Eating out in TRNC Against eating out in the UK

bandieles


Joined: 30/10/2010
Posts: 16

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 13:45

I am in the UK on an extended visit and it is clear that on average it is cheaper now to eat out in the UK than it is in the TRNC WHY?

LordJim


Joined: 12/10/2010
Posts: 221

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 13:46

profiteering and lack of wholesale buying

kavenkoy


Joined: 10/04/2008
Posts: 1787

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 13:59

less customers ,but i wont change my life style or tighten my belt like everybody else in the world (springs to mind)



in the uk in all retail sectors they are taking less margin from most products in order to try and generate sales



kav

malsancak


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 2874

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 14:26

It's still cheaper than Wetherspoons if you know where to go

kavenkoy


Joined: 10/04/2008
Posts: 1787

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 14:28

i would agree mal



some great value for anybody who knows where to go .



some of the big tourists traps jave gone down hill of late though ,but good food allways wins



kav

LordJim


Joined: 12/10/2010
Posts: 221

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 14:40

stupid places charging 24 tl for angora they bought at illeli foor 6.99 tl

Stonehousepub


Joined: 21/05/2009
Posts: 755

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 15:04

One of the only reasons I visit the UK is to eat out. I hardly ever eat out in the TRNC as on almost every occasion I have not been happy...

dozza67


Joined: 11/07/2008
Posts: 607

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 15:22

It used to be sooooooooo inexpensive to eat out in TRNC a few years ago and now that we are back in UK, we realise that it is now much cheaper here. There are always good deals to be had especially if you subscribe to "Groupon" which gives you daily deals on all sorts of things including restaurants. We had fish and chips in the centre of Manchester this week for £2 each - delicious. Normal price is £5 which is still a good price. There are deals for beauty treatments (all kinds of stuff) and the prices are usually a fraction of their normal prices. We are able to eat out more now than we did in Northern Cyprus over the last couple of years. They have all become very greedy people. They are not the people who would treat you like a long lost relative if you ever graced their establishments, even if it was the first time you had ever been there. We truly mourn the loss of a lot of the real Turkish Cypriot people

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 15:50

Its certainly cheaper in the UK. Perhaps this is down to there being so much competition and choice? Having a good business head also contributes. Our local pub does all sorts of offers throughout the week and the quality and choice of food is excellent. We asked how they could do so much good home-cooking and make a profit? They answered they never made a profit on the food but made a substantial profit on all the drinks. In other words they needed a good menu to tempt their customers so that they could make the profit on the drinks.

Middle Easter


Joined: 13/06/2007
Posts: 146

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 16:31

It is not all about money is it?



I would rather be sat outside in rural taverna on a warm evening (most nights in NC) paying twenty quid diretyl to the owner & his wife, than sat inside (most nights in UK) paying ten quid a spotty faced teenager who is screwed down to the ground on minimum wage for faceless chain that he works for.



Although Fish & Chips in the centre of Manchester at 2 quid cannot be sniffed at....

deputydawg


Joined: 30/03/2010
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 16:35

Provided the fish is not "long time no sea" !

Middle Easter


Joined: 13/06/2007
Posts: 146

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 16:40

Too smart deputydawg....

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 16:46

Can't argue about the eating outside. Would win every-time.

But not all restaurants/bars are part of faceless chains and not all waiters are spotty faced teenagers!

Fawsley


Joined: 01/05/2010
Posts: 59

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 17:31

In general eating out in UK is cheaper, outside of main city's and tourist traps. I suspect the same could be said about cost in TRNC; you just need to know where to go.



The only difference I have found is that generally quality of food is better in UK as it is unusual to get a poor meal. As a % I have had more poor meals in TRNC than UK.



Having said all that restaurant No. 14 in Kyrenia was brilliant and at a reasonable (UK) price.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 17:40

I think dining out in the trnc is a completely different experince thatn dining out in the UK.



For a start the food is better in the UK and you have a far better choice.

bandieles


Joined: 30/10/2010
Posts: 16

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 20:19

Wetherspoons Margate EFFES £1 50cl bottle

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 20:45

I had a great Gormet Burger (Beefburger with bacon, blue cheese, onion rings) and chips inclusive of a pint of Srongbow for £6.59 in Wetherspoons Ryde on Friday night. That's 15TL. Can the TRNC match that?

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 20:49

Msg 17

Wetherspoons, Bristol, every Tuesday after 3pm sirloin 8oz steak, chips & salad with a pint £5.99!



