[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":185},["ShallowReactive",2],{"i-lucide:chevron-down":3,"i-lucide:type":8,"i-lucide:languages":10,"i-lucide:layers":12,"i-lucide:menu":14,"i-lucide:house":16,"i-lucide:chevron-right":18,"i-lucide:list-ordered":20,"i-lucide:book-open":22,"i-lucide:library-big":24,"i-lucide:book-open-text":26,"i-lucide:graduation-cap":28,"i-lucide:case-sensitive":30,"i-simple-icons:mastodon":32,"i-simple-icons:bluesky":34,"i-simple-icons:x":36,"i-simple-icons:linkedin":38,"phrases-spanish-restaurant":41,"i-lucide:download":177,"i-lucide:pencil-line":179,"i-lucide:image":181,"i-lucide:file-text":183},{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":7},0,24,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m6 9l6 6l6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":9},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 4v16M4 7V5a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h14a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v2M9 20h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":11},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m5 8l6 6m-7 0l6-6l2-3M2 5h12M7 2h1m14 20l-5-10l-5 10m2-4h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":13},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12.83 2.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 6.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.83l8.58 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0l8.58-3.9a1 1 0 0 0 0-1.83z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 12a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 12\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 17a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 17\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":15},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M4 5h16M4 12h16M4 19h16\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":17},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M15 21v-8a1 1 0 0 0-1-1h-4a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v8\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M3 10a2 2 0 0 1 .709-1.528l7-6a2 2 0 0 1 2.582 0l7 6A2 2 0 0 1 21 10v9a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":19},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m9 18l6-6l-6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":21},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M11 5h10m-10 7h10m-10 7h10M4 4h1v5M4 9h2m.5 11H3.4c0-1 2.6-1.925 2.6-3.5a1.5 1.5 0 0 0-2.6-1.02\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":23},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m-9-3a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":25},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Crect width=\"8\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"1\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M7 3v18m13.4-2.1c.2.5-.1 1.1-.6 1.3l-1.9.7c-.5.2-1.1-.1-1.3-.6L11.1 5.1c-.2-.5.1-1.1.6-1.3l1.9-.7c.5-.2 1.1.1 1.3.6Z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":27},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m4-9h2m-2-4h2M3 18a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3zm3-6h2M6 8h2\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":29},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M21.42 10.922a1 1 0 0 0-.019-1.838L12.83 5.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 9.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.832l8.57 3.908a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0zM22 10v6\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M6 12.5V16a6 3 0 0 0 12 0v-3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":31},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"m2 16l4.039-9.69a.5.5 0 0 1 .923 0L11 16m11-7v7M3.304 13h6.392\"\u002F>\u003Ccircle cx=\"18.5\" cy=\"12.5\" r=\"3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":33},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M23.268 5.313c-.35-2.578-2.617-4.61-5.304-5.004C17.51.242 15.792 0 11.813 0h-.03c-3.98 0-4.835.242-5.288.309C3.882.692 1.496 2.518.917 5.127C.64 6.412.61 7.837.661 9.143c.074 1.874.088 3.745.26 5.611c.118 1.24.325 2.47.62 3.68c.55 2.237 2.777 4.098 4.96 4.857c2.336.792 4.849.923 7.256.38q.398-.092.786-.213c.585-.184 1.27-.39 1.774-.753a.06.06 