Beware of Peregrino Menu Scam

[Tim O'Donoghue]

My wife and I ordered one Peregrino menu meal at a cost of 10 Euro at Hostal Libertad in Villadangos. When we asked for two plates to share this one meal, we were told that it would cost more. We were nnprepared for a 29,40 Euro bill. Worse, when we asked the server and manager to be reasonable, they refused. We paid our bill and left, not wanting to have this overshadow our overall Camino experience to date. We DO want to share our experience, however, to help our fellow Peregrinos avoid being taken advantage of. We suggest getting any modifications to the menu in writing before ordering.

 

[SYates]

Ok, seems like a real cultural clash here. Sharing a menu (pilgrims or otherwise) is unheard of in Spain (unless you share with a small child, then it is accepted). Most likely you have been charged for the menu and the drinks a la carte. So what do you had with your food?
Getting a modification to the menu in writing beforehand - not going to happen, nor in Spain nor in the rest of Europe.
One thing to bear in mind - if you have a problem with a service, you can always ask for the hoja de reclamacion - a copy goes straight to the local tourist oversight authority and bypasses any restaurant managers. If an establishment receives too many reclamaciones - they will be investigated/checked upon. So use with caution/consideration.

Buen Camino, SY

 

[Dave C.]

From my experience (only one Camino) it is communal "family style", if you are at the table and are eating it's on you. Never split a communal meal with my daughter when we walked (she ate very little).

 

[trecile]

I'm sorry, this doesn't sound like a scam to me. I agree with SYates that sharing one pilgrim meal is highly unusual, and the server had probably not encountered such a request before. It probably wouldn't have been a problem if one of you had ordered something ala carte, and therefore already had their own plate. Then you could share the pilgrim menu items as you wanted.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

I'm sorry that happened, and what a surprise at the end. It's been a while since I walked, so things may have changed (or I just looked underfed then) but I can recall several times being asked if I wanted them to bring me more of a course before bringing the next...if that's still the case then "sharing" would be like "sharing" an all-you-can-eat buffet plate with someone else. I hope all of your meals to come on the Camino are delicious and free of confusion

 

[GettingThere]

Definitely not a "scam" - as other posters have said, in my experience the concept of sharing one meal between two adults is not common in a Spanish restaurant. As for modifications in writing beforehand - not necessary. If you want to order one meal and share it, just ask at the time of ordering if this is permissible, and confirm the cost. They will tell you if it is something they will do.

Not sure why you were charged 30 Euros for two - they may have been confused by your unusual request - or you may have ordered some items not on the fixed-price 10 Euro menu (which is not a menu in the way that the word is used in English-speaking countries - it's a set meal with a couple of choices for each course. The "menu" as we would call it is the "carta"). If you order other items they will be priced separately.

But apart from all that - I don't mean to be rude, but the cost of the standard "menu peregrino" is so little - 10 Euros for three courses, often including wine and bread. It's a pretty good deal (if not always exactly the best of Spanish cuisine) - I certainly wouldn't find a hearty three course meal for that price where I come from. If the cost times two and/or the amount of food in the full meal is too much, you could just order an individual dish each - say a salad, or a plate of meat with fries, or whatever they are serving.

I hope you continue to enjoy your Camino.

 

[mcopeland]

A 3 course meal was often too much for me and I learned to order a "half board" or 1 course meal, including dessert and drink - around 6 or 7 euro. Only once was it offered for us to share a meal.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If what the OP said is what happened, then definately poor practice: sharing may cost you a premium, perhaps as high as 50% but certainly not 3 times the price. And I don't see how I can sit here at home and decide the OP ordered wrong, doesn't know the difference between the carta and pilgrim menu.

As for Spaniards not used to sharing, well, they certainly do ot and a lot of it. This is why they have raciones. So frustrating when what you would like is offered in a racion, which is too much of just one dish.

Also, I remember very well O Recreo in Cee: it had a sign on the door that stated that sharing was not permited. And I can understand why: their portions are huge and would generously feed two people. Sharing would mean half the revenue for them.

 

[Bajaracer]

The other option is ordering a plato combinado or a racion instead of ordering a menu del dia/perergrino meal.

 

[Carlos Santiago]

Can a pilgrim buy a peregrino meal and have it wrapped "to go" (We call it "take out") to be eaten or shared somewhere away from the restaurant? If yes, would it be the same quantity?

