Cuba rip off stories (funny or not)

I know that all of us who have spent some time in cuba (particulary la Habana) have been through feelings of frustration, comedy and despair at some of the pranksters in the Cuban tourist and service industry - for those who havnt been, dont worry, they are almost always funny in restrospect, and are usually pretty harmless in the grand scale of life- but incredibly frustrating at the time all the same (i have travelled quite abit, and there is none of the desperation of most latin american countries)

la golf bar (i think this is the name)- a pizzeria along the malecon, we ask for two 1.50 cuc pizzas, which arrive after about an hours waiting around buying drinks (see what they did there? lol)- the bill comes, im not an economist but inflation does not rise 1000% in a matter of minutes, not even in cuba,lol- the pizza's are 3 cuc each instead of 1.50, i ask why the price rise? i am told that they added extra cheese to the base of the pizza, which is hillarious as the pizzas were wafer thin, and i dont even like cheese anyway- so guys remember, try and keep the menu, or make a point of the price before you order! it does sound petty in retrospect, but at the time it can be abit frustrating-

another one- we walk into a restaurant (this particular one is down near the docks, i dont recall the name), to be whisked to a table- after taking awhile to deciptor the menu, my spanish is ok, but im not a fast reader- we ask for the chicken, 'sorry sir, not today', the pork? 'lo siento, no es possible', and this goes on, it turns out the only thing they do have is the lobster, which also happens to be the most expensive dish on the menu,lol, what a coincidence i thought to myself- so there is a restuarant where the only thing on the menu is lobster, why didnt they just tell us that instead of giving us a full menu,lol, anyway as much as we admired his wit, we left-

and who else has been accosted by a restaurant worker trying to tempt you into his/her restaurant by telling you 'hello sir, this is the MOST EXPENSIVE restaurant in havana', as if by it being the most expensive restaurant, you will be tempted to go in,lol- these cubans just havent grasped this capitalism game have they?

feel free to share equally as amusing stories, youve got to love cuba- cuba es cuba

Bill padding is pretty common, except for paladars. I don't recall ever having a problem in a paladar and I've eaten hundreds of times in those.

I can understand someone trying to add a drink or two, to a party of 5 that have been drinking all night but, probably the same restaurant on the Malecon you mentioned.... a few years ago, my gf and I order 2 burgers, 1 fry and 2 cokes. The bill comes back on a scrap of paper with a total on it. Of course it was padded (3 burgers, 2 fries)... "disculpame"... blah blah... the total is corrected. I go to pay, bill was around $3.80 or something. I hand over a $5. Apparently they don't have $1.20 in change. OOOOOKKKKK..... I say, "no problem... go next door and get change, I'll wait"... when magically $1.20 appears. Of course, no tip was left. Never did go back there.

The waiter(s) at Casa de la Musica on Galiano always tries to screw me on a bottle of rum and 4 cokes. I would never have known unless this Mexican I met and his jinetera gf had not been with us the first time I went there, just after it had opened. When the waiter mentioned the price to me I knew somwething was wrong. The Mexican's gf de jour asked me what was wrong. I mentioned the price to her (I didn't order, yet) and she said, no that was wrong, it should be $XX and proceeded to leave the table and go to the bar. She came back and said everything was ok, and the waiter did the "i quited you the prcie for 7 year old, not 3 year old....blah...blah...blah". The subsequent X times I was there, different waiter(s) every time, they try the same crap. I don't ask the prcie, just hand over $xx and ignore their bewildered faces. Haven't had a problem....lol

I haven't been at that CdlM in about 1.5 years. I assume nothing has changed except the drink prices. I have never had a problem at the other CdlM in Playa and leave a generous tip.

The above is pretty routine, as any frequent traveller can attest to.

The last 3 trips down, on checkout of my hotel, they tried to pull the missing towel scam.....at Libra...it was 20 CUC...for a TOWEL, well I refused to pay on all 3 occasions, just ask for the manager, then the towel count seems to be correct....LOL

A couple of trips ago- and this was partly down to my own foolishness, but was quite amusing anyway. Having just arrived in la habana, and whilst showing a friend of mine around the plaza de la cathedral area, we had the misfortune to bump into a jovial little character called Carlos, who offered to show us to a nearby cheap restuarant, so feeling open minded and hungry we indulged him.. he then took us a dodgy looking restaurant clearly operated by his friend/relative/co-con artist sidekick the waiter, having promised us that the meal would cost more than 10 cuc each, it turned out it was 24 cuc each, aswell as paying for his meal (who we didnt invite to eat with us,lol)- i should have became suspicious when he asked for the t-shirt my friend happened to be wearing at the time and was quite serious in wanting to swap my friends t-shirt for his string vest; following this, we wanted to show us a bar, so still feeling open minded, and keen to meet some locals, we agreed- we were taken to a house, not a bar, but definetly a house, carlos assured us that this was the very house where the famous cuban film 'fresa y chocolate' was filmed, by the sound of it, he was single handedly responsible for the films production..lol-
we were given mojitos by another guy, whos house it probably was, and who claimed to be a top barman at the hotel ingleterre, who was having a day off.. the mojitos were practically plied down our throats.. having not even asked for anything, having wanted to leave, we declared this intention.. but were told to hang on, because carlos the con man wanted us to meet his cousin who spoke good english, although he'd been happily talking away in english for ages.. when we really became bored of the jovial banter, having got up to leave i was presented a bill for 12 cuc (in a house, i ask u!), the guys claimed each mojito was 6 cuc, despite some shouting and bad tempers, id had enough of the whole con and threatened to call the police, at which point we left generously leaving a 2 cuc on the way out- although it was obviously a well rehearsed routine used many times on unsuspecting tourists, and we shouldnt have given them anything at all, carlos obviously thought it was his lucky day

