Sunday was a pretty low-key day for us. Breakfast at the Yacht Club and lunch out on the pool deck compliments of Jeannie and ShopnDrop. Dinner was a return to Dinghy Beach Bar and an instant replay of our first time there. We started out heading to Fat Tony’s for the pizza we failed to get on BarCode night but when we got there they were packed and no convenient parking to be found so we decided to head back to BSV and planned to graze. But when we got almost home, we changed our mind last minute and decided to try Dinghy’s again and give them the opportunity to redeem themselves.

We ended up doing an instant replay - same cute waiter, same yummy chimmichurri steak with fries and same 20% service charge. I questioned them and basically were told we were wrong and that’s the way they had to do it. So bdeeley, thank you for your attempted intervention on my behalf but I think they gave you lip service or else they need to better train their staff. And in honesty, our check wasn’t that high so we’re talking principles and not big bucks. I also paid closer attention to the entire dinner experience and as good as the steak was there were several shortfalls - no bread and butter, not that we needed it, no salad and no garnishments on the plates. I’m not a very picky or demanding diner and both the steak and fries were excellent but this establishment is definitely a Diamond in the rough. Turn down the very loud music and pay attention to the little things, peeps.

Monday was breakfast in the villa - coffee/and - this time pastries from ZeeBest Bakery and lightly warmed here at home in our kitchen. We were meeting a very special and long time friend for lunch so really didn’t want to have a big breakfast. Drove into town and it took us a full fifty minutes to go from here to Chesterfields. We enjoyed the company and the food, particularly the deep fried coconut shrimp. And yes, they do include a 15% sc on the check and will validate your parking stub for an hour or two - not sure which. Thank you, Barbara, for spending part of your birthday with us. We enjoyed every minute of it.

By the time we finally got home and visited briefly with some new arrivals here, there was barely enough time for a short nap and some plane departures before my DH aka Hungry Hannah wanted to leave for that same elusive pizza. Third attempt was the charm. The pizza was a thinner crust than I remembered from past trips but was still enjoyable and for the whopping huge sum of thirty dollars we enjoyed dinner for two and reheats for tomorrow’s lunch.

And now for some tv time.

Enjoying all of your reports, keep them coming.

Well dear , this a no no for us now period.

Pat--thanks for the report. A definite TWO strikes, and basically three in my mind--LOUD music (??) and 20% service charge. No thanks.

These people need to figure things out, or they won't survive very long.

Carol,

I don’t think the music was obnoxiously loud away from the actual property but it was way too loud for my taste when it comes to dinner music. We didn’t hear it in their parking lot and we don’t hear it on our balcony but we are at the extreme other end of the building here at BSV.

Lesley,

I’m sure they’ll figure it out but in the meantime, as cute and charming the personalities of the staff may be, it takes more than that to make a place so far off the beaten path into a successful operation. I wish them well as the young man we’ve dealt with each time has been great.

Yes Carol , pass totally period .

Thanks Pat , but will pass this one until they change their service charge .

Where was that pizza. Love a thin crispy crust.

Fat Tony’s at Jordan Village.

Thanks. Will have to give it a go.

Pat--Even if it's not noticeable off property, I too have NO desire to have loud music during dinner. How many tables were occupied?

Chesterfield's, like Mark's Place, is not to be missed.

Sounds like things are going pretty well.

Sounds like a lot of confusion and/or misinformation with regard to the 20% SC. I wonder if the "staff" are implementing this on their own?

Scuba,

The pizza was not as good as we remembered it but still,good enough to enjoy. John did reheats about 11:30 last night and said he still liked it.

Carol,

Re the music with dinner - I truly don’t care what they play as long as I can hear the person next to me without leaning in to him or yelling to him. As far as how many tables - maybe five? Maybe……….

Pat--young people these days don't listen to conversation during dinner, as they are always on their phones. Maybe that explains it?? Anyway, if I walk into someplace for dinner and there is loud music, I generally turn around and walk back out. The only exception in recent memory was Fat Tony's, when they have their steel drum player. Even though it's loud, that music is very enjoyable to me. Surprised that there were five tables occupied. Perhaps locals, checking it out??

Nothing better than a good reheated pizza with a fried egg with runny yoke on top for breakfast.

Now, I don't care for a runny yoke egg ever, let alone on top of a pizza!! I don't recall the name of it now, but there used to be a restaurant in Orient Village (may still be there, for all I know!) that a fried egg was one of the toppings you could choose.

When we are home or on vacation we always make it a point to safe a few pieces to have next day. With an egg on top for sure. There are a few local pizza places home that have egg on menu too.

Scuba, please don’t be offended but that sounds disgusting to me. I’m anlso one who abhors anchovies on pizza. Remember, no foodie here. But to each his own, right? 😧😧

Sorry Pat but I must have anchovies my Pizza lol.

I’m with you, Pat. If anyone puts a runny egg on my pizza, it’s not going to get eaten.

Very nice report, Pat! Chesterfields’ food and service is always consistently good.

We’ve gotten used to the 15% service charge add on in St. Maarten, but adding 20% is a bit presumptuous on the part of Dinghy Brach Bar. And loud music is definitely a problem for both of us.