 

[amancio]

Well, as a Spaniard, I can say it is not unheard of to share a day's menu (or a pilgrim's menu in this case). You just ask for extra cutlery and it should be no problem. In that case, they may charge a cover cost, like two or three euro for sitting there and using the bar, but that would be about it, I think. How the bill came to 29.40 is something that escapes to me, but I am pretty sure there must have been some reason for it, maybe the language barrier did not help.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We were told that menu de peregrino/del dia was not for sharing, but platos combinados are. It sounds as though the OP had something like the latter in which case bread and drinks are chargeable and(from prices this year) the total although a shock is average. As others say a break down of the items would help comment.
If you want to share a 'non-sharing' meal ask for a simple salad starter to be served with the main meal, that sems to ne acceptable and only adds about 4€ to the cost

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I don't know about restaurants and bars right on the Camino Frances but it is very common in my experience for Spanish people to share a Menu del Dia - I have seen this regularly particularly with older people - often they ask for the starter and main course to be served together if one simply wants the starter and the other the main course. No raised eyebrows and no extra charge.
Also increasingly common are restaurants offering a main course, dessert, bread and drink for a reduced price for example 6 euros.

 

[Mark Lee]

Can a pilgrim buy a peregrino meal and have it wrapped "to go" (We call it "take out") to be eaten or shared somewhere away from the restaurant? If yes, would it be the same quantity?

We have the same thing here in the US, but I never saw take out pilgrim's meals offered or done anywhere on the Camino Frances.
Besides, they have wine and bread included with the pilgrim's meals. Not sure how well that would work out, take out wise.
It's easy enough along the Camino Frances to buy food and drinks at a grocery or market and prepare, and or share it at the albergue or elsewhere. Also way cheaper, too.

 

[Bajaracer]

Can a pilgrim buy a peregrino meal and have it wrapped "to go" (We call it "take out") to be eaten or shared somewhere away from the restaurant? If yes, would it be the same quantity?

You would actually be getting less for your money if you order it "take out" or in Spanish "para llevar" because you won't be getting the bottle of wine with it.
If cost is an issue, shop at the super mercado and buy your own or team up with others to make a communal meal, with enough people, you can get it down to under €3 per person.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

At one place in SdC I wanted only the first course, which was not an a la carte item. The charge was more than if I had ordered the menu del dia and just ate the first course. I think when you ask something that is not usually done, the owner may guess a price that he might charge...it wasn't a lot more than the menu del dia price, I assume it was what an a la carte price would have been had it been on the menu, and it didn't waste food or tempt me into over eating. In my experience everywhere, asking for something unusual usually comes at additional cost. This is not a criticism of the OP way of dealing with the situation, or his post (nor do I see anyone's posts here as that)--I think most are giving a statement of their own experiences, and possible explanation, to allow future walkers reading this (hopefully) to avoid similar situations.

I think the OP deserves credit for letting others know about his experience, and that plus the following discussion helps others...the goal of the fourm (other than letting me waste people's time)

 

[J F Gregory]

My wife and I share meals regularly but there was an extra charge of about 3 euros.

 

[CaptBuddy]

After 2 Caminos and many trips to Spain, I have observed that if you order out-of-the-ordinary, or run-a-tab in small bars the charges are very unpredictable.
Beth and I often share an ensalada mixta and some tapas/raciones, and I cannot remember being charged outrageously.
It is interesting about menú del día, since the fare usually includes a bottle vine, presumable one for each order. Yet seldom do you see 5 people at the table get 5 bottles of wine. I guess sharing is okay in the house's favor.
Even so, I've never been denied a second bottle whenever there is 2 or more.

Then again, there is the translation thing.

Job Available: English Translator Needed in Fromista

• CaptBuddy
• Feb 2, 2015
• 11

 

[Kanga]

I just love the image of squid asking for free beer. Good one @CaptBuddy

 

[Bala]

I just love the image of squid asking for free beer. Good one @CaptBuddy

Just read it, still laughing!

 

[KinkyOne]

If squid is asking for a free beer then I can ask for a free squid with a beer I guess
Or did I get that wrong?

