BEWARE the 16-Euro Ice Cream Cone in Rome
May 6th, 2013, 08:40 AM
#1
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BEWARE the 16-Euro Ice Cream Cone in Rome
Don't buy ice cream in the tourist areas of Rome unless you INQUIRE about the price first. These British Tourists paid 64 Euros for 4 ice cream cones (take-away, not consumed on premises) from a vendor near Piazza di Spagna:
http://roma.corriere.it/roma/notizie...94047290.shtml
http://roma.corriere.it/roma/notizie...94047290.shtml
May 6th, 2013, 10:17 AM
#2
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What kind of cones? Oh triple cones with double wafers!!!
Of course one should always look at prices before buying - esp in heavily touristed areas.
But for a gigantic cone how much does one expect to pay?
Of course one should always look at prices before buying - esp in heavily touristed areas.
But for a gigantic cone how much does one expect to pay?
May 6th, 2013, 03:13 PM
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Italians don't seem to think those prices are normal. Here are the Tripadvisor reviews of the gelateria mentioned by the articles. It's the same one:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ome_Lazio.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ome_Lazio.html
May 6th, 2013, 03:15 PM
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Here is the link re-posted so that the Italian reviews appear first (if you don't speak Italian, "ladri" means "thieves". It's a useful word to know!)
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ome_Lazio.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ome_Lazio.html
May 6th, 2013, 07:38 PM
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May 7th, 2013, 07:51 AM
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YOu do always get some economy in pricing for a triple scoop cone over a single scoop in any place I've seen in Europe. They are a much better deal. So I don't think it would be reasonable to say if one scoop costs 4-5 euro (which it usually doesn't more like 2-3), a triple scoop should cost 3 times that. It does seem incredibly out of line to me, but it is hard to tell what they actually bought. Some special concoctions that we call "sundaes" in the US can run around 10 euro in lots of places.
BUt some people shouldn't be allowed to leave home if they don't read the prices before they buy something. Hard to tell from that article and photos, but any take-out ice cream shop I've ever seen had a price list posted.
Some of those complaints on Tripadvisor are, as usual, bogus. Like someone complaining because the price for an espresso is only a couple euro at the bar but more on the terrace, and since they bought it at the bar and moved to the terrace themself, they didn't think they should pay it. Ignorant tourists like that irritate me.
BUt some people shouldn't be allowed to leave home if they don't read the prices before they buy something. Hard to tell from that article and photos, but any take-out ice cream shop I've ever seen had a price list posted.
Some of those complaints on Tripadvisor are, as usual, bogus. Like someone complaining because the price for an espresso is only a couple euro at the bar but more on the terrace, and since they bought it at the bar and moved to the terrace themself, they didn't think they should pay it. Ignorant tourists like that irritate me.
May 7th, 2013, 06:24 PM
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I love the Guardian newspaper in the UK.
They actually sent out a reporter to test these claims that what the tourists in Rome paid for gelato is normal, typical, not out of line -- and that anybody imagining otherwise is an unseasoned tourist.
As many would have predicted, the Guardian didn't find any body in London exploiting tourists like the gelateria in Rome did.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...ound-ice-cream
There are hucksters in tourist destinations exploiting tourists who are trying to be polite "guests" rather than the ugly tourists everybody hates.
Some of you need to adjust your attitude that the tourist is always at fault, or that what happend to the British tourists is normal these days. There is lots of testimony, including from Italians, that these people scammed trustworthy people and ought to be shut down. I've found the same scams in New York City, and I am grateful when people don't try to sweep it under the rug but instead blow the whistle. Europe is a fun travel destination, but it is not beyond criticism. Doesn't need the rah-rah excusers.
They actually sent out a reporter to test these claims that what the tourists in Rome paid for gelato is normal, typical, not out of line -- and that anybody imagining otherwise is an unseasoned tourist.
As many would have predicted, the Guardian didn't find any body in London exploiting tourists like the gelateria in Rome did.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...ound-ice-cream
There are hucksters in tourist destinations exploiting tourists who are trying to be polite "guests" rather than the ugly tourists everybody hates.
Some of you need to adjust your attitude that the tourist is always at fault, or that what happend to the British tourists is normal these days. There is lots of testimony, including from Italians, that these people scammed trustworthy people and ought to be shut down. I've found the same scams in New York City, and I am grateful when people don't try to sweep it under the rug but instead blow the whistle. Europe is a fun travel destination, but it is not beyond criticism. Doesn't need the rah-rah excusers.
May 8th, 2013, 12:47 AM
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I have to agree with stevewith on this one and, as it turns out, one of Rome's city councillors (Matteo Costantini) who describes the charges as "a scandal and it should be treated as such".
All you lovely people blaming "dumb" or "ignorant" tourists are really missing the point. Places still have to be charging these prices in order to snare the tourists.
I suppose this Japanese couple were to blame for their €700 lunch in Rome a few years ago as well;
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/...56147J20090702
In this instance, the restaurant was shut down by the relevant authorities.
All you lovely people blaming "dumb" or "ignorant" tourists are really missing the point. Places still have to be charging these prices in order to snare the tourists.
I suppose this Japanese couple were to blame for their €700 lunch in Rome a few years ago as well;
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/...56147J20090702
In this instance, the restaurant was shut down by the relevant authorities.
May 8th, 2013, 01:01 AM
#16
when I was in Tuscany a couple of years ago, there was a big splash in the local paper about the €17.50 gelato that some tourists had bought in Florence, complete with picture of this massive cone with loads of different flavours etc.
When i got to Florence, i found a little gelateria round the back of the San Ambroglio market where I got 2 flavours [and a sit down on a plastic stool] for €1.50.
When i got to Florence, i found a little gelateria round the back of the San Ambroglio market where I got 2 flavours [and a sit down on a plastic stool] for €1.50.
May 8th, 2013, 09:21 AM
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We didn't see exactly what they bought. Obviously, they were not ice cream cones. they may have been sundaes - or ???
When I was child there was an ice cream parlor that specialized in giant concoctions. One was called the kitchen sink - and had everything else but. I recall that it cost $6 - which now would be probably $25 or so. but it was enough for 6 kids to share.
However, the key is that prices are posted. So - if you're not sure - ask before buying.
When I was child there was an ice cream parlor that specialized in giant concoctions. One was called the kitchen sink - and had everything else but. I recall that it cost $6 - which now would be probably $25 or so. but it was enough for 6 kids to share.
However, the key is that prices are posted. So - if you're not sure - ask before buying.
May 11th, 2013, 10:37 AM
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Any time I've ordered a gelato in Rome (and I've had my fair share) you pay first then hand your ticket to the 'scooper'.
If the price seems obscene to you then WHY would you continue to pay, eat your treat and then cry foul????
There will always be some "huckster" that will try to take advantage of the unsuspecting tourist, but as Christina said above, "there are some people who shouldn't be allowed to leave home..." (thanks for the laugh!)
If the price seems obscene to you then WHY would you continue to pay, eat your treat and then cry foul????
There will always be some "huckster" that will try to take advantage of the unsuspecting tourist, but as Christina said above, "there are some people who shouldn't be allowed to leave home..." (thanks for the laugh!)
