Mexico is a foodie’s wet dream. It has the best food in all of Latin America, incredible service and affordable prices. However, as Kim’s Mexican mom says, her countryman can be a little mañoso (tricky). Come bill time, it often arrives with a few extra surprises. With these few tips, we learned the hard way, you can skip past the frustration and be on your way to enjoying the amazing fruits this country has to offer.
- ALWAYS CHECK YOUR BILL CAREFULLY – What are all the local diners doing in every restaurant? They’re going over their bills like accountants on tax day. These “mistakes” restaurants make on checks isn’t just for tourists, so don’t take it personally. Just call the waiter over to sort that shit out.
- Ask for the final price on promotional offers when the price isn’t listed – We had racked up a few drinks on a 2 for 1 special. Beers cost 15 pesos on the menu but they charged us 20 for each special. The waiter told us there was a different price for the promotion. We didn’t buy his explanation, so we paid only what we thought was owed and split. The next day, the same thing happened on a 5 for 3 taco special, only this time the waiter gave us a heads up. Apparently, this is common practice in Mexico, so always ask.
- If something extra is offered, don’t assume it’s included in your meal – “Would you like rice or beans?” It might be included, but don’t be surprised if an additional charge shows up on your bill.
- If you receive something unexpected, don’t be afraid to ask about it and how much it costs – We ordered a small pitcher of juice and what showed up was a four liter monstrosity. Instead of saying, “Is this really 30 pesos?”, we laughed and took pictures. When the bill came in at twice the amount, we didn’t really have much of an argument. I mean, we did drink some even though it was a ridiculous amount of juice.
- When ordering a set meal, make sure your choices are included in the price – At a nicer eatery, we ordered a set breakfast which included coffee. There were several coffee choices (this being southern Mexico), all at the same price. Once the check arrived, we were charged for an extra brew…why? Because our arbitrary choice was not the one included in the meal.
Long story short, check and double check what you are paying for. Generally speaking, it’s hard to imagine a better place to eat than Mexico. Shit, we almost wept with the first bite of a taco after 6 long months in the culinary wasteland of South America. So to have a great time eating in Mexico just steer clear of these mañoso practices and remember to eat your face off.
Such is the advantage of speaking the local language: the ability to question the prices.
I’m very curious about tipping, though; what’s the sitch?
You should tip 10% for good service but its definitely not obligatory (like in the States). I spoke to some people in food services who said that if waiters aren’t doing a good job, they know they won’t get a good tip. Also, remember that some servers aren’t getting paid at all – minimum wage and health benefits in Mexico? HA! They even have to buy their own uniforms! So if the service is good, be generous 🙂
I think this is one of the most significant information for me.
And i’m glad reading your article. But want to remark on some general things, The website style
is ideal, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers