Hidden extras, tourist tax… and €3 for TAP WATER: The subtle tactics Gran Canaria’s rip off restaurants use to squeeze every last Euro of Brit holidaymakers
A Daily Mail undercover investigation has found that bars and restaurants across Gran Canaria are using hidden charges, unclear menus and dubious taxes to overcharge British tourists. Reporters posing as holidaymakers were repeatedly given menus without prices, charged for tap water, and billed for an unnecessary seven per cent "tax" that should already be included in advertised prices, mirroring similar practices previously exposed by the paper in Greek tourist hotspots such as Corfu, Santorini and Rhodes.
The island, which has a population of around 875,000 but welcomes up to four million visitors a year, saw reporters charged €2.50 for tap water at one restaurant and stung by a scribbled-over menu price rise from €7.95 to €10.95 for a chicken, chips and salad dish at another. Extra costs began at the airport, where taxis (Uber and Bolt are banned) charged €25 for a ten-minute journey including a €3.50 surcharge, while a steakhouse called El Molino added a separate seven per cent IGIC tax of €2.47 to the bill. Other examples included an underwhelming ham baguette, iced coffee and smoothie costing €24.40 at a cafe with a 1.4-star TripAdvisor rating, where past customers reported being charged as much as €9 for a coffee.
- Gran Canaria restaurants accused of hidden fees and price tricks on tourists
- Reporters charged for tap water and bogus "taxes" not on menus
- Airport taxis and unclear pricing add further unexpected costs for Brits
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Gran Canaria, part of Spain's Canary Islands, is one of the most popular sun destinations for British holidaymakers, with the island's roughly 875,000 residents hosting up to four million visitors a year. Tourism is central to its economy, and British travellers make up a large share of that trade, drawn by year-round warm weather and package holidays to resorts on the island.
The report centres on a common complaint among tourists in Mediterranean and Atlantic holiday hotspots: some bars, restaurants and taxi services allegedly add unexpected costs on top of advertised prices, through unclear menus, extra charges for basics such as water, or additional taxes and surcharges tacked onto bills. IGIC, mentioned in relation to one venue, is the Canary Islands' own version of sales tax, distinct from mainland Spain's VAT system.
This kind of investigation matters because it touches on consumer protection and trust for holidaymakers who may be unfamiliar with local pricing norms, currency, or tipping and tax conventions. Similar practices have previously been reported in Greek tourist destinations, suggesting the issue is not unique to one country and reflects a wider pattern seen across Europe's tourism industry.