UK tourists warned as Majorca restaurants enforce new 'one table, one bill' rule

Yahoo

16-07-2025

British tourists heading to Majorca this summer have been warned to watch out for a new restaurant rule that has banned customers from splitting the bill.
The Balearic Island in Spain is struggling with staffing issues, with restaurants in particular short staffed leading to delays and slower service.
In a bid to speed up the turnaround at the in-demand eateries, there have been reports of more locations refusing to let customers split the bill, as it creates extra work for waiters.
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Juanmi Ferrer, president of the CAEB Restaurants Association, said: "There is one bill per table and it is up to the customers how they deal with the payment. 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. It is time consuming and even more so if the bill doesn't add up.
"We understand that customers want to divide the bill, but there are much easier and more convenient methods."
This has become known as the "one table, one bill" rule, with reports of other regions of Spain implementing it, such as Zaragoza, Málaga, and parts of Barcelona.
There are two forms this rule is being enforced:
One is by completely banning bill splitting and refusing to let customers do this.
The other is adding a charge for every time a card is used, typically to the tune of between €1 and €2.
This issue has been driven by understaffing in these regions of Spain, despite decent wages being offered to employees, Ferrer argues.
He said: "We have the best hospitality agreement in Spain; the minimum net wage is €1,700 per month. Money is not an issue."
The reason for the shortages could be seasonal, as many locations only need the staff for small portions of the year.
This leaves restaurants understaffed when the peak summer season arrives.