Richard

malsancak


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 2874

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 21:04

Efes in Margate Wetherspoons must be on 50% discount!

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 21:06

Mal

Efes £1.99 50cl bottle.



Richard

Middle Easter


Joined: 13/06/2007
Posts: 146

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 22:01

re Msg 13, yes I was using stereotypes to reinforce my point, but it doesn't negate the fact that they are 333,000 Asst Managers (or thereabouts) at 164 different food chains operating in the UK.



Anywhere has good & bad. Sure they is plenty of 'bad' in NC (but they get your custom once) or twice if generous, whereas the good eateries are always busy. I have been coming to NC for 4 years & know where to you, as most repeat visitors do....



But, I'll stick to my original point....a chilled glass of wine wine, fresh seafood, unspoiled sea views, followed by a fruity red turkish wine, lamb kebabs done over hot coals & more unspoiled sea views......is (IMHO) worth the extra tenner, rather than shitty weather and UK restaurant chains.



Alternatively if the $ rules, then why not buy Efe's by the 1000, stay in the UK & 'get leathered' on the savings per bottle.....I think NC is great. Why? Because it absolutely is! And or those who don't 'get it' yet, then perhaps its not for you...

kavenkoy


Joined: 10/04/2008
Posts: 1787

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 22:21

i think NC is great also ....but that wasnt what the original thread was ,is it ?



eating out in trnc against eating out in uk



kav

fosterscan


Joined: 27/02/2010
Posts: 541

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 22:22

you dont get the coffee ,brandy and warm evenings and happy smile in the uk for anyprice trnc for me.

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 22:47

After 8 pints of Strongbow at Wethers Friday night, the don't get the coffee ,brandy and warm evenings and happy smile in the uk for any price versus trnc for me seemed strangely distant and totally irrelevant. And Fosters is for girls! You have to drink it quickly to avoid sobering up!

josie2


Joined: 31/10/2010
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 22:51

yes i believe that eating out in the uk is cheaper, but have you visited Leadaz Bar just off the Lapta strip. It is just opposite the Celebrity. It is run by a lovely friendly Welsh couple who do their own home cooking. They give you such a warm welcome that when we were out on holiday recently we went to their bar nearly every day. The lady owner is absolutely lovely and will make you such tasty home cooked food. give it a try.

fosterscan


Joined: 27/02/2010
Posts: 541

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 23:05

lemtich

i could have 8 pints of strongbow at wethers every friday night crushed at the bar (if i could drink that much).but we were talking a meal as well, dont fancy that at withers with the family on a friday night in the uk

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
31/10/2010 23:07

Watch out...............Britts are about.................!!!



Chas&Dave:Aint no pleasing you............

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 00:03

in my opinion Dining at the Cratos, port restauarants, golf club, Mos, Ezic premier, colony, Salamis, Midsummer house and many other fab places in TRNC to mention, we would find it hard to meet the prices they charge on par in the UK .



However if you look at Frankie Benny's and some pizza places such as pizza hut, the prices are very good value and would in my opinion be on par with TRNC .



Saying that if you eat at the little Turkish restauarant at Tatlisu, watch the lady ccok the Turkish food and prepare all the food from scratch, in my opinion you would not eat cheaper in the UK to what they charge, as they have to be the most inexpensive East way.



To top it all we always get service with a smile and a warm welcome more in TRNC than you do in the UK, so that goes along way when you add it all up.

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 00:17

I was upstairs in the family area with my mates from work on monthly payday session, loads of tables but not all full. Not a lot of crush downstairs at the bar, even though it was busy the service was fairly quick , about 5 minutes wait at the bar.

everon


Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 956

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 00:56

our local does an all you can eat carvery for just £3.59 and its delicious (UK) x

littlejohn


Joined: 09/03/2009
Posts: 316

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 04:36

brit ex-pats have largely spoilt the once pleasant experience of dining out in what used to be a "different" environment.

Of course things change naturally with "progress" but the fun is being sucked out of TRNC by this influx of little englanders.

We still holiday in TRNC and probably always will but the old atmosphere is gradually being depleted and the indigenous population, whether Cypriot or Turk are naturally evolving to suit the demands of the "daily mail brigade".

I do not think the situation will improve so enjoy the decreasing allure of TRNC while you can.

I don't think you can compare prices if you take ambience, setting and climate into the equation.

And anyway who gives a toss ?!!

