Is bargaining expected for everything, or just souvenirs?

This is such a useful thing to get clear on, because travellers often arrive thinking they must haggle over every last dirham, brace for combat at every transaction, and exhaust themselves — when the reality is much more relaxed and selective. Bargaining in Morocco is real and culturally embedded, but it lives in specific contexts, chiefly the souks and the world of handicrafts and unpriced goods. The simplest rule of thumb I give: if an item has no marked price and you're dealing directly with a vendor, negotiation is expected and part of the game; if it has a fixed, displayed price, it doesn't.

So where do you bargain? The classic arena is the souk — carpets, leather bags and babouche slippers, brass and tin lamps, ceramics, jewellery, wood, spices sold to tourists, and souvenirs of every kind. Here, first prices are inflated, often substantially, and haggling toward a fair middle is simply how business is done and even enjoyed. Unmetered taxis are the other big one: always agree the fare before you get in, since there's no meter to protect you (in cities, insist on the meter — the 'petit taxi' — where it exists, and negotiate firmly where it doesn't). Independent guides, some excursions, and informal services are negotiable too.

And where do you not bargain? Plenty of places, and trying to haggle there just marks you as not understanding the culture. Supermarkets, modern boutiques, chain stores, and shops with clearly marked price tags are fixed-price — pay what's shown. Pharmacies, train and official bus tickets, museum entries, and restaurants and cafés with printed menus are fixed too; you don't barter over a menu. Most everyday food shopping — the grocer, the bakery, basic produce that locals buy at set prices — is fixed or near-fixed, though at a fresh market a little good-natured back-and-forth on produce can happen. When the price is printed or institutional, just pay it.

On how to bargain when you do: keep it friendly, never aggressive — it's a social exchange, not a fight, and good humour gets you better prices than scowling ever will. Decide what the item is worth to you beforehand, open below your target, expect to meet somewhere in between, and be genuinely willing to walk away, because walking is your strongest move and frequently conjures the seller's real price as you turn to leave. But please keep perspective: the gap you're fighting over is often small in your terms and meaningful in the vendor's, so aim for a fair deal that leaves both of you content, not a crushing victory. Bargain where it belongs, pay the marked price where it's set, and you'll move through Morocco's markets like someone who gets it.