Posts Tagged ‘Food’
Thursday, July 15th, 2010
There is always confusion on my trips what we should tip. Those I fly with are perplexed that tipping more may mean worse service. They get angry whe they get the “ugly American” lable for trying to show there appreciation. My thought is, if I spend less money and everyone is happy, what’s the problem. So for those who want to save money on tipping overseas, here is the standard which is verified by Travel and Liesure Magazine.
United States and Canada – 15 to 20%, but more for great service especially if you are a regular and want to be treated like a king.
Restaurants – at least 15%, 17%-20% is the norm.
Bars – 10-15% or $1 for a beer, $2 for a cocktail
Central and South America – Service is different. In the US speed is wanted, in Latin America not being disturbed is cherished. If you keep snapping your fingers yelling garcon, well lets just say the service will go down from there.
Restaurants – Check for a service charge. If none, give 10-15%.
Bars – 10% at bars that serve food, none and bars that only servedrinks.
Mexico and the Caribbean – Tip like in the US but expect service like South America.
Restaurants – 15-20% but watch for the service fee.
Bars – 10-15% or $1 for a beer, $2 for a cocktail.
Europe – Wait staff are paid full salaries so rounding up to 5% is accepted. But watch out for the 10% service fee. In eastern Europe, tip in cash if possible.
Restaurants – 5-10% AT YOUR DESCRETION. Check for service fee.
Bars – round up to the next Euro if service is good.
Asia – It’s something new to them. Japan does not expect it and they like for you to pay at the register.
Restaurants -10% charge is already added, round up for great service.
Bars – Not really done.
Africa and the Middle East – Not realy accepted and privacy is considered better service than hanging on the customer.
Restaurants – Check for that service fee, 10% is good enough.
Bars – 10%
To see individual countries, check out the country pages at www.nonrevwebsite.com . And please don’t make us look bad by tipping to much 
Tags: cheap, Food, interline, non-rev, save money
Posted in Advice | No Comments »
Friday, May 7th, 2010
Washington D.C. has many free attractions but when it comes to food, it is very expensive… until now.
There are several places that have cheap food in DC. The great news is that a few of them are chains located throughout the area, and we are not just talking about McDonalds. Here is a short list of the places to find meals around $5
• Ben’s Chile Bowl - Famous chili half smoke is just $5.20
• Julia Empanadas - Freshly-baked empanadas are served for less than $5
• On the Fly – Eco-friendly SmartKarts. Pulled chicken sandwiches start at just $5.
• Chinatown Express – A big bowl for under $5.
• McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant - Airline Employees get 25% off Food.
But there is also places to get cheap drinks. These places have drinks for under $5. They are only available at Happy Hour, so check out their sites.
• PS 7 – Beer of the day for $3, its red, white and sparkling wine of the day for just $4
• Lotus Lounge - Beer, wine, sushi rolls and dumplings are just $5 during happy hour Tuesday through Saturday.
If you are looking for a snack to tie you over to dinner, there are a few place to go to.
• Johnny’s Half Shell - mini-burgers and mini Asian tuna sandwiches are just $2.50, fried oysters and gumbo are $6 each during happy hour.
• Cafe Asia – Happy Hour Sushi $1
Click on the name of the bar to find out what are the Cheap Food in DC Deals. There you will find the type of food, the time it is available, and the location hyperlinked to a google map for ease of use.
So enjoy your night out and why not follow up your Cheap DC Dinner with a DC Free Attraction? See those at http://www.nonrevwebsite.com/ .
Tags: cheap, deals, Food, free, non-rev, non-rev travel, nonrev, nonrev travel, save money, Travel City, Washington DC
Posted in Uncategorized, Washington DC | 1 Comment »
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
Taking a taxi can be a convenience or waste of time and money. There are several rules as well as scams when you get into a cab, especially in a foreign country. Here are a few.
