A Rant on Bread & Olives

[JH02JLH]

A Rant on Bread & Olives

One of the things that really annoyed me when eating out anywhere in the port or in the old town was the sneaky practice of providing bread, olives and aioli and then hiding the charge on the menu.

Of course, we never refused them and sometimes we skipped starters as the amount given was more than enough, but we were reguarly charged between 1,20 euros and 1,90 euros and this charge was for all of us, not just for us adults who were the ones that ate them! This of course could add anywhere between 5 and 8 euros to the bill for the four of us!

It would be nice to be asked, and admittedly, in a couple of places we were, but on the whole, a basket of bread and olives was plonked down on the table and I defy anyone not to dive in whilst looking at the menu!

Sometimes the bread and olives were really good (La Piazza and the pate at L'Aup stand out) but in the UK where bread rolls and butter come as standard, is this not just another sneaky way of getting easy money?

Jane>:

 

[pollensa]

I think that this is just a standard cover charge & isn't really sneaky. Some places give you the option of having bread with/without butter, aioli, olives etc. I love olives so am really pleased to get them.

I get more annoyed when they arrive late as they did that first night at Tango. Olives don't go too well with melon!

Another advantage of the good old Menu del Dia is that they're included as well. In fact the Menu is tremendous value compared with the A la Carte.

 

[Lady Pollenca]

Bread and Olives

Hi, this reminds me of a holiday we spent many moons ago in Albufiera Portugal with some Norwegian friends, similar to what your'e saying Jane they brought us olives and bread which we assumed were complimentary as no one had asked for them.When the bill came our Norwegian friend noticed a large charge which he queried with the waiter and it turned ou to be for the olives etc so we questioned this and you have no idea of the comotion!! waiters came from everywhere, the manager arrived, one of the staff threatened us with a knife, unbelievable!!

 

[pops]

Re: Bread and Olives

Can I just say, if you don't want bread and olives, just say I DON'T WANT BREAD AND OLIVES!!!!!and you won't get them and therefore won't have to pay for them!!

 

[Lady Pollenca]

Re: Bread and Olives

Hi Pops, I agree, when you know what the position is, yes, you can just say 'No Thanks'(the trouble is my eyes are bigger then my belly!) but if you haven't been in this situation before its easy to assume the bread basket comes free because it usually does in the UK.

 

[pops]

Re: Bread and Olives

Lady Pollensa,
Yes I agree too. What I meant is after you have been stung once for the bread and Olives, you can then refuse them when you next eat out.

I agree too about 'eyes being bigger than my belly'. what I can't resist is the alioli.
Take care,
Pops

 

[JH02JLH]

Re: Bread and Olives

In my defence, as we had never eaten at some of the restaurants we went to before, it was difficult to know what we were going to be given in advance, or whether we were going to be given anything at all!

Looking at some of the bills my daughter pasted into her scrapbook, I see that L'Aup was the best for value - 90 cents each for a plate of pate, toast and a basket of bread. This easily did for a starter for us one night.

However, Le Font del Gall was probably the worst value - 1,50 euros for bread offered by the waitress (who's going to take a whole handful!) and a tiny plate of butter.

It's not the cost I'm quibbling about here, it's the assumption on our part that as the restaurant brought it out (and we never asked for it), it's therefore free, as in the UK.

We obviously got used to the idea after a couple of nights, but how would you feel if, after a lovely meal, you were given a small liqueur and then charged for it?

To me, it's the same thing.

Jane

 

[pops]

Re: Bread and Olives

Good point Jane, and I wouldn't be saying NO! to that!

Pops

 

[robjay]

Re: Bread and Olives

Say no to olives Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm tough call. We fight over them, can't get enough of them.
Rob

 

[Lady Pollenca]

Re: Bread and Olives

Hi
I’ll tell you what we’ll never forget the first sting as it were Pops, we still laugh about it now but it was pretty scary at the time! The alioli is a winner and just at the right time in the evening, hard day on the beach complete, followed by a wash and brush up, the comfy seat at the restaurant beckons, glass of wine in one hand and here comes the bread and olives with alioli, perfect:rollin . It is strange though in Majorca because some places charge and yet others such as La Terraza don’t charge. Once you get used to it everyone knows the ball game and you just pay regardless because they’re irresistible!! And yet if I was in a restaurant in UK and someone brought ore doevres ( not sure about the spelling) and then charged me for them I would be gutted, I suppose its just use:\

 

[robjay]

Re: Bread and Olives

Daft idea # 1,563 :
Deduct the cost of said offending items from the 10% allocated for the tip. This would work in most cases but have yet to work out how the poor hamacaboy will fair on this one:eek .

Rob

 

[PennyWhite]

Re: Bread and Olives

We didn't get any bread or olives from our hamacas boys, we must have been on the wrong beach.... or was it because I didn't tip? n-o-w I get.....!!>: