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Date Published: 09/08/2022

ARCHIVED - Cool customer: can bars in Almeria charge extra for ice?

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

Many Andalucia bars and restaurants hike up the price for certain ‘added extras’

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Cool customer: can bars in Almeria charge extra for ice?

It’s a question which crops up without fail each and every summer, and it’s been making headlines recently as countless people in Almeria have posted snaps of their bills on social media: can bars or restaurants charge me extra for ice in my drink?

Believe it or not, the simple answer is yes, any establishment can charge a supplement, but this must be clearly stated on the menu or price list.

The increase ranges between 10 and 40 cents extra per cube, and many customers have questioned whether the real reason behind the increase is the nationwide shortage of ice. However, one manager insisted that his establishment has been doing this “for always, like most bars in Almeria,” and several others agreed.

However, Pedro Sánchez-Fortún, president of the Provincial Association of Hospitality Entrepreneurs of Almería (Ashal), pointed out that “the normal thing” is to include the ice in the overall price of the drink, rather than listing it separately. Moreover, he added that it is quite the done thing for bars and restaurants to charge a supplement for waiting on tables or on the terrace, a move that caused quite a stir recently in Zamora.

The Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) has also weighed in on this topic, clarifying that establishments throughout Spain have the right to set the price they deem appropriate for any product, “as long as it is duly reflected in the establishment’s price list.”

Another bugbear for many customers is the extra charge for a basket of bread or bowl of olives that they never ordered; this too is perfectly legal once these dishes are listed on the menu.

There are exceptions to the rule though, and one thing that cannot be subject to a supplement is cutlery; likewise, establishments can’t charge extra if you make a reservation and since earlier this year, all bars and restaurants must offer tap water free of charge.

But even though it’s perfectly acceptable to bill for ice, it’s a practice the OCU doesn’t seem totally on board with: In our opinion, charging for ice is as abusive as charging you for using the crockery… but if the establishment decides, in order to do so, it should indicate in the price list the cost of the product with and no ice,” it concluded.

Image: Archive

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