Just a head's up of a version of what can happen if you don't check your bill carefully at restaurants in the Cancun area. Went to Mocambo Restaurant on Isla Mujerees two weeks ago with local and out of town friends. It is on the left as you get off the boats. The bill came and it seemed high. Upon checking it they had penned in ""15% tax", yes TAX. When questioned about if it was a tip, the waiter said "No, it is a tax we have to pay to the people who prepare the food. The tip is extra and not included." HMMM. When we told him that this was illegal in Mexico, that the price on the menu, price tag or whatever had to be inclusive of all taxes. He refused to take it off the bill. We paid (thanks LG) but left no add'l money as tip. Well, "Profeco TJ" headed to Profeco (the Federal Consumer Protection Agency) the other day. It took about 3 hours and a trip to the Mocambo in the HZ, but I got a refund for THE ENTIRE BILL - $581, not just the $76 "tax". The manager at the HZ restaurant was beyond apologetic. When told that the waiter was not rude, just a crook, he said he would lose his job over this and hoped it was worth the $76. AND, Profeco is going to go to the restaurant, again, the one on Isla Mujeres just left on the main street as you get off the boat, and hit them with a $3,000 (about $250 US Multa, or fine. Profeco has teeth, if you turn them loose, they will get something done. Not my first rodeo with them. I did take a crazy Mexican lady friend to butt in line (for real) and she did all the heavy lifting. If anyone experiences such a problem please get in touch as this may be a pattern of ripping off customers, whether local or guests from abroad. Take a copy of your receipt/evidence.
TJ, Good advice. You are such a low key person,but follow up on what needs to be done. How hard is it to contact Profeco.
Not too hard amigo. They are behind the downtown Chedraui, upstairs next to OXXO. Go in take a number and wait your turn. Best if you have your complaint written out in Spanish, evidence attached, at least the phone number and as much of an address as you can of the offending merchant, copy of your ID, and your address and phone number. A copy of everything of course. If they can call the merchant and get a reply they will. If not they contact them in another manner. They can set a mediation of sorts. If the other folks don't reply in writing or show for the meeting, they are fined. I had a large, more than $1,000 US complaint, got all my money back, plus they were fined $9,000 pesos for not doing some things, $3,000 a whack. The main thing is the wait and the locals who just butt in to ask a question or whatever. That is why I took my own local; and it still took quite a while. BUT PROFECO DID DELIVER - BIG TIME.
wow ....... thanks so much for the heads up! I will be doing down on May 21st, and we totally planned on doing a full day trip to the island. so, really .... no place in Mexico can charge a separate tax?? I will be on the lookout on all of my bills! Can they charge a gratutity on top of whatever you get when you go out to eat?
They can add a gratuity if it so states on the menu. Some places actually add 10% or 12% & some 15%.. But you can ask them to take it off unless they show you where is gives them the right to do this. Normally I tell them I was going to tip 25% for the great service but if they tell me what the tip is then that is all they get. This is not about trying to stiff the waiters; it is about them often sneaking the tip on the bill, saying nothing and then you double tipping. These are people just trying to survive for the most part in a "me first" culture. Enjoy your vacation.
Good job TJ! I wish more people would do this - but it is time consuming. One thing that peeves me is the number of people out to rip you off here and hope you don't notice. Of course us as expats recognise it and jump on it straightaway, for tourists it's not so easy. We too have had good results with Profeco. In our case it was some prescription glasses that took an age to make and then weren't made to the prescription prescribed, but they still insisted we pay for them. The owner of the company had to fly in from Mexico City for the hearing and we got all our money back. Of course, I have one of those 'crazy Mexican ladies' that never give up as my wife which always helps
Thanks Steve, What griped me especially about this deal was that, when confronted, the waiter just continued to lie for a lousy $76. Had it been a 15% tip that would have been a different matter had it been printed on the menu. But this guy insisted it was a tax and "15% Tax" had been hand written on the check. They really deserve the multa in this case as it was so very blatant. It made me wonder if they did this to every single check for English speaking people. But two of us spoke to the waiter only in Spanish, even when ordering. I want to go there again have a beer and a taco and see what happens. Glad you had J on your team on the glasses.
