Please Stay Aware in Bars/Restaurants

[Heather]

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

I have the perception that everywhere I go people are possibly going to try and rip me off...

Well, I'm pretty much like this wherever I go in the world, particularly in places where I'm unfamiliar with the currency. I'm a bill-checker by nature.

[The Duke]

The way I understand it, there's a tax on food usually included in the price of the food, but not always. Propina or servicio is the tip that may or may not be included in the bill, but it should be clearly marked on the bill. I haven't had problems, but the bills at some places are difficult to digest.

[Heather]

Originally Posted by Susie Q Roo

HOWEVER... pleasepleaseplease don't just assume this is going to happen to you and rudely demand explanations from every waiter. MOST workers here aren't cheats and cons and thieves. The bad few shouldn't make it ugly for the rest of them. Assume the best, just be prepared for the worst and handle things quietly, peacefully, and respectfully. Sometimes a bad bill really IS just a mistake. Point it out and give them the opportunity to correct it without making accusations. Our reaction to the overcharging shouldn't be as shameful as the cheating is.

I thought it was a good time to underline this very important point Susie made in her initial post on this thread.

I think I might have misunderstood what so upset Steve and feel perhaps I've misspoken on this thread myself.

Don't assume it is going to happen everywhere you go because it won't. Just be aware of what the deal is with regard to tax and propina/servicio, and try to keep your wits about you. Also, as several people have said, if it is an incorrect bill, often it IS an honest mistake, so don't immediately jump to any conclusions about someone trying to rip you off.

[SunKneeMarie]

Originally Posted by Heather

Well, I'm pretty much like this wherever I go in the world, particularly in places where I'm unfamiliar with the currency. I'm a bill-checker by nature.

I don't do much of anything worldwide, so it's not a currency thing to me so much as I just double check everything that has to do with me paying out money. And like I said, this is not a Mexico issue to me, it's just people everywhere trying to pull something over on me. If that makes me overly suspicious by nature, then that's a label I guess I have to wear.

I keep every receipt I get until my credit card statement arrives to make sure the numbers are all the same... because I've had discrepencies and had to take the receipt into the store to show them what I have versus what they have... they may have transposted numbers or hit a key twice when entering... or they may have padded a few extra bucks... honest mistake or dishonest mistake, I don't go storming in and scream at anyone... I just point out the discrepency and we go from there...

Maybe this particular problem is a tourist area issue... if there are people who are going to try and rip someone off, they're going to do it in an environment that fosters that... pickpockets work crowds at fairgrounds, etc, because it makes the most sense to do it there... none of this is inherent to Mexico by any means...

[TEX]

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

Steve I paid cash. Thank you.
I am a tourist. The fact that you seem to care less about my opinion as a tourist explains things.
No problem if there is a tax. I will gladly pay tax.
If it is a tax why then is the server calling it a "propina". Why would the server tell me it is a tip when it is really a tax that the business owner would pay? Makes no sense to me. Then they would have no tip. No logic there.

Furthermore I am confused about your arguement. How does having $200 pesos added onto a $500 bill have anything to do with tax?????? What is the exact tax on food please so I can be clear.

Sorry but I just read this post and then read your sig line and couldn't help but laugh......

"Don't tax my gig so hard-core....cruster!"-Pauly Shore

Carry on

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by Heather

I don't see it as a perception if it's really happening here, though. And I don't think it's necessarily this way everywhere in Mexico, but it does get tried here in PdC.

I think it happens all over, it's happened to us in Zihua and Huatulco too, more than once in both....and in Cabo.... the only place it didn't happen was sleepy little Sayulita. Like small towns everywhere in the world, possibly fewer people and less money = less greed + more honesty.

And of course not only in Mexico- no one has said that here, Steve. People have said the opposite several times though.


I pointed out too that it happens everywhere- you have to watch your change like a hawk in Dublin I just read a few seconds ago-but in poorer countries where people make very little money, it's going to be even more commonplace. right? It's not only greed, but more need there.

[Tommygurl]

Originally Posted by Heather

I thought it was a good time to underline this very important point Susie made in her initial post on this thread.

I think I might have misunderstood what so upset Steve and feel perhaps I've misspoken on this thread myself.

Don't assume it is going to happen everywhere you go because it won't. Just be aware of what the deal is with regard to tax and propina/servicio, and try to keep your wits about you. Also, as several people have said, if it is an incorrect bill, often it IS an honest mistake, so don't immediately jump to any conclusions about someone trying to rip you off.

I agree....My point was meant to be I noticed it way more this trip. I am fairly easy going and totally understand misunderstandings & mistakes occur. I do however know when I am being taken.
I am not the only one who I heard this happenned to this trip. All I wanted to say was be aware, ask if the propina is included, keep an estimate in your head etc.
Or start eating at Mega & Pizza Pazza like we did.
Anyway I have over 1300 pictures to go through...Onto the positive por moi!

[Heather]

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

I agree....My point was meant to be I noticed it way more this trip. I am fairly easy going and totally understand misunderstandings & mistakes occur. I do however know when I am being taken.
I am not the only one who I heard this happenned to this trip. All I wanted to say was be aware, ask if the propina is included, keep an estimate in your head etc.
Or start eating at Mega & Pizza Pazza like we did.
Anyway I have over 1300 pictures to go through...Onto the positive por moi!

