Churrascaria Etiquette: How Rodízio Works

A churrascaria is a grill restaurant, and in its best-known form it serves rodízio: a fixed price for as much grilled meat as you can eat, carved at your table by servers who walk the room with skewers. It is one of the most famous ways to eat in Brasil, and it has a rhythm of its own. Knowing it helps you enjoy the meal instead of being full before the best cuts arrive.

Restaurants differ in price, cuts and details. This guide covers the common pattern.

How rodízio works

1. You pay a fixed price per person for the rodízio. Drinks, desserts and service are usually extra. Ask what is included before you sit down.
2. There is usually a buffet of salads, side dishes and sometimes hot dishes.
3. Servers called passadores come to the table with skewers of grilled meat and carve slices onto your plate.
4. A card or token on the table tells them whether you want more. Green, or "sim", means bring meat. Red, or "não", means pause.
5. You eat at your own pace, turning the card as you go, until you are done.

For one example of what a rodízio lunch cost, see Lunch on Faria Lima.

The card is your best friend

The card is how you control the meal. Turn it to red when:

• You want a break.
• You are waiting for a particular cut.
• You are going to the buffet.
• You want to talk without interruptions.

Turn it back to green when you are ready.

Pace yourself

The most common mistake is filling up at the buffet. It is tempting, and it is good, but the meat is the point. Take a small plate first, then let the passadores come.

Early rounds often bring sausages and chicken. The cuts many people wait for come round too. If you want one in particular, ask.

Picanha and friends

Picanha, the top sirloin cap with a layer of fat, is the cut most associated with churrasco. Other cuts you may see include fraldinha (flank), alcatra (top sirloin), costela (ribs), cupim (hump), and coração de frango (chicken hearts). Lamb, pork and sometimes fish appear too.

What to say

• Sim, por favor. (Yes, please.)
• Só um pedaço pequeno. (Just a small piece.)
• Mais mal passado, por favor. (Rarer, please.)
• Mais bem passado, por favor. (More well done, please.)
• Tem picanha? (Is there picanha?)
• Qual é esse corte? (Which cut is this?)
• Obrigado, estou satisfeito. / Obrigada, estou satisfeita. (Thank you, I am full.)

Passadores often ask how you like it cooked. Pointing to the end or the middle of the skewer also works; the ends are usually more done.

How to take a slice

When the passador offers, hold your plate near the meat and use the small tongs at your setting to take the slice as it is cut. Do not pull it before it is fully cut. A nod and "obrigado" or "obrigada" is enough.

Drinks, dessert and the bill

• Drinks are ordered separately. Water is often not included.
• Dessert is usually extra.
• Service may be added to the bill. Check before tipping. See Restaurant Portuguese.

For non-meat eaters

Many churrascarias offer a buffet-only price. Ask: "Tem preço só para o buffet?" (Is there a buffet-only price?)

Checklist

1. Ask what the price includes.
2. Go light at the buffet.
3. Use the card to set the pace.
4. Ask for the cuts you want, and how you want them cooked.
5. Check the bill for service before tipping.

Common questions

Is it rude to say no to a cut? Not at all. "Não, obrigado" is normal.

Lunch or dinner? Some restaurants charge differently at different times. Ask.

Mistakes to avoid

• Filling up at the buffet. Small plate first.
• Leaving the card on green. The meat will keep coming. Turn it to red when you want a break.
• Not asking what is included. Drinks, dessert and service are often extra.
• Being shy about asking for a cut. The passadores expect requests. Ask for the cut you want, and how you want it cooked.
• Rushing. Rodízio is meant to be slow. Talk, take breaks, and enjoy the rhythm of the meal.