- The mayor of St. Tropez called out several restaurants for blacklisting customers who don't tip.
- One restaurant staffer said it costs over 5,000 euros to reserve a table at some establishments.
The mayor of a popular tourist destination in France called out several restaurants for blacklisting diners who don't tip enough, according to a report by The Guardian.
Sylvie Siri, the mayor of St. Tropez, a coastal town in southeastern France, said these restaurants were "racketeering" by only accepting reservations from customers who have spent big in the past, per the report. Siri added that these restaurants have also set high minimum spends.
"These accusations are extremely shocking to me because they are unfortunately true," Siri said in The Guardian's report, citing local media. Siri added that St. Tropez's local council is "totally opposed to such despicable practices."
Several restaurants in St. Tropez have looked into how much customers have spent in the past before accepting reservations, the local newspaper Nice Martin reported. Some of these restaurants have canceled reservations if they found customers did not tip or spend enough during prior visits.
Minimum spends at these restaurants vary — an unnamed restaurant staffer told Nice Martin that the minimum spend at one establishment starts at 1,500 euros, or around $1,630, per person. Another unnamed staff member said it would cost 5,000 euros to reserve a table, per the report. The second staffer did not specify how many people a table seats. The Guardian did not specify if the two staffers work for the same establishment.
Siri told Nice Martin that these restaurants were flouting several laws — including extortion and disregarding data privacy laws — which could result in the loss of their late-night licenses. These licenses are required to sell alcoholic beverages.
St. Tropez is the second-most expensive town in France, according to the local news site Monaco Life, citing data by Meilleurs Agents. It's known for being a popular vacation spot among celebrities — Leonardo Di Caprio, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Lopez have all been spotted holidaying in the town.
While high-end restaurants in St. Tropez cost several thousands of dollars to dine at, a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant for two people costs an average of 40 euros, or $43, per the crowd-sourced database Numbeo.
Siri did not respond to a request for comment sent outside regular office hours.