A memorable meal should come with a bill you understand. A quick check of prices, portion sizes and extras can prevent an awkward surprise. These six restaurant traps give you useful questions to ask wherever you travel.
The classic restaurant tricks
The recommendation without a price
How it worksYou order the house recommendation without knowing what it costs. A budget tourist menu can also become more expensive when you change the sides or set courses. That aperitif the waiter suggests may cost extra too.
WhereADAC describes these menu traps in Italy. For France, the European Consumer Centre explains that indoor and outdoor menus must match and show whether drinks are included.
How to protect yourself
- Get a clear price before ordering.
- Ask what a set menu includes and whether changes cost extra.
- Have unfamiliar dishes explained before you choose.
Fish priced per 100 grams
How it worksThe small number on the menu applies to 100 grams, rather than the whole fish. You order a portion and only discover the total when the bill arrives. Selling by weight is not a scam in itself, but misunderstanding the unit can be expensive.
WhereADAC documents this trap with fresh fish in Italy, including Rome. Our existing Rome guide focuses on other scams.
How to protect yourself
- Check whether the price is per portion or by weight. “Etto” means 100 grams.
- Confirm the weight being charged and the total before preparation.
- Ask explicitly how fish and seafood will be priced.
Bread and starters you never asked for
How it worksBread, olives or starters arrive before you order. You help yourself, then discover the extra charge. In Portugal, couvert can be charged if you order it, eat it or handle it so it cannot be served again. Unrequested dishes left untouched cannot be charged there.
WherePortugal, including Lisbon. Italy also has coperto, a cover charge subject to regional rules.
How to protect yourself
- Ask what the dishes cost before touching them.
- Have unwanted starters removed straight away.
- Look for cover and service charges on the menu. A disclosed coperto is not automatically a scam.
Service included, then another request for a tip
How it worksService is already included or listed as an extra charge. When you pay, you are prompted to tip as well and overlook the first charge. Service charges and tips are different, so check what you are paying for.
WhereIn France, the European Consumer Centre confirms that service is included in displayed prices and tips are optional. DECO PROteste confirms that tipping is optional in Portugal too. Listed service charges can occur in Italy.
How to protect yourself
- Ask whether service is included before ordering.
- Read the bill before adding a tip.
- Check local rules rather than assuming every service charge is fraudulent.
The familiar currency on the card terminal
How it worksThe terminal offers to charge you in your home currency. This is DCC, Dynamic Currency Conversion. The reassuring amount can come with a poor exchange rate or a markup. Germany’s consumer advice service specifically warns about this trap in restaurants.
WhereWhen paying outside your home currency area. Our Antalya and Istanbul guides discuss it for Turkey.
How to protect yourself
- Choose local currency and decline the conversion.
- Check the amount and currency before approving payment.
- Keep your card in sight and save the receipt.
The friendly invitation with a huge bar bill
How it worksSomeone you have just met invites you to a bar. After food or drinks, an inflated bill arrives and you are pressured to pay. Canada’s travel advice documents this pattern in Istanbul.
WhereIstanbul. For Prague, official advice warns about high consumption charges and penalties for lost consumption cards. Paris police warn about expensive drinks and street recruiters at cabarets in Pigalle, also mentioned in our Paris guide.
How to protect yourself
- Choose venues yourself and decline invitations like these.
- Check drink prices first and keep any consumption card safe.
- Stay calm under pressure. If threatened, seek help from local police.
What our city guides say
- Hurghada: Covers taxis, hotel doctors, visa helpers, boat trips and souvenirs more generally.
- Paris: Mentions inflated cabaret bills in Pigalle.
- Rome: Covers taxis, distraction theft, tickets, gladiator photos and street purchases more generally.
- Marrakech: Covers guides, taxis, henna, photos and swapped purchases more generally.
- Lisbon: Explains when couvert can be charged and how to decline unwanted starters.
- Barcelona: Advises keeping valuables attended on café terraces.
- Bangkok: Covers short change, including in restaurants.
- Prague: Warns about high bar bills and losing a consumption card.
- Antalya: Explains the currency conversion trap at card terminals.
- Istanbul: Describes the bar invitation scam and recommends card payments in lira.
- Dubai: Covers transfers, fake websites, holiday prizes and shopping offers more generally.
Eat out with confidence
A considered order and a quick look at the bill leave more room to enjoy your meal. TravelCheck on iPhone builds your own list for your destination and travel profile, ready to use offline.
FAQ
How can I spot a restaurant scam abroad?
Watch for missing prices, unclear portion sizes and charges that only appear when you pay. Confirm the total before ordering. An expensive meal with clearly stated prices is not automatically a scam.
Do I have to pay for bread or starters I did not order?
Rules vary by country. In Portugal, unrequested couvert left untouched cannot be charged. Eating it or handling it so it cannot be served again can make it chargeable. Ask about the price first and have unwanted dishes removed.
Is coperto legal in Italy?
A clearly listed coperto is not generally prohibited in Italy. Regional rules can differ. According to the South Tyrol consumer advice centre, Lazio does not allow coperto charges. Ask about cover and service charges before ordering and check local rules.
What does a fish price per 100 grams mean?
It is a price by weight, rather than a price for the whole portion. In Italy, the menu may use the word etto. Confirm the weight being charged and the total before the fish is prepared.
Do I need to tip on top of a service charge?
Check what your bill already includes. In France, service is included in the displayed price and tipping is optional. Tipping is also optional in Portugal. Do not assume the same rules apply everywhere.
What should I do about an unexpectedly large bill?
Calmly ask for an itemised bill and compare it with the menu and your order. Query unclear charges and keep your receipts. In Portugal, you can ask for the complaints book. If anyone threatens you, put your safety first and seek help from local police.