get you rum and a coke.  I ordered one at a bar we frequent and the waitress looked at me and said "you want them in the same glass?"  She brought me a rum & coke, and the can with the remainder of the coke ha ha  (and rum & coke is on their limited drink menu)

 

And I don't normally tip here - why change their culture unnecessarily?

[Dave Hounddriver]

Australians do not tip in our country

 Perhaps that is because people in the service industry already get a fair wage.  In other countries the serving staff get bare minimum wage and depend on tips.

 

As to the opening post, I know bars in the province that look similarly well stocked but when you order a rum and coke you have to buy the entire bottle of rum and the entire bottle (or just a can) of Coke.  Then you mix it yourself. 

[jpbago]

What kind of rum do you guys like?

 

I drink mine straight up, no mix, no ice. My best is Flor de Cana from Nicaragua. 

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Around here it is Tanduay. Not much choice  Some places have Boracay rum but I have not tried it yet.  Tanduay is so cheap it is almost free ha ha   :tiphat:

 

 

Best rum is bundy!  But i have only ever seen it in Australia.