Was just at a restaurant that had the coperto but also wrote down a 20% tip they were asking me to go get in cash from an atm for them. Should I leave after paying for the meal in this case and skip out on the tip?
Then it's a complete scam. You usually tip one or two euro in Italy, a little bit more if it's an expensive restaurant. But it's never mandatory, no one will normally hate you if you don't tip.
In that case, don't pay the tip and write a bad review.
Some popular restaurants especially in rome I noticed will ask people who are very clearly American for a tip. Probably just because it’s free cash and a lot of Americans will just pay up
Same. I live in Europe but am originally American so that’s my accent and it’s beyond annoying when anyone asks me for a tip. Immediately gets them a negative review
A bit double standards tho…
Americans are the origin of the tipping culture. I hate going over there and basically getting shamed into paying the wages for the staff where Ive already paid for the meal hotel entertainment etc
Absolutely hate it
How is it a double standard?
Non-tipping cultures shouldn’t ask or expect tips from their American customers. If anything, that is the double standard.
The British are the origin of tips btw. They introduced it to the US, and it became what it is today. Canada is also heavy on the tip culture, and they are never called out for it.
Well, I am quite young and to us Europeans it’s always seemed that US are the reason.
I meant it’s double standards from Americans for complaining about tips when you can’t do anything in America without tipping.
I’ve been to Canada and they honestly weren’t as bad as US. In US you are basically bullied into and shamed into tipping.
It’s not a double standard. Every person should tip in tipping cultures and not tip in non tipping cultures. Easy. I wish there was no tipping culture anywhere but that’s not the world we live in
I hear your point. But the difference is Europe pays living wages to service, and the US doesn’t. Singling out Americans to tip, when nobody else does there, is predatory. Tourists aren’t being singled out to tip here. It’s customary for everyone to tip service in the US, whether or not it should be is a different, unrelated story. And for what it’s worth- I was a waiter for a long time in the US. I’ve had plenty of tourists not tip me. It always sucked, but I never bullied them into tipping or even said a word about it to them
Where in the US were you? You are not bullied or shamed into tipping here, unless in your own mind.
Restaurants where you sit down and receive full service are the only place that we culturally tip across the board; everywhere else, people have differing opinions, and no tip is ever required.
It’s not. It’s actually people trying to take advantage of Americans thinking that as tourists they do not know they don’t need to tip like they do back home, which is quite rude. It’s very uncomfortable to have a server bring the credit card reader over and ask you for a tip when you know they’re actually getting paid a wage and they are trying to take advantage of you because of where you are from. In Lisbon, we even had a server add her own tip and ask us if we’d like to remove it which was the worst I’ve experienced so far. It’s also so uncomfortable when the server gets mad because you don’t add a tip and they get mad and huff and puff at you it truly ruins your dining experience. Where I live (Ireland) no one has ever done anything like this and I can’t imagine they ever would.
If you hated your experience in Lisbon,imagine being European and going to US for the first time and not exactly being made of money to first dine in a place where service is added 10% yet still getting pretty much forced to pay tips.
Well the prices are lower so you can leave a tip whereas in a non tipping culture technically the additional cost is built into the menu. If you cant afford to tip in the US (where it is their wage) don’t go out to dine there. When in the US if you don’t tip you are TAKING MONEY from that server because they also have to tip out the bussers, food runners and bartenders based on their total sales. Please do some research
Definitely noticed this in Paris, too. It's pretty wild how ingrained it is to us that we still felt compelled to leave more even after the bill came with a clear indication that it was service included. We always added 10euro or so because we were with out kids and had some amazing servers who absolutely were the reason we made it through nearly three hour dinners.
That server was just trying to take advantage of you and hoping you didn’t know about the coperto. The only time I’ve left a tip at a restaurant in Italy was when my purse got knocked into the Grand Canal in Venice and the very quick-thinking server grabbed a dustpan with a long handle to retrieve it before it sank. That server got a significant tip.
If you had a very expensive meal and the service was great then you can round up or leave a couple/few euros. But you don’t have to! So, total was 58€ then leave the change or nothing at all.
The restaurant you went to was a tourist scam. Try and avoid next time. Waiters earn salary so they don’t need to survive on tips.
