The Travel Chica

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Screw You And Your Cubierto

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I am used to paying cubierto at restaurants in Buenos Aires.  I don’t even mind that much.

Cubierto is the cover/ service charge for dining at a restaurant.

You are essentially paying for the privilege of siting at a table and getting service, and you usually get a basket of bread.

In Buenos Aires, it is 3-4 pesos (75 cents to US$1.00).

I am used to this charge, and I do not have a problem with paying it when I dine out (which is not that often).

Until this experience. . .

I was at a restaurant called Pizza Mass meeting a language exchange group.  I arrived about 15 minutes late, so the group already had a table and beers. 

After 20 minutes sitting at the table and trying to get the attention of a server, I decided to just walk up the front counter where they took the to-go orders, got a menu, and placed an order for a slice of pizza and a glass of wine.  I paid at the register and told her I was sitting at a table with friends but could come back and get my pizza when it was ready.  She said that she would have someone bring it over.

When the waitress dropped off my greasy, cheesy slice of pizza, I asked her for a fork and knife. She walked away for about 10 seconds and then came back without my utensils.

She said I would have to pay cubierto.

Me:  Wait… you want me to pay cubierto just to use a knife and fork?

Server:  Si.

Me: I had to serve myself by walking up to the counter to order and pay.  And now you want me to pay cubierto?

Server:  Si.

Me:  And I only get a fork and knife for paying cubierto?  No bread?

Server:  No.

Me:  No, gracias.  I will eat with my hands and use every single one of the crappy, tissue-paper napkins on this table.

What did the locals think?

The Argentines at my table also found this ridiculous and immediately pushed the container of napkins towards me and went into a diatribe about how the restaurant service in Buenos Aires sucks.

In what countries have you experienced the “cover charge?”  Did you at least get something for paying it?

Comments

  1. I’ve never had to pay a cover charge before. At least not upfront anyway, you would think it would be more customer friendly of restaurants to leave it up to the customers discretion to leave a tip…or not at the end of the meal. I take it you won’t be returning to Piza Mass anytime soon.

    • Because cubierto is charged in almost all restaurants in Buenos Aires, I am okay with paying it. But I do not expect to pay it and not actually get the normal service of having your order taken in a restaurant.

      Tipping is different in Argentina. The most you will ever tip is 10% and that is for good service. I didn’t leave any tip in this instance because the server did nothing.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Campo in the City

  2. I never had to pay cover charge. But I remember when I was in Washington DC for the first time with some friends we ordered some pizzas to the hotel and everybody gave me the exact amount. At the reception I paid the delivery guy the pizzas and nearly got into a fight with him because I forgot to take some extra money with me for a tip.

    At the end I had to borrow some money from the reception guy!

  3. I loved my time in Buenos Aires, and I ate great food. One of the few things I didn’t like, however, was service at restaurants. I am not surprised…

    • I actually haven’t had that bad of service. Maybe because I eat at restaurants so rarely.

      I just accepted the fact that they will take your order, bring you your food, and then leave you alone. If I want something else, I will flag them down and get it :-)
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Campo in the City

  4. Stephanie,
    I have paid cubierto in Spain, Italy, Greece and Argentina. One time restaurant personel wanted to charge me for asking for a fork on a to go order. Hmmm!

    And this is kind of related too… in Brazil I was charged because there was live music in a restaurant I dine in. I mean, the musician was already playing when we arrived and we didn’t ask him for a song or anything. Those were the most expensive songs I have heard.

  5. Come to Europe, dear and you will really learn about cubierto. France, Spain, Italy, sometimes Germany, all charge for the use of spoon, fork and knife and no, bread and butter is NOT included.

