Restaurants in Lisbon are reportedly charging tourists more than the local diners, operating a system of secret cheaper rates for Portuguese people who are in the know.

Eating establishments in the capital’s picturesque historic center often display menus with tourist prices in multiple languages. 

However, according to a report in the Portuguese weekly newspaper Expresso, locals may be offered the same dishes at lower prices, which are conveyed discreetly, either whispered by staff or listed on menus in less visible or hidden areas.

Industry experts cited by Expresso emphasised that charging different prices based on a customer’s nationality is “completely illegal.”

Portugal’s AHRESP hospitality association stated it is unaware of any restaurants engaging in such discriminatory pricing practices, stressing that all prices must be the same for everyone and displayed.

These allegations of dual pricing come amid growing concerns about the effects of mass tourism in Portugal and neighbouring Spain. 

In response, Lisbon residents have launched campaigns to mitigate what they consider “overtourism“, including efforts to ban tuk-tuk taxis commonly used by tourists.

A local group advocating for affordable housing has submitted a petition with 9,000 signatures – enough to trigger a referendum in Lisbon – calling for an end to short-term Airbnb-style rentals for tourists.

Lisbon, home to 570,000 people, hosted 6.5 million foreign visitors in 2023.

Since 2015, rents in the city have skyrocketed by 94 percent, with property prices soaring by 186 percent over the same period, according to housing data firm Confidencial Imobiliário.

Meanwhile, Barcelona, Spain’s top tourist destination, has decided to phase out the licenses of its 10,000 legal short-term rental apartments by 2028.

Lisbon is estimated to have 20,000 tourist apartments. 

Last month, the city council approved a measure to double the tourist tax on overnight stays from €2 to €4 per night, effective tomorrow (Sunday).

Portugal welcomed 26.5 million foreign tourists last year, marking a 19.2 percent increase from the previous year and a 7.7 percent rise compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019.