Can't you all just club together and buy somewhere preferably far far away and bugger off there and leave us TRNC lovers to enjoy what you have left of the place.!!!

yenibob


Joined: 13/10/2010
Posts: 1203

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 06:14

Littlejohn admits to not living here, but if he had left that bit out, we would have guessed. Bloody tourists with their rose tinted specs (and holiday wallets).



PS, mainland Turks are no more indigenous to the TRNC than Brits or Greeks.

Gardash


Joined: 31/10/2010
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 06:43

I believe remarks about "greed" and "profiteering" are unfair. You cannot compare running a restaurant in North Cyprus - more specifically Kyrenia (where I believe most of the posters here reside) - with a city in the UK.



A restaurant in Kyrenia which relies on tourists has at most 7 months in the year from which to make profit, April to October. Before he or she can see any benefit from that profit he or she must close their losses from winter, November to March.



All the while the restuarant will pay fixed costs which are the same or higher than in the UK. Electricity alone for a kitchen running an electric oven, grill and few deep friers will reach £1000 a month, or 2400tl. Labour which may appear cheaper than in the UK reaches at least minimum wage in UK when factoring in the accomodation many establishments pay for their workers as well as their food and social security payments.



continued...

Gardash


Joined: 31/10/2010
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 06:43

The main problem however is simply population. There are too many restaurants and not enough people, and those people that are here generally do not possess much spending power (by that I mean the large immigrant worker population). This is why restaurants have to keep their prices slightly higher to keep any chance of staying open alive.



So you can see the picture is very different to the UK where a small to medium size town carries a population roughly the size of Northern Cyprus itself, where busy traffic on highstreet ensures establishments can keep their prices down and have business 12 months a year, and where the wholesale price of supplies is far cheaper.



I hope this gives some insight into the problems all restaurants face here, lest our tourists think of us a greedy bunch!

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 11:12

Gardash.



Your post has given me great insight into what overall goos into running restaurants over in the TRNC .

Thankyou.

A very good informative post ,

Hector


Joined: 26/08/2008
Posts: 2352

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 13:04

Well at least it's good to know someone actually appreciates us expats (those still with 'spending power' at least). Pity the government doesn't.

kavenkoy


Joined: 10/04/2008
Posts: 1787

Message Posted:
01/11/2010 19:15

message 30



£3.59 for a carvery ...you sure lol



bet your chatting bout them fish suppers you have at mill



take care



kav

everon


Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 956

Message Posted:
02/11/2010 00:53

black puddings on Bury market, hey, Kav x

littlejohn


Joined: 09/03/2009
Posts: 316

Message Posted:
03/11/2010 01:48

Message32 - been involved with Cyprus since '69 and have friends on both sides. Would suggest know as much about the place and the people as you do !!

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
03/11/2010 05:19

Did a bit of time here did you LJ, memories of lovely restaurants serving full kebabs for 60 pence, back again now reliving your past while on holiday.



Well as a prior poster put it, take off the glasses. This isn't the Kibris you knew so well this is Kibris 2010 and we here are part of the community Brits Turks Germans etc

If 'we' wish to complain, make examples of profiteering we will do and do not need another grockle to try and tell us what to do.



My suggestion is before you get on your soap box is 'get your knees brown Gunga dinn'

swyflot


Joined: 07/11/2008
Posts: 916

Message Posted:
03/11/2010 07:27

I think the real reason that the TRNC restaraunts are more expensive,is that they have to cover the cost of the so called entertainment,whatever happened to the art of dinner conversations,it is impossible for eight people to eat out and converse without shouting,which then seems to provoke the entertainer into turning up the volume.

Incidentally the curry king had a meeting in December with all of the indian restaraunts the result was for all of them to charge the same for food and drink,so next time you are glad handed just remember the other hand is in your pocket CARTEL COMES TO MIND

littlejohn


Joined: 09/03/2009
Posts: 316

Message Posted:
04/11/2010 03:22

Agree about the "entertainment".

Message 40 - patronising prat! Like a lot of your other postings.

I return every year only to find more ignoramuses like you have landed.

The Kibris I used to know has been well and truly ruined by prats like you .

I love the place - people like you just use it.

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
04/11/2010 16:03

Please give us some examples of your vast knowledge of the culture,people and places you know well or was it just the odd Sunday trip with the padre to see the cute locals in thier villages.



Before you preach to the residents here become one and then we may feel more inclined to treat your posts with some respect.