www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I had asked a two-part question and the second part got buried in the answers for the first part. So I am asking again... my bad

I am arriving on May 9th at 8:30 PM and will need dinner for that night. Am I allowed to go to the airport restaurant area before I go through immigration?

I am not staying at the usual venues e.g. Castillio and Sportsmens but a Tica free place that has no restaurant.

What will be my options to get dinner after 9 PM rest of the week? I understand UberEats but what else is there?

Thanks in advance.

PS: I starting to miss Chelles real bad. It was so sad seeing it all shuttered down when I was in SJO at the end of March.

Uber Eats or Rappi
https://www.rappi.co.cr/

You have just about anything delivered from anywhere, and this is just how things work now.

Switch your US cell phone plan to Google Fi in advance of your trip and your phone/data will work seamlessly from the moment you step off the plane.

Thanks a lot. I wasn't aware of Rappi.
I have T-Mobile and being a senior, I get double the international free roaming speed. As such, I no longer change my SIM and thus far it has worked flawlessly.

BTW, a monger favorite is Machu Picchu. They are open until 6pm Sun, 9pm Mon, Tues, Wed (and Sat), and 10pm Thur & Friday. Rappi only, not Uber Eats

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If you lose your temper you’re phucking yourself - Garcia Marquez

And as I just found out, it's on Claro, and the high speed plan was faster than Google Fi in my testing. Seamless as well.

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Ignorance is acceptable, we can remedy that with knowledge,.. stupidity, is when you guard your ignorance ...

Does anybody know if the Rappi app, or any other app has a feature that translates the menu to English when your trying to place an order?

I have not seen this when it comes to menus, but many times there will be fotos of the items. You can also check the website of the restaurant to see if they have an English menu posted. I have noticed that some items on restaurant menu may not be available for delivery.

One thing to note is that both apps use GPS routing, so you don't have to give directions. You might have a problem if the delivery person is not paying attention and tries to call you. They will likely only speak Spanish. Both UberEats and Rappi have chat functions so you can combine these with Translate to walk them in. I have this problem more with Rappi than UberEats. Living close to the Taormina, I have had them overshoot my apartment and wind up there. Since I can monitor their location on the app, I can see when they have done this. I can also tell when they are about a block away and wait for them at my door. Usually I never have to speak to anyone, not the restaurant, not the delivery person. I think those staying at hotels would have minimum problems. Both UberEats and Rappi take credit cards billed through the app. Depending on your credit card that means no fee and bank exchange rate. Relatively secure transaction since the restaurant never sees your card information. It lessens contact and keeps the delivery people from carrying cash. You carry less cash, they carry less cash.

Both services can also deliver groceries, snacks, booze, smokes, condoms and lube.

If you are going to be here for a while, Uber has a Uber Pass program that will give you 10% ride discounts along with free Food and Grocery deliveries for a fixed monthly rate. There are limits, 65 rides, 30 Food deliveries, 7 grocery deliveries a month. The cost is c4mil and last month it saved me c8500.

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If you lose your temper you’re phucking yourself - Garcia Marquez

On the 9th when you arrive I would not count on anything being open. You might want to pack a meal to get you through until morning.

You can go upstairs to departures before immigration. There is a stairway labeled transfers that goes upstairs to the gate areas. You can check the restaurants then come back down the stairway and go through immigration. Shops at the airport got a specific exemption from the closures.

Although might be a ghost town? I checked departures on May 9th at the SJO website, only one scheduled after 6pm, the 8:40 Iberia flight to Madrid. I definitely think the restaurants would be closed by the time you arrive. It might even be locked down to secure the gate areas until the next morning.

The info on Uber eats and Rappi is good, but driving restrictions begin at 9pm and remain for all of May. So uber eats is not an option after 9pm, or slightly earlier as Ubers need to be parked at home at 9. Only taxis can circulate. If you want to eat after 9 it might take some advanced planning.

Restaurants not in hotels should be reopening Monday the 10th. No announcement to the contrary. Not sure on required closing time? I think 9pm, but could be wrong.

Thank you for your detailed response. I'll take a look at the restaurants at the airport before leaving. I was worried about being hassled by immigration for taking a detour after disembarking but I guess I'll have to take my chances.
Any idea if they allow (should have decided already) late hours for the restaurants starting May 10th, until what time will it be?

I don’t think many people transfer flights at SJO, maybe COPA, but the option to go up to the gate area to catch another flight without going through immigration exists. The stairway is at the back of the room with the rope corals, towards the planes. Labeled Transfers.

I have used it when the immigration line wound all the way down the long hallway to the end of the terminal and doubled back. Went upstairs and had a couple drinks to wait it out. That was pre-COVID when many planes landed around noon, mine was last. Hasn’t been a problem lately.

Only reason they might say something is if they have already locked down the gate area as all planes have boarded for the day. Stairway might be closed.

I’m arriving SL Thursday. Been watching announcements carefully. Definitely hoping no extensions of current lockdown.

I have ordered Uber eats several times after Curfew while visiting and the young man delivers the food on a Motorized Bicycle so look on the Uber eats App for whats available you might be surprised

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Stay Humble Amigos !

I have also ordered food after the driving restrictions are in effect, though not during current period. UberEats does a reasonable indicating when an option is available/unavailable. Even locations in malls will be operating when the mall itself is closed. Each restaurant listed in UberEats will have the Location & Hours under <more info> in the listing. If a location is not available the "Add to Order" option will be grayed out. I have received orders from Papa John's as late as 10:30pm on a weekend when the driving restrictions began at 9pm. Their hours in UberEats are now noon to 10:00pm so they are adjusting them as the conditions change.

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If you lose your temper you’re phucking yourself - Garcia Marquez