Spain holiday warning: UK holidaymakers warned over 'outrageous' restaurant scam in hotspots including Madrid

UK holidaymakers have been issued a Spain holiday warning over a restaurant scam that is rife in popular hotspots including Madrid. A content creator has issued the warning for Brits who are eating tapas, paella and drinking sangria on holiday this summer.

Katie, who lives in Spain and works as a travel influencer, explained what she described as the "restaurant scam" and said it is one of her top "five popular tourist scams” that holidaymakers “need to be aware of if you are coming to Spain."

She explained: "In Madrid, all restaurants are required to show all the menu prices on the menu but some restaurants will put the daily special on a blackboard and they won't have the prices. Then you will order it and they will be outrageously more expensive than everything else."

On TripAdvisor, a Brit holidaymaker shared how they were "lured in" with nibbles and drinks and warned: "You are not going to see any prices or menus - that would give the game away. A few minutes of waiting for your nuts, crisps and breads in oils later...

"You are then on the receiving end of endless plates that are not requested." The tourist added: "For our couple of drinks and a rest in the sun, we are hoodwinked to the tune of about £500." 

A second person wrote: "They bring snacks that we didn't order then over charged it. The waiter even requested us to tip them with a minimum of 10% or more! The food were not good and the service even sucks. Stay away!".

Last year, data compiled by Quotezone.co.uk found that Spain was one of the worst destinations for tourist scams, along with France. However, the research found that these scams typically occur in areas of high tourist foot traffic - such as popular landmarks and attractions.

The warning comes after a British expat told tourists on Reddit to be extra vigilant when wandering around the streets and markets in Spain. The local warned: "Avoid like the plague anyone trying to hand you flowers, bunches of rosemary or hell-bent on reading your palm. Don't even acknowledge their presence."