Many taxi drivers lie and say they can’t break your larger notes and you’ll end up grossly overpaying. If your cab fare is $10 and all you have on you is $20s, there is nothing you can do if he doesn’t have change. Many cash machines give large bills like 50 Euros which just makes the situation worse. The solution is to get money at cash machines close to the hotel. Then cash any large bills to small ones and then always carry some small bills with you. At the end of the trip, you can always use them for tips.
Many drivers will short change you, say goodbye and rush you out of the cab. Stay in the cab, get your cash, and count it until it you are satisfied with the numbers.
Many taxis charge higher rates at night time. Don’t think it’s a scam if the evening ride back from the restaurant costs more than the afternoon ride to the restaurant.
Dishonest drivers may take the great circle route to jack up your fare. Have a city map and pretend to follow along with your progress. Ask the driver which route he’s taking. Act engaged in your routing. I layed over with a Captain who had a huge boy scout compass. When he pulled it out, it made everyone one think twice about the directions you gave him.
These are some one the scams that happen with taxies. There are hundreds of more that befall unsuspecting travelers. It is so prevalent these days. Thousands of travelers lose hundreds in currency a day. To see more scams, go to Scams At NonRevWebsite.com . And to see travel advice, go to Advice at NonRevWebsite.com .
Tags: attractions, cheap, deals, Food, free, Museum, save money, Scams, travel, Travel City
Posted in Advice, Scams | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
On my last trip to London, actually a suburb of London, I found a way to save over 100 Pounds on a hotel room. The trick, stay close to the airport, use the Train.
There is a pass you can buy at the train station for a little over 15 Pounds that allows for all day travel on all trains, buses, and the Tube. So I did some research. I looked up a hotel at the airport. I picked a Four Star for about 73 Pounds. Then I picked a Four Star in London by the attractions that would allow you to see the sights in walking distance for 209 Pounds. So for the math, 209-(73+15)=121.
And lets face it, if you go to England, you are not just going to London, you are going to visit Bath, Stonehenge, and maybe Oxford. So why have to go back to an expensive hotel every night?
But here is the most important question nobody ever asks themselves and always gives them the most trouble. How am I going to deal with the London traffic to get to my flight home? It is so easy to walk from the hotel or take the courtesy car to your flight instead of dealing with a bus or a train. Did I mention you save 121 Pounds?
To see more deals and free stuff in England, go to the London version of NonRevWebsite.com. To see more Free stuff from around the world, go to NonRevwebsite.com
Tags: attractions, cheap, deals, England, Food, London, Restaurant, save money, travel, Travel City
Posted in London, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
I had a layover in Crawley, just outside London which made me have a taste for the best food in England, Indian. It amazes me how good Indian food in England is so I am constantly looking for new places to recommend. I know, it’s a hard life. I saw a flyer in the ready room before my flight that said Saffron Lounge was rated 5 out of 5 stars and thought, “I’ll be the judge of that.
When the crew met up to debrief before we went out to have dinner, I told several of the crew I was going to try Indian. They knew I get the best tips but they wanted to stay at the hotel lounge and have the happy hour deal. BIG mistake. The Captain wanted to get out and said he would come with me but he didn’t like spicy food. I said we could handle that.
When we got to the restaurant, it was early and quite dead. I thought that I had made a mistake and the Captain was starting to dought my decision. The interior was very hip and very expensive looking so I grabed the menu to make sure the prices ween’t out of our leage. To my surprise, the meals started at 8 pounds so I fealt better.Both uf us ordered lamb, his was grilled and mine was stewed. I got a bowl of rice for another 2 pounds.
They brought us the meals with extra plates so we could share. This was a great Idea and another reason I love Indian Restaurants. The food was remarkable with a wonderful taste. Even thoug they were both lamb, each was so unique it was like eating totally different types of meat. When we finished up the meal, I had to say it was the best Idian I had ever eaten. The Captain said the same. This dosen’t mean I will stop looking, it just means I have another Great London Restaurant to add to www.nonrevwebsite.com.
