Eating Out
You will find that restaurants tend to fill up later in the evening, with the hip Lebanese crowd often not eating before 10pm at the weekends.
Wherever you’re heading to dine, it’s generally best to leave the flip-flops and shorts on the beach and trade up to smart trousers and shiny shoes – you may get some funny looks if you turn up looking like you’ve just rolled off your sun lounger.
Ramadan Timings
During Ramadan, opening and closing times of restaurants change considerably. Because eating and drinking in public is forbidden during daylight hours, many places only open after sunset, then keep going well into the early hours. Restaurants in some hotels remain open, but will be screened off from public view. Live entertainment is not allowed, so while some nightclubs remain open, all dance floors are closed.
Taxes and service charges
Look out for the small print at the bottom of the bill and you may spot the words ‘prices are subject to 10% service charge and 6% tourism fee’. The service charge is rather misleading as it isn’t passed onto the staff, and there’s no option to opt out if you’re not happy with the service. If you do want to tip the waiting staff though, 10% is the norm – and try to give them cash if you can. Tourism tax is only levied in hotels.
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