A man in Spain shared a screenshot of a message he sent to a bar in Oviedo, after he was charged extra for lactose-free milk in his latte – and people are divided
15:41, 01 Aug 2025Updated 15:41, 01 Aug 2025
An extra charge on a coffee in Spain has divided members of the public (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
A man was left stunned by an “unfair” bill at a Spanish restaurant, splitting members of the public in the process. Some were taken aback by the cost of his latte, especially the additional fee added to his bill after he requested a different type of milk.
Now a message sent to a bar in Oviedo, northwest Spain, has been shared on the internet and quickly went viral. The customer complained to a well-known content creator about the “unfair” lack of warning regarding charges for altering ingredients in the coffee. The lactose intolerant man had asked for lactose-free milk, and felt cheated by the extra charge.
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He wrote: “Hello, I’m writing to you from Oviedo (Asturias), specifically from the Fontán neighbourhood, an old and popular area of the city.
“I’m sending you this complaint about being charged a supplement for lactose-free milk; if they’re going to charge extra, they should warn you.”
Included in the message was a photo of the receipt showing an additional 30 cents charge for the lactose-free milk.
The irate customer continued: “I think it’s unfair; it’s an intolerance, not a whim, and lactose-free milk costs the same as any other milk.”
User @soycamarero shared this on his social media, posing the question: “Are you for or against this extra charge on the bill?” Public opinion was divided over the surplus charge.
One user wrote: “Then they wonder why people don’t go to bars/cafés and instead grab a sandwich and sit in a park.”
Another shared: “I’m vegan. I know that having soya or oat milk is an additional expense for the business. Opening a bottle just for one coffee isn’t worth it or you risk it going off. My alternative? Talk to the waiter to see if they mind you bringing your own oat milk.”
A third wrote: “Against it; the price difference between a litre of regular milk and lactose-free doesn’t reach that amount; besides, the profit made from coffee is significant.”
Members of the public were split on whether the man should have to pay extra (stock image)(Image: LumiNola via Getty Images)
However, some customers found themselves questioning whether the expense of lactose-free milk justified the additional charge. One person weighed up the overheads and supported the extra fee.
They explained: “Lactose-free milk is quite a bit more expensive than normal depending on brands; if it’s own-brand there might be a difference of 12-15 cents; if we’re talking about branded ones, regular milk can cost nearly one euro per litre while lactose-free ranges between €1.20 and €1.80 depending on brand.”
Another added: “If I open a litre of lactose-free milk for someone and at the end of the day I have to throw it away that would be a loss.”
A third suggested: “If the establishment complies with regulations, this shouldn’t surprise the customer. It must be listed, fixed and visible to customers before ordering. On the other hand, people aren’t used to checking prices but do complain afterwards.”