US peace corps or were they?

[Jollygoodfellow]

Last night I was with a British friend and two others out having a drink. Now my friend is a cheapskate so anything free he has his hand up fast. So there were were chatting away when a guy and girl, both Americans arrived. Within a minute ir so they approached our table and introduced themselves and starting talking. They were both about 35 or so. They then said do you guys like to drink shots and my friend said sure so they sat with us and we got a menu. I did not want any but as I said my cheap friend did.

So 3 shots come, one for each of our new guests and my friend. He asked are you too married and I pipe up, yes they were married yesterday which I would not know and they laughed and said that is correct.

So the chat continues and the shots drank when suddenly these two get up quickly and say we have to go. I said to cheap Charlie they did not pay their bill so he quickly says to they guy you have not paid and his reply was oh, yes we paid and they disappeared. I said no way I would have seen it so I called the guard over and asked him to check and he comes back saying its a seperate bill but not paid.

Now the way it is here drinks or food not payed for get lobbed onto the server to pay so this was not right in our eyes. A Little bit later we spot these two in the adjacent bar so sent over a waiter with the bill, why the guard did not go with him I dont know but he came back and said that they said it was not our bill so my friend went over to confront them. Change now as the girl said they will be there in a minute to pay which she did. She also apologised and said one of those days and left.

Now the most funny part of these scammers was the waiter came back to my friend and said they paid but not his drink. I laughed my head off as cheap Charlie never got his freebie.

But the moral of the story is that these nice westerners are just scammers and perhaps just backpackers leaving the bill for others.

If you get approached by nice people be wary. 

 

[Snowy79]

I must admit in a country that does so many checks when you purchase an electrical item in a store before you can remove it, I'm still surprised they let you run a bar bill up. 

I was in Panglao a few weeks back, in a group of about 10 and we had to remind the waitress we hadn't received a bill. I even asked for the owner an Aussie guy and pointed out we hadn't been billed. When they did they asked for just over 300 peso. I pointed out I'd had fish and chips and bought a round of ten drinks. I ended up giving him 1200 peso and told them to sort it out between themselves. 

[not so old china hand]

1 hour ago, Snowy79 said:

I'm still surprised they let you run a bar bill up. 

In bars where I am not known I usually pay for each drink as it comes. In most places "mistakes" are not in your favor.

I've been in a similar position to JGF a number of times in China. Bar staff just don't understand "Put this one on my tab' and the person only gets charged for what they consumed. If it happens to me, well the intention was there so I just shrug and pay. However I do know people who are Cheap Charlies and they normally complain "Oi I didn't get my free drink".

That doesn't mean that I would happily pay for the other persons drinks in this situation (unless they are a good friend).

Edited November 5, 2017 by not so old china hand

[MikeB]

2 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Last night I was with a British friend and two others out having a drink. Now my friend is a cheapskate so anything free he has his hand up fast.

Does he drive an ice cream truck in Sheffield, by chance? 

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Snowy79 said:

 I'm still surprised they let you run a bar bill up. 

When they start losing money to foreign scammers I predict that payment on order will become the norm.  And that's not so bad.  I don't trust most of the servers and cashiers with math problems like giving me a proper total on my bill so pay-as-you-go sounds much smarter to me.

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

I must admit in a country that does so many checks when you purchase an electrical item in a store before you can remove it, I'm still surprised they let you run a bar bill up.

This is a large restaurant and the billing is computerised. Never had a wrong bill there yet and they know when others are on my table then it's a split bill. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

57 minutes ago, MikeB said:

Does he drive an ice cream truck in Sheffield, by chance? 

Unfortunately I dont understand the joke? 

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, not so old china hand said:

That doesn't mean that I would happily pay for the other persons drinks in this situation (unless they are a good friend).

These people, so called peace corps workers had no intention of paying. 

[Jack Peterson]

Just now, Jollygoodfellow said:

Never had a wrong bill there yet and they know when others are on my table then it's a split bill. 

 Yes normally I would agree but there is always this thing of joiners which we do not accept  at our meets. It is happening more and more and makes us suspicious of some Foreigners  Shame but

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, MikeB said:

Does he drive an ice cream truck in Sheffield, by chance? 

 

19 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Unfortunately I dont understand the joke? 

There was a member of many different names, one of which was Mr Whippy as he sold soft serve ice cream off a truck in England.  Surely you remember him.  Extremely cheap and opinionated but other than that a great guy.  Not sure if Crad is still with us under another name but if he is he must be behaving himself