Travel Advisory: How to Know You're Dining . . .

[Alchemist]

In NYC, anyplace that automatically adds the gratuity on to your check is a tourist trap. (Per Se excepted from this rule).

Out-of-town friends have lamented this phenomenon. My best guess is that this has been implemented for:

--the convenience of visitors from other countries that are unaccustomed to our tipping conventions

--visitors from other areas of the US that are unaccustomed to the often lofty fine-dining prices here, and don't know or don't want to tip accordingly

--because restaurants feel that they can get away with this practice.

My advice to out-of-town friends has been to look for the "gratuity added" phrase on menus, signs, etc. Usually the gratuity added is 18% or higher, which is higher than usual.

If you see that phrase, FLEE.

If you don't see the phrase and notice a hefty tip has been added "for your convenience," cross out the tip and add your own, whatever you think is appropriate. Don't be a total cheapskate if you intend to try this (somewhat ballsy) approach.  Point the new tip out to your waiter, explain why you did it, and tell you waiter how fabulous he/she is, and how much you enjoyed the meal and their service. Be lavish in your praise. Then, and only then, should you sign the check.

I'm sure the waiters and restaurateurs on the board will shout me down on this approach, but I stand by it!

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Then the waiter/waitress Can go to their land lord tell them how much they love living in their apartment, and wonderful the service the landlord provides is. Then give them 1/2 the rent.

Verbal tippage doesn't pay the bills.

[Timh]

I suggest that "tourist traps" fill the niche for those tourist that aspire for nothing better, and concierges et al are doing their job by giving these folks what they want. but on the otherhand, some places are tourist traps due to their own fame. Most 3 stars in France aren't filled with locals, they are filled with Japanese, and other foriegners. The natives complain that they can't get in due to the crush of foreighners(at least when I lived in Paris, that was the sentiment). Bourbon St. in NO is all most people ever see when they go there, they never venture off of the street. but to those people, that IS New Orleans.

But back to the topic speciffically, if the place has a section lined with cookbooks, t-shirts, bumperstickers and other trinkets, to me its a tourist trap.

Edited February 18, 2006 by Timh (log)

[Nathan]

hmmm:

1. when in Europe, any restaurant with menus in multiple languages (especially when displayed outside)...very high end places are an exception since they tend to have an international clientele.

2. although I generally agree that if there are no locals that is a bad sign -- if in Eastern or Central Europe (as in the Czech Republic or Poland) that's not necessarily true....as locals tend to avoid expensive (by local standards) fine dining places...some of which can be very good. and asking their opinion might not be a good idea as they'll often pretend to have eaten there.

3. in NY, the following are rules to follow:

a. if it's in the theater district it's a tourist trap.

b. if it's in Times Square it's a tourist trap.

c. if it's in the "trendy Meat Packing district" (as every guidebook will refer to it...even though NY'ers don't go there on the weekend anymore) it's a tourist trap.

d. if it's on Bleeker Street (except for west of 6th Avenue) its a tourist trap).

e. if it's been on "Sex in the City" it's a tourist trap (Balthazar is a notable exception because Balthazar is probably unique in NY in actually having a mix of locals, tourists, b&t and even celebs at breakfast).

f. if it's in Central Park it's most definitely a tourist trap.

[ghostrider]

When you're dining on the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, & the menu proudly announces that the crab in their crabcakes has been flown in from bleedin' MEXICO (not that there's anything wrong with Mexico per se), you know you've fallen into a TT.

[Lilija]

While vacationing in shore type areas, any place with a name like "The Rusty Rudder", "Old Salty Sailor", "The Diving Dolphin", "The Frozen Fishstick", "Any Port in a Storm" et. al.

And, for the love of all things holy, do NOT go to the all you can eat seafood buffet, no matter how much you think you like stuffed clams...

[scubadoo97]

I am always a little leery of restaurants that sell tee shirts and other items and apparel with their logos. No gift shops please.

[Kent D]

Have a similar story about Little Rock -- even down to the fact that their yuppie magnet is called the "River Market." I didn't know exactly what barbecue place I was looking for, but I knew it wasn't going to be there, even though the folks at the Holiday Inn front desk kept trying to send where the other out-of-towners congregated.  Finally found an old bellman who sent me to "bad" neighborhood -- meaning, of course, it was a black neighborhood -- and the barbecue was great and the people who worked there friendly in a way you almost never see outide the South.

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I think I might have eaten in the same place when visiting Little Rock in 1999 while my wife was hospitalized down there. My mother and I were looking for someplace "different" to eat (as we had already eaten in every chain restaurant across from the hospital) and stumbled upon a barbecue restaurant in what appeared to be a residential area. It was called something like L&M or L&R barbecue. We walked in around Sunday lunchtime, and were greeted by two lovely people who when taking our order pushed us away from ordering the brisket and encouraged us to order the pork ribs. They WERE quite good, and the guy behind the counter also tried to suggest some "special" lemonade, which I can only assume must have contained the local equivalent of moonshine or rocket fuel. I ordered a Coke instead, which seemed to disappoint him. But they were friendly and welcoming to two Yankee travellers from up-river.

Oh, and the walls were covered with laminated Polaroid photos of jazz musicians who must have come through town, and a laminated portrayal of the Last Supper with a black Jesus and his 12 black disciples. I wasn't going to correct them...