Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum

Calis Beach Forum => Calis Bar and Restaurant Questions and Discussions => Topic started by: susie-q on September 23, 2009, 20:05:26 PM

Title: Hassled
Post by: susie-q on September 23, 2009, 20:05:26 PM
I have just come back from a great week in Calis with 6 friends.  It was great to see some old faces, with some people looking older than I remember!  (joking Scunner)..lol:D

One thing that spoiled it slightly was the amount of hassle we got walking along the front from staff in the restaurants.  I appreciate that they are all trying to win your business, but we got really peed off some nights when a polite "no thank you" was not accepted and we were almost chased by some guys and a few of them actually grabbed some of our party to drag them back to read their menu![:(!]

This does not encourage people to eat in that restaurant it just puts them off, and towards the end I just ignored them and didnt even answer them when they said "good evening" which made me feel awful because I just find that ignorant not to respond.:-\

If there are any restaurant owners or staff reading this post - PLEASE dont be too aggressive when trying to encourage people to eat in your restaurant.  Its not nice and does not generate business as we tended to eat in the places where we didnt get hassled or the staff just nodded a "good evening".  Its much more pleasureable being able to stop and read your menu without feeling intimidated and obliged to eat in your restaurant. If we get a chance to read your menu in peace, we will come back and spend money!

We spoke to a few holidaymakers in different bars and a lot of them made the comment about the amount of pressure that is put on you to go into restaurants.

I expect this level of hassle on the Costa Del Crap, but not in Calis.  Its worse than its ever been this year and very irritating.
Title: Hassled
Post by: bee on September 23, 2009, 20:26:03 PM
agree, i'ts one of the reasons we dont go along the front very often, i'ts quite hard going sometimes, I'ts a bit like lewises used to be in the perfumery department:(
Title: Hassled
Post by: Scunner on September 23, 2009, 20:44:04 PM
I never get hassled :D
Title: Hassled
Post by: susie-q on September 23, 2009, 20:51:18 PM
Youre not as pretty as me though Scunner!!  lol
Title: Hassled
Post by: Scunner on September 23, 2009, 20:54:08 PM
I'm easy to get in, according to Mrs Scunner I'm difficult to get out :D
Title: Hassled
Post by: Linda on September 23, 2009, 23:41:51 PM
I'm surprised and pleased to report that this is not happening in Hisaronu and Ovacik.... I presume the no hasseling rules apply in Calis as they do there!!  We also went down to Fethiye today with some friends who were on holiday to do some shopping and visited all the tourist traps and I am pleased to report that we were barely hassled, which came as a pleasant surprise   8)
Title: Hassled
Post by: denniz on September 24, 2009, 09:31:32 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Scunner

I never get hassled :D


same here,wonder why?...
Title: Hassled
Post by: Flamingo on September 24, 2009, 09:53:31 AM
I have had 6 weeks in Calis this season with my wife, a bit of hassle but not much, mostly a bit of banter which I like.
Have had a lot lot worse in other resorts

Frank  
Title: Hassled
Post by: Scunner on September 24, 2009, 09:58:20 AM
quote:
Originally posted by denniz


same here,wonder why?...



I think they gave up on getting the likes of you and I many years ago denniz :D
Title: Hassled
Post by: blueclad on September 24, 2009, 10:12:16 AM
we have had 3 x 3 week long breaks in calis this year with a little hassle from only the same 2 places on each visit with new front men this season  ,. one the front [ not even from  Rush this year , god hes mellowed since hes moved along the front  ],. we enjoy the very  minor banter with most of the front men and long term owners who remember us and  have become friends over the years we have visited..

a polite goodevening , no thanks , another night we may vist,   we find goes down ok
Title: Hassled
Post by: Scunner on September 24, 2009, 10:22:33 AM
I also tend to like listening to some ingenious methods used to charm people in. Without force, abuse or hassle in any way, some are very, very good at it. We went to Rushie's during the summer and his method is not the most ingenious but difficult to get around.

It starts with a question (I heard the question about 70 times during one meal)...

Do you remember me?

Answer 1: Yes (whether the do or not!) - and he's in.

Answer 2: No - "I am Ian Rush, the footballer, remember me now?" - and he's in.

:D
Title: Hassled
Post by: Piscoe on September 24, 2009, 13:18:27 PM
I tend not to get a lot of hassle but what I would term as hassle is perhaps not the same as others opinion. Yes of course I get asked if I would like to stop and drink or eat something but my stock response is always a "maybe later".