  6. I refused to pay cubierto once. i went to a terrible pizza placed called Pizza y Espuma. We sat at a dirty table for at least 10 minutes before someone gave us menus. When they finally came back to take out order, they left without clearing the dirty dishes. Eventually, someone came over and took the dishes and but didn’t wipe the table so it still had crumbs and sauce from last last table. We were starving and we never received a bread basket like other tables had. When I asked for it, I was told they were out of bread. AT A PIZZA PLACE. Our food arrived and our table was still dirty. I asked them to wipe it off before setting down on food. They acted like this was a super prissy request. The pizza was awful, but of course I had every intention of paying for it. However, when I saw the cubierto, I was furious. A dirty table and no bread and I am still being charged cubierto?! We put down the exact amount for the pizza and left the restaurant.
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  7. Come to think of it, most countries that I have visited recently don’t have tipping built into their restaurant dining cultural system (but I haven’t been to Europe or the Western world for quite some time). It’s fine to pay a bit of service charge if the service is appreciated, but it definitely kills it to “have to pay” for bad service.
    Mark Wiens recently posted..Zanzibar Video Guide – Street Food, Stone Town, and Beaches

  8. First time I’ve heard of being charged a “service charge” just to get a knife and fork! I think the true meaning of “service charge” has been lost – it’s to pay FOR the SERVICE RECEIVED, not to GET SERVICE. You obviously weren’t getting any service. Sigh….

  9. As a European I’m not a huge fan of cover charges or the tipping culture – people should be paid a decent living wage and that should be factored into the price of my meal without seperate charges for this and that – so annoying!
    robin recently posted..Rutina

    • Agreed. I have heard that servers in Buenos Aires do make a decent wage and are not expected to “live off of tips.” It is perfectly common to just leave a few pesos tip and never any more than 10%.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Campo in the City

  11. The whole tipping culture really bugs me; restaurant owners are just outsourcing the cost of their servers’ salaries by not paying them enough and expecting employees to make up the difference in tips. I almost always tip well because I know it’s necessary for the server, but it’s infuriating that this system has become so ingrained in the U.S.. A tip should be for good service or something exceptional, not the general rule!
    Christy @ Technosyncratic recently posted..Camden Lock on the Regent’s Canal

  12. I have not had to pay for a fork and knife but in Paris I have had to pay a higher amount to actually sit at a table instead of taking it to go.

    Tipping is another issue. I hate the way we do it hear in the states. EVERYONE expects a tip! Its so bad that when you tip less for bad service they think you’re just being a jerk. Ugh.
    Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..Free in Salzburg means . . .

  13. Seems in Italy when I had pizza there was a charge for every little thing.

    I liked countries in Europe where it was figured in but their prices were reasonable. Here in States many restaurants have gone to adding in 18% no matter what. Disney does it at all of its restaurants with their already outrageous prices. I will not eat at a restaurant in that adds it in in the states because usually the service is terrible and the food not much better
    Eileen Ludwig recently posted..Legoland Carlsbad California

    • I remember when I was a server at a country club. I loved that the tip was already included, especially because the prices of the restaurant were already inflated and people always ordered expensive drinks.

      Now that I’m on the other side, I have a different opinion :-)
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Campo in the City

  14. In Portugal you pay cubierto for items that appear on your table like bread, cheese, ham, butter, pate, etc. but only for what you eat. I really wasn’t a fan, especially because I’m sure the uneaten stuff just goes straight onto another table…and you’d pay about one euro for a tiny packet of butter.
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  15. That’s terrible.

    Here I don’t mind paying service charge – in fact, it’s just natural to do it. But when they automatically add it to the bottom of the bill, that annoys the hell out of me. I hate when they just assume they’re going to get something. I completely refuse to pay it in that instance. It’s a case of, “Well, I was going to give you a whopping big tip but now that you’ve just assumed I’ll do it, I really don’t want to.” 😛
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  17. I havent necessarily experienced this, but in chile i have experienced outrage business moves like this that would usually be common sense. Any way to make extra money, even if it doesnt make any sense!

  19. The “cubiertos” word refers to spoon, fork and knife in real life. Sadly there are place where they take this to the literal mean of “cubiertos”.
    Usually the “tip” on a lot of places is add to the cost of the food, so you do not need to give a extra “tip”. Remember that every you eat “outside” of your home is charged with a lot of plus…
    On my city (Rio Cuarto) the “cubiertos” usually mean a glass of water, bread, and at least that the table is clean XD.
    charly recently posted..Enlaces simbólicos en Linux

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