Dollar Euro Restaurants

Hello everyone!

We are getting slowly closer to our departure date - trying to not get too excited in fear that the universe will put a wrench in the plans (the COVID testing stress is not helping, but I digress...)

I attempted to search the forums for an answer, but my search resulted in over 400 hits. The ones I quickly scanned did hint at my answer, but were either not timely or not very specific.

If you have recently been to Orient Village, Marigot, Grand Case or Cul de Sac and dined out; this question is for you, please.

In prior years, the majority of restaurants would accept US Dollars for Euros (cash) at a one-to-one exchange when paying with cash (US Dollars.) Depending on the exchange rate, this is an approximate 20% discount when paying with cash (in US Dollars.) Is this practice still being observed? If yes, is it in the majority of restaurants or a select few?

While I typically use my credit card when travelling (no fee, foreign currency transactions,) I would gladly bring along more cash to use for dinning out in order to enjoy the built in discount for cash.

As always, your insights and responses are appreciated.

Warmly,
S&M
(yep, our initials.)

We were in Orient Village last March and in Grand Case, and as I recall some of the restaurants had prices listed in both euros and dollars (or an exchange rate printed at the bottom of the menu). In the past there were always some places that had a 1-to-1 dollar/euro ratio going, but I did not see that with our latest visit. I typically convert U.S. dollars to euros for dining and shopping on French St. Martin, or I use a credit card to try to get the best exchange rate. Now, with that said some of the beach bars/restaurants on Orient Beach did not appear to have separate euro and dollar pricing, so you may want to wing it and pay in USD and see what happens. We did this for lunch at the Perch Bar & Grill and again at the Bikini Beach Bar. But, when we dined at Le Piment, Yellow Submarine and L'Astrolabe I just paid in euros. Not sure that helps you much. Presently, the U.S. Dollar is fairing poorly against the euro at .82!

As mentioned most businesses have the CASH rate posted and 99% of the time it's better than the euro and CC rate but it's for cash. Not restaurants but the Super U is $1.15/euro and the Cadisco fuel station in Orient is still a marvelous $1/1 euro which is a BIG advantage for USD cash. I saw a $1.10 rate but forgot where

To get the best credit card rates the charge has to be billed in euro and let the bank convert. If billed in dollars the establishment will convert and bill the card....and neither beat cash if there is a cash discount posted

Well worth a visit to an ATM to get dollars....and your bank will convert. Just make sure you have a bank that reimburses for ATM fees. I used on in SImpson Bay (Winward) that charged a $7.50 fee per transaction

We were there Dec 23- Jan 5 the lolo's in Grand Case were 1.1, Tropicana and Rainbow Beach were 1.15 -1. Pinel were 1.25-1 and so to were Sun Beach in Orient. The CC rate is ~ 1.22 -1

Chivalrous--I disagree with your statement that "In prior years, the majority of restaurants would accept US Dollars for Euros (cash) at a one-to-one exchange when paying with cash (US Dollars.)" My impression in the past was just the opposite--that very few restaurants were giving 1 to 1. We have not been to SXM recently, unfortunately. Based on the responses here, it seems like it is still the case, that very few places are actually giving 1 to 1..

Correct and oops on my part. We had lunch at Talk of the Town a few times the last two weeks and it was always 1:1....

Greetings all:

Thank you for your replies. We appreciate the information - as always. Based on this information, I shall adjust my cash / credit card spending algorithm.

@Carol Hill: You are most likely correct. My memory has a mind of its own at times, and I am most likely misremembering how many times I actually saw the offer.

Thank you!
S&M

We found that depending on the dollar to Euro exchange, it was better to pick up some Euro's at the ATM at the airport!!

No clue why you would get euro from an ATM at the airport (or anywhere) since 1) the rate of exchange is determined by YOUR bank so it is a wash where you get cash. The ATM bank is just dispensing the euro and 2) with USD there are many places that discount for cash transactions in USD. If you are REQUIRED to pay for a service in euro then that is a different situation

The only ATM difference would be the charge by the ATM bank for the use of their service ($3-$7.50) and there are a lot of cards that reimburse that fee anyway

CC charges should always be in the currency of the country you are in (euro) so, again, it will be YOUR back doing the conversion and not the merchant

[quote= The only ATM difference would be the charge by the ATM bank for the use of their service ($3-$7.50) and there are a lot of cards that reimburse that fee anyway

CC charges should always be in the currency of the country you are in (euro) so, again, it will be YOUR back doing the conversion and not the merchant[/quote]

I wondered about that, too. When we go to Anse Marcel or any of the French locations, we generally use our credit cards and ask to be billed in the Euro and the charges always seem to work to our favor as opposed to accepting the Island day rates used by so many places.

Good move....and it can be confusing because, for instance, the Super U in Marigot has a $1.15 USD/Euro rate posted which is a reasonable discount to the $1.21-1.22 present rate BUT it is only for cash transactions...no clue what the rate is when a CC is used and charged in USD

wherever we are in the world we pretty much always want our CCs charged with the local currency, then allow the CC bank to make the conversion to USD...it will most likely never be in your favor to choose to have the conversion done at point of sale (unless the vendor clearly states they will be using a conversion rate better than official rate)

but what i find different in SXM, on the Dutch side, is that some places give you the purchase amount in NAF, then do the conversion with a calculator, then charge your card in USD...i don't think i've ever had my CC charged in NAF, and have never even been asked what currency i wanted to be charged in...but i guess it doesn't matter since it always seems to be 1.79:1

Good point. I checked my receipt from Market Garden which was charged in dollars at 1.80 guilders/per USD. I think that is a fixed currency related to the dollar as opposed to other currencies.

yep, that was my assumption