YOU HAVE QUESTIONS--WE HAVE ANSWERS!! PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL FAQS AND POLICIES CAREFULLY. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE TYPICALLY ON A GIVEN TOUR? We generally need to have a minimum of 17-18 people (sometimes less) in order to hold a tour, afford our bus, etc. For walking tours, the minimum is typically 8 people. If we do not have a minimum number of people reserved within several days of a tour, we may have to cancel the tour and will contact those who have reserved tickets to offer a refund or reschedule for another upcoming tour.
WHERE DO MOST TOURS MEET? Locations are given to those who hold tickets; all tickets must be purchased in advance. -Most tours meet at either: 7700 W. Northwest Highway (at Central Expressway), Dallas Desperado's Mexican Restaurant, 4818 Greenville, Dallas Richardson Heights Shopping Center, 501 W. Belt Line, Richardson (some chocolate tours) Tongue in Cheek Ice Cream, 526 W. Arapaho, Richardson (some chocolate tours) Tom Thumb, 10455 N. Central Expressway, Dallas Studio Movie Grill, 11170 N. Central Expressway, Dallas Office Depot, 11615 N. Central Expressway, Dallas -Barbecue, Pizza, Taco and other tours have destinations that are announced to ticket holders. Most are within 3 miles of downtown Dallas. - Christmas Lights, Chocolate & Sips Tours meet at numerous locations around central Dallas, north Dallas, Richardson and Addison. There are often 4-6 tours running at the same time, so different starting locations are needed to avoid confusion. Locations will be given to ticket holders.
KIDS 4 AND UNDER ARE FREE!!--HOW DOES THAT WORK? We can take children 4 and under for free if they can sit on a lap. We can accommodate car seats, but these will be charged as if the child was an adult passenger.
DO WE GET TO GO BEHIND THE SCENES? Some establishments will let us do so; others are not permitted to do so by Texas Board of Health regulations. Generally the owners or managers of a given establishment will talk to our guests and tell them about when they offer, and the processes involved in making their food items.
WHAT IF THE WEATHER IS NOT SO GOOD? Tours will operate rain or shine (even walking tours), unless weather conditions are particularly unfavorable (for example, an ice storm). We will notify you asap if the tour is canceled. We will determine if a given tour is canceled.
DO WE NEED PHYSICAL TICKETS TO BE ON THE TOUR? We will email meeting place information to you, usually 2-3 days ahead of the tour. There are no physical tickets mailed out, but you will receive an email confirmation; you can bring your receipt with you. We will call your name at the actual event to verify your presence.
WHAT BEVERAGES DO YOU SERVE ON A TOUR? We typically serve a number of different great beverages onboard, for both adults and others. These are included in the price of the tour. You can also bring your own beverages, provided you only keep these to a minimum and in a small carrier. If you have any questions about the specific beverages, contact us at 972-814-5997. We specify wineries and breweries when these are included on the tour.
WHAT DIETARY RESTRICTIONS AND ALLERGY NEEDS CAN YOU ACCOMMODATE? Items are pre-ordered for the group at venues. We will do our best to accommodate most dietary restrictions (gluten free, vegetarian, no pork); please let us know these when you purchase your tickets. However there may be an additional charge to order special items such as gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free (for example, to order one gluten free or dairy free item for one guest is an average of $20 per venue), and we will let you know these charges upfront. We cannot only accommodate vegan dietary needs on our Vegan tours; please contact us and we can discuss options available. Also please let us know if you have any allergies (i.e. peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, etc.) and we will do our best to accommodate these. Dallas Bites & Sights Tours will not be held responsible for any guests not informing us of any food allergies or dietary restrictions at the time of booking.
WHAT IS YOUR CANCELATION/REFUND POLICY? All tickets sold are nonrefundable and cannot be exchanged or rescheduled (unless you notify us at least 72 hours in advance) because of illness or other circumstances. We are guaranteeing your space at the event (and cannot sell to others), and we incur certain upfront costs for such things as our motorcoach, tour host and all food and (if applicable) drinks.No partial credits or rescheduling is allowed for partial attendance, no shows, or late arrivals. Like a concert or sports event that does not get canceled if the promoter does not cancel it, the tour will go on unless Dallas by Chocolate determines that it is canceled (due to extreme weather or other factors that prohibit us from fully operating the tour). If our buses are operating and roads are drivable along our tour route, we will most likely not cancel. If we do cancel, we will issue a full refund in that situation. If you cannot make a given tour because of unforeseen circumstances (illness, bad weather, etc.), you may transfer your ticket(s) to someone else; please let us know their name(s) asap. OR if we are able to resell your ticket(s) to someone else, then we will refund you for those tickets. Tours are held rain or shine, except in a severe weather emergency (i.e. ice storm) where buses cannot run the route or other limiting factors. Also, if a given tour fails to meet minimum enrollment, we will contact you to reschedule or offer a prompt refund. We will not give refunds for customer complaints (i.e. guest did not like the guide, bus was too hot/cold, bus was late, etc.), and cannot give credit for no-shows.
ARE GRATUITIES WELCOME? Of course! Gratuities to your tour guide and driver are very appreciated. Guides work for Dallas by Chocolate and drivers work for the bus company that we use, so separate gratuities for each at the end of the tour are ideal. They work very hard to take care of your every need.
WHAT IF THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOOKED A TOUR? Trips require a minimum number of participants to avoid cancellation. We reserve the right to cancel a scheduled trip and will fully refund affected customers. Generally we require at least 18-20 people to hold a bus tour (8 minimum for a walking tour) in order for it to be a "go." It rarely happens that we need to cancel a tour, but it DOES happen. If that is the case, we will contact you 1-2 days before the tour and offer you the chance to choose another tour, or obtain a refund from us.
WHEN WILL WE RECEIVE OUR TOUR ITINERARY/MEETING PLACE? You will receive your meeting place information by email several days before the event, but can call 972-814-5997 or 972-442-6963 or email [email protected]if you need the information sooner.
WHAT ARE YOUR POLICIES REGARDING GUEST BEHAVIOR? Our highest priority is the safety and security of our guests. We will not tolerate behavior that is unacceptable in any way. Per TABC guidelines, if we feel that a guest or party is hindering the enjoyment of the tour for others, we reserve the right to call a cab or the police, or to ask that person or persons to leave the tour (no refunds will be given). We will confirm that those drinking alcohol are 21 years of age or older.
YES, WE DO TEAM BUILDING AND OTHER PRIVATE TOURS...ANY DAY OF THE WEEK! Dallas by Chocolate and Dallas Bites! specialize in team building and other private tours, whether it be corporate get-togethers, bachelorette/birthday parties or just socializing. Simple choose a date and we can customize a chocolate, savory, wine or other tour. Minimum 8 people, max. 125 (depending on the tour).We can do a private team building or other tour during the day or evening and at any time, with pickup/dropoff at any location (including hotels, corporate campuses, etc.). If you'd like to schedule a team building or private tour, please contact Dallas by Chocolate at [email protected]