Don't Be Surprised If Your Dinner Bill In Europe Has This Sneaky Extra Charge

The recent influx of international visitors in Europe, while generally seen as positive for local economies and the travel and tourism sectors, has led to some disruptions. Overtourism is causing a big problem in popular European destinations, pushing tourism associations, transportation agencies, and local businesses to look into incorporating or expanding tourist-only taxes to get the additional funds needed to cover infrastructure and maintenance costs that such crowds require. 

Restaurants have caught on to this — and travelers visiting Europe in the near future shouldn't be surprised to find cover charges listed at the bottom of their restaurant bills, especially in touristy cities and neighborhoods. In Italy, for example, this secret fee you should look out for has long been known as a "coperto."

A cover charge is generally defined as a fee for entering a sit-down or casual restaurant or establishment, but restaurant staff may justify or explain this charge in different ways depending on the city or country that you're in. Some may say that it's a fee covering table service, while others will say that it is the price to pay for what was presented, like free bread or water. In some cases, a cover charge may even include all of these things.

Cover charges are generally not government controlled, and the European Council provides no strict guidelines on what this additional fee can or cannot include, as long as it's clearly written on menus and receipts. A typical cover charge will range from €1 to €3 per person. Unfortunately for travelers, a lack of rules or laws regarding cover charges means that they may come across them fairly inconsistently. 

While Italy's coperto is well documented, much of the information for other parts of Europe remains anecdotal. Travelers on various online forums frequently mention Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy as destinations where cover charges are more commonly incurred. Countries like Greece, on the other hand, rarely tack on cover charges, according to some personal accounts. If you're traveling on a strict budget and don't want to be hit with unexpected fees, it may be wise to check the most recent information for each restaurant on your itinerary. 

In some European countries, you may also see something called a "service charge," a catch-all fee meant to cover wait staff or anybody with whom you interact during your time at the restaurant. In France, this 10% to 15% service charge is billed as "service compris" and is required by law. These charges are not interchangeable or mutually exclusive. In late 2024, The Guardian reported that the high-end restaurant Harrods in London added a £1 cover charge on top of its 12.5% service charge. Cover and service charges are again different from table charges, the main reason why sitting down for coffee in Italy will cost you more than just the price of your drink.