It was just a quick snack and drinks during their honeymoon in Greece, and it turned into a huge bill.
Newlyweds Alex and Lindsay Breen ordered just one beer, a cocktail and a dozen oysters, then received a staggering $850 bill for DK Oyster Bar on the island of Mykonos.
The Canadian couple were in disbelief when they saw the water tab, with restaurant waiters handing them menus without prices.
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“We went to the oyster bar for a bite to eat and a drink,” Lindsay said.
“They immediately said, ‘Do you want oysters?’ We said yes and he said, ‘A dozen?’, so we said yes because a dozen is a typical order.
“My husband asked for a beer and I asked for a cocktail menu and he came back with the beer but I had to ask for a cocktail menu again and he started rhyming with different types of alcohol I had, vodka, gin, but I asked him for a menu.”
Camera icon Alex Breen with his beer and oysters at the restaurant in Greece. Credit: Kennedy News and Media/Kennedy News and Media
The waiter finally brought him a menu “but it didn’t have the brand or the drinks”.
Lindsay gave in and ordered an Aperol spritz.
When they finished the oysters, the waiter tried to talk them into ordering crab legs.
“When we finished the oysters, I was trying to get crab legs, and thank God we didn’t,” Lindsay said.
He said the waiter tried to pressure them into having dessert.
“The guy came back with a huge cart of desserts and he says, ‘So of course we’re going to have a cake today,’ and he starts putting different desserts on our table and we said we didn’t want them and he started getting offended. we didn’t want to take them, so I can see how people would be pressured to take more,” he said.
“As we continued to deny ourselves what He wanted to give us, it became more and more frustrating.”
When the couple were ready to leave, they asked for the bill, but instead of giving it to them at the table, Alex was taken to a back room to pay.
Camera icon Lindsay Breen with her cocktail. Credit: Kennedy News and Media/Kennedy News and Media
When shown the huge bill, Alex was surprised and asked for a breakdown, which was given to him in Greek.
Feeling under pressure and receiving an “incomplete vibe”, Alex paid the bill.
“He was definitely intimidated and he’s the nicest guy, so even if the bill was double, he probably would have paid it to stay out of trouble,” Lindsay said.
“It was pretty crazy. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t cause an argument or refuse to pay because it could have ended worse for us.
“They know when you’re tourists and they take advantage.”