Cop crackdown: Greek restaurants slammed for ripping off tourists
Tourists may be having the last laugh after a number of complaints about restaurants overcharging foreigners insanely high food and drink bills has led the Greek police to be involved.
Mykonos has become the destination of dreams over the last decade especially and Greek restaurant and bar owners have used the ignorance of tourists to scam more money than necessary for meals and drinks – including 877 for six pieces of calamari.
The Greek finance ministry has plans to conduct more than 50,000 raids in the next few weeks to target restaurants attempting to cheat customers.
A number of tourists have complained about the insane charges made for simple meals, including six pieces of calamari that rounded up to NZD$878.
The squid was apart of a $1400 rip-off bill that came with a NZD$101 grilled chicken dish.
Another customer was faced with a hefty bill as well when he was charged more than NZD$229 for two glasses of prosecco at a different restaurant.
Reports claim officers have already closed down dozens of businesses who have been caught scamming their customers.
Mykonos restaurant owners have denied the allegations of scamming tourists – claiming customers are fully aware of prices before they place an order.
However, foreigners have spoken out against the “scam culture” on the island.
“Me and my wife were dragged for a drink only to pay €230 ($NZD 392) for a €20 ($NZD34) bottle of wine and a couple of sides,” tourist Yannis Psarras, from London, said according to The Sun.
“These guys run the ultimate scam.
“They invite you in on a non-existent offer — like free sunbeds — they don’t show you the price list. They list prices by 100 grams rather than per portion or per kilogram or something more standard.
“It’s really a playbook of scamming tourists.”