I would never eat a runny egg 🤢, but love anchovies on pizza 😊

Thanks for the great report Pat!

On the loud music question, we have finally got to the point where, if the music is obnoxiously loud, we politely ask that they turn it down when we walk in. We have done this on a number of occasions and it always worked both at home and in SXM. I doubt that many other diners request loud music but if they did I'm sure the employee would tell us. Doing this may seem a bit over the top, but I figure we are doing the restaurant a favor and they can always say no.

Jim and Laraine--Unfortunately, you just proved my point--"I doubt that many other diners request loud music". The workers are jacking up the music for THEIR enjoyment, not for mine. This shows a total lack of interest in serving my needs. I don't waste my time at such places.

When we arrived at Rainbow Cafe in GC around 10am they were playing very loud obnoxious music with vulgar lyrics. We kindly askedthem to lower volume and select something else more soothing. They did so immediately with no attitude.

Rainbow always plays loud music, especially on the weekend.

All I was saying was that tey were very accommodating. Can't remember if it was on a weekend or not.

Was that the new Dinghy Beach Bar on Simpson Bay that adds the 20% service and loud music? Can image anyone could stay in business doing that. I think its true the employees play the music and volume they like when the boss is away. I have no problem asking them to turn it down.
Really mixed reviews for that place.

All the food reviews have been positive there. Only negative has been the questionable 20% SC add on. As far as the music issue there it all depends on individual taste as far as volume. I'm sure they would accommodate by lowering if asked.

Pat. We stopped by Dinghy’s this afternoon around 5 for a drink and a few appetizers. The appetizers were good and the wine was reasonably priced although I wish the server had mentioned up front that you could get a bottle for less than double the price of a glass. So we got a bottle after paying for the first glass. But if we had ordered the bottle up front we would have been satisfied. A little irritating. Yes. And they did charge the 20%. I paid in cash and took all my change. That said it’s my favorite beach location and we will probably go there a lot this trip until they irritate my wife. The small sample of food we had was good.

Tim, is the 20% tip mentioned on the menu? Just curious, as the added service charge isn't a deal breaker for us, since we know to watch for it.

Thanks but we will not be going there period . The 20% is a total pyscho turn off .

If paying in cash just deduct what you want from the 20% add on. If it's not stated in the menu or posted somewhere there is no obligation to pay it if not deserved. Same goes for anywhere they add a percentage on without indication on menu.

Georgia. No not on the menu. I looked carefully. But it showed up on the check very clearly. I really need to be more careful looking for that 20% on the menus on the Dutch side. For years I’ve gone to the Driftwood and tipped at least 20% on the bill. And then last year a guy was paying his bill and he was asked if he wanted to tip and he said no he’d already paid it. I checked the menu and there it was - 20% added to the bill. Or maybe 15. Can’t recall. No wonder the bartenders were always happy to see me. I thought it was my good looks and charming manner.

Absolutely LOVE the Fat [censored] pizza at Fat Tony! Really thin crust, just how we like it.

We miss you, Elaine and Bill, as I’m sure all those who know you do. I’m sure you’re happy in Newtown and will be even happier once you’re in your house. 🙂🙂

One of the servers from Dinghy's stated plainly that there's no service charge added, on Facebook. Obviously, that hasn't been true. It's not a deal breaker for me if I know about it, but I don't like all the guessing and doublechecking. I think we'll still go check it out, being aware that they're telling potential guests it's not a thing, although it clearly is.

Nope. Not happening. They deny they are doing it online, but in fact are doing it in person. Owner denied it and now a server is denying it. I guess I will never check this place out, unless and until they change their policy. And maybe not even then. I don't like deception.

I just wonder if it's just one server doing this. Anybody that's been there with the added 20% more than once have any comment on that?

Not intended to be a direct reply to Pat.

We usually tip 20% plus or minus on the Dutch side, and minus any listed service charge or any other extra charges the place adds to the check. Not an issue for us and we pay attention to this better than we used to. I think it would be better if they did 15 to 18% but really doesn't change our decision to go there or not. From the sounds of it they clearly state it on the check and don't try to tell you that it isn't a tip or service charge. I just don't see a problem with this considering how many nationalities frequent the island and how different tipping is done across the world.

We will be visiting this place when on island, looking forward to trying it.
T

Todd--IF!!! the service is good, we always tip around 20% regardless. What happens if the service is NOT good? The matter of tipping in general, worldwide, is out of control.
We're supposed to tip now for self-service? But I digress....

I resent auto-tip in general. And I surely resent them charging 20% and then the owner and a server denying it online, other than for large parties. I cannot conceive how one server could charge an auto-tip for every check, even though it's not allowed, and the owner not become aware of it.

Especially when a menu, like on Jais menu and many others, state that it is a 15% "gratuity" but a server will tell you differently.

If they hide it or if the server is telling you different than that is dishonesty, I don't support that behavior.

