Terms and Conditions
Agreement to Terms
By completing your reservation, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions. These policies apply to all guests included in the booking.
Acceptance of Policies
The person completing the reservation (the booking holder) confirms that they have read, understood, and accepted these Terms & Conditions.
The booking holder is responsible for communicating these policies to all guests included in the reservation, and these Terms & Conditions apply to every participant in the tour.
Reservations & Payment
A partial online deposit is required to secure your reservation.
The remaining balance must be paid per person in cash in Mexican pesos at the start of the tour and is part of the total tour price.
We do not accept credit card payments for remaining balances at the meeting point.
The credit card provided at the time of booking is used as a guarantee for the reservation and for applicable charges under these Terms & Conditions, including late cancellations, rescheduling fees, no-shows, or unpaid remaining balances.
Card Authorization
By providing a credit card to secure the reservation, the booking holder authorizes Eat Like A Local to charge the card on file for any applicable charges described in these Terms & Conditions, including but not limited to:
- late cancellations
- rescheduling fees
- no-shows
- unpaid remaining balances
These charges may be processed without additional authorization if the conditions described in these Terms & Conditions apply.
Operational Structure & Cash Handling
The total tour price is the full amount communicated for the experience, whether through our website, booking flow, confirmation emails, invoices, or direct communication for private experiences.
At the time of booking, guests pay only a partial online deposit to secure the reservation. The remaining balance must be paid in cash in Mexican pesos on tour day.
The remaining balance is part of the total tour price and is not optional.
Many of the independent street food vendors and local service providers participating in the experience operate in traditional market environments and do not accept credit cards or digital payments. For this reason, remaining balances cannot be paid online or by card.
Failure to pay the remaining balance or failure to attend the tour will be treated as a no-show, and the remaining balance may be charged to the card on file according to these Terms & Conditions.
Final Tour Time
When booking, you may select a tentative starting time.
To ensure efficient operations and balanced group sizes, tours may be consolidated or slightly adjusted.
Your final confirmed start time will be sent in a reminder email approximately 24 hours before the tour.
By booking, you acknowledge and accept this confirmation system.
Adjustment of Start Time
We reserve the right to adjust the starting time by up to 15 minutes earlier or later in order to consolidate groups and operate efficiently.
This operational adjustment does not qualify as a reason for cancellation or refund.
Cancellations
Cancellations are eligible for a full refund up to 10 days before the tour date.
If you cancel less than 10 days before the tour, the reservation becomes non-refundable.
In these cases, the remaining balance of the tour will be charged to the credit card used to secure the booking.
Once a reservation is confirmed, guides, vendors, and operational logistics are scheduled in advance.
A rescheduled booking remains non-refundable and non-modifiable under the same terms and conditions.
Rescheduling
Rescheduling is always subject to availability and can only be requested up to 10:00 PM (local time) on the day before the scheduled tour date.
Each reservation is eligible for a maximum of one (1) reschedule only.
Once a reservation has been rescheduled, no additional modifications, date changes, cancellations, or refunds will be permitted under any circumstances.
If the guest does not attend the rescheduled tour, cancels it, or requests further changes, the remaining balance corresponding to the rescheduled tour date will still be charged to the credit card used to secure the booking.
Rescheduling requests made more than 48 hours before the tour date are free of charge.
Requests made within 48 hours of the tour date (but before the 10:00 PM cutoff) are subject to a $40 USD rescheduling fee per person.
The rescheduling fee is separate from and additional to the remaining balance of the tour.
The rescheduling fee does not cover the operational costs of the rescheduled tour itself. Guests remain responsible for paying the full remaining balance of the tour on the new scheduled date.
Requests made after the 10:00 PM deadline will not be accepted, and same-day rescheduling is not permitted under any circumstances.
This fee helps cover operational costs, including guide scheduling, vendor coordination, and logistical commitments arranged in advance.
Food Vendors and Menu Variations
The tour includes tastings from multiple independent street food vendors located in traditional markets and neighborhood food stalls.
The specific menu and tastings may vary depending on vendor availability, seasonality, market conditions, and operational considerations. Portions, recipes, and specific dishes may change without prior notice.
Prices paid to participating vendors as part of the experience may differ from standard retail prices.
These prices reflect pre-arranged agreements with vendors that take into account not only the food served, but also the time, preparation, and participation required to host the tour within their businesses.
As part of our commitment to responsible tourism, Eat Like A Local works to ensure that participating vendors are paid fairly for both their food and the time they dedicate to welcoming and serving our guests.