In 1997, one of the best prepared meals I have ever had in Cuba came about in a similar fashion... pssst... I know a great restaurant, follow me. So we did. Ended up going into a 3 story, entering through the lane, up through someones apartment and, finally, and surprisingly, into a small but well run restaurant being operated out of someone's apartment. 4 or 5 tables, with 3 occupied by other tourists. Air conditioning, Crystal beer, you name it. Lobster was $12. Overpricerd at that time but I understand the pssst guy needs to make a living also. I wish I had remembered where it was since the food and service was first rate.

It was my first trip and I did know better but what the heck....

#1: Padding in Casa de la Musica on Galiano is still very common.
You order a Bucanero. Waiter says 2 CUC. You give him 2 CUC . Waiter puts your 2 CUC in the cash-register.
Then he quickly takes out the change and puts it discrete, out of sight, for his own use beside the register.

Lots of the same crap in other places too.

Last month when I was there I was amazed at the lengths some would go to realize such a small sum. Sometimes I make a fuss sometimes I can't be bothered, but these days I rarely get scammed unbeknownst to me. This time, after standing in line at the Banco for CUCs for a long time, the cashier made a point of giving me the coin change in as small denoms as possible. I counted the bills but did not count the 5 & 10 centavos and once out I did and sure enough she had skimmed I think .25 off. I think this speaks volumes about the situation there.

Another time a store clerk as charmingly as can be imagined removed the price tag from the large bag of Serrano and then promptly added a CUC to the price. That time I was too tired to make a scene and force her to go back to the other room and get another bag to check the price, that one annoyed me!

I've noticed several scams where workers are skimming the gov't take, which I think is hilarious, but am not going to post the details. It's like the DVD ban, I take it up as challenge to get as many down as I can. So far batting 500.

Lets not forget the old milk scam, I have been humiliated on that one twice......daaaaa

One reason why it is so flagerant is that most tourists couldn't be bothered, too shy, etc... to stand up to the bs. It encourages the type of behavior. I don't let anyone get away with robbing me. It's the principal. I figure I am doing all tourists a favor.

Ya, I know... they're poor and have hungry mouths to feed.

I doubt that any of the workers scamming tourists have any hungry mouths to feed, not that many other cubans may have. Gres you're probably absolutely right; was it worth my effort to count my nickles and rag at the bank clerk? not for the quarter, but for the principle. Obviously, there is not enough repurcussions from the employer (state) or likelyhood of getting caught. This is something cuba(ns) will have to address if they ever hope to move forward.

It is amazing how unflappable they can be in the face of opposition too. In December in Havana (vieja) my son and I were walking in hustler central, and got accosted by a milk scammer. In a loud voice I explained to my son what the scam was, what the facts were and the scammer just kept going. I kept telling my son what was true and not, but kept going along with it, right to the store, even "bought" some milk, continuing to explain in a loud voice that the milk would be back in the back door of the store before we were out the front, the clerk looked like he could throttle me! But they kept it up, I shouldn't have done it, but I guarantee my son will never fall for it on his own. If I had have tried to explain it, his eyes would have glazed over and never heard a word.

I find that it grows wearisome, and even, by the end of a trip, I resent paying fair prices because my guard has been up so long it just becomes habit to feel you're getting ripped.

If anyone thinks it is just tourists that they try and rip off with abandon, they rip off each other with equal persistance and equal arrogance, if not more so. I've heard way too may stories, some close to home.

I wonder is it your impression that this culture of ripping of, tourist and locals is worse in Cuba than other places in latin America. I think so - do you agree?

Now a story: a lady tourist I talked to on my last visit had been to a restaurant in Havana Vieja and gotten seriously conned on the bill, adding drinks and food that she had not consumed, and when she got the wrong change back - and it was in cuban pesos, double scam!! The lady got upset and wanted her money back. The waitress got angry at the woman for making a "scene" and when the lady said she wound call the police the waitress laughed her in the face and said "go ahead". The poor lady left the restaurant with her cuban pesos.

#10: "they rip off each other with equal persistance and equal arrogance, if not more so."
Too bad to say so, but 100% correct. Cuba: una pais de mentiras!

#11... I can't comment on other Latin American countries, not having travelled to any.

