- 1. What is Costa Rican Food Like?
- 2. Is the food the Same Everywhere in Costa Rica?
- 3. How much Should I Tip After a Meal?
- 4. How Much do I Tip Drivers and Other Service Workers?
1. What is Costa Rican Food Like?
Costa Rican food consists of a simple diet based primarily on wholesome ingredients like rice and beans, meats, vegetables, and fruits. A typical dish for breakfast is 'gallo pinto,' a delicious mix of rice and black beans with cilantro and other spices. For lunch or dinner you will often find a dish called a 'casado,' a basic meal that consists of rice and beans, cabbage salad, a choice of meat (beef, chicken, pork or fish), fried plantains, and sometimes cheese. Another popular choice is 'arroz con pollo,' which translates as "rice with chicken" and includes vegetables and cilantro. You will find similar menus all over the country at restaurants or sodas, which generally serve low-cost home-style meals. Fruit like pineapple, mango, papaya, watermelon, guanábana, melon, and avocados are some of the best in the world. Other popular dishes of typical Costa Rican food (comida típica) include 'olla de carne' (beef soup with yucca), tamales (meat or vegetables in corn meal), empanadas (fried pastry stuffed with meat, beans, or potatoes), ceviche (citrus-marinated seafood salad), arreglados (meat filled sandwiches), sopa negra (black bean soup), and gallos, which are smaller tortillas filled with just about anything. Natural juices or batidos are fruit smoothies mixed with water or milk. The most common flavors are pineapple, blackberry, mango, watermelon, papaya, cas, guanábana, passion fruit, tamarind, and melon.
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2. Is the food the Same Everywhere in Costa Rica?
Casados and gallo pinto are the staple foods at most restaurants in Costa Rica. The only main regional difference is in the Caribbean, where the most common dish is rice, red beans, and chicken or fish, all slow cooked in coconut milk. There are international resturants that have been started by expats from Italy, Argentina, Israel, America, France, Germany and many other countries that have broadened the horizons of locals and offered alternatives to typical Costa Rican food. It is common to find pizza, hamburgers and even sushi in different parts of Costa Rica, although every town is culinarily different. Some of the most vibrant restaurant scenes are in Jacó, Tamarindo, Mal Pais, San José and Monteverde.
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3. How much Should I Tip After a Meal?
Tipping is not obligatory, but it is recommended; where you are and what you are doing will dictate the appropriate amount of how much you should tip. For instance, in nearly all restaurants a 10% service tax and a 13% sales tax will be included into your bill. Thus, since the base tip is included in your bill, your extra tip should be based upon your amount of satisfaction.
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4. How Much do I Tip Drivers and Other Service Workers?
Visitors should offer a tip to the service provider if they feel satisfied with the service that they have received. If you feel that the driver, tour guide or person assisting you has done a great job, then please, go ahead and tip him/her. Many salaries are low in Costa Rica and service employees depend on the tips to supplement there income. However, you won't always receive great service, in which case you shouldn't feel obligated to tip. But please, do tip the service employees that enhance your experience based upon how much you think that they deserve - generally, 10-20% is fine.
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