At a time when we say goodbye to the pandemic and the good weather arrives, we Spaniards are filling the terraces. Literally. You just need to go to the Plaza Mayor in Madrid to see it. And of course, with so many people demanding space in establishments, the sector is being led to take measures that nobody likes. Some time ago, a LinkedIn user complained about the treatment of a bar in the center of Bilbao that he had posted a message that said: “Limited drinking time of 30 minutes on the terrace”.
Today there are similar examples throughout Spain. Which leads us to a debate to reflect on how legal these measures are and what rights consumers have in these situations.
“There’s nothing else missing here, right?”:
Yes, heavy, we’re leaving!!!
Timing the clients. A few days ago El Periódico de España launched a very interesting report about the phenomenon. It collected several cases of establishments with a terrace in Barcelona that have even begun to time customers: from 40 minutes in a tapas bar to 60 in a pizzeria. On other occasions, locals warn with signs attached to the windows that stays cannot exceed 40 minutes. Others even do not allow access to couples, only groups of three or more. You have to make the most of the tables.
On the skin of restaurants it sounds good. Let’s be honest, If you own a bar that is up to the top and there is not much space left to seat people, it is normal that this type of measure crosses your mind. Let’s say a single table translates into a loss of income. Let’s say three groups of customers arrive at your store. Usually they would have to occupy three different tables. On the other hand, if time limits are set, you can use the same table and seat more than two groups of clients in two hours, which multiplies the benefits of that table.
Can they force us to leave the table when we finish eating? It is somewhat complicated to answer. The spokesman for FACUARubén Sánchez, explained in this article from Cadena Ser that “one thing is that they notify you in advance when booking” and another very different that, “when you are already there, they try to kick you out”. He believes that “the first is excessive”, but that the second already seems directly “illegal”. From FACUA they comment that in extreme cases, such as spending 5 hours at the table having only ordered a coffee, the issue “could be assessed” .
The problem is precisely that, that “everything is subject to interpretation” because there is no specific regulation. The hoteliers state emphatically that they are within their rights, that “it is like reserving the right of admission to their premises”. And the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) He agrees with them: “Establishing a minimum consumption or setting a maximum time spent on the terrace is a legal practice, as long as the client is informed beforehand.”
We have lived it with the Covid. This is not the first time we have seen similar cases. In 2020, when the pandemic hit our lives, communities like Andalucía or Aragón established a time limit for breakfast 30 minutes, and for lunch 90. This measure was justified as a way to “avoid contagion”, although it was rather a way to get more out of the little capacity they had. There were many bars that put a sign on their tables to ensure customer rotation: “Maximum duration per drink X minutes.”
Back then, with the level 3 restrictions, it seemed like a totally logical thing to do. But now, is 30 minutes enough to have a beer? Now there is no excuse.
Customers, outraged? The debate reaches the international arena. In a recent post on the forums of TripAdvisor, some users showed their dissatisfaction with a measure in which, according to them, “it seems that the client is being kicked out”. And they are not misguided. It is very difficult for everyone to win in these scenarios. Restaurants, in the end, must find a balance: on the one hand, apply a rule without seeming to put pressure on customers and, on the other, make the diner feel welcome and enjoy a positive experience.
The debate in Spain is different. Just as amazing is what Americans were saying in this report from The Wall Street Journal on table time limits. In it, a client was very much in favor of the reservation policy and was grateful for being able to decide what he was going to eat before sitting down: “We practically had it all figured out.” So far so good. But our situation is different: we are in Spain. And when we talk about “having a drink” on a terrace, few care what is on the table, but rather the good time we can spend chatting and enjoying each other’s company. Something that does require more than half an hour.
Image: GTRES