Customer calls police when bar 'charges too much' for martini

A BAR customer rang the police when she was charged what she thought was daylight robbery for a martini cocktail – and officers gave the owners a ticking off, reports national daily newspaper La Nueva España.

She had gone to one of the many bars specialising in home-brewed cider in Asturias - a region as famous for the tipple as the West Country is in the UK – this particular inn being in the city of Gijón.

And she thought the bill of €4.50 for a martini was a 'tasteless joke at her expense', given that a whole bottle of the trademark cider in Gijón rarely costs more than €3.

The woman demanded to see the drinks price list, which the bar owners refused to give her, although as a goodwill gesture they offered to let her pay €4 instead of €4.50.

When they continued to refuse to give her the list of prices, the customer called the Local Police.

Officers did, in fact, respond to her call-out and went to the bar, where – instead of reproaching the customer for wasting police time, they reminded the bar-owners that they were required by law to have price lists of all food and drinks on display at all times or, at the very least, supply them upon request.

Bars and restaurants are, naturally, free to set whatever prices they wish, but these must be disclosed to the customer upon request, preferably before they order.

Drinks anywhere in Spain – alcoholic or not – tend to carry fairly standard prices, which are typically some of the lowest in Europe with a glass of wine sitting at around €1.50 to €2.50 depending upon the premises, and a coffee ranging from €1 to €2.

But in summer, many bars and eateries hike their prices, taking advantage of the fact that northern Europeans on holiday will happily pay more and, generally, still find them cheap.

Residents in some tourist towns complain every year that the menú del día, or lunchtime three-course set menu, often rises in price by €3 or €4 as soon as the holidaymakers arrive, yet are exactly the same quality as the rest of the year with nothing added to justify the cost hike.

And anecdotal evidence points to some 'cheeky' bars charging as much as €6 for a small can of orange juice or a half-pint of beer – both of which cost under €2 the rest of the year – and even cases of those who 'look like tourists' or who do not speak Spanish being charged more than locals.

Visitors and residents who feel they are being overcharged for drinks or food should ask for the price list before ordering since, as the case in Gijón shows, bars are obliged to make these available and should have them prominently on display.