How to Tell When You Are About to be Ripped Off

A full-proof method

I have done a great deal of on-the-ground research for this post. I have conferred with colleagues (Becky and DJ) and they agree. There is a full-proof method for determining if you are about to be ripped off.

Menu from a restaurant in Vilamoura

A Bit of Hyperbole

Okay, so I sensationalized a bit. No surprise…I was in sales. However, I have found that the title of a post can have a significant impact on the number of readers I get. I realize this blog is free…there is no advertising…I never intend to monetize it. However, I still track my stats every week. I like it every time a new subscriber signs up. (So please tell your friends to sign up!) And I like when my weekly read statistics climb. (So please share on social media.) I am a competitive person…even when I am just competing against myself.

That said, the title is not 100% fiction. As we have traveled throughout Portugal we have determined one can accurately estimate the bill at the end of the meal by looking at just one menu item. You see in much of Portugal a small draft beer (Imperial) is just €1. Frankly, it is one of the many joys of Portugal. That and the fact that you can buy a case of fifteen Sagres Minis for only €5,99!

The refrigerator may be small but there is always room for Sagres Mini’s…just the perfect size!

Lunch In Vilamoura

You may recall my story about Denise conversing with a 4-year-old boy at a restaurant in Vilamoura. Frankly, observing that conversation was the best part of the meal. I am not saying the food was bad…it was average. And the view, as we were sitting on the beach overlooking the ocean, was spectacular. But as soon as I saw they were charging €3 for a small draft beer I knew we were not having a €20 lunch.

On that particular day, I ordered a mojito instead of my customary Sagres. I figured if I was going to pay a lot for a drink, I might as well treat myself. It was horrendous! So bad in fact (I think they used dark spiced rum by mistake and only 2 or 3 mint leaves) that I asked the server to remove it and I opted for a beer. The good news is that she didn’t charge me for the returned drink! (Note: I was charged for my pastry and the large glass of orange juice that the waiter accidently dumped on me in Lisbon one day. Of course I was wearing white shorts! I told this story to several Portuguese friends explaining that in the States my meal would have likely been compt’ed. They said that they would have expected to be charged in Portugal.) Anyway, Denise had a glass of wine with lunch. We each ordered salad. Our total bill was €38. Yikes!

We were so shocked at the quality and low price, I took a photo.

Contrast this to a meal we shared with Becky and DJ during our tour of the Alfama section of Lisbon. Our Guruwalk guide suggested we visit a very small cafe in an alleyway across the street from the Fado Museum. It was exceptional, and the lunch (which included 3 beers and 1 white wine, 2 soups of the day, 2 side salads, 2 dorados with potatoes, 1 pork ribs with fries and rice, and 1 sausage with fries and rice) cost the 4 of us €40...or €10 a person + tip.

My Humble Advice

So let me offer this humble advice:

1. Don’t wear white shorts when you have a clumsy waiter.

2. Always ask for the price if they say “specials” rather than “prato do dia” (the dish of the day). During our recent excursion to Tavira we ordered the “special to be shared” and were gobsmacked when the bill arrived and we found it was very special…€40.

3. And check the price of a draft beer before sitting down. If it is around €1, you will likely enjoy a very satisfying meal for about €10.