The mayor of St-Tropez, a tourist mecca in France, said he would punish restaurants that deliberately target rich customers.
In a recent statement, St-Tropez Mayor Sylvie Siri said that restaurants that deliberately prioritize serving wealthy customers will be punished. If they violate the law, restaurant owners could lose their night-time operating license, which is important because it is required if the restaurant wants to sell alcoholic beverages.
Earlier, St-Tropez authorities received complaints that many local restaurants discriminated against customers. "Basically, it's a question of whether you can afford to spend money or are a small fish. If it's the latter, you'll be told there are no tables available until September," a hotel employee revealed.
A beach bar in St-Tropez. Photo: Collectionist
Another employee said that when a customer calls to make a reservation, they check the restaurant’s system and report that the table is full if the data shows that the customer has been there before but hasn’t spent enough or left a big enough tip.
Restaurant staff also have a way of "filtering" new customers. "They will say: Sure, we still have tables starting at 5,000 euros (a meal). Do you agree?", one tourist revealed.
Restaurants in the popular holiday destination have also been criticised for demanding tips of up to 20% of the bill. One Italian tourist said he left a 500 euro tip, equivalent to 10% of the bill, after dining in St-Tropez. But the waiter chased him into the car park to demand another 10%.
Mayor Siri said the accusations left her “deeply shocked” because “unfortunately they are true”. She said the local government “totally rejects such despicable acts” and insisted it was “damaging the image of the town”.
Officials also said they had issued a warning to tourists and locals to contact the city hall or government agency if they felt they had been scammed. "These acts are frustrating for customers and locals alike," Ms Siri said.
St-Tropez is the second most expensive town in France, according to local news site Monaco Life. It is a popular vacation spot for the rich and famous. Stars such as Leonardo Di Caprio, Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez have all vacationed in the town.
A meal at high-end restaurants in town can cost several thousand euros, while at budget restaurants the average price is 40 euros.
Anh Minh (According to Guardian, Insider )
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