4 Ways to Recognize a Tourist Trap Restaurant

Paris restaurant
Photo by Alex Harmuth on Unsplash

Food is an important part of the travel experience for many people—and rightfully so. When visiting a new destination, it is only natural that you’ll want to explore the food culture and taste the local cuisine. The challenge, however, is finding a proper spot to do so.

If you did your fair share of traveling, you have probably had plenty of disappointing experiences regarding food. You go to a restaurant expecting a great meal only to discover that you have walked into a tourist trap that serves sub-par dishes. Well, this can be easily avoidable if you learn how to spot tourist trap restaurants before walking into them. Here are some ways to do it.

There’s a Person in Front Inviting You In

Restaurants that have someone in front calling you in are usually the ones you don’t want to walk into. The fact that they have to lure customers this way is a good indicator that the food isn’t something that will blow your mind. However, if you experience this in front of a small food joint in the middle of nowhere, it could be just local hospitality.

It’s Close to Popular Tourist Attractions

Restaurants close to popular tourist attractions are rarely a good choice. To be fair, there are a few gems here and there, but most of them are drawing in big crowds and can often be packed. The big turnaround usually affects food quality while the prices are almost always steep.

Flashy Signs and Food Posters

If a restaurant has a tacky exterior, you shouldn’t risk it. Most tourist trap restaurants are trying to lure tourists with visual imagery that includes flashy signs and big food posters on windows. This is a good indicator that they probably invest more effort in the advertisement than in the food itself.

It’s Packed With Tourists

Don’t get us wrong, a restaurant can be both great and packed with tourists at the same time. However, that is rarely the case. If most of the customers are wearing backpacks and sunglass and have a camera nearby, then there is a good chance you came across a tourist trap restaurant.