If you ever visit a new country or a new place that you haven’t been before, you’re sure to find some culture shocks just by experiencing how people there do life differently. After living in Perú for nearly three years now, I managed to collect a bit of a list of restaurant culture shocks.
Ready to learn more about Perú and daily life therein? Let’s jump in!
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1: Animals In Restaurants
First up on our list of restaurant culture shocks has got to be the amount of animals you find just hanging out in and around a restaurant, and no one seems to mind. Something you may notice upon your visit to Perú, is pets are allowed pretty much everywhere. Maybe “allowed” isn’t the proper term. They tend to just wander in and nobody makes a fuss about it.
A lot of dogs in Perú are outdoor pets, some are strays, but some just live outside. If you dine at a local restaurant you may be surprised to find a dog or two wander in the front door and plop down in the middle of the dining hall…and no one says anything. You’ll also find cats all around a restaurant waiting for you to share a piece of your food.
These animals are all well behaved, they don’t jump on you or disrupt your meal. They simply patiently wait for you to finish your chicken and share a piece of your leftovers. Of course, this isn’t how it is for all restaurants across the board, but it can be common in some of the smaller, local places.
2: Service
If you’re used to eating in the US where the waiter checks in on you every 10 minutes and makes sure they can provide you with anything you need…you may be shocked to find you’ve got to flag them down in Perú.
After you order they pretty much leave you alone. No drink refills – we’ll get into that one in a minute – no napkin or sauce refills either – unless specifically requested.
You’ll also need to ask for the check. When you’ve finished eating they won’t show up to your table and slide the check over to you “So it’s there when you’re ready.” If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Of course, once you’ve paid, you’ll be expected to leave. There’s no sitting and chatting at the table while you finish your drink.
3: Limited Drink Options
Speaking of drinks. Not only are there no free drink refills…there aren’t many drink options.
If you order a drink at most restaurants you’re ordering one bottle for the whole table. Usually, your choice is between Inka Cola, Coca-Cola, a beer brand or two, and Chicha Morada (Purple corn juice). Occasionally you’ll find Fanta and Pepsi as an option too.
In Perú, you basically buy one large bottle to share among the whole table, not individual glasses. Also, there’s no free water.
4: Serving Sizes
Another big restaurant culture shock for me is the serving sizes offered at many restaurants. They often fill your plate to the brim, with beans and rice falling off the edges.
I’ve also found that many meals come with two full dishes, a large bowl of meat or chicken soup followed by an overflowing plate of your main dish. You get a lot of food for a low price in Perú!
5: Itty Bitty Napkin Selection
One thing that still shocks me to this day – even after living in Perú for going on three years now – is the itty bitty napkin selection available in restaurants. They’re very thin and in limited availability.
Maybe I’m just a messy eater and expect more. But the napkin availability is very limited here and we go through them very quickly.
6: Ordering chicken
When you order chicken in Perú, like pollo broaster, pollo ala brasa, or pollo frito – unless you’re specifically ordering the whole chicken – you usually get to pick which piece you want, assuming they have those pieces still.
Ordering chicken in Spanish is actually how I learned all the Spanish words for the wings, breast, legs, etc.. It’s my practical, applicable Spanish. Yeah, I know, I’m so cool I can order my own chicken in Spanish at a restaurant. But seriously, if you need some tips for reading a Spanish menu when you don’t really speak the language, check out this post.
Also, if you order a chicken breast, it’s most likely coming with the breast bone still attached, unlike how you might receive your chicken breast in the States.
7: Sauces
Sauces are a big deal in Perú. You use them with everything you eat, and there are many different kinds. Especially many varieties of spicy sauces. Using the sauces on most meals enhances the flavor and adds to the unique cultural experience. I don’t remember using sauces back in the States very often, except on a sandwich or burger, but certainly not with every meal.
8: Ketchup Is Different
Perhaps the biggest of all restaurant culture shocks for me was trying Peruvian ketchup for the first time.
I don’t know what else to say except it’s different. I used to like ketchup with my fries or other meals, but since moving to Perú I’ve quit eating ketchup – here at least – altogether.
The ketchup in Perú is very watery and sweet, and suffice to say, I’m still not used to it. You should try it when you visit Perú next so we can chat about it in the comments and come up with other adjectives than just “it’s different.”
9: Restaurant Noises
Or…the lack thereof. Something I find incredibly fascinating about dining out at a restaurant in Perú…is the dining hall can be full, but you don’t have to raise your voice to be heard above the other tables. People aren’t talking over each other, and the loudest thing in the room is usually the music.
10: Location
When you start to get away from the big city and into the smaller towns and off the main road, you may be surprised to find restaurants in various locations. By various locations, I mean you can often find restaurants in the front room of people’s houses.
A lot of families open small businesses out of their homes. I’m not sure if this is something that started because of Covid and needing to bring in a little extra money when it was more difficult to open stores or travel around the city, or if this is something that has always been a part of Perú. Nonetheless, I do find it interesting.
What did you think of this restaurant culture shocks post? Let me know in the comments what other culture shock posts you’d like to read about and I’d be happy to share all the details.
While you’re here, come check out our other culture shock posts or explore other blog posts below. See you around!
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