When flights are delayed or cancelled because of bad weather…
In Europe, Cafe Surcharges Can Add Up
I’ve heard that some cafes in Europe charge different amounts depending on where you sit – on the patio versus indoors, at the bar vs at a table. We haven’t come across this too often, usually because we’re either eating at a restaurant where everything is included or at a cafe that is so small that they don’t seem to differentiate between their tables.
When you hear that you might have to pay a bit more, you assume that it might be a few dollars or a few euros – a small surcharge. It is important to check signs and menus before sitting down, however, because that smal surcharge can add up quickly. The perfect example of this is from a group of tourists in Venice, who sat down at the famous Caffe Lavena and didn’t pay attention to the notice about surcharges printed on the menu. They ended up with a total surcharge that was almost as much as their drink bill, a total of 42 euros added on to a 46 euro tab.
Needless to say, the tourists weren’t happy about it and it did make the news, but ultimately it was their fault for sitting down for a drink without adding up those surcharges first. If it were us, we would definitely be a bit put out at the added expense – but we would simply pay it and chalk it up to a lesson learned for the next time.