0 0 0 .023-.043v-1.809a.05.05 0 0 0-.02-.041a.05.05 0 0 0-.046-.01a20.3 20.3 0 0 1-4.709.545c-2.73 0-3.463-1.284-3.674-1.818a5.6 5.6 0 0 1-.319-1.433a.053.053 0 0 1 .066-.054c1.517.363 3.072.546 4.632.546c.376 0 .75 0 1.125-.01c1.57-.044 3.224-.124 4.768-.422q.059-.011.11-.024c2.435-.464 4.753-1.92 4.989-5.604c.008-.145.03-1.52.03-1.67c.002-.512.167-3.63-.024-5.545m-3.748 9.195h-2.561V8.29c0-1.309-.55-1.976-1.67-1.976c-1.23 0-1.846.79-1.846 2.35v3.403h-2.546V8.663c0-1.56-.617-2.35-1.848-2.35c-1.112 0-1.668.668-1.67 1.977v6.218H4.822V8.102q0-1.965 1.011-3.12c.696-.77 1.608-1.164 2.74-1.164c1.311 0 2.302.5 2.962 1.498l.638 1.06l.638-1.06c.66-.999 1.65-1.498 2.96-1.498c1.13 0 2.043.395 2.74 1.164q1.012 1.155 1.012 3.12z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":35},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M5.202 2.857C7.954 4.922 10.913 9.11 12 11.358c1.087-2.247 4.046-6.436 6.798-8.501C20.783 1.366 24 .213 24 3.883c0 .732-.42 6.156-.667 7.037c-.856 3.061-3.978 3.842-6.755 3.37c4.854.826 6.089 3.562 3.422 6.299c-5.065 5.196-7.28-1.304-7.847-2.97c-.104-.305-.152-.448-.153-.327c0-.121-.05.022-.153.327c-.568 1.666-2.782 8.166-7.847 2.97c-2.667-2.737-1.432-5.473 3.422-6.3c-2.777.473-5.899-.308-6.755-3.369C.42 10.04 0 4.615 0 3.883c0-3.67 3.217-2.517 5.202-1.026\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":37},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M14.234 10.162L22.977 0h-2.072l-7.591 8.824L7.251 0H.258l9.168 13.343L.258 24H2.33l8.016-9.318L16.749 24h6.993zm-2.837 3.299l-.929-1.329L3.076 1.56h3.182l5.965 8.532l.929 1.329l7.754 11.09h-3.182z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":39,"hidden":40},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M20.447 20.452h-3.554v-5.569c0-1.328-.027-3.037-1.852-3.037c-1.853 0-2.136 1.445-2.136 2.939v5.667H9.351V9h3.414v1.561h.046c.477-.9 1.637-1.85 3.37-1.85c3.601 0 4.267 2.37 4.267 5.455v6.286zM5.337 7.433a2.06 2.06 0 0 1-2.063-2.065a2.064 2.064 0 1 1 2.063 2.065m1.782 13.019H3.555V9h3.564zM22.225 0H1.771C.792 0 0 .774 0 1.729v20.542C0 23.227.792 24 1.771 24h20.451C23.2 24 24 23.227 24 22.271V1.729C24 .774 23.2 0 22.222 0z\"\u002F>",true,{"id":42,"title":43,"author":44,"body":45,"cefrLevel":52,"date":44,"description":53,"extension":54,"faqs":55,"gcseTier":44,"intro":71,"language":72,"lastUpdated":44,"meta":73,"navigation":40,"path":74,"phrases":75,"regional_notes":160,"scenario":173,"seo":174,"stem":175,"verbSlugs":44,"__hash__":176},"phrases\u002Fspanish\u002Fphrases\u002Frestaurant.md","Spanish Restaurant Phrases: Ordering, Menus, and Bill Conventions",null,{"type":46,"value":47,"toc":48},"minimark",[],{"title":49,"searchDepth":50,"depth":50,"links":51},"",2,[],"A1-A2","Spanish phrases for restaurants: reservations, ordering, menu vocabulary, asking for the bill, dietary requests. Regional notes for Spain, Mexico, Argentina and the rest of Latin America.","md",[56,59,62,65,68],{"q":57,"a":58},"Should I tip at Spanish restaurants?","Lightly. Service charge is not added to bills in Spain and tipping norms are much lower than US or UK conventions. Rounding up the bill or leaving 1-2 euros at a typical meal is generous; 5-10% at higher-end restaurants is more than adequate. Tipping the full American 15-20% is significantly above Spanish norms and can occasionally read as showy. The contrast with Mexico, where 10-15% is the expected norm, and Argentina, where 10% is generous, matters when crossing the Spanish-speaking world.",{"q":60,"a":61},"How do I order tap water in Spain?","'Agua del grifo, por favor' (Tap water, please). Since the 2022 anti-food-waste law, Spanish restaurants and hospitality businesses are required to offer tap water free of charge on request. Some restaurants still try to upsell bottled water by default; specifying 'del grifo' signals that you want the free tap option. Spanish tap water is safe across the country though it varies in mineral content; coastal cities sometimes have noticeably mineral-heavy water that locals choose to filter.",{"q":63,"a":64},"What is the difference between 'la carta' and 'el menú' in Spanish restaurants?","'La carta' is the full a la carte menu listing every dish individually. 