Oh sweetie, I know that. I know you had it happen to you a few times this trip and I TOTALLY believe you know you were being ripped off. I was posting what Susie said again just to show others that it isn't always necessarily malicious, not to discount your experience AT ALL. I've been ripped off a handful of times, especially at that one place it happened to you at, and by someone who is a FRIEND. There are a few places that I can think of that are notorious for it.

[gottago]

and here's something a little different:

i won't bother to mention the name of the place, because it's no longer in business, but i used to be a regular and was always greeted warmly when i'd return to playa. over many visits, it always seemed that the ink on the bill was rather faint... perhaps my trips always coincided with the coming death of the ink cartridge. anyway, near the bottom of the bill there was a little item called suggeste propina. it was a lesser percentage than i normally tip so i'd always double the amount and add it to the total of the bill.

well, silly me, because on one particular visit i noticed that they had forgotten to charge me for something so i brought it to their attention so they wouldn't miss out on some money. i went over the bill with the server which was hard to do with the faint ink, adding up item by item, and i discovered that the "suggested" tip was already added to the total. here's the good part... the server told me they always did this and he looked dumbfounded when i said that it says "suggested" and not "included" and he said he thought i was always aware of this. so, it turned out that they were getting quite the tips from me for a long time. no wonder i was so warmly greeted whenever i'd show up. i'm a moron.

in the end, i always had a good time and it never stopped me from loving playa or wanting to return.

[pslucky]

Originally Posted by Heather

Oh sweetie, I know that. I know you had it happen to you a few times this trip and I TOTALLY believe you know you were being ripped off. I was posting what Susie said again just to show others that it isn't always necessarily malicious, not to discount your experience AT ALL. I've been ripped off a handful of times, especially at that one place it happened to you at, and by someone who is a FRIEND. There are a few places that I can think of that are notorious for it.

Would it be inappropriate to share this information?

[Heather]

Originally Posted by pslucky

Would it be inappropriate to share this information?

Hmmm. I'm not sure it would be a great idea, since staff turnover is high and if there are bad apples, they could have been weeded out since my last experience.

[pslucky]

Originally Posted by Heather

Hmmm. I'm not sure it would be a great idea, since staff turnover is high and if there are bad apples, they could have been weeded out since my last experience.

That's more than understandable.

Anyway, a story of scammers being anywhere and everywhere... Years and years ago I worked at a high-volume, tourist seafood restaurant in Florida. Some servers were fired from their jobs for adding stuff to checks belonging to big groups. Apparently it was very easy to add un-ordered food or drinks to a big table's bill, especially when one person indicated to the server that they planned on "picking up" the check. Normally they'd just hand the server a credit card- and it was a free-for-all from there on out. The person picking up the tab had no way of knowing what everyone in his group ordered, and the waitstaff would be doing shots and drinking high-priced frozen drinks.

So, I agree with everyone else, scammers are everywhere. I believe the language difference for many tourists in Playa just creates an opportunity for these scammers to crawl out from under their rocks. But the will find opportunities everywhere!! JMO.

[Buggirl]

We had a good trip, bill padding wise. We've had a couple of instances in the past that were corrected once we commented- so no big deal. On this trip, we had one bar charge us 55p for 50p margaritas and one beach club added 20 extra pesos to our bill that we didn't notice (but they've been spot-on in the many, many times we've been there in the past, this waiter included, so I think it was probably some sort of mistake) Oh and at the same beach club that TG had some trouble with, we got change for 200p when we gave them 500p. But it was corrected quickly, so again, I would assume honest mistake...

One thing I noticed, though is that more restaurants/bars are adding servico charges to the bill. Something in the neighborhood of 10-12%. Even if the menu explicitly states "tip not included". Just something to look out for...

I also want to name a few of the restaurants that gave us great service, in no particular order:
La Pesca (this one was impressive, because with 40 people- it was chaos)
El Fogon
HC Monterray
Pirata
Casa Mediterranea (sp?)- and they split the entree we shared onto 2 plates for us- great service!
Carboncitos
Pizza Pazza- I'm with TG- have to give them a shout-out- love that pizza-and they always give exact change
Tequila Barrel- yes touristy and overpriced- but we stopped there for 2 beers and they gave us a printed reciept
La Tarraya
Playa Maya
Pinche Gringos
the Taco Bus- they practically chased us down to give us the reciept- we had already paid and left tip
Babes

There's probably more, but I drank too much to remember......

[sctx]

Originally Posted by Buggirl

Carboncitos
Pizza Pazza- I'm with TG- have to give them a shout-out- love that pizza-and they always give exact change
Tequila Barrel- yes touristy and overpriced- but we stopped there for 2 beers and they gave us a printed reciept
La Tarraya
Playa Maya
Pinche Gringos
the Taco Bus- they practically chased us down to give us the reciept- we had already paid and left tip
Babes

There's probably more, but I drank too much to remember......

Pinche Gringos UNDERCHARGED me !!!

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Heather

Oh sweetie, I know that. I know you had it happen to you a few times this trip and I TOTALLY believe you know you were being ripped off. I was posting what Susie said again just to show others that it isn't always necessarily malicious, not to discount your experience AT ALL. I've been ripped off a handful of times, especially at that one place it happened to you at, and by someone who is a FRIEND. There are a few places that I can think of that are notorious for it.

I've felt for a while that that one place is getting too popular for its own good...