Ripped off in the kioskes.
[QUOTE=Mangera;2171888]First off, thanks for your posts. Secondly, I find it amusing that it was 30 minutes for 55 reais, and freakin 80 reais for a some chicken. A reference from your previous post. You probably could have had all three, 30 minutes, chicken and the caipirinhas for 80 reais at VM! That's Rio for ya! Thanks again.[/QUOTE]I have been here two months now and no longer use the food bars or kisokes on Atlantica Av. Three times now they have tried to add things onto the bill. Each time I was with a Brazilian lady and she checked bill and found the errors. Once it was 150 reals out.
It's plain and simple, they are stealing from tourists. I know enough Portuguese to tell them this and tell them I am not coming back. The stupidity beggars belief as the restaurants are empty. If they served good honest food and the bill was accurate I would come back every day. I have also had the chair sellers on the beach trying the same scams. Again really stupid business as you never go back to them. In two months these are the only people who have tried to do this, I have had no bad experiences with other Brazilian people.
I always pay as I go now and don't allow the bill to be paid at the end. Re kiosks restaurants, I just don't bother at all with them now.
Not getting ripped of at the beach
I've seen plenty of gringos getting ripped off with absurd bills, at Copacabana beach.
Some advice to avoid getting fooled:
* Get a tan as soon as possible. A pale (or pink) gringo is more likely to get ripped off.
* Figure out the correct prices of drinks and chairs as soon as possible.
* Don't go to the beach like a first-time gringo wearing socks in your flip-flops, changing to swimming trunks on the beach using a towel, lying on a towel or bringing massive camerabags.
* Nevers accept a beach-chair or parasol without asking the price.
* When buying drinks from the beach barracas always inform of the prices before you order.
* The beach barracas are obliged to have a large pricelist well visible in the barracas.
* When finding your favourite spot on the beach, become a regular customer in a beach barraca and they won't try to fool you.
* Buy drinks from the drink sellers who pass on the beach carrying isopor-boxes. Many of them are hard-working guys from Zona Norte who carry heavy loads every day in the hot sand. They deserve business. Find one or two of these guys who charge decent prices and always have plenty of ice in the box and become his regular customer. He´ll treat you like a king and always have a icecold Guaraviton waiting for you.
* If you stay for some time in Rio. Buy your own beach-chair and parasol. There are many China-shops on NS Cop selling theam cheap. It's much nicer to have your own fresh chair and don't have to sit in a beach-chair from the beach barracas that smells of old sweat and farts.
* Also if you stay some time in Rio, buy a small soft termal bag. Bring you own icecold drinks, fruitsalad or sandwiches. No need to be ashamed, many cariocas bring their own coolingbags filled with goodies.
* Maybe somebody wants to try going to the beach in the suburbano-way? Buy a lot of cans in the supermarket, pick up a bag of ice in a depósito de bebida and chill your own beer on the beach. To blend in like a suburbano you should also bring a grilled chicken and eat farofa directly from a plasticbag using your fingers.