 

[KinkyOne]

Anyway...
I too sometimes couldn't eat the whole menu (del dia/peregrino). In Spain I like that the first course CAN be a salad because over here we eat it at the same time with (for example) meat and potatoes. And when on Camino the salad was really huuuge, I then eat all of the potatoes, part of the meat and with the rest of the meat made myself nice sandwich for next day. Even asked the waitress to wrap it up for me and never had any dissagreament. I think owners are actually happy not to throw the food in the garbage regarding the economic situation in Spain.
I think what happened to the OP have had to be a huge missunderstanding as I never even heard of such thing even on my less walked Caminos-

Buen provecho!

 

[J F Gregory]

After 2 Caminos and many trips to Spain, I have observed that if you order out-of-the-ordinary, or run-a-tab in small bars the charges are very unpredictable.
Beth and I often share an ensalada mixta and some tapas/raciones, and I cannot remember being charged outrageously.
It is interesting about menú del día, since the fare usually includes a bottle vine, presumable one for each order. Yet seldom do you see 5 people at the table get 5 bottles of wine. I guess sharing is okay in the house's favor.
Even so, I've never been denied a second bottle whenever there is 2 or more.

Then again, there is the translation thing.

Job Available: English Translator Needed in Fromista

• CaptBuddy
• Feb 2, 2015
• 11

Tapas make a good inexpensive dinner with cerveza. Miss it.

 

[Gareth Griffith]

It amazes me that people think that they can occupy two seats, use two sets of crockery and cutlery and pay for just one meal. Businesses have overheads which are fixed and variable. The food costs are probably the smallest costs of running a cafe. Thinking that you can be a cheapskate and pay just half by sharing a meal is completely wrong.
Some people moaning say more about themselves than they realise.

 

[Icacos]

It amazes me that people think that they can occupy two seats, use two sets of crockery and cutlery and pay for just one meal. Businesses have overheads which are fixed and variable. The food costs are probably the smallest costs of running a cafe. Thinking that you can be a cheapskate and pay just half by sharing a meal is completely wrong.
Some people moaning say more about themselves than they realise.

It's still relatively early in the morning here and maybe I'm missing something, but of whom are you speaking?

 

[Gareth Griffith]

It's still relatively early in the morning here and maybe I'm missing something, but of whom are you speaking?

If you start at the top of the thread and work your way down I think you can make your own decision in this matter. You must have heard the phrase, "No names, no packdrill."

 

[Lmsundaze]

One more thought to add to what others have said -- if you are not fluent in Spanish you may not have communicated exactly what you wanted to do. Even if your server can speak basic English to take your order, unusual requests may not have been understood. The pilgrim meals already represent a good bargain, even if you end up not eating everything.

 

[Icacos]

If you start at the top of the thread and work your way down I think you can make your own decision in this matter. You must have heard the phrase, "No names, no packdrill."

I don't have time to work my way down this thread again right now. However, just dealing with the OP I don't think he was expecting to get two meals for the price of one. As I read it, the OP asked for extra cutlery so he and his wife could share the meal. When the bill came, he was surprised by the total - almost three times the cost of the meal ordered - and he asked the waiter to be "reasonable." It seems to me that the OP was prepared to pay for a reasonable adjustment to the cost of the one meal that he and his wife shared, but not three times the amount. I could be wrong, but I don't recall anyone in this thread expecting to share a meal with anyone and expecting to pay only half the cost of the meal. As I said, I don't have time now to re-read the entire thread.

 

[Ernesto.IT]

We were told that menu de peregrino/del dia was not for sharing, but platos combinados are. It sounds as though the OP had something like the latter in which case bread and drinks are chargeable and(from prices this year) the total although a shock is average. As others say a break down of the items would help comment.
If you want to share a 'non-sharing' meal ask for a simple salad starter to be served with the main meal, that sems to ne acceptable and only adds about 4€ to the cost

The menu del dia has nothing to do with the peregrino menu at 10 Euro. they are two differant things.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

The menu del dia has nothing to do with the peregrino menu at 10 Euro. they are two differant things.

thank you, I understand that, and also that English is not your first language. My point was when you ask for something that is not normally offered (in my case, the first course of the menu del dia as an a la carte item, in the OP's case, splitting a pilgrim's menu), the cost can be inexplicable--because you are asking for the owner to decide on a price on the spot. In my case, it was not so much more than one might guess that I found it unreasonable. In the OP's case, they probably added up all of the things they were served as a la carte items and the total was not acceptable to the OP. The problem is not the name of the prix fixe meal, but rather the costs that may be incurred when you try to alter a "fixed" meal.

