I don’t know if it’s only a Lebanese thing, but ripping off people is becoming a common thing to do in Lebanon, even if it’s by 100 or 500 Liras.
I was filling up my gas tank yesterday and my bill came out to be 98,850 Lebanese Liras. Even though I was paying with my credit card, I was charged 99,000LL. I did not bother ask why because I was in a hurry, but this is just wrong.
That reminded me of another incident I had at a restaurant once, where I paid with a 100,000LL a 84,500LL bill and I got back 15,000 Liras only. I did not bother ask why but did not tip them at all as they could have put 16,000 Liras or inform me that they ran out of coins.
After all, we are already paying way too much for food and gas and almost everything else and the least we could ask for in return is common courtesy.
Oh come on Najib! Take it easy!
It’s actually one of the things I love about Lebanon. How many times does it happen the other way round too?
Like if your bill at the supermarket is: 45,200 L.L. and they take 45,000 L.L.
I feel in the end… it all balances out!
It used to bug me when I was not in Lebanon, and I would have to break $50 for a few cents!
Christine, it never happened the other way around and even if it does, I wouldn’t accept it. All I am saying is they should inform you about it and not just round wou bassita bto2ta3 …
Also, supermarkets can play with prices while gas stations have fixed prices.
maybe they do that when they got no Chickless 🙂
good point Najib.. if those establishments are not willing to pay back exact change to their customers then they should switch to rounding their prices.
Christine, this not personal but your view of “basita” and everything rounds out, is what is wrong in Lebanon, or at least one of the wrong things.
I have never been spared a few liras, never, whenever they need 250, they always ask for it… but sometimes they forget to give me the change, or simply don’t care.
I was in London once and a cashier had to give me back one pence, i just turned around and left not paying attention, the cashier called me back so i told him from a distance to drop it in the charity box next to his register, he goes “you do it sir! it’s your money” for one pence!!!
but then again, every year i collect over 100$ in coins in my little coin bank, imagine if i let those by…giving away 100$ a year is not my idea of a hobby… it all adds up, it never balances…
El ha2 3layna Najib. Instead of complaining about this in ur blog, u should just ask them for ur change. Even if it’s 500l.l.
When people don’t complaint, organizations will keep thinking that it’s fine and they ll keep doing it.
I’m sure the waiter at z restaurant didn’t know why u didn’t leave them any tip and they think that u r just cheap…
Alf,
You are right. I will point it out next time.
Good enough :-)?
hek botla3 we2i7 wou cheap lol
The next time the gas station charges me wrongly, am gonna demand a refund, even if its 150 Liras. There are 100 and 50 coins, yidabro rassoun.
but don’t shoot the messanger. you should not fight the egyptian/indian worker at the station, and you should tip the waiters. your problem is with managers/owners and their directions.
Friskies,
It could be the waiter who opted not to give back the change and keep it to himself.
Here in Australia, there is no more 1cent and 2 cent coins, so if the bill comes out to 1.87, it’s rounded down to 1.85, but if it’s 1.88, its rounded up to 1.90. However, if you are paying by card, they charge you the exact amount!
You are right, my Aunt made a big fuss there when she went to the local grocery shop, she was due 100 lira change, and the shop keeper tried to give her chicklets in lieu of the 100 lira, she threw it back at him, and demanded he give her 100 lira!
There are places that do give you that money back. Once I was at TSC and they owed me 200 LL, they gave it back and I was surprised. But more often than not, you’re ripped off. It’s not just in Lebanon, I think it’s an arab thing to round off and move on. It’s very annoying.
That reminds me of my post in Toom extra about a 10 days vacation i spent in lebanon :
“Second: In 10 days i was robbed and conned maybe 3 times per day….I love the fact that when you have to pay 58,500 L.L you never get your 500 L.L back.
I love the fact that you get a small “Ghandour” gum instead of your 250 L.L and when trying to give it back to the same person after 2 days instead of a 250 L.L, she makes a big problem and try to report me to her manager ( but i won, because the customer is always right 😉 ) and i love the fact to get the lousiest rental car ( mechanical wise ) ever because i am paying less and not renting a freakin hummer ! People will say : “mech 3a imeton bass anno mabda2″, I would say : ” 3a imeton w mabda2″. because i worked hard for all of this money, and if all of you are losing 250, 500, or 1000 L.L per day just because you don’t pay attention imagine it can be 365.000 L.L per year , it’s a month salary for some people, and if :
“mech 3a imeton” , you can still donate them to the Children Cancer Center ”
MECH BASSITA W MECH 3EYB W MECH WA2E7A ! Come on people you worked hard for this money, remember 3aj2et el seir and the extra time !! so stop being stupid and saying we are lebanese we don’t care about the 100 Lira !! I tell you, you have to care because you live in lebanon!
Actually when I was at Crepaway a while ago my bill came out 14000 and the waitress didn’t even bother to bring the change so I asked her to bring it,she told she thought the rest was for tips so I told no tips ,so she gave me the awfull look,6000 for tips ,who is she kidding, I didn’t leave her anything that day
ummm so true! Lets talk about the guy who took 5,000LL off of me. I have him $50 for 55,000ll worth of movies and he only gave me 20,000ll back! He was out of the door before I could ask for the change and I couldn’t really be bothered to chase after him so I left him go..! But a part of me feels bad for the kid..maybe things are just that bad?
Has anyone of you paid his ogero bill? My bill came out 18003 (18 thousands and 3 liras), and in the total field, the put 19000 LL! Their program is done in a way to put the total as the nearest thousand above! I think this is unfair program. Last month my bill was 19050 and they took 20000!!
I just had an incident right now and I would like to share it with you guys..
I just ordered deek duke, and the bill was 25,250LL, I gave the delivery guy 50,000 and he gave me back 25,000 and was about to leave, which means he was going to pay 250LL from his pocket..:)
Halla2 of course I searched for tip money and gave him, but this is the first time i’m on the other side of the rounding game 🙂
See people! I told u, it happens sometimes 🙂
Danielle,
U do know 50$ is 75,000 LL so he did give you what he owed you.