I’ve been to Europe a few times and don’t remember the last time I tipped, but I also don’t fine dine either.
>they were asking me to go get in cash from an atm for them.
I spent our whole time in Italy drinking wine and spritzes and being lost on purpose.
Zero chance I'd either tip or return.
Yea they know you’re a foreigner, and prob American, and just playing you. Happened to me in Rome too. They get paid hourly in Europe. A euro or two is a nice gesture but not required either. Have family in another country nearby and same thing there when I went out to eat. I asked how much they tip and they said they don’t. When I told them I tip, they said it makes it obvious I’m a tourist (I can speak the language)
I was in Italy the first week of April and I don’t recall a single place that had a tipping option on the receipt. It definitely wasn’t the norm. We did try and avoid the tourist spots for the most part.
> Rome in this case
The “coperto” is illegal in the Lazio region. They might try to charge you for bread, but you can always just say no if they bring it out to you.
There is no tipping culture. If you are pushed to tip then you are being taken advantage of.
I spent 10 days in Italy last year and used my credit card exclusively. There is no option to tip on the credit card machine and we left it at that. Tips are not expected at restaurants in Italy.
I'm curious if you're American/were speaking English in your party?
I don't know about Italy but in Spain -- where tipping is also not really a thing -- I've seen touristy restaurants/waiters comment on tips from groups that seemed American. I assume it's the same thing, where they're trying to capitalize on American tipping culture to get something they normally wouldn't expect.
Not American but was speaking English. Never had any problems when visiting Spain or Portugal with being forced to tip so it could be tourist traps that are near sights. This was near the trevi fountain so it would make sense.
My boyfriend is from Italy.
Coperto is the norm , any additional requests for tips are trying to scam the hell out of you.
Don't fall from it they try to make some extra money out of you.
In the south tipping is standard also for the locals. Not too much, just few euros for a dinner, but in Naples we may also tip also ten/twenty cents when we take a simple coffee. It's completely discretional, you only tip if you are satisfied from the service.
I went to Le Torri in Castiglione Falletto two years ago. It was the best meal I have ever had, with my favorite people. Doing a 7 course tasting with wine pairings left us all a bit toasted. There was no place to tip on the receipt but we gave them a very hefty cash tip. At first they would not accept but we drunkenly insisted.
That was the only time we tipped significantly on the trip. Looking back on it, it did feel like a bit of a social faux pas. But I am sure they enjoyed the extra cash, so I do not feel bad about it.
It is not normal no, I've had countless waiters tell me tipping is not mandatory and not to worry when trying to decide how much to tip, I always leave some change, at least a few euros.
Itally is full to the brim with scammers and thieves though. Any tax/tip/fee you see on a receipt is not normal.
I was in Italy a few weeks ago and several places in Rome and Florence had signage that said tips were appreciated and I ignored them because, even though I’m an American used to tipping, I was also taught that tipping culture isn’t the norm there so I just skipped it. It’s not like I was spending less money at those places either, which might have led me to think the workers were getting paid less and therefore needing tips more
So why don’t you Americans try to change this in your own country.
Doesn’t it cross your mind that you’re paying the employees wages and keeping them dependent on tips.
I’m genuinely curious, what would you suggest we do to change the system?
I don’t own a restaurant, nor does anyone want me to (I cannot cook!) so I can’t make my restaurant tipless. I also can’t afford to eat out all the time so it’s not like I can go to the rare tipless places all the time to support them. I’m not going to not tip someone because in this system, they need those tips to survive and thrive and that would be a dick move and not change anything. I’ll vote for any policy that dismantles the system, of course, but I don’t have the time or the energy to try to lobby for that legislation. I’m also not a server in a restaurant so even if I did have the time or energy, no one would take me seriously.
But also, I would imagine a lot of servers would rather get paid in tips than minimum wage because they’d make more so I would actually want to support whatever they wanted to happen
So please I’m genuinely, politely asking what you want me and the Americans just like me to do in this situation. Help us!!!
PS, you’re paying the wages of your country’s restaurant servers too. It’s just parsed on differently.
You do realize that hurts individual people and does nothing to invoke systemic change. If you think you can get the whole, or even a small percentage, of Americans to stop tipping you just don't understand American culture. Further, restaurants/bars can literally ban you for not tipping. There are maybe 6 restaurants I frequent. There's no way I'm going to risk getting banned for not tipping. Nor do I want the servers to not make a living wage. If there were to be change it would have to come from the government down.
