A tapas bar
Bars in Spain are sometimes understaffed. Add to that the fact that tapas bars are often packed with people (especially in Granada where the tapas are free) and you’ll find it can occasionally be a challenge to get a bartender’s attention. If you’re in a bar and have been waiting a while for the bartender to serve you, it’s OK to wave at him and politely shout “Perdona. Cuando puedas…” (Excuse me. Whenever you get a chance…”) This is a polite way to get a bartender’s attention.
It’s common to throw your used napkins and other waste on the floor. In fact, for Spaniards, the amount of garbage on the floor is indicative of the quality and popularity of the bar. More garbage means a lot of people go there. Therefore the bar probably has good tapas. However, it’s becoming more and more common for bars to set out small waste baskets on or under the counter. Check to see if there are any on the counter before throwing waste on the floor. If available, throw your napkins and olive pits in a waste basket or set them on your plate.
Some tapas bars in Granada and most tapas bars outside of the province of Granada offer what are called raciones and media raciones. A good translation might be serving. For example, whereas a tapa might be a small dish of potato salad, a ración might be the equivalent of 6 tapas of potato salad. Media ración is half the amount of a ración. In Granada where the tapas are free, it’s almost always a better value to get tapas rather than raciones. However, in other regions of Spain where tapas can be pretty expensive, getting a ración might end up being cheaper than getting tapas if you’re going to share with a small group of people.
When you’re out with friends, the standard practice is to take turns paying for rounds. For example, if David pays for the first one, then you pay for the second and Sara pays for the third. There is an exception to this rule, however. If you know you’re going to be bar hopping, it’s common to take turns paying for all the rounds at each bar. So, for example, you pay for all the drinks at the first bar, David pays for all the drinks at the second bar and Sara pays for all the drinks at the third bar.
