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Dining: Rip-Off Rant
Bonaire Talk: Dining: Archives: Archives 1999 -2003: Archives - 1999-05-07 to 2002-08-02: Rip-Off Rant
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Liguori on Tuesday, December 4, 2001 - 10:49 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

RIP-OFF RANT


It has been stated on this board more than once, that everyone takes U.S. dollars. To that I must now add, "SOME MORE THAN OTHERS".

We came in on Saturday afternoon. That night the wife and I went to Zee Zicht for the grilled conch that I've read so much about on BT. The meal came and it was fantastic. The check came and, in its own way, it too was fantastic. On the left side the waitress had added the 10% service charge to the food and drink sub
totaled that, then added the tax to come up with
a grand total of 64.70 Naf. No problem here.

On the right side however, was the circled figure of $63.00. I told the waitress that I had a question about the bill. Without looking at it she told me that the figure on the left was guiilders, the figure on the right was dollars. When I told her that no way did sixty five guilder equal sixty three dollars, she just
repeated herself that the price on the left was
guilder, on the right dollars. Hey, when I cash my checks at M&C I get 1.78 guilder to the dollar. You do the math.

I'm pretty sure that this little scam is not management approved, but there was no one else around that night to complain to. I think she figured that the geezer and his wife were just a couple of transients, off one of the cruise ships in port, and would be easy pickings. Since I still had guilders left from my trip last February, I simply paid the amount in guilders and
walked out. Of course I won't ever go back, and that's a shame, because the food was really good.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg on Tuesday, December 4, 2001 - 3:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I am terribly sorry to hear of this situation. I have personally printed this page and delivered it to the owners, for as far as I know, they do not have e-mail. This of course should never happen to anyone, at any time, or in any place. I hope there is some way we can make it up to you. Ruth van Tilburg, President 2001, Bonaire Restaurant Association.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Liguori on Tuesday, December 4, 2001 - 3:58 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Ruth,
Thanks for the help. I had no idea how to contact anyone at Zee Zicht. As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing to make up for. I had my guilders and didn't get taken. I just posted this to warn others. I plan to return early Feb. 02 because I have always enjoyed being in Bonare.

Bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mickey McCarthy on Tuesday, December 4, 2001 - 9:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hello all
I may be taking a very naive veiw on this,but since the conversion to dollars would be $36.23
($36?) A simple transposition error would make it $63. It just seems like a too blatant attempt for someone to make.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Liguori on Tuesday, December 4, 2001 - 10:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mickey,
That's why I spoke the figures. I told her there was a mistake. I said "sixty five guilders (I rounded up)does not equal sixty three dollars". At trhis point in time she could have used the transposition excuse and gotten the benefit of the doubt. I can do the math too.
Bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glenn & Deborah Kravitz on Friday, December 7, 2001 - 1:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bob
Very interesting. Deb and I had a late breakfast/early lunch at Zee Zicht either on the first or second day after we arrived in Bonaire. We paid in US dollars and didn't have a problem. That'd be enough to rumple my feathers too.
Glenn

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Anonymous on Friday, December 14, 2001 - 5:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Just returned from Bonaire & lunched at ZeeZichts specifically because of the reviews on this site. We didn't have enough guilders, so had to pay dollars. We were ripped off as well with no one to complain to. (The waitress shrugged & seemed to forget most of her English).
My advice is that if you choose to go to this restaurant, make sure you have enough guilders. We had plenty of delicious meals at other nearby places that didn't try to scam us.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Liguori on Saturday, December 15, 2001 - 9:32 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dear Anon.:
Wish you had signed your name. It would:
A) Lend more more credibility to your complaint
B) Probably get you some restitution (see above from Bon Rest. Assoc.)
C) Help the Zee Zicht owners to correct the situation

Think about it,
Bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael gaynor on Saturday, December 15, 2001 - 3:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The problem has been solved! The person who was making the errors, either by design or by error has been terminated. Johan Visser, the owner, was quite upset. Zee Zicht has been in business for eighty years and he is the third generation to run the business and has a teengage son who most likely step in to his father's shoes. If any of the folks wish, rhey can send me a snail mail address (Johan is not on line) and he would like to personally contact each one of those who were affected.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole Baker on Saturday, December 15, 2001 - 4:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

