Begin with la cuenta
At the end of the meal, say, La cuenta, por favor: “The bill, please.” Keep the bill in front of you while you follow each displayed label and amount.
Read three useful words
| Spanish word | Meaning on this page |
|---|---|
| cuenta | A bill or itemized account. [source] |
| propina | A tip or gratuity for a service. [source] |
| total | The result of a sum or calculation. [source] |
Follow the amounts in this order:
- Find any line labeled propina. If it appears, account for the amount beside it before choosing an additional tip. [source]
- Find total and read the displayed amount. [source]
- Point to any differently labeled line and ask what it covers before paying.
Ask one clear question at a time
Use the bill as a visual reference while you speak.
- ¿La propina está incluida en el total? — “Is the tip included in the total?”
- ¿Qué es este cargo? — “What is this charge?”
- ¿Me puede explicar esta línea? — “Can you explain this line?”
Listen to the answer and look back at the displayed amounts. If the explanation is still unclear, repeat the last question slowly or ask the person to point to the amount it describes.
Keep the distinction tied to the bill
El Salvador’s Labor Code describes a tip received indirectly for a worker as a gratuity the customer gives voluntarily. [source] For the payment in front of you, identify the label and amount shown. Ask the restaurant what a differently labeled line covers before treating it as a tip.
If you are paying with companions, agree how you will divide the displayed total after everyone has read the same bill. Keep the bill until the payment is complete.
Connect the bill with your payment plan
Use the cash and U.S. dollars guide to prepare payment methods and smaller bills. The pupusa ordering guide helps with food vocabulary before the bill arrives. For choosing meals and drinks, continue with the food safety guide.
Common questions
What Spanish words should I look for on the bill?
Start with cuenta, which means a bill or itemized account. [source] Look for propina, meaning a tip or gratuity for a service. [source] Then find total, the result of the sum or calculation. [source] Read the amount beside each label before deciding what to add.
How do I ask whether a tip is included?
Point to the propina line and ask, “¿La propina está incluida en el total?” This means, “Is the tip included in the total?” [source] [source] Listen to the answer, compare it with the displayed amounts and ask for the explanation again if anything remains unclear.
How should I decide whether to add a tip?
Read the bill first. Account for any amount labeled propina before choosing an additional tip. [source] El Salvador’s Labor Code describes an indirectly received tip for a worker as a voluntary customer gratuity. [source] If another line uses a different label, ask what it covers before paying.
Sources
- El Salvador’s Labor Code describes a tip received indirectly for a worker as a gratuity the customer gives voluntarily.
- In a bill-reading context, cuenta means a bill or itemized account.
- Propina means a tip or gratuity for a service.
- The Spanish noun total refers to the result of a sum or calculation.
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