Celebrate! No more 28-digit codes and sack dinners
Posted by Crocodile Bar and Cabanas on January 7, 2024, 10:56 pm
Amigos!
This one might be a 3-minute read. With your busy schedule of 3-martini lunches and executive board meetings to attend, can you at least skim the highlights?
GRACIAS, RICARDO Before we get to Mateo’s ongoing DEFCON 5 shame alert–er, attempt to teach restaurant etiquette–get your tissues ready with a focus on the positive. Let’s all give special thanks the next time you see Rick Cranston out and about. Not only does he pack the Crocodile Bar and other establishments with his smooth voice, but he is a true gentleman and friend to locals and expats alike. A couple of months ago he donated his own money and time to make Crocodile Bar and Cabanas nicer than ever by purchasing several plants, moving rocks and also building a bamboo fence along the edge of the bar. Thanks for making La Manzanilla nice, Ricardo!
SAFETY ALERT After 15 days of no one using the dreaded “I’m good” when first approached by a waiter, Crocodile Bar sadly reached a meltdown level when one “customer” arrived with food from home in a container. Another “customer” arrived with several Pacifico beers in cans. Which is worse? Showing up with beer from home or drinking from a can? Also, a friend once told me, “Taking your girlfriend to Mardi Gras is like showing up at a sack lunch at a fancy restaurant!” While you might not consider Crocodile Bar fancy, please let your aquaintences know it’s poor form to go to a restaurant with food from home. If you disagree, please comment below and put your name and hometown with your comments, so Mateo may discover the source of the plague and enlist the help of the Centers for Disease Control.
CHILE RELLENO RETURNS Thanks to those of you who understand the concept of a restaurant and for all of you who have raved over Belen’s cooking and Mateo’s “2-star limited menu”. Many folks have inquired about the delicioso chile relleno and we listened! The chile relleno is back on the menu! Does that make it a “Not-as-limited 3-star menu”?
COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP People often debate the origins and solutions concerning rocks on the beach in La Manzanilla. Did anyone see rocks here in January 2019, 2007, 2003 or 1958 after LSU won the national championship? Despite the lack of Carmen’s school reaching the final–but, hey, at least the LSU quarterback won the Heisman Trophy–Crocodile Bar plans to have Michigan vs. Washington on the big screen starting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8. No sound while the live music plays and it might be in Spanish after that, but there’s no cover charge if you leave your sack dinner at home.
MUSIC SCHEDULE 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Monday: Lynn and Billy Tuesday: Chava Wednesday: Eduardo Thursday: Michel Friday: Rick and Paul Saturday: Christine
CROCODILE BAR HOURS Monday-Saturday, 12 p.m-8 p.m. Kitchen closes at 7:30 p.m. On Sundays, our cafe friends present “Bar Calcetin”
RESERVATIONS For Tuesdays, the latest one may make a reservation is 5 p.m. For Thursdays and Fridays, the latest would be 5:30 p.m. For Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, the latest would be 5:50 p.m. Everyone in the party needs to respect the reservation time. You have a 9-minute grace period. After that, your table and/or seats will go to other folks who didn’t make a reservation.
HOW TO MAKE A RESERVATION *Call Mateo and pray his phone works *Send Mateo a text message on WhatsApp *Arrive during bar hours, not to be confused with cafe hours, and ask for Mateo, Belen or Cristal *Invite Mateo to a restaurant outside of Mexico and Louisiana where the customers show up with food from home *Storm the United States Capitol, not in an attempt to overthrow the federal government, but in protest of folks showing up at restaurants with food from home *Type in a 28-digit code to confirm your reservation--thank the Lord as that nightmare ends Friday
Mateo 3328179527, Mexican cell and WhatsApp
Re: Celebrate! No more 28-digit codes and sack dinners
While it is indeed bad form to arrive at a restaurant with your own food and booze,perhaps putting a little cardboard tent on the tables with the restaurant policies (1 drink min/ No outside alcohol or food.) Would be a more,effective and professional way to get the message out consistently, and without offending your customers. Your shaming treatment of people (even those who just stop to say hello and have no intention of staying) has not gone unnoticed. This is still Mexico, and rules surrounding this issue have been very relaxed, and in many places they still are. It is not good form to be rude to customers. I would be careful, however, about shoving the menu board on people or demanding that people are required buy food with their drink. While Ricardo and other musicians may draw the people in, believe me, the food wont keep them there.
Best of luck.
No requirement--past, present, future--to order food
Thanks for your response. Please understand there has never been a requirement to purchase food on the menu at Crocodile Bar and Cabanas. That has been the case since we started on Sept. 1, 2018. There is a demand to purchase at least one item. If desired, that could be a single mineral water or limonada for 30 pesos.
When I go to any other establishment anywhere in Mexico, I purchase something. When Mexican customers have stopped by--especially in the summer--they come with the purpose of purchasing something or renting a table so they may consume their own food.
I strongly agree with you "While it is indeed bad form to arrive at a restaurant with your own food and booze". However, I disagree about the level of shaming being recognized because the frequency of folks who continue show up with their own items or no itention of ordering something. Maybe I could put up a sign, but I hope the offenders can learn it is "bad form" anywhere--in Mexico and outside of Mexico--to show up with food at a restaurant.
I don't wish to offend customers. I don't consider folks who arrive with their own items or no intention to purchase anything as being "customers." I hope the offenders learn to puchase at least one item no matter where they travel in the world. If you consider it "bad form," I hope you can convince your friends of this concept.
If someone wishes to stop by my establishment "with no intention of staying," I hope those in that category may stand during their visit to avoid any misunderstanding. I instruct my staff to take orders from those who are seated.
I'm sorry you have not enjoyed our food. I'm glad the vast majority of the folks who have come here over the years have loved it. We even had some customers last night specifically stop by the kitchen last night to thank the cooks in person.
I'm sorry you consider my posts rude.
Mateo
Re: Celebrate! No more 28-digit codes and sack dinners
On nights with music have a minimum cover charge of 100 pesos/person at least. I was a bit disappointed when we’d come sometimes and all seats were taken but not everyone ordering and worst not tipping the musicians. Dang.
Re: Celebrate! No more 28-digit codes and sack dinners
I speak from a lifetime of working in the high end restaurant industry and dealing with the public. Yes, you can certainly put your energy into trying to educate everyone who takes advantage, or you can simply put a note on the tables stating what your policy is and save yourself the stress of trying to "educate" every potential offender. It's really a simple solution. The fact that you want to continue to confront people is perplexing. As to you taking my words out of context and making assumptions? My response is..
Thanks for your response. We will have an event later this year with our first cover charge. I have avoided cover charges in the past because I realize many friends who come to visit don't have the means to pay the cover and I operate under the honor system that they will purchase at least one limonada and also tip the muscians.
Lola,
Again, I'm sorry you find my desire asking everyone to purchase something at all restaurants the world over to be "confrontational." The less than 2 percent of the folks who show up without ordering at Crocodile Bar and Cabanas won't be asked to leave--I have never asked them to leave in the past, I just made pleas they purchase something. I sincerely hope considering both of children have Mexican passports and their late mother was a Mexican citizen that the "relaxed" nature of Mexico should not be abused by going to restaurants without ordering.
Everyone,
I promise to avoid this subject on future message board posts, but I still consier the Oxxo sign, Bill Gates, Four Seasons Tamarindo, American football, especially the prowess of the LSU Tigers and New Orleans Saints, Mardi Gras, my failure to be named mayor, among other subjects, as fair game. I wonder if anyone reading this in the future will dodge the pop-up ads on this viral post. Will this post lead to the AI robots taking over the world?