Check your restaurant bill for unexpected shocks

To the surprise of many of our American friends, tipping is not always expected in most establishments in Spain and is certainly not obligatory anywhere.

A recent viral social media post about the receipt received in a Malaga restaurant with what was, apparently, an added amount for tips highlighted this fact. While the vast majority of restaurant owners are good, honest people and do not fuss over the completely optional tip, there is always one black sheep who might try it on in the tourist season.

In the photo of the restaurant receipt, there appear 2 tips of €3.50 for both diners, something the holder of the receipt denies requesting be put on the bill. Culturally, the British and the Spanish are similar in this respect and tend to simply utter “we just won’t come back here again,” rather than make a fuss. But so infuriated were the diners later on that they decided to denounce the restaurant in question via social media.

Restaurant owner denies shock extra tip

The owner of the Malaga restaurant in question has defended himself on Spanish TV, saying, “We do not charge for service; it is given by the client at their discretion of the service received. In Malaga, no bar charges service.”

Regarding the specific case that caused uproar online, he has argued, “What was charged that day were the oysters that were off the regular menu and not on our computer. They are worth €3.50 each. We have two left. At the time of the bill, I explained to the customer why I had put them as a tip. If the customer is dissatisfied, why doesn’t he come and reclaim it?” He continued, ”This has never happened to us. If this client wants to become famous, it’s totally different.”

Check cheeky extras added to restaurant bill

“We have the concept of a tip on the computer because there are customers who give it through the card machine. If a tip was charged, this would have come to light a long time ago,” the restauranteur said. He has a point. In Spain, one should always question the bill, politely, if there is an unfamiliar concept. But most don’t.

Tipping in restaurants in Spain: Leaving a tip in a restaurant, bar, or café has never been considered compulsory. Generally, if the service and food have been good for a lunch or dinner, locals will leave a 5 or 10 per cent tip, either in cash or ask to add it to the bill if payment is by card. For anything like a drink in a bar or a coffee, no tip is expected. If anything, when paying by cash, a customer in a café might leave a few coins from the change, but that’s it.