RESTAURANTS across Majorca are cracking down on the once-harmless holiday habit of splitting the bill, blaming picky tourists and chronic waiter shortages for chaos at the tills.
Eateries at the popular Spanish hotspot are uniting behind a simple demand: one bill per table – no exceptions.
GettyMajorca restaurants are banning tourists from splitting the bill[/caption]
GettyOwners are uniting behind a single bill per table, insisting it avoids unpaid items and speeds service[/caption]
The move, they say, is aimed at avoiding unpaid items, streamlining service, and easing the pressure on overworked staff.
Juanmi Ferrer, president of the Mallorca CAEB Restaurants Association, told Ultima Hora: “Some don’t want to pay for the wine, others specifically ask to pay for their own dish.
“This gets complicated for the staff, and there can be items that no one is charged for.”
As tourists insist on settling only their share – whether that’s half a sangria or a spoonful of paella – waiters are left juggling orders, receipts and card readers, often delaying service and creating discrepancies in the daily close-out.
“It is time-consuming and even more so if the bill doesn’t add up,” Ferrer warned.
Now, some restaurants are outright refusing to allow separate payments, insisting that diners sort it out among themselves.
The only concession? Split the bill equally – if you must – but do it fast.
Ferrer recommended tools like free mobile payment apps to simplify things.
He told Majorca Daily Bulletin: “We understand that the bill should be split among everyone, but there are much easier and more convenient methods, such as Bizum, which is free for customers and is automatic.”
And while tourists may find the policy change frustrating, restaurant owners say they’re simply running out of staff to cope.
“Since the pandemic, restaurateurs have had a hard time finding workers,” Ferrer added.
Many businesses are forced to offer only one lunch shift, as they don’t have enough staff to open midday and evening.”
He insists the issue isn’t about money. In fact, Majorca offers “the best hospitality agreement in Spain“, with a minimum net salary of €1,700 (£1,475) a month.
The real problem is getting enough hands on deck during the short but intense tourist season – especially in beach resorts.
GettySome restaurants are outright refusing to allow separate payments, insisting that diners sort it out among themselves[/caption]
GettyThe move aims to avoid unpaid items, streamline service, and ease pressure on staff[/caption]
Tourism tensions
The clampdown on splitting the bill comes as anti-tourism protests flare up across the Balearics and mainland Spain.
Tourists – especially Brits – are finding themselves increasingly unwelcome, with some now being lured to “fake beaches” as part of a growing guerrilla campaign.
In one viral video, a local revealed how some residents are making up names for non-existent coves in dangerous areas to mislead visitors and keep them off popular stretches of sand.
“These are not beaches, they are dangerous places that you should avoid,” she warned.
Meanwhile, beaches have been barricaded with boulders, fake “Beach Closed” signs have popped up across Majorca, and one protester was even spotted wielding an axe.
The protest group Caterva claimed responsibility for recent “symbolic closures” of secluded coves like Cala Varques and Cala Petita, insisting they’re “for residents’ use and rest” only.
ReutersResidents across Europe have protested with signs bearing slogans like ‘As you come I have to go’[/caption]
ReutersWidespread anti-tourism protests have erupted across Spain in the last year[/caption]
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