148 CultureShock! Chile
bringing the check immediately after finishing would imply
that you should leave.
Tap water is not automatically served in Chilean restaurants.
It is more common for patrons to order agua mineral, con or
sin gas (mineral water, carbonated or non-carbonated). Spicy
ají, a condiment, is sometimes found on the table. Pebre, a
mixture of tomatoes, onions, cilantro, vegetable oil and a
little chilli that many eat with bread, makes an appearance
on every table. It may come as a shock that you must pay
extra for lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, vegetables, potatoes
(which are almost never baked in Chile) or extra rolls, etc.,
to accompany the meal. Note that you must be careful when
ordering coffee, as ‘café’ will come as Nescafé instant coffee.
If you want brewed coffee ask for ‘café café’. In Chile the tip
is not included in the bill, and 10 per cent is normal.Many men slip away from the offi ce to have a ‘coffee with legs’ at one of
the several cafes where waitresses dress in skimpy attire.