Restaurant Scams in Melbourne

Bill Padding and Phantom Dishes in Chinatown Restaurants

Some restaurants on Little Bourke Street in Melbourne's Chinatown add unrequested items — side dishes, sauces, tea, or appetisers — to the table and then charge for them without disclosure on the menu. The bill may also include service charges not listed on printed menus, typically added in fine print or not at all. Tourists who cannot easily read Chinese-language menus or who are dining in large groups are most exposed, as errors are harder to spot across a multi-dish order.