8. They charge for ice. If you order a drink, it comes at such as an abusive price that it seem like they’ve charged you for the glass. And, be careful, they may have another fee for each extra ice cube. If you are having a coffee, they always have the option to include in the menu the “café con hielo” as a different product. It is skimpy but legally admissible.
9. Tap water must be paid. Yes, they are being quite selfish but they aren’t breaking the law … unless they have forgotten to include it in the price list.
10. They want you to pay to use the WC. Perhaps the fare is even more expensive if you want to use soap or toilet paper. Absolutely ilegal.
11. Some prices are quoted per gram, not per unit. There are dishes that can be reasonably well informed, but to avoid mistakes, the letter should reference about the average weight at least and its equivalent price. And if it is a whole piece, such as a fish, you can request them to show you the piece before cooking.
12. When they bring you the bill they say you cannot pay with credit card because the machine is broken. It is something that they should indicate with a sign, right where they say that they accept credit card payments, and the waiter should have informed you upon arrival.
13. They served you a dish that not even the zombies from The Walking Dead would eat. If the dish is inedible or has nothing to do with what you have ordered, you can refuse to pay. And if you suffer food poisoning, do not forget to claim a compensation for damages.
14. They charge for cutlery. Unless the idea is that customers who want to can take them home, it is as illegal, the same happens if they charge you an additional amount to clear the table or put a tablecloth.
15. There is a parallel menu of which the prices are only in the mind of the waiters. “In addition to what is in the menu we have…”. Later, crazy prices come on the bill. You are allowed to refuse to pay if their prices are very different from the listed dishes in the menu.
Dorothy Morgan
September 26, 2016 @ 8:09 pm
Your experience sounds horrific. I live in the south of Catalonia thirty km inland. If you choose from the menu di dia, you can get three, sometimes four courses plus wine and sometimes coffee for anything from 10 to 14 euros. The food is normally edible and compared to the prices in hotel restaurants and along the coast I am very happy to eat out. About the only thing I usually avoid is steak. it is cut so thin in Spain it usually comes out like shoe leather. but I know that, don’t order so am not disappointed.
Expat Agency
September 26, 2016 @ 8:23 pm
Thanks for your comment, Dorothy.
There are so many bars and restaurants in Spain that it is like a culture for Spanish people, so we learn a lot about them throughout our lives, to be honest. And of course you do not have to come back again if you did not like a bar or restaurant. However, foreigners and expatriates could find something unexpected when visiting a place for the first time or they may think that something ilegal is legal or normal. Therefore, we hope this post helps them.
Ian
September 27, 2016 @ 10:01 am
Well I live in Fortuna and thankfully have never experienced anything like this at all infact where I eat I must say is mainly at Pedro’s bar where the owner bogeys out of his way to be helpful the food is excellent no fancy dishes just healthy good food and excellent prices never ever been charged for bread !
Expat Agency
September 27, 2016 @ 1:05 pm
That’s good to know Ian. Unfortunately it seems to be a common situation in Spain. It does not mean it is a frequent situation, but it may happen in some places. That is by way of a precaution! 🙂
Ann
June 14, 2018 @ 7:23 am
Thanks, it is quite informative