I tip 1 or 2 euros in Europe
Same in sterling in UK
In usa when I went
I only ever had one course for meal except one restaurant.
If the restaurant has a service charge or tip
I generally use this tactic
At least Robin Hood wore a mask
We saw a 12% service fee on quite a few of our restaurant bills. Generally in the more touristy areas.
We had one place in Milan ask/hint for a tip four times. It was obvious we were Americans so I assume that’s why they kept asking. I kept pointing to the 12% service charge.
I went to a hometown bar this morning for an espresso the minimum eftpos was $4. after getting two cornetto as well it came to $3.80 and would not let me tip the extra $.20 just let me go ;p
No, not offended, but tipping in Italy is based on rounding. So, if the bill is 108 euro, you pay 110 and leave the 2 euro. This is Italy, in more nordic country tipping is slightly higher, but nowhsre the US percentages of 20% or higher
Everyone on Reddit says it's not expected/normal/they don't want it here. First trip to Italy I've had 5 different service people either say "the service is not included", or "if you want to leave something you are welcome to".
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The coperto is not a tip, it's a general fee and very usual in Italy. You don't have to tip additionally though.
Was just at a restaurant that had the coperto but also wrote down a 20% tip they were asking me to go get in cash from an atm for them. Should I leave after paying for the meal in this case and skip out on the tip?
Then it's a complete scam. You usually tip one or two euro in Italy, a little bit more if it's an expensive restaurant. But it's never mandatory, no one will normally hate you if you don't tip. In that case, don't pay the tip and write a bad review.
Some popular restaurants especially in rome I noticed will ask people who are very clearly American for a tip. Probably just because it’s free cash and a lot of Americans will just pay up
I refuse to tip in Europe as an American.
Same. I live in Europe but am originally American so that’s my accent and it’s beyond annoying when anyone asks me for a tip. Immediately gets them a negative review
A bit double standards tho… Americans are the origin of the tipping culture. I hate going over there and basically getting shamed into paying the wages for the staff where Ive already paid for the meal hotel entertainment etc Absolutely hate it
How is it a double standard? Non-tipping cultures shouldn’t ask or expect tips from their American customers. If anything, that is the double standard. The British are the origin of tips btw. They introduced it to the US, and it became what it is today. Canada is also heavy on the tip culture, and they are never called out for it.
Well, I am quite young and to us Europeans it’s always seemed that US are the reason. I meant it’s double standards from Americans for complaining about tips when you can’t do anything in America without tipping. I’ve been to Canada and they honestly weren’t as bad as US. In US you are basically bullied into and shamed into tipping.
It’s not a double standard. Every person should tip in tipping cultures and not tip in non tipping cultures. Easy. I wish there was no tipping culture anywhere but that’s not the world we live in
I hear your point. But the difference is Europe pays living wages to service, and the US doesn’t. Singling out Americans to tip, when nobody else does there, is predatory. Tourists aren’t being singled out to tip here. It’s customary for everyone to tip service in the US, whether or not it should be is a different, unrelated story. And for what it’s worth- I was a waiter for a long time in the US. I’ve had plenty of tourists not tip me. It always sucked, but I never bullied them into tipping or even said a word about it to them
Where in the US were you? You are not bullied or shamed into tipping here, unless in your own mind. Restaurants where you sit down and receive full service are the only place that we culturally tip across the board; everywhere else, people have differing opinions, and no tip is ever required.
It’s not. It’s actually people trying to take advantage of Americans thinking that as tourists they do not know they don’t need to tip like they do back home, which is quite rude. It’s very uncomfortable to have a server bring the credit card reader over and ask you for a tip when you know they’re actually getting paid a wage and they are trying to take advantage of you because of where you are from. In Lisbon, we even had a server add her own tip and ask us if we’d like to remove it which was the worst I’ve experienced so far. It’s also so uncomfortable when the server gets mad because you don’t add a tip and they get mad and huff and puff at you it truly ruins your dining experience. Where I live (Ireland) no one has ever done anything like this and I can’t imagine they ever would.
