On food costs, restaurants, special diets and the guide’s meal.
IS FOOD INCLUDED?
Lunch (for city tours and day trips) and tapas (on food tours) are NOT included. Client is kindly asked to pay for the guide’s food as well as theirs.- City tours. In 6h-tours, the client can chose if they want to stop for lunch at some point, or if they’d rather keep touring for the whole time. In 7 to 8h-tours, a stop for lunch will be scheduled around the middle of the day, lunch time still counting as touring time (not as a break).
- Daytrips out of town. There is no lunch stop for 6 hour halfday excursions, unless it has been agreed with the client before hand. Lunch will be scheduled for fulldaytrips (8 hours or more).
WHY ARE FOOD & DRINKS NOT INCLUDED IN FOOD TOURS EITHER?
Our goal is to custom the perfect tour for you, not to take you on a template itinerary that is the same for everyone, but might not be a match for you. While some people are adventurous eaters, some other would rather stay in their safe comfort area; some love expensive wines, while other prefer beer… An Epicurean Tour should be a treat for you, so it doesn’t make sense that we make you eat a set tapas menu for a certain amount per person or we include set tastings on a food shopping tour. It’s way more fun if you can chose every time what you want to eat, drink and buy.FOOD ALLERGIES AND SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS
Since food is not included in our tours, that allows us to cater for special needs but that might not always be easy: please notify us in advance if you or anyone in your party has special dietary needs, so we can plan in advance. The following is a list of posts in our blog that might interest you:WHERE DO WE EAT?
Usually tapas restaurants are the best choice for lunch, as they are time efficient and you get to try a variety of different local foods. We know the best places close to the areas that you will be visiting, and if you like the idea, that’s where we will take you. However, the customer has the right to choose the time and place, so if you prefer to do something different, just as your tourguide! Just take into account that even a quick sandwich stop will never be less than 30 minutes (the time that it takes to be served, use the toilet and eat), and a paella lunch can take well over one hour.WHY DO YOU CHARGE FOR THE TIME YOU ARE EATING WITH US?
TIME: Even if the guide is eating, it’s a time we’ll be there with you. Guides can’t use this time for their own personal use nor give another tour in the meantime, so it has to have a price. WORK: Eating is certainly a pleasant part of my job, but it doesn’t mean breaktime for us! We’ll keep busy translating for you, recommending specialties and of course answering as many questions as you want about our local culture, traditions, habits, history or whatever else interests you. We are there so… make us work as much as you wish!WHAT ABOUT A LUNCH INVITATION AFTER THE TOUR?
If after a tour you had so much fun that you invite your guide to join you for lunch… that’s very sweet of you! We’ll probably love to join you (and of course we won’t be charging for that “extra-time” with you), but that’ll depend on our schedule as if we’ve got another appointment later on we might not be able to accept your invitation.WHEN TO OFFER THE INVITATION?
Occasionally, there is people who want to invite us for lunch as they are booking (sometimes weeks or months before we actually meet for the tour).
We really appreciate that and it makes us very happy that you are so sure you’ll love your time with us that you want to treat us ahead of time, but please understand that we cannot commit to a lunch invitation beforehand because then we wouldn’t be available for an eventual afternoon tour with someone else… So please remind your guide of your invitation after the tour is over. We’ll be glad to accept if we don’t have other appointments later!
