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Was I overcharged at McDonalds?

Was I overcharged at McDonalds?

Old Jul 16, 2017, 4:11 pm
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by DaileyB
... was told the price was 4 yuan. Was the old price pictured on the bottom of the counter outdated, or was I overcharged?
I stopped at a Burger King in France last week and had a sundae with topping for 4$. Who's being overcharged now?

PS: Enjoy your 4 yuans sundaes.
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Old Jul 16, 2017, 4:54 pm
  #32  
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Originally Posted by WorldLux
I stopped at a Burger King in France last week and had a sundae with topping for 4$. Who's being overcharged now?

PS: Enjoy your 4 yuans sundaes.
Sundaes are y8 cone was y4. I think the US price is a buck so China ain't that cheap.
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Old Jul 16, 2017, 5:17 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by DaileyB
Anacapamalibu. Post 26

Just for clarification. There was nothing like the display you pictured in post 26 at the stalls in which I bought the ice cream. The only numbers I saw were on the front of the stall.
Yes, the photo showed a small location, not enough room for those large
overhead menu. The large menu is good design...fast food places in US got so much text it gives you a headache trying to read it.
.
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Old Jul 16, 2017, 9:14 pm
  #34  
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Originally Posted by YuropFlyer
This kind of "second dessert 50% off" things are quite often to be found in China.

Even without really understanding Chinese characters, I often spot them (and use those offers sometimes).

Obviously I try to avoid US-American chains like McDonalds as much as possible, but local restaurants often run discounts too.

One thing in China to note is that discounts aren't given in "30% off", or "40% off", but rather the opposite. If you see a sign saying "9折" it doesn't mean 90% off, but rather 10% off.

This website does describe it pretty well:

https://ninchanese.com/blog/2014/02/...ts-in-chinese/
It is simple: Pay x/10 of the price. 9折 means 9/10.
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Old Jul 17, 2017, 12:24 pm
  #35  
 
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Originally Posted by DaileyB
Although I didn't think it was originally relevant, I will add that the lighted display above the counter prominently displayed 2y. Didn't show in picture because of the reflection.
You repeatedly say that the sign says "2y," but the photo that you posted, as well as those from others, clearly prove that they don't make such a claim.

"Ą2" would indicate a price of 2 yuan, whereas the signs say 第2个 ("the 2nd one"). Are you confusing 个 (simplified character for "piece") with Ą?

Or is your contention that the numeral "2" deceptively suggests Ą2? As with YuropFlyer's example of 9折 meaning 10% discount, this kind of advertising is endemic across Greater China. So is using 2 in the context of "2nd."

Either way, this rather bolsters the case for learning Chinese culture and language if you plan to do business with Chinese people.
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Old Jul 17, 2017, 2:15 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by sinoflyer
You repeatedly say that the sign says "2y," but the photo that you posted, as well as those from others, clearly prove that they don't make such a claim.

"Ą2" would indicate a price of 2 yuan, whereas the signs say 第2个 ("the 2nd one"). Are you confusing 个 (simplified character for "piece") with Ą?

Or is your contention that the numeral "2" deceptively suggests Ą2? As with YuropFlyer's example of 9折 meaning 10% discount, this kind of advertising is endemic across Greater China. So is using 2 in the context of "2nd."

Either way, this rather bolsters the case for learning Chinese culture and language if you plan to do business with Chinese people.
Yeah, I would say this confusion comes down to not knowing the symbol for Yuan and thus mixing up a number with a price. Even short-time tourists should learn the currency symbol to avoid just this sort of confusion!
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Old Jul 17, 2017, 8:23 pm
  #37  
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If you can can buy a cone on Broadway in Manhattan for a dollar. In Wuhan China you would think .29 cents (y2) is a reasonable price. Based on average salary and median income y4 is price gauging.
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Old Jul 18, 2017, 8:09 am
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by anacapamalibu
If you can can buy a cone on Broadway in Manhattan for a dollar. In Wuhan China you would think .29 cents (y2) is a reasonable price. Based on average salary and median income y4 is price gauging.
This is not how pricing of goods works.
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Old Jul 18, 2017, 9:22 am
  #39  
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^
Originally Posted by JPDM
This is not how pricing of goods works.
A typical two-bedroom new home in Beijing now costs around 6 million yuan ($870,000), about 69 times the average per capita disposable income in the city, much higher than the ratio of less than 25 times for New York City.
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Old Jul 18, 2017, 10:38 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by anacapamalibu
^

A typical two-bedroom new home in Beijing now costs around 6 million yuan ($870,000), about 69 times the average per capita disposable income in the city, much higher than the ratio of less than 25 times for New York City.
Right. That's my point. Labour costs are not the determinant. But you are comparing "typical" and "average", not sure how relevant this comparison is.
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Old Jul 18, 2017, 5:54 pm
  #41  
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Sinoflyer “ Are you confusing 个 (simplified character for "piece") with Ą?“

Yes, have zero prolems with McD. My fault. By the way, I was in Yichang for 3 days and their ice cream stalls did have a sign in the background referring to 4y. Also, I had no concern with McD cheating me per se. I know that would be a public relations disaster. More concerned with franchisee or employee scamming me. Or, as it turned out to be the case, was I misunderstanding the situation.

Finally I have been tutored in Chinese for last 6 months with total emphasis on oral, which I should change a bit.
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Old Jul 19, 2017, 2:33 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by DaileyB
Mapleg. “Exactly. OP cannot even read the pricing sign and then comes on here and kvetches about this “


From what I can see, a major point of this forum is to help people who do not have a lot of knowledge about China, which would include people who can't read Chinese characters. I had a reasonable question from that perspective and it was answered, which I appreciate. You should get off of your self-righteous high horse.
High Horse? Here on flyertalk? Hmmm...at least it's not a hobby horse.

You are complaining about 30 cents. When people complain about money they commonly mention that it's not the money, it's the principle, or that their curiosity was piqued.
It's always about the money. Why even fret about it?
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Old Jul 19, 2017, 4:22 pm
  #43  
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Mapleg “You are complaining about 30 cents.“

If you are going to take potshots at someone, you should at least read their posts. You are too lazy and lacking in good manners to even do that. (See my post no. 6) In addition to the reason stated in 6, I was also curious as to how one price could be prominently stated in signs (I incorrectly thought) and another price charged to the customer. My, in some cases apparently wrong assumption, was that people would understand that where 29 cents was involved, as well as someone being potentially lied to, that I didn't need to explain the obvious focus of my concern was the potential lying and not the trivial 29 cents.

In any event, I will not waste my time further replying to any of your posts. You are welcome to have the last word.

Last edited by DaileyB; Jul 19, 2017 at 4:40 pm
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Old Jul 19, 2017, 7:09 pm
  #44  
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Overcharging on meals has some steep consequences.


A restauranteur from China has been brutally decapitated after an outraged customer accused him of overcharging by 3 yuan on a meal.

http://jx.people.com.cn/n2/2017/0220...-29739390.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peop...ted-diner.html
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