It is good to see your post, Michael. We enjoyed Zee Zict's and never had any trouble. Johan's concern and action is honorable. I wish him and the family the best of luck. Carole

(hopefully this person will not be hired in a similar capactity at another establishment!)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem on Sunday, December 16, 2001 - 1:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Way to go, Michael. Every owner I know on Bonaire wants to solve such problems but they must know of them first.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Liguori on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 9:11 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Michael
Thanks for the update. I felt from the outset that the owners had nothing to do with it. Tell Herr Visser his actions speak much louder than words, there is no reason for him to write me. I'll be in Bonaire the first two weeks in February, and I intend to stop by to try the "Combination Platter".

Bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cheryl Lowery on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 12:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We leave for our first trip to Bonaire on Thursday and have been wrestling with what currency to take. My original plan was to take Guilders but it turns out that the foreign exchange office here couldn't get any for us in time. We're from Canada so I was trying to avoid "double converting" money. By the sounds of things, Guilders are the way to go. I gather there are lots of ATM's down there where a person can get cash. And what about credit cards - do most restaurants and grocery stores take credit cards? And do you get charged in Guilders or US?

Any comments from you experienced Bonaire visitors would be appreciated.

Cheryl

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Liguori on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 1:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cheryl
I'd say take Traveler's Checks. My bank provides Am. Ex. at no charge as an account holder. Perhaps your bank will do the same. These get the top rate of exchange 1.78 guilder/$1.00 U.S. @ the M&C bank in Kralendijk. I'm not sure what the rate is for $ Can.
Credit card billing depends upon how the vendor submits it. If submitted in dollars you will pay the vendors rate of exchange, when submitted in guilder my credit card company gave me a good rate of exchange and billed me in dollars.
Enjoy the trip. Don't forget the mandatory trip report on your return.
Bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By herman mowery on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 1:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

HI Cheryl,

I have been charged USD when I used my credit card, not exactly sure how it would work with Canada dollars. US dollars are taken almost every where so if it is more convient, you can just use USD, you will get most of your change in Guilders (and all of the coins will be Guilders). Master Card/ Visa can be used at most places. I know of at least 2 ATMs that will give you USD or Guilders, I am sure there are more. You might want to try this post again by starting a new thread, you might get more responces. Any Guilders you have left over, you can use when you return.

Herman

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cheryl Lowery on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 2:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bob & Herman

Thanks for the info guys. Hopefully we'll be too busy diving to spend much money :) Won't bother with the new thread Herman, you have provided enough info here.

I'm sure we'll enjoy the trip immensely. I can hardly wait to see the look on my son-in-law's face on our first dive. He's only experienced cold, murky Canadian lakes.

3 more sleeps!

Cheers, Cheryl

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Lowe on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 5:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cheryl

I am from the UK and we always take US Dollar travellers cheques, we have never had any problems and usual conversion rates are $1 = 1.75 to 1.78 NAFl

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Linda Moore on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 6:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Cheryl, I'm Canadian, as well. We went the traveller's cheque, & U.S. Cash route, in November and it worked out fine. Linda

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Vandiver on Wednesday, January 23, 2002 - 3:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hep! I'm jonesing for some Chokomel and Krokettes!!!!!!!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Anne Ferguson on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 8:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

ZeeZicht was always one of our favorite restaurants. We have been going to Bonaire for 15 years. We always ate at ZeeZichst at least once and always recommended it to people.
A few years ago we too had a problem with the bill and how the guilders were converted to US dollars. My husband was really mad and said we would never go back.
We did go back, but in the last few trips we were disappointed in the quality of the food, so this year was the first time we did not dine at least once on the ZeeZichst porch.
It's a shame because it is a beautiful place to eat and reasonable, but there are too many places on Bonaire where the food is superb to waste a night on mediocre food.

 


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