Tag Archives: service charge

vindicated

19 Monday Dec 2022

Posted by in sevilla, tapas, tapas bars

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shawn bread

I cannot begin to tell you how happy this made me. This place clearly didn’t realise they were dealing with a consumer rights lawyer… hahaha. Love it. So he was not only awarded the 7€ refund, the restaurant also had to pay for his legal fees. Fuck around and find out bitches! I feel so vindicated… Shawn of The Bread. We need more of this.

For the record, in Andalucía it is illegal to charge for any food item brought to the table without it having been ordered first (olives, bread, etc), and all food items have to be listed (with prices) on the menu. It is also illegal to charge for any non-food item ie “service”.

Also for the record… I seldom want bread in a tapas bar because 1) it’s usually not great bread and 2) it’s not necessary and just fills me up so I can’t enjoy other things. BUT when I want bread I am happy to order and pay for it. It’s this sneaky ILLEGAL “admission fee” charge that I refuse to pay.

You can read the article here… Restaurant In Andalucía Taken To Court For Charging For Bread

 

shawn of the bread update

28 Friday Feb 2020

Posted by in restaurants, sevilla, tapas bars

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It’s been almost five years since I was dubbed Shawn of the Bread by my friends Anna & Jorge @guitianmayer, due to my continuing battle against the unfair – and illegal – bread/service charges that first appeared on menus in Sevilla sometime around 2010-2012. I was reminded of this yesterday when Lucy @sparkybakewell & I were out for a drink at our new favourite “penúltima bar” and decided to have a snack. And there it was.

Even though we had sent back the unasked for bread basket we were charged 1€ per person for “service”. Well, they tried to charge us. When I explained to the waiter (lovely young woman really, wasn’t her fault) she took the charge off the bill and instead we left the 2€ as a tip. Because that “service” charge never goes to the staff. It’s simply a way of making extra money – illegally – for doing absolutely nothing. Like an admission fee. Not right. And they count on people not knowing it’s illegal, and also that they won’t make a fuss about it. But they never count on me.  😉

The regulations for this are clearly stated here…
Obligaciones de bares, restaurantes y cafeterías

Los servicios no solicitados no se pueden cobrar. Tampoco se pueden cobrar conceptos como, por ejemplo, reservas, cubierto o mesa.