[texasfal]

Went there Firday night for dinner with my husband. Ordered drinks, appetizer and entrees. Ate the chips and salsa. Asked for more salsa - we're from Texas and we like spicy. Roland the waiter said he'd have to charge us $1.50 for more salsa. We protested and asked to speak to mgr. Roland said since we didn't know about the charge he'd give us one more dish of salsa for free. Got the bill and we were charged $1.50. We asked again to speak to mgr. Roland told us he would not come to table. As we were leaving we told hostess we would not be back. Very nice girl said the owner was there and to please let her talk to him. She came back and said that the owner said it was too bad we weren't coming back but that we ate a lot of salsa. (Two little bowls that together didn't amount to 1 cup!) Anyway, guess we're back on the trail of decent Mexican food in Florida.

[jnieman]

That's really strange that they tried to charge you for extra salsa. They have not done that to us and we have been there lots of times. I wonder if it is a new policy. I know sometimes there are communication problems with the staff there not speaking very good English. Hopefully this won't happen again as we also love salsa.

[Bonny]

Hard to imagine that someone would trash a restaurant because they weren't getting more of something for free. Just sayin', it's just my opinion.

[cathyw]

Originally Posted by texasfal

Went there Firday night for dinner with my husband. Ordered drinks, appetizer and entrees. Ate the chips and salsa. Asked for more salsa - we're from Texas and we like spicy. Roland the waiter said he'd have to charge us $1.50 for more salsa. We protested and asked to speak to mgr. Roland said since we didn't know about the charge he'd give us one more dish of salsa for free. Got the bill and we were charged $1.50. We asked again to speak to mgr. Roland told us he would not come to table. As we were leaving we told hostess we would not be back. Very nice girl said the owner was there and to please let her talk to him. She came back and said that the owner said it was too bad we weren't coming back but that we ate a lot of salsa. (Two little bowls that together didn't amount to 1 cup!) Anyway, guess we're back on the trail of decent Mexican food in Florida.

Yes, but how was the appetizer and the entrees that you ordered.
If the food was good, I would definitely go back, regardless if I got extra free salsa or not.

[Trayderjoe]

Sorry to hear about your misadventure. We happen to enjoy Fiesta Grande Mexican Grill and have always had good food there.

I don't know if your issue was a communication issue as another poster had proposed, if a second bowl of salsa is charged for (we usually only use up the one bowl we are given) or if this is a new policy or not. I have been in other establishments where only the first dish of chips and salsa is free and additional of either incurs charges.

The short of it is that the waiter at least informed you BEFORE he brought the additional salsa of the charge, so he did a good job there, although the follow-up may have been lacking.

In any event, good luck in your search for other Mexican restaurants, and if you find something good, please let us know!

[keithwand]

Funny; I don't usually like Mexican but have eaten there once and we enjoyed it.
They offered us more chips and salsa and no additional $$ but that was a few months ago.

[Peachie]

Originally Posted by Bonny

Hard to imagine that someone would trash a restaurant because they weren't getting more of something for free. Just sayin', it's just my opinion.

Bonny, perhaps I can help you understand... this is a Mexican restaurant and they most likely buy salsa by the gallons, the cost for a half cup is pennies for them. The OP and her husband ordered drinks, appetizers and meals and they weren't provided another 1/2 cup of salsa upon request, unless they paid $1.50. I don't know if you've eaten at this Mexican restaurant but the salsa servings vary by the server some half full little containers and some quite full. They were denied the ability to speak with the manager, which is recommended by everyone on this forum. Not a great business decision by a Mexican restaurant to charge extra for salsa.

If that isn't enough to help you understand, I'd like to share our experiences at this restaurant which we had frequented often. My husband and I don't order drinks and we don't have appetizers but always ordered the higher end price meals plus a beverage and left a nice tip and are very low maintenance diners.

We went there about three months ago and requested a booth for seating from the woman who was hostessing, (there were 3 open booths at the time). She informed us they kept the booths for larger groups and we could not have one. I explained it was our wedding anniversary and we would really prefer a booth if possible. She said no, took us to a table next to the walkway from the bar and kitchen. We then watched as she proceeded to seat the next two couple to arrive in individual booths, even though tables were open. It was a less than pleasant experience dining where we were seated that evening.

We had gone back again despite that evening until two weeks ago. Once again this woman was hostessing and when we requested a booth, she said none were available. My husband and I discussed it and said we would wait until a booth opens up. We sat down along the wall straight ahead of her stand where she could see us waiting. My husband walked to the men's restroom at that point and there was an empty booth! While he was gone, another booth opened up in the front and was promptly cleaned. A couple walked in a this point and this woman took them to the booth to be seated that had just emptied out. At that point we left and won't be going back.

We had no agenda with this person and were pleasant. We were not demanding or demeaning to this woman, had simply made a request for booth seating. She on the other hand, had plenty of issues. We decided not to return to this Mexican restaurant and weren't going to share this information until we found the OP's opinion being dismissed.