The woman laughed at her.... it is part of the "act". If the tourist made a move to actually do that, the staff would have changed her tune.

I would not have paid the padded amount. I would have calculated what it should have been, put the money on the table and left. If the staff complained I would have said, YOU call the cops.

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<hr>I wonder is it your impression that this culture of ripping of, tourist and locals is worse in Cuba than other places in latin America. I think so - do you agree?<hr></blockquote>

I wouldn't guess it's the same everywhere, but it's not unique to Cuba, that's for sure. I remember eating at a restaurant in San Jose, Costa Rica being surprised to see the "tourist's menu" (the one in English) had higher prices for the same things that were on the menu in Spanish. What was really funny was that we had a mix of english and spanish menus on the same table---I guess they didn't expect us to notice. It was a pretty tourist-popular restaurant. I didn't actually catch that happen anywhere else in San Jose though.

There is no competition or incentive under that form of govt., "they pretend to pay us, we pretend to work." Salaries are fixed so they have to resort to tourist ripoffs and unless you counter them with the same bad attitude and temper they'll take full advantage. Who has time to be aggravated for a few dollars, this doesn't mean it's ok . Most of the thieves understand that many tourists are either unaware of what's happening or are too timid to go after them (not me:)). Don't let em get away with it.

#14 A few weeks ago here in NYC,(before the rat story) there was a Chinese restaurant in our China town which had 2 menus, one in Chinese, one in English. Someone complained to the media that the Chinese language menu had lower prices than the English menu. The city sent inspectors in, found out it was true, fined the establishment and will be taking them to court for additional damages, but better than that, when the mayor was asked about it during one of his daily press conferences he advised everyone to boycott the restaurant for practicing discrimination. Very powerful message,besides the the other negative publicity from the media and very hurtful to the restaurant's business.

I still say that Varadero is the worst place on the island.

When last in Auba, I was invited by some friends to go sit in at a bar in Vieja. Hanging out with the musicians, I was charged 1 CUC for my beer, and as I had some rum for mixing in my daypack, 2 CUP for mango juice for the boys in the band. We all had a great time that day.

The following day I returned, with a TT friend and his date, to the same place. We sat at a private table, but I still sat in with and hung out with the band. The subsequent bill was 2 CUC per beer and 2 CUC for the juice, and the waiter had padded the bill by an extra beer. When I questioned this, the waiter became righteously indingnant, and stated I was lying. All of this being witnessed by my musician friends, and as I had bought the mango juice for the boys to mix with my rum, my friends offered to pay, and were charges 2 CUP. That being said, the bar The continuing to deny that there were two different menus and/or prices. I payed the 4 CUC for the two beers, and left 1 centavo moneda nacional for a tip.

Every subsequent day that week, I would purposely walk past the bar, which was open-air anyway, to very noticably and loudly comment in Spanish, "Gee, I wonder where a group of people can have a drink around here without being cheated?" I would then take my party, which was never less than four, to La Taberna de Beny More in Plaza Vieja, where my first round was ALWAYS on the house ... they know good free entertainment AND return business when they see it!

Al, I heard about that story :))

Yeah, and there are those who would call me a liar, because NOBODY ever gets comped ANYTHING, at ANY TIME, for ANY REASON in Cuba! If I remember correctly, the bar bought me my rums for free at La Inglaterra as well, but that's another tale to tell ...

Well Al, I'm envious. I can never find or keep a CUP .01 coin.!

But every now and then the VISITING team scores a run! On my January visit to Havana, I frequently took the M2 camel from downtown to Reparto Marti. One day my Cubana and I entered and each paid our 20 centavos. I was sent back for the tickets. Extending my hand, the conductor misunderstood and gave me two tickets and 60 centavos - change for the ubiquitously tendered peso coin.

So the score 40 centavos out and 60 centavos in plus a free trip home for two!

Take that Fidel!

Davitz......maybe you took that centavos, out of the poor guys pocket.....when he cashed out, well kind of like here, the employee makes up the differance...I am not impressed

I have had free bar privilages at Partagas since 1998 or so. I also have my cigars comped there and walk out with a fistful of them, every visit, which is almost daily when I am in Havana....lol

I haven't bought anything there since 2002. Every once in awhile I do drop a 5 or 10 spot on the bar but it doesn't even come remotely close to covering my consumption.

So gres......I will be there soon...Havana.....can we hang out...LOL

Gres ... you da man!

'Scuse mi gressi? I don't remember any free drinks when we met there !!!!!!!

Alway hang on to the menu no matter where you are in Latin America.

pelo.... I don't recall....did I actually pay or did I drop a few $ for Albert. I don't recall.

I know I did pay once when they had a new bartender, the guy with the buzzcut. I don't think he's there anymore.... I haven't seen him in ages. Don't know if that was the time we hooked up.

I don't pay for drinks.

#20 the bus drivers always keep my change whenever I give them 1 peso cubano or 5 centavo cuc, they make up the difference with turistas like me