These pricing agreements are part of the operational structure of the experience and allow the tour to run smoothly within busy market environments.
Illness or Travel Issues
Illness, personal emergencies, flight delays, or travel disruptions do not modify our cancellation policy.
For this reason, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your trip.
Late Arrivals
Tours start on time.
Please arrive 15 minutes before the confirmed start time, as Mexico City traffic can be unpredictable.
Once the tour begins, the group moves through multiple markets and locations, and it is not possible to join later.
Late arrivals will be considered no-shows.
No-Shows
Guests who fail to arrive at the confirmed meeting time will be considered no-shows.
In these cases, the full reservation amount will be charged, and the booking cannot be rescheduled or refunded.
Dietary Restrictions and Allergies
Our tours take place in busy street markets and open food environments.
While we do our best to accommodate certain dietary restrictions, severe allergies cannot be guaranteed to be accommodated due to possible cross-contamination and airborne particles.
Guests with severe allergies participate at their own discretion.
Release of Liability
By booking and participating in this experience, you acknowledge that the tour includes inherent risks associated with:
- Walking long distances
- Crowded public markets
- Public transportation
- Food consumption
- Weather conditions
- Accidents, illness, or injury
- Loss or damage of personal property
Participation in the tour is voluntary, and guests assume all associated risks.
Eat Like A Local and its guides shall not be held responsible for any injury, illness, loss, damage, or inconvenience that may occur during or as a result of participation in the tour.
Safety, travel advisories & force majeure
Eat Like A Local operates tours in Mexico City, one of the most visited cities in the world. Concerns related to safety, news reports, isolated incidents, or personal perceptions of risk do not qualify as valid reasons for cancellations or refunds.
Refund exceptions based on safety concerns will only be considered if an official government travel advisory specifically advising against travel to Mexico City is issued by a recognized authority (such as the U.S. Department of State or equivalent national authority).
General travel advisories issued for Mexico as a whole, or incidents occurring in other regions or states, do not qualify for cancellations or refunds.
Cancellations based on media coverage, family concerns, personal discomfort, or changes in travel plans are not considered valid grounds for refunds.
Tours operate rain or shine and may only be cancelled by Eat Like A Local in extraordinary circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to:
- Natural disasters
- Government-mandated closures
- Extreme weather conditions that make operations unsafe
- Civil unrest directly affecting the tour area
- Official restrictions preventing the tour from operating
In the unlikely event that Eat Like A Local cancels a tour due to such circumstances, guests will be offered either a reschedule or a refund of the deposit paid.
Except in these situations, all standard cancellation policies apply.
Eat Like A Local continuously monitors local conditions to ensure guest safety.
Guest conduct
Eat Like A Local is committed to creating a respectful, welcoming, and safe environment for our guides, local vendors, community partners, and guests.
All participants are expected to behave respectfully toward our guides, local vendors, fellow guests, and members of the community we visit.
Eat Like A Local reserves the right to remove any participant from a tour at any time if their behavior is deemed disruptive, disrespectful, unsafe, or inappropriate. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Abusive, aggressive, or threatening behavior
• Harassment or intimidation
• Racist, sexist, discriminatory, or offensive remarks
• Disrespectful behavior toward local vendors or community members
• Excessive intoxication or behavior influenced by alcohol or substances
• Actions that disrupt the experience of other guests
Guests who are asked to leave a tour due to inappropriate conduct will not be eligible for a refund, credit, or rescheduling.
The decision of Eat Like A Local and its guides regarding guest conduct is final.
Right to refuse service
We reserve the right to refuse, cancel, or terminate service at our sole discretion, including but not limited to situations where a guest provides false, misleading, or inconsistent information, attempts to manipulate or misrepresent a booking, engages in abusive, disrespectful, or inappropriate behavior toward our team or partners, or otherwise acts in a manner that undermines the trust and operational integrity required to deliver our experiences.
In such cases, reservations may be cancelled without the obligation to provide the service. Any applicable refunds will be handled in accordance with our cancellation and refund policies, and we reserve the right to retain amounts necessary to cover non-recoverable operational costs already incurred.
Governing Law
These Terms & Conditions and any disputes arising from participation in the tour or use of our services shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of Mexico.
Any claims or legal matters related to the experience or services provided by Eat Like A Local shall be handled under the jurisdiction of the appropriate courts in Mexico City, Mexico.
By completing the reservation, guests agree to submit to this jurisdiction.