Restaurant pricing - English vs Spanish

[jd950]

I am familiar with the practice of one price for locals and another for tourists. Dive shops do it frequently, although perhaps not in Coz. I also know restaurants and other businesses will often discount for frequent customers, friends, etc. What I was referring to was that I got the impression that this was more specifically a case of two different menus for two "classes" of customers. I don't think it is the exchange rate, most menus I have seen quote prices in pesos.

Interestingly, only one restaurant name has been mentioned and it is a restaurant viewed unfavorably on this forum in general. I can't help but wonder if that is because it doesn't happen, no one knows, or those who know won't say?

Sure I could always ask for a Spanish menu or use google translate if I needed assistance or whatever, but I am still curious about which restaurants use two different sets of menus, with different prices for the same items.

 

[kmurray719]

I think we are saying the same thing but do not agree you are paying the same rate in either currency.

Their rates are always set in US$, not pesos. Just seems to me they are in Mexico, pay operating cost in pesos, but charge a set fee in US$. Got to think they originally set their budgets and operating costs at a set conversion initially (lets say 10:1) but when the conversion changes to 18:1 they are making much more money (in Mexico) keeping their prices in US$.

Wonder if we would see a US$ price change if the exchange rate changed to 5:1?

Just saying

But you are paying the same amount from your own pocket if you pay the conversion rate that day, you're generally not paying less or more than the USD quote you originally got. If you're quoted $100/trip, that may be $1790 pesos one day, and $1750 pesos the next day, but it's always going to be the equivalent of what $100 is on the day you pay.

Regardless of what currency they set their operating costs in, diving is a tourist industry, and tourists want to know what they're paying up front, and not mess around with figuring out whether diving will be more or less expensive than they thought on their trip six months from now based on how the exchange rate changes. The vast majority of people also pay for their diving in USD, so it makes things easier to manage on both sides of the equation if the pricing is in dollars.

And you're right that dive ops are making more money overall when the exchange rate for USD is favorable as it is now, but a lot of shops in Coz pay staff in USD, and staffing is usually the highest expenditure for any business, so they're not raking in a ton of extra money because of it. And we're seeing the price of things in pesos rise too at this point, so that may catch up as well.

 

[ggunn]

A consumer has the right to view certain business practices as honest/ethical or not, regardless of legality. And the point of this thread is to identify places with these business practices so consumers who view them negatively can walk away, or better yet, not waste time going there in the first place.

Personally, I don't have a big problem with a restaurant having two menus with different pricing levels but if they refuse to give me the Spanish menu on request and only offer the English menu because I'm a gringo then I'm out of there.

That's your right and you should use it if that's how you feel. FWIW, most places I have been to have both the English and Spanish menus together in one document, which is often a wooden plank with English on one side and Spanish on the other.

I could be mistaken, but I do not remember any specific eateries being singled out as "dishonest", just a lot of whining by well-to-do tourists (and yes, we are all well-to-do compared to most Cozumelenos) about how they might not be able to eat as cheaply as locals. I don't have a lot of sympathy, sorry.

 

[MMM]

just a lot of whining by well-to-do tourists (and yes, we are all well-to-do compared to most Cozumelenos) about how they might not be able to eat as cheaply as locals. I don't have a lot of sympathy, sorry.

And it seems that some people are never happy unless they are complaining about something or other and worrying about being cheated. Me...I don't want to live that way.

 

[mmmbelows]

(and yes, we are all well-to-do compared to most Cozumelenos) about how they might not be able to eat as cheaply as locals. I don't have a lot of sympathy, sorry.

The restaurant owners in Cozumel are poor?

 

[MMM]

The restaurant owners in Cozumel are poor?

The vast majority are very far from rich. Most are just small family businesses trying to make a living...not trying to screw you.

 

[Christi]

I think we are saying the same thing but do not agree you are paying the same rate in either currency.

Their rates are always set in US$, not pesos. Just seems to me they are in Mexico, pay operating cost in pesos, but charge a set fee in US$. Got to think they originally set their budgets and operating costs at a set conversion initially (lets say 10:1) but when the conversion changes to 18:1 they are making much more money (in Mexico) keeping their prices in US$.

