Mother and daughter charged $995 by Mykonos restaurant in Greece

The couple were shocked to find themselves hit with a bill of $995 after two cocktails and a snack. Photo / Unsplash

A mother and daughter's holiday on the Greek island of Mykonos a shocking turn after they received a £510 (NZ$995) restaurant bill for just two cocktails and a snack.

The British pair had ordered the drinks and a plate of crab legs at the restaurant while sitting on deck chairs outside for a few hours. However, when the bill arrived, they were charged €520 with a €78 tip.

In disbelief, they refused to pay and tried to leave but were stopped by staff members.

Unable to understand how the bill could have amounted to so much, the mother claimed she would file a police report after locals said it happened often to unknowing tourists.

She then told her travel agent to warn future customers against visiting the restaurant bar unless they wanted to be hit with a €600 bill.

"While we knew that the bill would not exceed €200, suddenly they asked us to pay €600!" she told the agent.

The use of the restaurant deck chairs could have incurred a cost, but she said she didn't understand how the cost could have been so high.

Tourism is a major source of employment and profit for Greece, with one in four people working in the travel industry.

However, like any popular tourist spot, Mykonos is home to sneaky tourist traps and scams. Especially when visitors don't speak the language or understand the culture.

In 2019, a group of British tourists at a restaurant in Rhodes was charged €82 (NZ$135) for eight soft drinks and a tourist in Mykonos was hit with €591 (NZ$977) for six pieces of calamari.

When confronted about prices, restaurant owners have stood firm, claiming tourists can eat elsewhere if they are not happy with paying a premium.

To avoid being the victim of a scam, always order from a menu and confirm prices for dishes beforehand and if food or drinks are brought out without being ordered, like sparkling water or olives and bread, check if it costs.

always assume food brought out