Sure, it’s not a wallet killer, but the point is still valid. And I had to pay NT$100!!!
[quote=“Quentin”][quote=“bismarck”]
Well, that would be in Tainan. I presumed it would be similiar elsewhere. In Tainan all nightclubs (dancing pubs) are free entrance for foreigners, even the Taiwanese oriented ones like LA Sight. On special occasions (like New Years) everyone pays, but usually not foreigners.
[/quote]
That’s not exactly true. Foreigners don’t pay on Foreigners’ Night (usually Fridays) but have to pay like everybody else on other nights. Similar to having one night a week as Ladies’ Night, and one night as Students’ Night. Of course if you wait until 3:30 A.M. anyone can get in for free…[/quote]
I beg to differ. I’ve never paid at LA Sight, Orient or elsewhere on any night other than New Years Eve. And I have arrived anywhere between 10pm and 2am on any given night. Maybe you’re doing something wrong.
[quote=“bobl”]It happens on the ferry to Green Island and the local markets as well. At the fruit stand next to our house, I always get charged 10-20 NT more than my wife. Doen’t matter if my wife is with with me or not.
Yesterday I got some sweet revenge though when the fruit lady came into our lighting store to buy a light bulb. The price was clearly marked on it as 50 NT, however I insisted that this was only a wai guo ren price and that for her it is 70 NT. She paid and then mumbled something like “next time I until your wife is here.”[/quote]
You should always ask for something like 100 NT$ or so of ‘something’, than they can’t overcharge you … 
I just remember that the hotels in Taipei had those ‘weekend’ promotions, only for Taiwan ID and ARC holders …
They have “foreigners’ night”??? That’s outrageous!
I was reminded of this thread earlier this week when after a business meeting a Taiwanese client was describing his bitter experience during a recent trip to Vietnam. They were being ripped off every step of the way and I truly felt sorry for them, but when he said:
“… and then, the final straw was when the hotel receptionist told us they would charge us ‘special prices for foreigners’ I went mad! I mean, can you believe that!!! Charging us more just because we’re from Taiwan???”
I was tempted to tell him “well, that’s what foreigners in Taiwan get, too!”.
Of course, I didn’t say anything, la. I’ve learned when to shut up when doing business in Taiwan.
I think Bismarck has it right when he says it’s a toss up. I get lots of treats and freebies from generous folks here. Every now and then though, somebody tries to pull a fast one… like the guy at the pharmacy across from the Kaohsiung municipal Siaogang hospital (I’m talkin’ to you, bub!), who wanted to charge me $200 for two cards of generic aspirin. A little bit of righteous indigation is in order every now and then. I told him in front of his staff and a store full of customers that his store was a ‘hei xin dian’. :raspberry: