DeborahAnn

Just wanted to report some unexpected restaurant charges we encountered today in Seville

We had a delicious meal at Restaurant Doña Elvira. When the bill came there were two unexpected additions; one was for silverware (cubierto) and one for olives (aceitunas).

When in Italy I expect the coperto charge but this is a first for Spain. We have received olives along with our wine and beer but never charged for them. Anyone else finding these extra charges on the restaurant bill? Deborah

Lois2

Yes it is common and you can tell them you do not want them when they bring them...if you take them you pay for them.

BumbleB6

Wow. For silverware?!

DeborahAnn

My husband dislikes olives so I have always had them all to myself. At 3 euros, I will be sure to eat all of them Deborah

annhig

I honestly can't remember whether we've been charged a cover charge in Spain, but the policy on charging for small tapas with drinks seems to vary according to area.

in Barcelona we were charged, in Granada we weren't, and I just can't remember what happened in Seville.

Glad you had such a good meal though.

suec1

Not sure cubierto is for silverware? I would interpret that was a "cover" charge but I'm going to check a spanish dictionary just to be sure. And I'm not sure I would generalize that all restaurants in Spain are now adding these charges.

Lois2

Not sure what the wording is on the bill...different for different places but in general it usually covers some olives etc. bread and is a cover charge which I guess could include silver etc. I believe if you refuse the olives etc. they would not just charge for silver but really don't know.

Lois2

I think "cubierto" is cover and probably not optional. If not listed separately it is incorporated into prices in general so one way or another you pay.

StCirq

It's the same as coperto in Italy - the cover charge. Not just silverware, but place setting in general. Don't remember encountering it in Spain, but that's what it is.

DeborahAnn

We had been in Cordoba for 3 nights and this is our first meal in Seville. Did not have any charges for olives or cover charge before this while in Cordoba. I expect it when in Italy but this is a first for us in Spain. It was an unexpected 6 euros added to the bill.

Ann, The meal was good, the setting pleasant, the extra charges--I would have appreciated knowing before ordering. We paid for every tapa in Cordoba but did not have charges added for a cover or the olives served with our beverages. Traveling in Andalucia for almost 4 weeks I could rack up a substantial olive bill Deborah

annhig

Deborah - I know what you mean about racking up a substantial olive bill - I like them too. I wonder if it's because Seville is a tourist centre? or because it was quite an up-market restaurant?

I can remember in Granada receiving free tapas with our drinks, but in other places like Seville having to order and pay for them as extras.

as you say, it would be nice to know that there was going to be a charge - those €6 can add up!

i hope that it doesn't spoil the rest of your trip and I look forward to your trip report!

danon

I have seen cubierto and coper to in Europe in some restaurants, As mentioned, it means " cover"
Not optional.

DeborahAnn

Thanks Ann, I do love the olives and Ron doesn't so Its a treat to be offered them so often.

This charge certainly is a teeny tiny blip in our food budget It just came as a surprise to me since none of my research talked about restaurants having cover charges in Spain. I'm just reminded again that all service might not be included here and those yummy olives might not be gratis LOL Deborah

IMDonehere

How much was the cubierto?

lincasanova

It used to be totally standard in restaurants.. still done MANY places. There is also a bread fee ( sometimes covered by the cover charge.. sometimes not).Always have paid for butter . Also have paid of extra sauce in a place the other day which irked me no end.

A small plate of olives, I would have thought, was a gift from the restaurant.

You will not see these charges midday at "menu of the day" places ( at least in my experience.)
" es gentileza de la casa?" ( pronounced "Es Hen-tea-laysa day la casa"?) would be a way to ask if anything is put down in front of you to make you wait more pleasant wile musing over the menu or waiting for the food.

One suggestion to everyone. Do not let the restaurant "bring you out a bit of ham and cheese ( jam on y queso) while you are waiting" or haven't decided on what to eat unless you are not worried about the price.. This can be VERY expensive, many time surpassing any entrée. If you want Jamón, go to a good delicatessen and buy yourself 100 grams of one of the better ones displayed ( ibérico)

nytraveler

Cubierto is NOT for silverware. It's just a flat fee (cover charge) that is fairly often made in Spain or Italy. There are also often charges for bread.

Have never heard of being charged for olives - I found you get them everywhere in Spain whenever you sit down. I don't like them and never touched - so perhaps they didn't charge us. But the cover charge is so small you would never it (I admit I don;t calculate bills to the exact euro).

Christina

This has happened to me some years ago in Seville, it isn't new. It was random, some cafes/restaurants didn't do it (automatically give you olives and these crackers things) without asking, but some did. And a few places did bring them but didn't charge you, but some did charge. I didn't even want them and had to learn after a time or so to tell them not to bring them as I didn't want them. So yes, I've had some places charge me for the olives and crackers in Seville, in fact, it was fairly common. This was some time about 5-10 years ago. It wasn't tiny and unnoticeable, as far as I'm concerned, it was at least a couple euro, as I recall. I don't like being forced to pay for something I don't want and didn't ask for.

I was never charged for silverware, though, not once. In fact, if I told them not to bring the olives and crackers, I was never charged just a cover charge for nothing.

DeborahAnn

What was on our bill translated using my Rick Steves Spanish dictionary to "silverware" and it was a 3 euro charge.

We are meeting David with Not Just A Tourist tonight for a Triana Tapas Tour. I'm curious enough to ask him about the various resto charges we might find in Seville and Andalucia.

Another heavy snow storm in Baltimore makes 80 + weather and sunny in Seville not too hard to take. Deborsh

ribeirasacra

In Spain, in general but not everywhere, you will can find three sets of charges.
Take a drink at the bar where there is no extra charge.
Inside table where there is a small extra charge and on the terrace where there is a larger difference in prices.
This is for drinks tapas or meals. Although full meals are not normally eaten standing up at the bar.
Rick and his publications have a lot to answer for (again)

IMDonehere

As ribeirasacra indicated so much for Little Ricky not only does not know about Spanish art he does not know the language or dining.

Thanks for posting the fee for the cubierto.

Any old timers out there? Wasn't cubierto the old name for the menu del dia?