Tags: Add new tag, attractions, cheap, deals, England, Food, London, Restaurant, save money, travel, Travel City
Posted in London | 1 Comment »
Friday, September 18th, 2009
So you are travel to New York and want to eat but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg? As a matter of fact, you don’t want to spend anything. Did you give up on the idea in a New York minute? Don’t. We will show you how to get it.
Places in New York give free food with the idea you will stay longer and buy more expensive items like fancy drinks, and the odds are in their favor. After all, they are still in business. You just have to do is show some discipline.
You may have to buy a drink and we will list that, but the price of the drink will be under $5. To see the deals available, go to the New York Section of NonRevWebsite.com.
So what night of the week will you be in New York? Below is the list of places and the Nights they have free food;
Monday
Rudy’s, O’Flaherty’s, Rodeo Bar, Rocking Horse, Rolf’s, The Thirsty Scholar, Tracy J’s, Boxer’s
Tuesday
Rudy’s, O’Flaherty’s, Rodeo Bar, Rocking Horse, Rolf’s, The Thirsty Scholar, Tracy J’s, Boxer’s
Wednesday
Rudy’s, O’Flaherty’s, Rodeo Bar, Rocking Horse, Rolf’s, The Thirsty Scholar, Tracy J’s, Boxer’s
Thursday
Rudy’s, Rodeo Bar, Rocking Horse, Rolf’s, The Thirsty Scholar, Tracy J’s, Boxer’s
Friday
Rudy’s, Rodeo Bar, Rocking Horse, Rolf’s, The Thirsty Scholar, Tracy J’s, Boxer’s
Saturday
Rudy’s, Rocking Horse, Rolf’s, Tracy J’s, Boxer’s
Sunday
Rudy’s, O’Flaherty’s, Rodeo Bar, Rocking Horse, Rolf’s, Tracy J’s, Boxer’s
Click on the name of the bar to find out what are the Free Food Deals. There you will find the type of food, the time it is available, and the location hyperlinked to a google map for ease of use.
So enjoy your night out and why not follow up your New York Free Dinner with a New York Free Attraction? See those at www.nonrevwebsite.com .
Tags: cheap, deals, Food, free, New York, non-rev, non-rev travel, nonrev, nonrev travel, save money, Travel City
Posted in New York | No Comments »
Friday, August 28th, 2009
THE ROME REPORT: written by Liza Salvatore (Roman historian/Papal scholar)
You can get fined in Rome if you have the wrong Reciept for your meal.
Look to see if the restaurant is giving you an official receipt known as a ricevuta fiscale which has the proprietor’s social security number, etc. IF it does not, it means that they are not paying taxes on what they have charged you so don’t feel obligated to leave anything more than a few coins. I would suggest in any case that you get a “ricevuta fiscale” an official receipt because you are in danger of being caught in a sting with the Guardia di Finanza who may think you are colluding with the restaurant to help them avoid paying income tax. YOU are required to have a ricevuta fiscale when you walk out of a restaurant, a store, a coffee house and may be asked to provide it if the Guardia di Finanza is spot checking.
Tags: attractions, cheap, deals, Food, free, Italy, Museum, Rome, save money, Scams, travel, Travel City
Posted in Advice, Rome, Scams | No Comments »
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
THE ROME REPORT: written by Liza Salvatore (Roman historian/Papal scholar)
Generally, Italians leave about 5% tip on their bills for a tip in a trattoria or average restaurant, but this depends on wether there is “pane e coperto– bread and cover” already added to the bill or if they have charged your group a “servizio”. The bread and cover should no longer be charged as it was done away with when the currency changed from the lira to the euro BUT almost all restaurants still do it and Italians don’t challenge them because they want to return to that restaurant again. You decide if you want to challenge the “pane & coperto” charge. If you do so, do it in a “gee, I thought it had been done away with” and see what they say.