'El menú' often refers to the menú del día, the fixed-price lunch menu that includes a starter, main, drink and dessert or coffee at a single price. Asking for 'el menú' at lunch can get you the prix fixe lunch rather than the full menu; asking for 'la carta' is unambiguous and always gets the full list. At dinner, 'el menú' is less common and 'la carta' is the universal request.",{"q":66,"a":67},"Is it rude to ask for the bill in Spain?","No. Spanish restaurants do not bring the bill automatically; the convention is for the guest to ask when ready to leave. The standard phrase is 'la cuenta, por favor.' You can also signal across a room by miming writing in the air or catching the server's eye. Sitting and waiting for the bill to appear can lead to a long delay; asking is the expected behaviour and is not perceived as rude. Spanish servers see proactive billing as rushing the guest.",{"q":69,"a":70},"What is a 'menú del día' and is it always good value?","The menú del día is the fixed-price lunch menu offered by most Spanish restaurants Monday to Friday between roughly 13:30 and 16:00. It is a national institution dating back to the 1960s and typically includes a starter, main, dessert or coffee, bread, and a drink (often a small wine or beer) for 12-15 euros at proper restaurants, more at upmarket establishments. It is almost always good value when the restaurant is one locals visit at lunch; at tourist-zone restaurants it can be average. The trick is to look for a menú del día at a restaurant that is busy with office workers at 14:00, not one that exists primarily for visitors.","Spanish restaurant culture varies more between Spain and Latin America than any other social scenario. The vocabulary differs (carta vs menu, cuenta vs nota), the meal timings differ (Spanish dinner runs late), and the tipping conventions differ. These phrases cover the universals and flag where the regional split matters.","spanish",{},"\u002Fspanish\u002Fphrases\u002Frestaurant",[76,82,88,94,100,106,112,118,124,130,136,142,148,154],{"en":77,"target":78,"ipa":79,"pronunciation":80,"notes":81},"A table for two, please.","Una mesa para dos, por favor.","\u002Fˈuna ˈmesa ˈpaɾa dos poɾ faˈβoɾ\u002F","OO-na MEH-sa PAH-ra dos por fah-VOR","Standard opener. Larger groups: tres (3), cuatro (4), cinco (5). At busy restaurants in Spain you often have to ask for a table even when half the room is empty; that is hospitality, not slow service.",{"en":83,"target":84,"ipa":85,"pronunciation":86,"notes":87},"Do you have a reservation?","¿Tiene reserva?","\u002Fˈtjene reˈseɾβa\u002F","TYEH-neh reh-SEHR-vah","What the host will ask. Reservations are recommended for dinner at proper restaurants in Madrid, Barcelona and any tourist-zone restaurant; less so at neighbourhood spots in the early evening.",{"en":89,"target":90,"ipa":91,"pronunciation":92,"notes":93},"The menu, please.","La carta, por favor.","\u002Fla ˈkaɾta poɾ faˈβoɾ\u002F","lah KAR-ta por fah-VOR","'La carta' is the standard a la carte menu. 'El menú' often refers specifically to the menú del día (set lunch menu), a national institution in Spain offering a starter, main, drink and dessert or coffee for a fixed price.",{"en":95,"target":96,"ipa":97,"pronunciation":98,"notes":99},"What do you recommend?","¿Qué recomienda?","\u002Fke rekoˈmjenda\u002F","keh reh-ko-MYEN-da","Polite formal phrasing. Casual alternative: '¿Qué me sugiere?' (What do you suggest me?). Spanish servers will typically recommend the day's special or a regional speciality the kitchen does well.",{"en":101,"target":102,"ipa":103,"pronunciation":104,"notes":105},"I would like...","Quisiera... \u002F Me pone...","\u002Fkiˈsjeɾa \u002F me ˈpone\u002F","kee-SYEH-rah \u002F meh PO-neh","'Quisiera' is the polite conditional. 