Couple in disbelief after being charged $650 for two drinks, dozen oysters in Mykonos

  • 05/08/2022
The couple said the oysters cost EUR$29 each.
The couple said the oysters cost EUR$29 each. Photo credit: DK Oyster

A couple on holiday in Mykonos were left in disbelief after they were hit with a hefty bill for a 'light snack'.

Canadian couple Lindsay Breen and her husband Alex, both 30, said they were misled into paying for the bill which was over EUR$400, working out to be around NZ$650, for one beer, one Aperol Spritz and a dozen oysters.

The couple later found out the infamous DK Oyster has a reputation for "scamming" tourists.

Lindsay claimed the pair were pressured into ordering the meal from a menu that did not display the prices and that the waiter tried to persuade them to buy more food by putting deserts on their table and trying to get them to eat them.

"As we kept refusing what he was trying to give us he was getting more frustrated," Lindsay told the Daily Mail.

She told the outlet they were in "disbelief" when they saw the tab, claiming that rather than presenting them with the bill at the table, her husband was taken to a back room to pay. 

When Alex asked for a breakdown of the bill Lindsay said they showed him the computer screen which was all in Greek so he paid it to avoid a confrontation.

"He definitely felt intimidated and he's the friendliest guy so even if the bill was double he probably would have paid it to avoid any problem," the Daily Mail reported.

She said other local business owners apologised to the couple when hearing about their experience, claiming they warn visitors to stay away from the restaurant and that it gives the local community a bad reputation.

DK Oyster located in Mykonos Kosmoplaz Beach Resort Hotel.
DK Oyster located in Mykonos Kosmoplaz Beach Resort Hotel. Photo credit: DK Oyster

Unfortunately, the Breens are not the only ones to feel ripped off by DK Oyster.

The restaurant has an average of 2.1 stars on Google reviews, with many people claiming the place is a "trap", with reviews dating back to over a year ago sharing similar experiences.

"Don't ever try this place. Biggest scam ever. Waiter refused to show us the menu upfront but after we ordered what we explicitly said must be the lowest priced options, we still end up with a €700 bill," one person wrote three months ago.

"Go to any other place on the beach. The 'drinks' were €25 plus a hidden 24% service charge, and they were only mix, no alcohol… When we told a local about the experience, they said this place is known for this type of thing," another posted over one year ago. 

DK Oyster's owner Dimitrios Kalamaras has hit back at the tourists' reviews, denying Lindsay's allegations and claiming they are influencers trying to score a free meal.

"Unfortunately, all of us who work in the hospitality sector have been approached by notorious 'influencers' who instead of making their living by advertising products and services to their audience they put pressure on certain businesses for exorbitant fees and free meals," Kalamaras told Kennedy News.

'In DK Oyster we have advertised in the ways we consider suitable for our restaurant and we will not succumb to the influencers who have been attracted to the beautiful island of Mykonos."

Kalamaras said Lindsay is trying to get famous through Instagram posts and claims she repetitively asked for a cocktail menu and that the server didn't want to provide one but despite that, she placed an order.

"An influencer, an experienced well-travelled person who makes a living through their experiences in the world did what most adults in the right mind would not do, ordered drinks and food from a waiter who refused to present a menu," he told the outlet.

This is despite the fact that Lindsay works in recruitment and has no publicly visible social media accounts to indicate that she is an influencer, the Daily Mail reported.

Kalamaras insisted that cheap clients are ruining the reputation of the spot with their bad reviews and if they are denied a menu should talk to a manager or leave.

"I cannot stop every single person entering our premises and explain the significance of such a practice."