There are many very good restaurants and why should this couple spend their money at a Mexican restaurant that won't serve them a nickel cup of salsa for less than $1.50. And surely you realize this isn't so much about the price of the salsa and is more about the attitude and service at this restaurant; they shared their experience. Other people will make their own decisions where to dine.

[JoeC1947]

Originally Posted by cathyw

Yes, but how was the appetizer and the entrees that you ordered.
If the food was good, I would definitely go back, regardless if I got extra free salsa or not.

They filled up on chips and salsa!

Once I watched a man sample 4 or 5 different cold cuts at Publixs and not buy any. What some will do for a free lunch.

[Bonny]

Originally Posted by Peachie

Bonny, perhaps I can help you understand... this is a Mexican restaurant and they most likely buy salsa by the gallons, the cost for a half cup is pennies for them. The OP and her husband ordered drinks, appetizers and meals and they weren't provided another 1/2 cup of salsa upon request, unless they paid $1.50. I don't know if you've eaten at this Mexican restaurant but the salsa servings vary by the server some half full little containers and some quite full. They were denied the ability to speak with the manager, which is recommended by everyone on this forum. Not a great business decision by a Mexican restaurant to charge extra for salsa.

If that isn't enough to help you understand, I'd like to share our experiences at this restaurant which we had frequented often. My husband and I don't order drinks and we don't have appetizers but always ordered the higher end price meals plus a beverage and left a nice tip and are very low maintenance diners.



We went there about three months ago and requested a booth for seating from the woman who was hostessing, (there were 3 open booths at the time). She informed us they kept the booths for larger groups and we could not have one. I explained it was our wedding anniversary and we would really prefer a booth if possible. She said no, took us to a table next to the walkway from the bar and kitchen. We then watched as she proceeded to seat the next two couple to arrive in individual booths, even though tables were open. It was a less than pleasant experience dining where we were seated that evening.

We had gone back again despite that evening until two weeks ago. Once again this woman was hostessing and when we requested a booth, she said none were available. My husband and I discussed it and said we would wait until a booth opens up. We sat down along the wall straight ahead of her stand where she could see us waiting. My husband walked to the men's restroom at that point and there was an empty booth! While he was gone, another booth opened up in the front and was promptly cleaned. A couple walked in a this point and this woman took them to the booth to be seated that had just emptied out. At that point we left and won't be going back.

We had no agenda with this person and were pleasant. We were not demanding or demeaning to this woman, had simply made a request for booth seating. She on the other hand, had plenty of issues. We decided not to return to this Mexican restaurant and weren't going to share this information until we found the OP's opinion being dismissed.

There are many very good restaurants and why should this couple spend their money at a Mexican restaurant that won't serve them a nickel cup of salsa for less than $1.50. And surely you realize this isn't so much about the price of the salsa and is more about the attitude and service at this restaurant; they shared their experience. Other people will make their own decisions where to dine.

As I said, it was just my opinion & I wasn't rude about it.

[Skybo]

I'm not doubting anyone's negative experiences, but I am surprised. We eat there very frequently and almost always ask for additional salsa, which we've always received at no charge. As recently as a week ago, the waiter walked by our table and offered us additional salsa without us even asking. So this must be a very new policy or else a fluke with the staff that was working.

And for those who've never been there, there is a reason for this whole salsa debate...they bring a big bowl of chips and a teensy amount of salsa .... barely enough for even a third of the chips. It's actually kind of weird. We wonder about it every time we go. But we really like the food and we've always had good service.

[Richard1366]

Perhaps their salsa is home made, much more expensive than the purchased stuff. You must have enjoyed it, why not ask, if it was the purchased stuff find out the brand, buy some then go home and stuff your face with it.

[batman911]

I think most Mexican restaurants offer free chips and salsa to munch on while you wait for you order to be served. I also believe charging for more salsa is a bad business management decision. Why not just raise the prices a little on everything to cover the cost? Most customers do not enjoy being nickle-dimed.

[Mr Hanky]

A Mexican resturant charging extra for salsa would be like an Italian resturant charging extra for bread!

[notlongnow]

Hard to imagine that someone would trash a restaurant because they weren't getting more of something for free. Just sayin', it's just my opinion.

JMO but it is hard to imagine a restuarant, especially a mexican restuarant that would send a customer down the road over a cup of salsa.
I live in Texas and eat at mexican restuarants all the time over several decades and have NEVER paid extra for salsa, no matter how much I ate.
I think most mexican restuarants use the chip and salsa to help keep you busy while they are trying to keep up with orders.
EB

[Golfingnut]

It is all relative. We lived in Wash D.C. so we (AFTER 3 YEARS) still can not believe how inexpensive all the restaurants are here in the Villages. And yet the complaints continue. I wish everyone could realize how fortunate they are to be able to live in a place like The Villages and for that matter even be alive long enough to live here.

GGGGGEEEEEEZZZZZZZ Please count your blessings and let the extra cost of salsa go, always tip at 20 % or more and tell management they are doing a great job on your way out the door. You, the wait staff and the management will all feel better.