Like Scunner I quite like the banter and enjoy the new novel ways of getting you in. The market is the same of course but personally I find it hilarious. I recall one year when there was three of us (blokes) wanting to buy a pair of sandals so we decided to have a bet on who could get the cheapest pair of Prada's at the same store. The store owner couldn't know we were together so we took it in turns. When we had made our purchase after hours of haggling we decided on the winner (I came second by 3 lira) and then returned to the store owner to ask for a discount down to the cheapest price.

He saw the funny side of it and of course we gave him a big tip. Ever since any time he sees me he hides and shouts "Go away I am a poor man !!"

The moral of the story being that these people who we sometimes deem as hassling mean no harm. In fact you can have great fun with them.

Pete
Title: Hassled
Post by: Scunner on September 24, 2009, 13:46:14 PM
I think probably the best (and there has been stiff competition) was one night we were at Serkul 1, they were very busy but Serkul 2 next door was completely empty. Just human nature, it could easily have been the other way round but there comes a point in the evening where an empty restaurant really has it hard to get anyone in. The waiter sat on a chair just off the prom with his feet up on another. A family walked past, saw nobody in and naturally looked away and walked on. The waiter didn't stand up and he didn't even take his feet off the other chair. "The reason you walk past" he shouted "is because you think my restaurant is empty so it must be rubbish!". After a moment of complete shock, they protested that they hadn't thought anything of the sort and they were sure it was anything but rubbish and that his food would be as good as anyone else's, possibly better. 30 seconds later, he had them all sitting down with menus :D

The method is superb, as covered in Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people" - that being, if you want to sell something to someone and can't, get them to sell it to themselves. Classic.
Title: Hassled
Post by: june on September 24, 2009, 19:55:49 PM
Yes I like that Scunner....

I have to say I have never been hassled along the front, asked obviously, and my reply is either we will eat with you one of the nights....and we do, as if I say that I do it....they never forget!...if I say No then its a polie No thanks...meaning I will not eat there.....there are only a very few that I will not eat at and thats because of my own reasons.....

I have never had anyone pulling at me to go in and quite honestly I would stand for that anyway.........

Everyone has always been exremely polite and of course there are so
many that we know from going over the years so they are just like friends anyway and accept that you are not fgoing to eat there all the time.

A week today and we will be there.....fantastic....love the place..:D
Title: Hassled
Post by: julesbob0303 on September 24, 2009, 20:30:41 PM
I think a lot of the staff recognise you if you visit the area regularly, and are happy to accept your reply of "maybe later" or "maybe another night".  We never get hassled, though often stop for a quick chat/bit of banter as we walk along the front.

I think it's the newbies they aim for!  [:o)]
Title: Hassled
Post by: Highlander on September 24, 2009, 21:06:48 PM
Would generally agree Julesbob, but one particular fellow got right up my nose when we were over, especially when he started a sentence "I know our prices are dearer but let me explain". I never did hear the end of that sentence.
Title: Hassled
Post by: Scunner on September 24, 2009, 21:14:46 PM
Can we all have a guess?

"Next year's rent is due" [?]
Title: Hassled
Post by: puma on September 24, 2009, 23:11:06 PM
ours was from the chinese breeze why do you not come in my restuarant ( we did eat there one time )
easy, we like serkul one better
Title: Hassled
Post by: susie-q on September 26, 2009, 00:23:45 AM
I have been going to Calis for 6 years, and I have always enjoyed the banter from the guys in the restaurants...(no comment from you please Scunner!) The "maybe later"s, "not tonight thank yous", and polite "declines" did not work for me this year.  I dont know maybe its just me, but I found this year to be particularly annoying.  One guy actually said to us - "whats wrong with you people?"..just because we didnt want to stop and look at his menu...that is not banter thats just plain rude as far as Im concerned.
Title: Hassled
Post by: tiddly winks on September 26, 2009, 14:22:58 PM
I remember our first night walking along the front. Was a pretty funny night.

We tended to walk along nearer the beach and use other groups as buffers for us. Though by the end of the holiday we kept stopping for chats with some of the guys as well.

Me and my sister are gonna send our friends down the front themselves and seee how they cope with it!
Title: Hassled
Post by: tonyb on September 27, 2009, 15:44:02 PM
I was given the impression that they weren't supposed to cross the red line which runs down the middle of the prom. Most of the guys are polite & you don't get much grief.  If you think you get hassle in Calis, then try Marmaris. Those guys really have got hassle down to a fine art!!!!