Carol, tipping certainly is out of control noting there are self serve places in the US that still seem to think they should get a tip. But it is the way servers make the bulk of their income in US and similar structured countries. But you don't tip much if any in so many countries such as France, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and the list goes on. These people are traveling to a Dutch island not the US, why would they think that US style tipping is normal? Yet St Maarten is pretty much set up like the US in this way. Could be that St Maarten needs to change to something similar to the French side but that is unlikely.

I don't take auto tips as an attack on US visitors, instead I look at as a way to protect income for their staff from travelers that don't have the same tipping habits that US Citizens have.

"Could be that St Maarten needs to change to something similar to the Dutch side but that is unlikely."
Similar to the Dutch side. Don't you mean French side?

Todd--Like Scuba, I am confused by your statement about St. Maarten changing their policies. These issues with tipping are pretty much confined to the Dutch side.

As far as auto-tipping being an attack on US visitors, no, I don't see that. In general, Americans tip very well. The other thing is that if there is an auto-tip, there is NO guarantee at all that this money is in fact going to the server. My perception--which I really don't have any evidence to support this--is that businesses are instituting auto-tips and keeping a great majority of the money for the business, and then leaving it up to the server to beg for more tips. I would much prefer they just raise their prices, and then leave it up to me to tip the server an appropriate amount, in which I have some degree of confidence that the money is actually GOING to the server. And auto-tip takes away any incentive for the server to do a good job.

Corrected my post to French side.

Carol, then are you not paying more to compensate for those that don't tip?

If the money isn't going to the staff the that is a "them" problem, good staff is always in demand so they have other options. Not my problem.

Todd--I don't have a problem if they charge what is a reasonable fee for the product. I DON'T like all this 'smoke and mirrors' with charging service charge, which isn't really service charge, and doesn't go to the SERVER, and is just to cover their costs. So you THINK the cost is lower than it is, but they tack on fees on the end, to make it seem cheaper, when it isn't. That is deception to me, and that's what I object to. I don't like auto tip on principle. And it does mean that the best servers will not stay there.

Aloha Carol,
There is a management employee relationship that really is not yours or my issue, I don't engage in that and see no reason why any customer would or should. Not my problem and I won't let it become my problem.

It the restaurant adds a line item clearly or makes the effort to show that there was a service/tip charge added that certainly is not smoke and mirrors. If they add a charge and either try to disguise it or claim that it is not part of the tip then that is certainly something to complain about and I could see a smoke and mirrors reference. I don't return to those types of places.

The math I see is if out of 100 customers 20 don't tip or tip as some would on say the French side, the other 80 people have to make up that short fall. Change the percentages but that is the math.
The restaurant still needs to make money and the staff still need to get paid or they don't survive or they don't keep their staff which usually equates to them not surviving.

In most places in the US I don't like auto tip either, but in cities that have a heavy international clientele such as a Miami or NYC, they often do add the line item to protect them and their staff from people that don't tip because that is their culture from where they are from. No harm intended by said foreigner but that again is they way they are used to handling it.

I am in the freight business, some people claim to me that they presently don't pay for liftgates as that is included per their contract with their other carrier. Well, it still cost to provide a liftgate but it gets massaged into the overall rates. We still have to make margin, so when it comes down to it all the shipments they do that don't require a liftgate are paying for those that actually need a liftgate.

Also, not sure how to read the words that are in all caps, it makes me wonder if you are mad about this and I am just discussing my views. Hopefully you are not angry about this as that is not my intent.

On a jet, bouncing around so please excuse spelling and grammar errors. Not that I am ever good with spelling or grammar but I have an excuse this time.

Cheers,
Todd

Yes, it aggravates me when people don't deal with integrity.

It should

It should

Trying out different places for meals can be hit or miss sometimes. It's frustrating when a restaurant doesn't meet your expectations, especially when it comes to service charges. I totally get the whole principle thing.

Hi Pat,

Sorry for the slow reply, I'm running on island time and not on the electronics as much, but I wanted you to know that I had reached back out to the owner/manager of Dinghy's BB&G and their reply is below. I think the response more than speaks for itself. Your gracious response to it happening to you and John a second time also speaks for itself. I would hope that the issue is now corrected and visitors can go there and enjoy the facilities and not have undue anxiety. And those that say they'll never go there, the business is probably better off.

Based on my post in the "Dinghy's Umbrellas" thread, it appears to me that the owner is really trying to do the right thing. I will be heading over there in an hour or so.

I would agree 100%. I hope most people would give them a fair shake and understand that there are honest mistakes, best intentions that fall short and growing pains for most small businesses. I hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy your day at Dinghy's.

You know bedeeley, what he should have done was to not assume that people were lying to begin with and done some investigation up front.

Thanks, and I hope they follow through on what was posted.

CXHill, where on God's Green Earth do you make the connection that he thought anyone was lying? He is doing what any good manager/owner would do, when made aware of a problem with his business, he is addressing it with his employees and trying to correct it.

Because he denied it was happening.

So when he states that there is not to be any SC except for large groups does he mean not even the 15% for smaller parties that many other Dutch establishments add on? I guess Linda will find out today.

No he did not. And, "that's the facts Jack"

I guess we will eventually find out here from a first hand patron providing they are a smaller group than 6.