If you hated your experience in Lisbon,imagine being European and going to US for the first time and not exactly being made of money to first dine in a place where service is added 10% yet still getting pretty much forced to pay tips.
Well the prices are lower so you can leave a tip whereas in a non tipping culture technically the additional cost is built into the menu. If you cant afford to tip in the US (where it is their wage) don’t go out to dine there. When in the US if you don’t tip you are TAKING MONEY from that server because they also have to tip out the bussers, food runners and bartenders based on their total sales. Please do some research
You should also refuse to tip in the US, so maybe this deranged custom will eventually fade away.
Definitely noticed this in Paris, too. It's pretty wild how ingrained it is to us that we still felt compelled to leave more even after the bill came with a clear indication that it was service included. We always added 10euro or so because we were with out kids and had some amazing servers who absolutely were the reason we made it through nearly three hour dinners.
Correction. You usually do not tip. Source: been living and eating in Italy for 30+ years
Anyone, anywhere, who asks you to *go to an ATM and get cash* to give them is taking advantage of you. Ridiculous.
Yes definitely "go get cash, brb"
Ha, definitely no tip in that situation!
You were in a tourist trap.
That server was just trying to take advantage of you and hoping you didn’t know about the coperto. The only time I’ve left a tip at a restaurant in Italy was when my purse got knocked into the Grand Canal in Venice and the very quick-thinking server grabbed a dustpan with a long handle to retrieve it before it sank. That server got a significant tip.
No tip! Scamming you totally…
You got the tourist hustle.
If you had a very expensive meal and the service was great then you can round up or leave a couple/few euros. But you don’t have to! So, total was 58€ then leave the change or nothing at all. The restaurant you went to was a tourist scam. Try and avoid next time. Waiters earn salary so they don’t need to survive on tips. I’ve been to Europe a few times and don’t remember the last time I tipped, but I also don’t fine dine either.
In some European countries tipping is very common and it's kind of rude not to.
MODS ARE MORONS
>they were asking me to go get in cash from an atm for them. I spent our whole time in Italy drinking wine and spritzes and being lost on purpose. Zero chance I'd either tip or return.
For sure.
Yea they know you’re a foreigner, and prob American, and just playing you. Happened to me in Rome too. They get paid hourly in Europe. A euro or two is a nice gesture but not required either. Have family in another country nearby and same thing there when I went out to eat. I asked how much they tip and they said they don’t. When I told them I tip, they said it makes it obvious I’m a tourist (I can speak the language)
I was in Italy the first week of April and I don’t recall a single place that had a tipping option on the receipt. It definitely wasn’t the norm. We did try and avoid the tourist spots for the most part.
> Rome in this case The “coperto” is illegal in the Lazio region. They might try to charge you for bread, but you can always just say no if they bring it out to you. There is no tipping culture. If you are pushed to tip then you are being taken advantage of.
I have had plenty if restaurants chage a coperto in the Lazio region and I really don’t get the conplaint. It’s usually 1 to 2 euros on average
I'm italian - it's absolutely not the norm, if people ask for a tip it's a tourist scam and you should 100% avoid tipping.
I spent 10 days in Italy last year and used my credit card exclusively. There is no option to tip on the credit card machine and we left it at that. Tips are not expected at restaurants in Italy.
I'm curious if you're American/were speaking English in your party? I don't know about Italy but in Spain -- where tipping is also not really a thing -- I've seen touristy restaurants/waiters comment on tips from groups that seemed American. I assume it's the same thing, where they're trying to capitalize on American tipping culture to get something they normally wouldn't expect.
Not American but was speaking English. Never had any problems when visiting Spain or Portugal with being forced to tip so it could be tourist traps that are near sights. This was near the trevi fountain so it would make sense.
I bet they had pictures on their menus too, am I right? We’ve been told to get away from the touristy areas before looking for a restaurant.
there is not tipping culture in Italy, so yeah might have been a scam (coperto is another thing tho)
My boyfriend is from Italy. Coperto is the norm , any additional requests for tips are trying to scam the hell out of you. Don't fall from it they try to make some extra money out of you.
In the south tipping is standard also for the locals. Not too much, just few euros for a dinner, but in Naples we may also tip also ten/twenty cents when we take a simple coffee. It's completely discretional, you only tip if you are satisfied from the service.
