We just returned from 3 weeks of October in south-eastern Spain. We have a question about the bread baskets that were always placed on our table for both midday and evening meals/tapas although we didn't order bread. After a few times we noted there was always a charge for the bread on the bill, usually between 1.50 to 2 Euros, not much but it added up to over 60 Euros during our trip. We seldom ate the bread or even touched it and at one point mentioned that we didn’t need the bread, it wasn’t delivered but we were still charged. After leaving an outdoor table in Sevilla we watched a beggar moving through fill his bag with the bread from our basket. Is the bread charge just part of basic service or is there a way to make sure that in future trips we don’t “waste” bread/money that we're not interested in?
I have to say that many places did often give us drinks (after dinner dessert wine or sherry) or something extra “on the house” which was always fun and much appreciated.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4656 posts
I tend to say 'no' when it comes, because I have gluten issues. Sometimes they argue it is free, as is usual for menu del dia, but I still ask to take it back. The basket may also include your napkins and cutlery, so it gets awkward. I think it might be better to just say 'no bread' right from the drinks or food ordering. I wouid certainly not accept it on the bill if I had told them I did not want it and they still charged me. As to the 'on the house', I am sure you are laying for that somewhere, just worked into the other costs.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
So if some restaurants served you "on the house" drinks or other treats, doesn't that in the end offset the 60 euros you say it cost you for the unwanted bread? Since you say some of the bread was collected by beggars or street people, you could also consider the 60 euros a charitable offering.
Posted by
Chicago
8560 posts
The bread charge may be obligatory regardless of whether you eat the bread. In Rome you can waive bread away and not be charged, but in most of Italy it is obligatory i.e. a cover charge. In Spain, if the restaurant has a coperto, the bread is charged.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7162 posts
It isn’t just Spain. Restaurants in many countries charge for the bread, just like refills for sodas. We just say no as they go to set it down if we don’t want it. It’s never been an issue.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5542 posts
Sometimes we're asked if we want bread, sometimes it's given to us without asking and charged and other times it's complimentary. With two young boys at the table it invariably disappears as soon as it's placed down particularly if there's a bowl of aioli accompanying it.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I know you're asking about Spain, and I can't answer directly. But be aware that in Portugal, it's common for them to bring a couvert (pronounced koo-VAIRCH) - a tray of various appetizers. These are not free, and most of the time if you eat any of it you're charged for all of it. Usually, if I didn't touch it and pushed it away, I wasn't charged, but once I was, because I didn't specifically ask for it to be taken away. I learned my lesson, so after that, if I didn't want it, I asked them to remove it. (Of course, sometimes I did want it).
Posted by
OP
Eugene OR USA
6 posts
Thanks to everyone for your replies and comments about this little detail of eating in restaurants in Spain (and Portugal). Hopefully it will help other travelers be cognizant of this practice which wasn’t mentioned in any of the guide books (hard copy or on-line) I referred to.
We didn’t find the bread really added to or was necessary for most of our meals, the food was delicious & fantastic but the bread was mostly just mediocre white baguette-type.