Brits face ban from Spanish restaurants over new tourism rule

If you've ever gone out for a meal with a big group of friends or family, you'll know the chaos that ensues when it comes to paying for the bill.

One person had several glasses of wine and another had none of the wine but an extra side, and then there's one person who has absolutely no intention of contributing a tip.

We've all been there, and it seems that many of the restaurants of Mallorca have absolutely had enough.

As a result, British tourists are now being warned they could face being banned from certain restaurants in the Spanish hotspot after several establishments decided to take a stand.

A group of restaurants have now imposed a 'one bill per table' rule, which means that anyone splitting the bill will need to arrange it among themselves before paying in one lump sum.

Not only will this make life a lot easier for staff serving in the restaurants, it will also eliminate scenarios in which various items on the bill go unpaid.

Splitting the bill can be messy and confusing. (Getty Stock Images)

"Some don’t want to pay for the wine, others specifically ask to pay for their own dish," Juanmi Ferrer, president of the Mallorca CAEB Restaurants Association, told Ultima Hora.

"This gets complicated for the staff, and there can be items that no one is charged for."

He went on to say that many restaurants would be willing to split the bill between equal amounts to ensure it is paid in full, but there are more preferable options. It is, of course, up to each individual bar and restaurant whether they want to impose the one bill rule.

"We understand that the bill should be shared among everyone, but there are much easier and more convenient methods, such as Bizum, which is free for customers and is automatic," he continued.

The one bill per table rule would ease staff's growing workload. (Getty Stock Images)

There are also many banking apps which allow you to split bills yourselves among friends, such as Starling Bank or Monzo.

Meanwhile, Ferrer notes staff shortages as being a big factor in the change, in a bid to reduce the growing workload for existing staff.

"Since the pandemic, restauranteurs have had a hard time finding workers. Many businesses are forced to offer only one lunch shift as they don't have enough staff to open midday and evening," he explained.

This isn't down to low wages, Ferrer says, as Majorca currently offers 'the best hospitality agreement in Spain' of a minimum net salary of €1,700 (£1,475) a month.

Instead, restaurants are struggling to find enough staff to meet the ever-increasing demand during peak season.