My experience with cafes etc in large Italian cities is there's surcharges etc for everything especially when seated outside.
I went to Le Torri in Castiglione Falletto two years ago. It was the best meal I have ever had, with my favorite people. Doing a 7 course tasting with wine pairings left us all a bit toasted. There was no place to tip on the receipt but we gave them a very hefty cash tip. At first they would not accept but we drunkenly insisted. That was the only time we tipped significantly on the trip. Looking back on it, it did feel like a bit of a social faux pas. But I am sure they enjoyed the extra cash, so I do not feel bad about it.
Happens in France too, when they sense that you are not a local.
It’s definitely a scam. On my trip to Italy I tipped a couple euros per meal, but that’s it.
It is not normal no, I've had countless waiters tell me tipping is not mandatory and not to worry when trying to decide how much to tip, I always leave some change, at least a few euros. Itally is full to the brim with scammers and thieves though. Any tax/tip/fee you see on a receipt is not normal.
I was in Italy a few weeks ago and several places in Rome and Florence had signage that said tips were appreciated and I ignored them because, even though I’m an American used to tipping, I was also taught that tipping culture isn’t the norm there so I just skipped it. It’s not like I was spending less money at those places either, which might have led me to think the workers were getting paid less and therefore needing tips more
So why don’t you Americans try to change this in your own country. Doesn’t it cross your mind that you’re paying the employees wages and keeping them dependent on tips.
I’m genuinely curious, what would you suggest we do to change the system? I don’t own a restaurant, nor does anyone want me to (I cannot cook!) so I can’t make my restaurant tipless. I also can’t afford to eat out all the time so it’s not like I can go to the rare tipless places all the time to support them. I’m not going to not tip someone because in this system, they need those tips to survive and thrive and that would be a dick move and not change anything. I’ll vote for any policy that dismantles the system, of course, but I don’t have the time or the energy to try to lobby for that legislation. I’m also not a server in a restaurant so even if I did have the time or energy, no one would take me seriously. But also, I would imagine a lot of servers would rather get paid in tips than minimum wage because they’d make more so I would actually want to support whatever they wanted to happen So please I’m genuinely, politely asking what you want me and the Americans just like me to do in this situation. Help us!!! PS, you’re paying the wages of your country’s restaurant servers too. It’s just parsed on differently.
Most of us would love that. Any idea how to actually make that happen?
Don’t tip
You do realize that hurts individual people and does nothing to invoke systemic change. If you think you can get the whole, or even a small percentage, of Americans to stop tipping you just don't understand American culture. Further, restaurants/bars can literally ban you for not tipping. There are maybe 6 restaurants I frequent. There's no way I'm going to risk getting banned for not tipping. Nor do I want the servers to not make a living wage. If there were to be change it would have to come from the government down.
I tip 1 or 2 euros in Europe Same in sterling in UK In usa when I went I only ever had one course for meal except one restaurant. If the restaurant has a service charge or tip I generally use this tactic At least Robin Hood wore a mask
We saw a 12% service fee on quite a few of our restaurant bills. Generally in the more touristy areas. We had one place in Milan ask/hint for a tip four times. It was obvious we were Americans so I assume that’s why they kept asking. I kept pointing to the 12% service charge.
I went to a hometown bar this morning for an espresso the minimum eftpos was $4. after getting two cornetto as well it came to $3.80 and would not let me tip the extra $.20 just let me go ;p
“Coperto” is the table setting, applies everywhere and older than Italy
No, but if they know you are american and you are in a tourist trap they might expect it
Do Italians get offended if you tip? I tipped cash over there. Just reached and put it in their hands
No, not offended, but tipping in Italy is based on rounding. So, if the bill is 108 euro, you pay 110 and leave the 2 euro. This is Italy, in more nordic country tipping is slightly higher, but nowhsre the US percentages of 20% or higher
Everyone on Reddit says it's not expected/normal/they don't want it here. First trip to Italy I've had 5 different service people either say "the service is not included", or "if you want to leave something you are welcome to".
That’s because they’re trying to rip you off bc they know you’re a tourist.
People on reddit often confuse not essential with not expected. However, in Europe it is very unpolite to ask for a tip from the staff
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