'Me pone' (literally 'put me') is the standard Spain casual ordering verb at bars and tapas counters. Latin America stays with 'quisiera' or 'quiero' (I want).",{"en":107,"target":108,"ipa":109,"pronunciation":110,"notes":111},"I am vegetarian.","Soy vegetariano \u002F vegetariana.","\u002Fˈsoj bexetaˈɾjano \u002F bexetaˈɾjana\u002F","soy veh-heh-tah-RYAH-no \u002F veh-heh-tah-RYAH-na","Masculine \u002F feminine. Vegan: 'vegano \u002F vegana'. Note that Spain has gone from genuinely difficult-for-vegetarians fifteen years ago to one of the easier European countries for vegetarian eating; Madrid and Barcelona have substantial vegan scenes. Smaller Spanish towns and rural areas are slower.",{"en":113,"target":114,"ipa":115,"pronunciation":116,"notes":117},"I am allergic to...","Soy alérgico \u002F alérgica a...","\u002Fˈsoj aˈleɾxiko \u002F aˈleɾxika a\u002F","soy ah-LEHR-hee-ko \u002F ah-LEHR-hee-ka ah","Critical for any dietary requirement. Common: a los frutos secos (nuts), al marisco (shellfish), al gluten, a la lactosa. Spanish restaurants are required by EU law to disclose the 14 main allergens on the menu, but always confirm verbally.",{"en":119,"target":120,"ipa":121,"pronunciation":122,"notes":123},"What is the dish of the day?","¿Cuál es el plato del día?","\u002Fˈkwal es el ˈplato del ˈdi.a\u002F","KWAL es el PLA-to del DEE-ah","The plato del día is part of the menú del día at lunch, often the kitchen's best-value option. In Latin America the equivalent is 'el plato del día' or 'el especial del día'.",{"en":125,"target":126,"ipa":127,"pronunciation":128,"notes":129},"Could I have a glass of red \u002F white wine?","¿Me pone una copa de vino tinto \u002F blanco?","\u002Fme ˈpone ˈuna ˈkopa de ˈbino ˈtinto \u002F ˈblaŋko\u002F","meh PO-neh OO-na KO-pa deh VEE-no TEEN-to \u002F BLAHN-ko","In Spain, wine by the glass is standard and inexpensive. 'Vino de la casa' (house wine) is usually the cheapest and often perfectly good. Tinto = red, blanco = white, rosado = rose. In Argentina and Chile, wine culture is similar; in Mexico and Central America, beer or mezcal is more common at casual restaurants.",{"en":131,"target":132,"ipa":133,"pronunciation":134,"notes":135},"Could you bring water?","¿Me trae agua, por favor?","\u002Fme ˈtɾae ˈaɣwa poɾ faˈβoɾ\u002F","meh TRAH-eh AH-gwa por fah-VOR","Spain: agua del grifo (tap water) is increasingly available and free at proper restaurants since a 2022 anti-waste law made it mandatory for hospitality businesses to offer it. Many establishments still try to upsell bottled water; ask explicitly for 'agua del grifo'. Bottled: 'agua mineral' (still) or 'agua con gas' (sparkling). Latin America: bottled is the safer default outside major restaurants.",{"en":137,"target":138,"ipa":139,"pronunciation":140,"notes":141},"The bill, please.","La cuenta, por favor.","\u002Fla ˈkwenta poɾ faˈβoɾ\u002F","lah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR","Universal phrase. In Spain you almost always have to ask; servers do not bring the bill unprompted, that is considered rushing the guest. Mime writing in the air toward your server if you cannot get their attention from across the room. In Mexico and Argentina the same applies, with 'la nota' or 'la cuenta' both understood.",{"en":143,"target":144,"ipa":145,"pronunciation":146,"notes":147},"Can I pay by card?","¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?","\u002Fˈpweðo paˈɣaɾ kon taɾˈxeta\u002F","PWEH-do pa-GAR kon tar-HEH-ta","Card payment is near-universal in Spanish urban restaurants. Cash is still preferred at small tapas bars and rural Spain; in Latin America, cash is generally safer to assume outside major cities. Contactless is widespread in Spain; less so in Latin America outside upmarket establishments.",{"en":149,"target":150,"ipa":151,"pronunciation":152,"notes":153},"It was delicious, thank you.","Estaba delicioso, gracias.","\u002Fesˈtaβa deliˈsjoso ˈɡɾasjas\u002F","es-TA-ba deh-lee-SYO-so GRA-syas","Standard closing compliment. In Spain you might also hear and use 'buenísimo' (really good) or 'una maravilla' (a marvel). Pair with 'hasta luego' as you leave.",{"en":155,"target":156,"ipa":157,"pronunciation":158,"notes":159},"Could I have the menu in English, please?","¿Tiene la carta en inglés, por favor?","\u002Fˈtjene la ˈkaɾta en iŋˈɡles poɾ faˈβoɾ\u002F","TYEH-neh lah KAR-ta en een-GLES por fah-VOR","Available at tourist-zone restaurants in Madrid, Barcelona, the Costa del Sol, Cancún, Tulum, Buenos Aires Recoleta and similar. Outside these zones, English menus are uncommon and the answer is often to point at neighbouring tables and ask '¿qué es esto?' (what is this?).",[161,164,167,170],{"region":162,"note":163},"Spain","Spanish meal timings shift everything later than most travellers expect. Lunch (comida) is the main meal of the day, served from 14:00 to 