Bansko Ski Resort Bulgaria

Robbed by a Bansko Waiter

We should have realised when we the waiter told us that the menu was only available in Bulgarian until the Ski season started that there was something amiss - especially in the middle of Bansko - but at the time I thought nothing of it. After all the waiter was so friendly and seemed so concerned that we make the right choice when it came to order.

We couldn’t read a word of the menu so rather than play ‘Pin the Tail on the Menu’ we decided to let the waiter recommend us some dishes, which he was very happy to do.

When I got the bill a couple of hours later it was for 108 Leva. To make matters worse, I had already taken 60 leva out of my wallet and thought ‘I’ll leave him the change from the 60 for a tip’. There’s nothing like the feeling of knowing you’ve just been taken for a ride as you hand over the money.

Ok, if you’re in the U.K or Ireland this is a reasonable price - around 40 quid. In Bansko, we were stung for about 4 times the average price. 108 Leva is a weeks wage in Bansko for many of it’s workers.

I know, I know, I should have asked him to explain the price, I should have asked for the manager but when you’re in a foreign country it’s difficult to do and I suspect people who hike prices up like this to unsuspecting foreigners know that.

To cap it all the meat was tough and the meal was nowhere near the standard of the other places we had eaten. So, ‘food buyer beware’ - If you are told the menu is only in Bulgarian then better to go elsewhere.

Most restaurants in Bansko and even in some of the smaller towns elsewhere will have the menu in Bulgarian with English equivalent below. They will also have the prices. This way you can be aware of what you are getting and for what price.

That said, I can’t remember seeing anything on the menu that could ever have added up to the price we were charged. If the waiter hadn’t been 16 Stone and built like a shithouse I’d have headbutted him. As it stands, I give him his dough and quietly left, vowing never to return .

It was a dear lesson learnt.

Tags: bansko, ski, eating out bansko, bansko restaurants, bulgaria

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 14th, 2007 at 2:35 pm and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.