I bristled briefly at the random reference to "seedier parts of NYC", but then decided that the mention was actually quite apt, since we used to be "Niew Amsterdam", of course.

McDonald's will give you all the ketchup you want here, but since they make you pay for the crummy hamburger, you may as well go to a coffee shop and have a good one.

No voluntary tip, it's a mandatory service charge in most European nations and they add it into the bill.

(And then I've seen a waiter lie when asked by an American tourist if there was a service charge added or whether a tip was expected. I had to show the man and his wife on the menu where it noted [in Dutch] that the service charge was added. The waiter was angry with me, of course. However, as noted above, there are bad apples in all cultures, and for the most part my experience with the Dutch has been very positive. Now, if we could just do something about those small beer glasses . . . )

A trip to the Albert Heijn market is in order if you plan to spend any time in the Netherlands, and you like fries (or your low on money and living on fries), and you really are accustomed to ketchup. In the past I've bought a bottle in the market soon after arriving and take some with me when I go out.
A few people have had a good laugh when I pull a bottle of ketchup out of my bag in the pub.

I think the last couple of European trips I just ate the fries with mayo. Palatable when warm, but those cold fries covered in mayo...

Well, if I have to pay for ketchup in Europe I am never going to go! Their loss!

Analise:
Last time I passed thru AMS on either NW or CO, there was a currency exchange booth, I believe, where the baggage belts are. On the back side of this booth, there was one or two ATM machines that worked just fine.
This is clearly the better situation than going thru customs etc. and then, to find an ATM, having to drag bagggage up to the DEPARTURE area where almost all ATMs are located in European airports.

For currency exchange, I'd recommend doing it at the airport (many locations throughout AMS) or at train stations (GWK Banks at nearly all stations in the NL). Avoid the ones in the cities. They often have worse rates, and as you experienced, you might be buying something you don't want.

satori I like your suggestion of going to the supermarket to pick up some ketchup.

FewMiles..

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Ok, how about this?

I paid the money to try the mayo on the fries at Burger King at the Schipol Airport, and when I left to eat it, guess what - no mayo.

I was too tired to go back and fight for my .50 guilder.

So you burned the place down then?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/002171.html

FWIW: The dutch independent competition agency agreed to stop criminal investigations into the banks fees for changing foreign currency, it seems the banks had formed a cartel and had agreed to hugt prices, to compensate this and to buy off the criminal charges they will lower the charges to almost a tenth of the current rate...

This thread is sad. I only wish that we British were as accommodating, pleasant, helpful, and courteous as the Dutch.Quite simply they are the most tolerant poeple that I know. I have never had trouble, intimidation, threats or hostility in the streets of Amsterdam day or night. Like all capitals in Europe it has a drug and immigration problem, and so carrying large amount of cash is unwise, and taking walks at the back of the railway station is stupid. I am sorry that you had to pay for ketchup and mayonnaise. I would never have thought of that as a cause for concern, but then it depends what you are used to. I do not frequest the MacDs and Burger Kings of Europe so what you say is news to me.

Vulcan,

Thanks for that tip. I'm not planning on checking in any bags since my trip is merely for a long weekend. Will I be walking by the baggage carousel anyway? If not, are there any ATMs en route through customs and immigration? Or are the ATM's after customs and immigration?

Thanks Paul, I consider myself half dutch and half scotish, yes we are tolerent, why do you have to pay for mayo and ketchup?

Thats because not everyone wants mayo or ketchup, so the fries can be priced cheaper, there is no point in letting someone buy fries who does not want mayo but still let them indirectly pay for it, to me it is a great example of democracy!

If I were to sell you fries but let you pay for mayo when you do not want it, that would be stealing, that would be a legitimaite reason to start this thread...

Re. the bank charges that started this thread, yes, the charges were over the top, but why oh why did you go to the first small bank you could find? Wh�n I change money on the UK or US I pay the same fees and rates, it is common knowledge all over the world that you don't go to these kind of banks, kind of the same as not making long phone calls from your hotel room or using non licensed cabs in the US, I suggest doing some research before losing more money...

All IMHO though.....

This is simply NOT TRUE, I have never come across a restaurant over here where you have to pay for the restroom when eating there, it is true that public toilets are not free, this is quite normal and I see this in almost every country in the world.

Let's not forget that the USA is the only county that offers free refills on everything, that's what you get when you have that much choice, the competition creates it.

AMS airport has ATMs throughout. You're going to have to walk past the baggage carousel anyways on your way to the exit. Once you go out the doors, look for any of the bureaux de change. There are usually ATMs situated next to them.

FewMiles..

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sxhan, with all due respect, it seems you've had some bad luck with travel and travel-related providers lately. (I noticed your thread on your rental car damage as well as the late posting of your rental car miles.) I think you need to stop and slow down your pace a bit (or at least take a deep breathe before making decisions when you are not home). All the problems you have encountered are unfortunate but certainly avoidable. Your words of warning are certainly appreciated by those who will follow in your footsteps, but many times common sense is the best defense.

For example, you mentioned that there was a line of 10-plus people at the closest ATM. That represents a 10-15 minute wait. That's not an ungodly wait, and ATMs are definitely the preferred method of changing money while traveling. In the end, crossing the street, dealing with a new line, and talking to the clerk would have taken 5-10 minutes anyway. If you carry a book (perhaps on travel scams), a local newspaper, or a PDA, you could have spent the extra 5-10 minutes reading and/or writing and you may have been more willing to tolerate a wait in line.

On the other issue here: as for charging for ketchup or extra sauce for the chicken mcnuggets in other countries, that is perfectly legit in my view. It is a different country with different customs and business practices. Otherwise, it wouldn't be called foreign travel.

I'd stick with drinking Heineken (or going to the "coffee shops") and trying to ride those silly bicycles thru the red light district at high speeds. You'll make your money go farther!