Vacation in Mallorca: Unexpected extra fee strikes!

Vacation in Mallorca: Unexpected extra fee strikes!

A couple who recently visited Mallorca in the popular holiday destination Port de Pollença had an uncomfortable experience in a restaurant. As reported by Kosmo, the couple found an inexplicable surcharge of two euros for "no starter" on their bill. They only noticed this surcharge after they had paid. A demand from the staff initially brought no clarification, since the first waiter did not understand Spanish and a colleague was also unable to explain the additional costs. After several inquiries, the couple finally received their money back and an excuse from the waitress. The restaurant manager was not present at this time.

Such experiences are not isolated. In recent years, consumer advocates in Mallorca have pointed out the problem of questionable additional costs in restaurants. According to consumer protection, these should be shown transparently on the menu in order to save the guests unexpected financial burdens. The phenomenon of the hidden surcharges is widespread and not only limited to Mallorca. In Italy it often happens that guests are asked to pay for bread, plus or parts of dishes. Another example from the United States shows how bizarre these practices can become: A guest in Indiana had to pay a "complaining fee" of five dollars because he had not complained about an incorrectly served beer.

additional costs in restaurants and bars

Consubal recommends requesting a complaint (Hojas de Reclamaciones) in the event of problems. The complaints can be submitted directly to the restaurant or at the Directorate General for Tourism. There are also registration offices of the administrative authorities and many tourist offices for complaints, where such symptoms can be registered. In some cases, a fine for the company can be the result of such a complaint, while financial compensation must be requested in court.

consumer protection on Mallorca

Of course, consumers also have a wide range of support offers in Mallorca. How [the island newspaper] (https://die islandzeitung.com/services/service/werberschutz-mallorca-hier-- zu-ihrem-recht/) can contact the consumer protection authority in Palma or to EU consumer protection centers on the mainland. The possible complaints include insolent prices in bars and restaurants as well as other complaints such as incorrectly calculated invoices or work poorly carried out.

The Dirección General de Consumo, as a public contact point, offers the opportunity to submit complaints directly or online. The authority checks the symptoms and contacts the company concerned to clarify compensation. Private protection associations such as the "Organización de Consumidores Y Usuarios" (OCU) and "Consumidores en Acción" (Facua) also support consumers, whereby the OCU offers paid services.

In a time when tourism and gastronomy have to overcome many challenges, it remains of great importance that consumers are protected and there is transparency in pricing. Vacationers should therefore carefully take care of carefully checking restaurants in order to avoid hidden costs.