British tourists visiting Gran Canaria are being charged hidden fees and unexpected taxes by restaurants using misleading menus.
Diners on the popular Spanish island have encountered missing prices, extra items added to their bills, and charges for tap water.
The practices include adding a seven percent tax that Spanish law dictates must be included in the advertised price, and presenting menus with no prices to allow for higher charges.
Gran Canaria, the third largest of the Canary Islands, has a population of around 875,000 people and draws up to four million visitors a year. Its white sand beaches and year round sun make it a highly popular destination for British holidaymakers, as well as Hollywood celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lopez.
At Bombon Cafe, located near the Puerto Rico beachfront, a drinks menu was handed out without prices. An iced coffee and a smoothie each cost €7.95, bringing the total for those drinks and an €8.50 ham baguette to €24.40. An ice cream sundae cost €13.95, while two scoops of ice cream billed at €8.45 melted off the cone so quickly they had to be thrown away.
Missing prices and illegal taxes
The cafe holds a 1.4 star rating on Trip Advisor, with 132 of 158 ratings giving it a single star. One tourist advised others to check everything before paying to avoid being charged €9 for a coffee. Another customer reported they almost had a heart attack when their bill came to €32 for two sandwiches, milk and fruit juices.
Variable pricing is also present. Restaurante Venecio on the beach displayed a large sign advertising roast chicken, chips and salad for €7.95. However, the price on the menus given to seated diners was crossed out and rewritten as €10.95.
Charges for tap water
The restaurant provided no prices on its drinks menus. A customer who repeatedly asked for tap water was brought a bottle and charged €2.50. When the bottle was delivered, the waiter confirmed it was tap water before adding the charge.
At Restaurante Bahía Playa in Puerto Rico, a waiter claimed tap water was not possible because of the salt on the island. A bottle of mineral water was brought instead for €2.50. "Tap water is not possible," the waiter said. "It's an island and there's a lot of salt so you can't drink it."
Tap water in Gran Canaria meets strict European Union safety regulations and is safe to drink, though some tourists and locals prefer bottled water to avoid a salty taste.
Other restaurants simply brought out bottled water when asked for tap water. Three restaurants in Playa del Ingles charged €3 each. At the That's Amore pizzeria on the beach plaza, a bottle was charged at €2.10 after a diner ordered tap water, despite a staff member being seen drinking tap water from a glass.
A tourist visiting the pizzeria last month said the restaurant claimed its card readers did not work, forcing them to pay in cash, only for their account to be charged the same fee.
Misleading menus
Restaurante Bahía Playa initially handed over a cocktail menu when asked for drinks prices. A subsequent smoothie menu listed a "Triple M" mango, passion fruit and melon drink marked €1, and a "Berry Dream" berry drink marked €2.
The drinks actually cost €5.50. A waitress explained the numbers next to the euro signs were merely the names of the drinks, not the prices. Asked about the €1 label, she said: "No, it's number one. It's €5.50."
Diners have also found unordered items on their bills. At El Molino, a steakhouse in the Mogan Mall in Puerto Rico, a waiter brought out garlic bread as a starter after mumbling about bread and cheese, charging €2.50. Customers were also served a large cola without being asked what size they wanted.
Unexplained fees
El Molino added a 7 percent IGIC tax, which is similar to VAT, to the bill for a special T-bone steak. The €2.47 charge was added separately, despite Spanish law requiring it to be included in the advertised price.
Other tourists reported similar experiences. A visitor from Newcastle said unordered extra drinks were added to their bill, and the owner did not apologise when challenged. Another tourist said they were charged €55 for two beers and an unordered bottle of wine.
One couple had the police called after refusing to pay for a chicken kebab they said was raw. Matthew, a chef, said he realised the meat was raw after trying some from his partner's plate.
He said they complained and the food was taken away. "We were left sitting waiting for some sort of apology but it didn't come," he said. "I refused to pay so they called the police."
His partner said the waiter could not care less. She said: "I explained I wasn't happy to pay for it given the fact it was inedible and had likely given me food poisoning from the piece I'd already eaten."
"He then proceeded to call the police and intimidate my partner and I until we eventually agreed to pay. So upset, never experienced anything like this in my life."
The transport sector also carries unexpected costs. Uber and Bolt do not operate on the island, leaving municipal taxis with a monopoly. A ten minute journey from the airport cost €25, with an extra €3.50 fee added after the meter stopped.
The practices in Gran Canaria follow similar reports from Greek tourist hotspots including Corfu, Santorini and Rhodes. Diners in Santorini reported an €81 bill for three prawns, two coffees and a plate of beans and pitta bread that was advertised as complimentary. Another tourist in Greece was charged €28 for an instant coffee and orange cake.