Wonder if we would see a US$ price change if the exchange rate changed to 5:1?

Just saying

Ummm respectfully I am calling faulty logic and/or you don't have a clear understanding of:

A: What it is like doing business in a tourist destination
B: What it is like doing business in Mexico - (where costs are highly dependant upon what the USD is doing)
C: The fact that we are an island, therefore most of our goods imported therefore higher costs (including but not limited to food, equipment, boat parts, engines, vehicles, office supplies, electronics, etc. etc)
D: How a dive shop/tour operation is operated, including the small margins we actually work on
E. Mexican taxes, licensing fees, employee programs, etc are heavy - you think the US is bad?
F: A handful of other things

It always amazes me when people think we are actually getting rich down here or ripping people off It's a lifestyle - mostly a beautiful one - but like anywhere, there is a price to pay for living and working in paradise - particularly when it is not your home country and particularly when you're a small business. So while I am not complaining, I'm not getting rich either

 

[Sometimes]

This thread is a really easy way for me to figure out whom I'd like to meet one day and whom I'd like to avoid like the plague.

If you really don't have a grasp of the fact that your are, most likely, an incredibly privileged and rich individual if you can afford to make your hobby scuba diving in Mexico; and, by extension you cannot also understand that local business owners are just trying to make ends meet; and, finally, if you can't wrap your head around why accepting dollars is a service and why locals might get a different price: I just don't even understand where to begin.

 

[AZjohn]

Ummm respectfully I am calling faulty logic and/or you don't have a clear understanding of:

A: What it is like doing business in a tourist destination
B: What it is like doing business in Mexico - (where costs are highly dependant upon what the USD is doing)
C: The fact that we are an island, therefore most of our goods imported therefore higher costs (including but not limited to food, equipment, boat parts, engines, vehicles, office supplies, electronics, etc. etc)
D: How a dive shop/tour operation is operated, including the small margins we actually work on
E. Mexican taxes, licensing fees, employee programs, etc are heavy - you think the US is bad?
F: A handful of other things

It always amazes me when people think we are actually getting rich down here or ripping people off It's a lifestyle - mostly a beautiful one - but like anywhere, there is a price to pay for living and working in paradise - particularly when it is not your home country and particularly when you're a small business. So while I am not complaining, I'm not getting rich either

Hey Christi,

A-F could me written for any business anywhere in the world so hope your not feeling unique

I never wrote saying you or any other dive op are getting rich. In fact I personally do not know of of any dive ops anywhere in the world that is making a killing. Tough business to be sure.

I was just stating a fact that a company (example I used was dive ops and Hotels) being in Mexico setting services in $USD prices should be getting much more pesos in return over the past 18 months (all other things being equal).

I know a few owners of tourist companies in the US but they set their prices in $USD. When the Euro's were kicking the $USD a few years back they never decided to charge a set price in Euro's to their clients from Europe (I think they would have loved to).

One thing I know for sure, it all goes in cycles and sometime down the road the $USD will loose value again and things will then need to be adjusted. Until then, enjoy the ride (I say that in a kind and fun way, I'm really glad there are people like you who have a business over there that I can enjoy).

One last thing, as I original wrote, this is a bit off topic for this thread so I will not reply anymore here. If anyone wanted to start another thread more on topic (this one is really about the restaurants pricing in $USD vs. Pesos) I would join over there.

Cheers

 

[lionfish-eater]

This thread is a really easy way for me to figure out whom I'd like to meet one day and whom I'd like to avoid like the plague.

If you really don't have a grasp of the fact that your are, most likely, an incredibly privileged and rich individual if you can afford to make your hobby scuba diving in Mexico; and, by extension you cannot also understand that local business owners are just trying to make ends meet; and, finally, if you can't wrap your head around why accepting dollars is a service and why locals might get a different price: I just don't even understand where to begin.

Great post from a new diver, new to scubaboard and from New York. I am guessing you are a transplant to NYC as natives rarely exhibit that attitude.