Chinese restaurants that charge for rice

[madoka]

Went to a Chinese restaurant recently. Most plates were $12-$25 there. After we got the bill, I noticed that we were charged $12 for white rice! I double checked the menu and there was no mention that rice wasn't included and there was no menu listing for rice, so I assumed it was free. But we were charged $6 per container of rice. I felt pretty ripped off that they'd nickel and dime us like.

When you go to Asian restaurants, do you assume that rice is free?

 

[lxskllr]

I don't go to eat in places often, but yes, I consider rice included.

 

[andylawcc]

no, rice is not ALWAYS free. but i would expect 2 bucks for container, not 6.

 

[alcoholbob]

Most be a fancy restaurant if they are charging $6 for a bowl of rice.

 

[manimal]

did it list entrees as being A la cart?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Did you eat off the children's menu?

 

[Imp]

Been to tons of "real" Chinese restaurants -- like $2 a bowl. Rice has rarely, if ever, been free unless it's one of those meal-in-a-plate type places that cater to more western clientele.

 

[Ns1]

You may have been charged a per person price for rice. YMMV, rice is not always free.

 

[phucheneh]

I feel like American restaurants should include with every entree, a big free heaping box of bland potatoes.

...wait, shit, that's what french fries are. Down to the 'free' part, when you consider the fast food trend of making a sandwich cost fifty cents less than a combo.

 

[OutHouse]

Been to tons of "real" Chinese restaurants -- like $2 a bowl. Rice has rarely, if ever, been free unless it's one of those meal-in-a-plate type places that cater to more western clientele.

What is a "real" Chinese restaurant?

 

[OutHouse]

I feel like American restaurants should include with every entree, a big free heaping box of bland potatoes.

...wait, shit, that's what french fries are. Down to the 'free' part, when you consider the fast food trend of making a sandwich cost fifty cents less than a combo.

Fail

 

[MongGrel]

Really have only gotten take out personally I guess, and free rice with that.

But have been using a steamer lately and don't even use theirs, the Jasmine or other rices made at home much better.

But if it's more like an upscale steakhouse works, I could see them doing that, not that I'd care for it.

 

[WelshBloke]

If my local Thai gave out free sticky rice they'd be bankrupt and I'd have suffered some bizarre starch related death.

 

[Jumpem]

I have never been to a Chinese restaurant where rice was an additional charge.

 

[SKORPI0]

When you go to Asian restaurants, do you assume that rice is free?

I don't assume things like this and always ask if rice included with the food ordered is free. In my experience white rice is mostly free, combo (beef, chicken, shrimp) is not.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Been places where a single bowl is included with an entree and additional bowls cost $, some places where any rice was an additional cost and a few places where rice was free(very rare).

 

[NikolaeVarius]

What is a "real" Chinese restaurant?

Usually tends to be places that have more Chinese customers than others.

But Chinese food is a wide range of cuisine, so its pretty meaningless term by itself.

 

[Imp]

What is a "real" Chinese restaurant?

Out of my ass personal definition: minimal English on signs and menus, mostly Asian immigrant clientele (not American born), run and operated by Asian immigrants, and in an Asian part of town.

I separate out the "real" from the "others" because I've been to tons of Vietnamese, Thai, or Chinese places in random parts of town that are targeted at a more general, American client base. The atmosphere and menu are usually different.

 

[Captante]

I ate in a Chinese place once that charged for a bowl of white rice with my meal.

Note that I ate there once only never went back. Also note they were out of business roughly 6 months later.

 

[WelshBloke]

I ate in a Chinese place once that charged for a bowl of white rice with my meal.

Note that I ate there once only never went back. Also note they were out of business roughly 6 months later.

Clearly your needing free hand outs is the difference in a business staying in business.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

What is a "real" Chinese restaurant?

When you are the only white guy there and your wife has to order in Chinese and/or translate the menu.

Other signs are:
- no water, only tea unless you ask
- meat has bones
- servers/waiters are rude by American standards
- a man in a suit will take payment, and stand by the table waiting for you to sign and put in tip (seems exclusive to dim sum)
- whole dead animals (pigs, duck, etc) for banquets and Uber pricy dishes
- food is served family style
- desert is sliced oranges.
- restaurant name: 888/28 seafood/restaurant, or all in Chinese characters.
- no parking, but tons of cars circling in the parking lot, refusing to use Street parking
- tables are square (4 people max) bigger tables are round, and have a lazy Susan

 

[Imp]

When you are the only white guy there and your wife has to order in Chinese and/or translate the menu.

Other signs are:
- no water, only tea unless you ask
- meat has bones
- servers/waiters are rude by American standards
- a man in a suit will take payment, and stand by the table waiting for you to sign and put in tip (seems exclusive to dim sum)
- whole dead animals (pigs, duck, etc) for banquets and Uber pricy dishes
- food is served family style
- desert is sliced oranges.
- restaurant name: 888/28 seafood/restaurant, or all in Chinese characters.
- no parking, but tons of cars circling in the parking lot, refusing to use Street parking
- tables are square (4 people max) bigger tables are round, and have a lazy Susan

lulz... Perfect.

Servers are very nice by Asian standards most of the time. I find they're worse in the "not real" restaurants with staff that don't even bother dressing up.

Dessert's only oranges in the cheap places. The nicer places usually have a sweet soup like white or red beans, or tofu drenched in warm sugar water.

The translated names usually make no sense or sound terrible.

 

[Captante]

Clearly your needing free hand outs is the difference in a business staying in business.

Clearly it wasn't just me is more like it.

Food wasn't anything special, portions were skimpy plus they charged not only for white rice (included at 99% of Chinese places around here) but for hot tea, fried noodles with duck sauce/mustard and even for the fortune cookies at the end of the meal.


This was the place:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/peking-duck-house-orange?sort_by=date_desc

What is a "real" Chinese restaurant?

I used to eat in this place in NYC's Chinatown that would qualify. Signs were entirely in Chinese although the menu also included English. It was down a narrow set of stairs in the basement of the building and most times I ate there it was me and about 75 Chinese business-men. Food was great and cheap too, used to get a big pile of Squid with snow-peas in garlic sauce for about $8.

And yes rice was included!

 

[Berliner]

In Germany rice is usually included.

 

[Naer]

In Germany rice is usually included.

Germany is awesome. Really turned things around since ww2