Tags: attractions, cheap, deals, Food, free, Italy, Museum, Rome, save money, Scams, travel, Travel City
Posted in Rome, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, August 3rd, 2009
After our flight was cancelled, we had an extra day in Moscow so we decided to go to Lenin’s Tomb. It is open Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday and Sunday, 10 to 1 and is free to enter. After getting our brief on when we would leave the next day, we headed of to the Metro to start our journey. We got to the entrance 15 minutes before it ‘closes’ only to have the guards tell us no more visitors for the day. We asked them about the time and they just shrugged their shoulders. The tour guides were circling around us like sharks.
The first one came up informing us that for 500 rubles each he can get us in. Apparently there is an agreement that when no more visitors are allowed in for free but before the tomb closed, tour guides could get us in. We said no to his offer and he puts on the pressure like a good con-man saying I hope you can come back tomorrow. When we leave and look for another way in, we are approached by anther saying we are very late but for 1200 rubles he can get us in and give us. I tell him the other guy would do it for 500. He said his price includes a tour of all the other 4 graves including Yuri Gagarin, Stalin, and Brezhnev. This is interesting because we have 10 minutes until it closes and this tour seems longer than 20, yet the guards won’t let us in just to see Lenin. I start to see the scam.
Next he says for 700 Rubles he can let both of us just see Lenin and we agree and he sets the hook. As we get closer, the guide looks at his watch and the starts running this is to see how bad we want to get in. As he runs, he says we are very late and tries to bid the price up saying historical facts along the way. He then says for 900 rubles we can get more information. We say no then he passes another guide and they exchange words. We go a little farther and he says we cannot get in because we are too late.
So if you are going to Lenin’s Tomb make sure you get there at least 30 minutes before it closes. Otherwise you will be charged 1200 Rubles, around $40, to see something that is for free. Also, be careful of the guides and know some are ‘hyper-capitalistic.”
See more tips like these at NonRevWebsite.com
Tags: attractions, cheap, deals, Food, free, Moscow, Museum, Paris, russia, save money, Scams, travel, Travel City
Posted in Scams | No Comments »
Monday, July 20th, 2009
Prague is a city rich in history and known for its bohemian atmosphere and reasonable prices. Unfortunately, the breaking away from the Soviet Union has created an environment where some establishments are taking capitalism to the extreme at your expense. Here are some of the ways unscrupulous restaurants try to inflate your bill.
Dinner is a great example. Many restaurants provide set meals for a fixed price. These are great ways to save money on meals when you travel while enjoying local dishes, but there are tricks they use to get you to pay more.
1) First, shop around until you find a complete meal with beverages. They may be difficult to find but they are well worth your time.
2) Next, talk with the person at the door to clarify exactly what is provided in the meal. This will tell the staff you know what you are ordering.
3) Then, don’t order anything else of the menu. Even asking for a glass of water will increase your bill because they may charge double or triple the normal price and you will have no idea until you have taken a sip and committed to pay.
4) What ever you do, don’t eat from that basket of bread if it is placed in front of you. This is the oldest trick in the book and tells you to be careful of the staff for other deceptions. What they do, but things on your table that is not included in the fixed price meal. If you take a bite, you bought it. The most lucrative for them is to put a large basket of bread on your table. You take one small slice of bread and surprise, you just bought the entire $5 basket.
5) Verify what is included if they have a picture of a meal. You may see a huge meal described in the native language with an entrée, side, and drink and notice that it is very reasonable. Then as you order from the picture, the wait staff will ask if you want sides and a drink. When you get the bill, you will find it is double what you thought you would pay because the picture was showing off the entrée and sides were extra.
So remember, find the best fixed meal, clarify what you are getting, don’t order off the menu, make sure what you eat is what you ordered, and check what is included in the picture. Follow these rules and you will enjoy your meals in Prague.
See more tips like these at NonRevWebsite.com
Tags: attractions, cheap, deals, Food, France, free, Museum, Paris, Prague, save money, travel, Travel City
Posted in Prague | 2 Comments »