Carrefour Udon Thani

[jingjai]

Went back at 9 am today and the parking lot was virtually empty. I guess the key is to get there early to get a parking space.

I think that once all the newness hoopla is over and school is back in session, etc., things will settle down there. But, I will always go early because that is when I shop.

Also cheese section informed "such a wide range of cheeses".Where was the cheddar?

I thought the cheese selection was good and I found a block of Vintage Cheddar.

IMO Tesco Lotus in general ,wins hands! down.followed by Macro and Big C

Perhaps, instead of trying to defend Carrefour, I should be happy about the above sentiments. Less people, less hassle, IMO.
Seriously though, I think many of our expectations have been too high. I never expected them to equal the Pattaya store, but from what I saw and purchased today, I am very happy with the store.

[arjay]

Please don't mention recommendations for other competing businesses on sponsor's threads.

Sponsors are understandably likely to feel aggrieved if they are paying for their own topic/thread, only to have competitors establishments recommended on it!

[papaguido]

JJ,

The tortillas are in refrigerator/freezer across from the packaged German sausages and just down from the ice creme. The chorizo for 229 was in the same freezer section as the German sausages, but sounds like you found the better deal.

[trubrit]

Well I visited for the third time yesterday.The wife went crazy on discounted clothing, spent a fortune but the wife said we saved a fortune, Female logic I suppose.I accumulated 280bhts worth of discount coupons, but was dissapointed to be told I couldn't put them towards a bottle of single malt as a treat for myself, but I can live with that.Plenty of other goodies qualified for discount. Interested to note a small packet of Pate De Fois Gra was priced at 1098bht. Don't think they will be selling many of them. Even out of my range. I have never been a lover of dark bread but I must admit the brown yeast rolls are delicious, and the cream horns are superb.As mentioned before, its not a cheap place, although many items are considerably cheaper than their competitors, but the freshness and variety on offer is , in my view , unsurpassed.A special note to those that love a white bait as starters, its available at 50bht a kid(100grams) and served with a splash of lemon on a bed of lettuce it really starts a meal on a high note.
Also worthy of mention is the ready cooked food counter offering a terrific variety of take away Thai meals from just a measly 25bht. So you see. Whatever your budget , you will find a happy solution at Carrefours.

[pompui]

I will be going on saturday but arjay at times we have to mention competitors when competing prices so that members can make a judgement.Even trubrit mentions the ready cooked food counter is just a measly 25 baht but the competitors offer the same,this is not unique to Carrefour.I personally prefer the varied ready cooked counter at the --- c store and at same prices!Each supermarket has plusses or minuses the parking issue is a big disappointment and that is why if I ever have the need for Carrefour will have to inconvenience myself by going very early which is not the norm for me.So personally for me limited extra foods that I will purchase maybe once a month,the weekly shopping elsewhere.Good though to have all this choice.To me it is dangerous when parking is being made on the hard shoulder outside the store just because they did not buy enough land or did they just want to impress by making the store too big at expense of parking.

[pompui]

Sorry forgot to mention but if I see the farang manager I will bring it to his attention about the otop stall on ground floor that, the last time I went, was selling all types of kitchen knives but on a table area that was low enough for kids to walk past and pick up.Not very safe if you ask me.
He has my business for one day a month but surely the carrefour business plan would have wanted me to go more often.
Hopefully he can reassure me of the concerns I have for my safety in the store and when leaving!

[trubrit]

I agree 100% with your observation. However I think you will find the manager is purely responsible for the supermarket and all the other outlets come under the jurisdiction of the property holding company from whom they rent a lease.If you ask I am sure they will have an office in the complex somewhere.

[philo]

Don't expect too much.
If the stores in BKK are anything to go by, they will sell virtually the same items as Tesco lotus, and charge about B1-B2 more.

Like the website ......... you click on the Union Jack to get it in English ....... look at the map to find out where it is, and find it is located on a road with a Thai Name (No number) about 1 (something) from a junction that leads to somewhere that has planes. So assuming it is South of Udon (map drawn with North at the bottom), I think we can safely assume it is either 1) out past the airport on route 210 towards Nong Bua Lamphu, OR 2) somewhere past the air base on or near Route 2 towards Khon Kean.

I think their publicity manager and Web manager will not be in a job for very long

Exellent observation. I clicked on the CF link and found some Eng(sorry Thing)lish stupidities. But you need a Masters Degree to find this:

http://www.carrefour.co.th/eng/locations/udon.aspx

and you need a PhD in WB science to be able to deduct where the shop is.

I'm out ...

[philo]

Oops, I forgot. The 1 something is 1 Gor Gai Mor Maa (or whatever), which is 1 km.