16:00; dinner (cena) starts at 21:00 and runs to midnight in cities. Asking for dinner at 19:00 outside tourist zones will usually get you the kitchen-closed look. The menú del día is the lunchtime institution: a fixed-price three-course meal with bread, drink and coffee for 12-15 euros at proper restaurants, often the best value of the day. Tipping is light: rounding up the bill or leaving a euro or two at a typical meal is generous; the American 15-20% norm is significantly above Spanish convention. Service charge is not added to bills in Spain. Tap water is now legally required to be offered free since 2022; ask for 'agua del grifo' if you do not want to pay for bottled.",{"region":165,"note":166},"Mexico","Mexican restaurant tipping is North American in style: 10-15% is standard at sit-down restaurants, with 15-20% generous. Service charge ('servicio') may appear on the bill at upmarket and tourist-zone establishments; if it is included, additional tip is not expected. Mexican meal structure is closer to Latin American norms with lunch (comida) as the main meal between 14:00 and 16:00, and dinner (cena) lighter and earlier than Spain. Mexican tortilla-based dishes have their own ordering conventions: tacos are typically ordered by the unit, salsas come on the side, and 'picante' (spicy) is understood as a serious warning rather than a mild request. Tap water is not safe to drink in most of Mexico; always order bottled ('agua embotellada').",{"region":168,"note":169},"Argentina","Argentine restaurant culture is heavily influenced by Italian and Spanish heritage; dinner timings are late (often after 21:00). Tipping is light by South American standards: 10% is generous, rounding up is acceptable at casual restaurants. Service charge is sometimes added ('servicio' or 'cubierto', the latter a per-person cover charge particularly at parrillas). Steak culture dominates Argentine dining; understanding the cuts (bife de chorizo, ojo de bife, vacío, asado) is part of the menu literacy. Wine is excellent and inexpensive; Malbec is the national grape but the white wines from Mendoza are increasingly good. Tap water in Buenos Aires is safe; bottled is more common at restaurants.",{"region":171,"note":172},"Latin America (general)","Across Central and South America, restaurant conventions vary enormously by country. Tipping is generally 10% as a working norm with significant local variation; service charge may or may not be included. Tap water safety varies by country and even by city within a country; default to bottled water unless you have specific local knowledge. Meal timings shift with local culture: tropical-zone restaurants tend to dine earlier than Spain or Argentina. Vegetarian and vegan options are increasingly available in capital cities and tourist zones but remain limited in rural and small-town restaurants across most of the region.","restaurant",{"title":43,"description":53},"spanish\u002Fphrases\u002Frestaurant","vzD5yISPuWZDdEpXyGL098o94x69YOoox17VRoUueKA",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":178},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12 15V3m9 12v4a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2v-4\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m7 10l5 5l5-5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":180},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M13 21h8M15 5l4 4m2.174-2.188a1 1 0 0 0-3.986-3.987L3.842 16.174a2 2 0 0 0-.5.83l-1.321 4.352a.5.5 0 0 0 .623.622l4.353-1.32a2 2 0 0 0 .83-.497z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":182},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Crect width=\"18\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"2\" ry=\"2\"\u002F>\u003Ccircle cx=\"9\" cy=\"9\" r=\"2\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m21 15l-3.086-3.086a2 2 0 0 0-2.828 0L6 21\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":184},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M6 22a2 2 0 0 1-2-2V4a2 2 0 0 1 2-2h8a2.4 2.4 0 0 1 1.704.706l3.588 3.588A2.4 2.4 0 0 1 20 8v12a2 2 0 0 1-2 2z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M14 2v5a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h5M10 9H8m8 4H8m8 4H8\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",1781531945933]