Money, cards and ATMs in Dominican Republic

Read the bottom of the bill

A Dominican restaurant bill has three numbers, and the first one is the smallest.

• That is 28 percent on top of the menu price, and it is not a scam. It is how the law works, and the menu price is quoted before both.
• The 10 percent propina legal frequently does not reach the person who served you. It goes to the establishment and is distributed at its discretion.
• So tip on top, in cash, if the service was good. Five to 10 percent handed directly to the server is the local practice among those who know how the system works.
• In all-inclusive resorts, USD 1 to USD 5 in cash for bar staff, housekeeping and porters is normal and genuinely appreciated. Small bills are worth bringing for exactly this.

Pesos and dollars

• The peso (RD$) is the currency, and you should use it.
• US dollars are accepted in resorts and tourist areas at a rate designed to profit the seller. You lose money every time you pay in dollars.
• Change money at banks or established exchange houses, not at the airport and never with someone on the street.
• ATMs are widespread and dispense pesos. Use machines inside bank branches during opening hours rather than standalone ones on the street, which is both a fraud and a safety point.
• Tell your bank you are travelling. Card blocks are common here because the country is flagged for fraud by most issuers.

Cards, carefully

• Card cloning and card fraud are a genuine problem and the FCDO warns about them specifically.
• Never let your card out of your sight. Ask for the terminal to be brought to you.
• Check statements while you are still travelling, not after you get home.
• Carry some cash. Smaller restaurants, guaguas, colmados and motoconchos are cash only, and card acceptance drops away sharply outside the tourist strip.
• Keep small denominations. Breaking a RD$ 2,000 note in a small shop is often impossible.