Take a look here

http://learn-thai-podcast.com/thai-alphabet.php:

[papaguido]

I bought two chorizo sausages, total charge 66 baht, they are 39 baht per 100gr. They are located in the section where one can buy sliced to order meats and individual sausages (right in front of the bakery).

Went this morning and bought 2 links of this chorizo ^. They're actually 66bt for 100gr. Mine came out to 1.70gr for 110bt. Now the bad news, it's nothing like what I'm used to in the US or Mexican chorizo. It's doesn't break down when cooked with eggs typical of huevos con chorizo, so save your if that's what you're expecting.

[jetdoc]

Although the pork burritos were tasty, they are not like what you get in the US or Mexico.

[papaguido]

Although the pork burritos were tasty, they are not like what you get in the US or Mexico.

More like Taco Bell I bet

[saint]

finaly got to carrefours yesturday , and after all the halabaloo about the place , was looking forward to finding something differant . how wrong can you be ? totaly disapointed . they had a golden opppertunity to do something a little differant , but no . same old same old . the only thing that they beat tescos with , is unfortunately price . as much as i think tescos are sharks , it looks like they will be keeping my business for a while yet . shame really .

[westerby]

How do the prices of Tesco and Carrefour compare with the Big C or Makro?

[retep123]

Carrefour has an excellent bakery and a wide range of delicious French cheese.
So it is nonsense to compare with other supermarkets in Udon.
Let us be glad that they have come to here.
So what when some prices are a bit higher?

[douglas]

Hi,
People have said the butchers were good there so i took a look.
Looked at the cooked pork shanks, YUK, over cooked and shrivelled up, i don't think i could get my teeth into them, or even cut them,, overcooked and at a to high temp. Same as Tescos, IMO Big C is the only supermarket to do them correctly. We decided to buy a fresh one and cook it ourselves wrong, the fresh ones, a whole shank, was cut three quarters of the way through every inch, asked if they had one that was not cut through like this, got a blank stare, asked a supervisor why cut like this, she didn't know. Well it's back to the local market for me, there are butchers down there. Priced the German snags there, 450B for five normal size Brat. sausages. Out of my league. Went to display fridge, heard there were pigs hearts for sale there, HELP. The hearts were cut in halve, if you oven cook like this tend to dry out and i like my hearts with stuffing in them, unable to do this.
I think i will be sticking to my local supplier.
Cheers Doug.

[mortiboy]

Carrefour has an excellent bakery and a wide range of delicious French cheese.
So does the" other" supermarkets!
I did'nt see granary bread or harvester wholemeal.
"Delicious french cheese?' OH well, one mans food is another ones poison! Vintage cheese?.... Yes its at the other shops too.
The point is, What has Carrifour have to offer compared with the "others"

[Aardvark]

I must admit the lack of good cheese in Udon has always been a problem, if Carrefour have answered that problem I for one am very happy signed the cheese loving Aardvark

[saint]

Carrefour has an excellent bakery and a wide range of delicious French cheese.
So it is nonsense to compare with other supermarkets in Udon.
Let us be glad that they have come to here.
So what when some prices are a bit higher?

mediocre bakery dept , no differant to big c or tesco , but i will admit they did have a fair selection of smelly cheese , however i think you might have to sell a child to pay for it !!!!!! please explain to me why i should be glad there here , whats so differant ? diddly squat !!!! just everything more expensive , oh yes , i just love wasting my money . my whole point was they had a great oppertunity to capture the farang market , but that would of meant foresight ,planning , and a little less greed .instead they decided to offer the same crap tesco do , but up the anti .

[jingjai]

The point is, What has Carrifour have to offer compared with the "others"

I'll quote myself to answer that question Morti:

I paid my first visit this morning, bright and early. Easy parking going in at 9am, and when we left at 10:30, the car park was only 1/3 full. Plus #1.
I agree, it isn't as good as the Pattaya store, but for Udon it is pretty damn good, IMO.
Nice wide aisles. The shelves were all well stocked already at 9am. There were no large palettes blocking 2/3 of the aisle, which is standard operating procedure at Tesco. Plus #2.
Check out was a breeze at 10:15, quick and efficient. Plus #3
Before we went into the store, we signed up for the Carrefour "I Wish" card, after presenting it at check out and receiving our receipt, we were directed to a table where we presented the receipt for 1800 baht worth of purchases, and received a coupon for 110 baht off our purchases on our next visit (expires May 1). Plus #4

Plus I saw many, many items that the competitors do not carry.
For me, bottom line, Carrefour, all in all, offers a much better shopping experience than the "others". IMO.