 

[trecile]

One more thought to add to what others have said -- if you are not fluent in Spanish you may not have communicated exactly what you wanted to do. Even if your server can speak basic English to take your order, unusual requests may not have been understood. The pilgrim meals already represent a good bargain, even if you end up not eating everything.

That was my determination. Even if I didn't eat everything I was served, it was usually less expensive to order the pilgrim's meal than an entree and a drink ala carte, and I got dessert to boot!
I didn't know until I was in Muxia, after I completed the Camino that some restaurants will offer you just one course, plus dessert, bread and beverage at a discount.
There were also times when I wanted two first courses, ie, ensalada mixta and spaghetti bolognesa, and the server was happy to oblige me.

 

[Ernesto.IT]

thank you, I understand that, and also that English is not your first language. My point was when you ask for something that is not normally offered (in my case, the first course of the menu del dia as an a la carte item, in the OP's case, splitting a pilgrim's menu), the cost can be inexplicable--because you are asking for the owner to decide on a price on the spot. In my case, it was not so much more than one might guess that I found it unreasonable. In the OP's case, they probably added up all of the things they were served as a la carte items and the total was not acceptable to the OP. The problem is not the name of the prix fixe meal, but rather the costs that may be incurred when you try to alter a "fixed" meal.

I agree English is not my first language and I thank you to remind me of it.

 

[KinkyOne]

thank you, I understand that, and also that English is not your first language. My point was when you ask for something that is not normally offered (in my case, the first course of the menu del dia as an a la carte item, in the OP's case, splitting a pilgrim's menu), the cost can be inexplicable--because you are asking for the owner to decide on a price on the spot. In my case, it was not so much more than one might guess that I found it unreasonable. In the OP's case, they probably added up all of the things they were served as a la carte items and the total was not acceptable to the OP. The problem is not the name of the prix fixe meal, but rather the costs that may be incurred when you try to alter a "fixed" meal.

That might be it. As I've already mentioned it ought to be a misunderstanding, I guess the owner turned from (upon not well understood request) menu to a la carte and charged accordingly.
Too bad OP didn't come back to give us additional explanation although he was here last seen on Friday ...

 

[filly]

.... and to go way back on the thread you can order half a 'racion'.

On the menu del dia front, if you are two and heavy drinkers, just order one red and one white!

Overall, I feel that the food is so reasonable in Spain and restaurateurs such a vital source of employment, that I would never dream of messing around with such a set and generally wonderful lunchtime meal. In London, Euros 10, gets me a glass of wine with service charge.... well generally!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Let's also consider that the reason two people may prefer sharing a meal doesn't have to mean they don't want to spend the money but also not waist food. Who is to say a pair cannot share a meal, pay the extra for sharing and actually leave a tip on top?

I would rather beleive a person who has taken the time to post on the Forum to give others a head's than assume he or she is a cheapskate whose Spanish is horrendous.

 

[filly]

Love the idea of 'waisting' food!! A Freudian 'share plate'. Thanks for the smile you have brought to my face this am.

 

[filly]

Love the idea of 'waisting' food!! A Freudian 'share plate'. Thanks for the smile you have brought to my face this am.

....or rather NOT 'waisting' food - even better.....

 

[Tia Valeria]

The menu del dia has nothing to do with the peregrino menu at 10 Euro. they are two differant things.

We know that, although others might not. However the 'sharing' was the same we were told. However @JohnnieWalker has said that it is sometimes possible to share the menu del dia, but not presumably the menu de peregrino, which is where this thread started.

 

[nalod]

I have a problem with two people sharing a 10 euro menu, these places have overheads, two plates! Personally I would be too embarrassed to ask for it. If you don't want the full menu I am sure there were many other options. Give to the local economy.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Personally we have never shared a menu del dia but have shared a platos combinados. However if we do that we usually have ordered a salad too, so actually have 2 servings. Just have to ask for the salad to be brought with the main dish. This is more about quantity than cost, bread and drink have to be added to the bill, plus dessert/coffee so it is not a 'cheap' option. It often gives greater choice too.

I was actually surprised that any meal could be shared as it would not happen here in our experience, unless sharing with a very small child of your own plate

 

[Icacos]

Love the idea of 'waisting' food!! A Freudian 'share plate'.

....or rather NOT 'waisting' food - even better.....

I prefer the first one! As in 'considering the waist when eating.'