Part of the experience of travelling is learning the hard way. And sometimes it happens even when we "think" we are experienced.

We were in Florence for about the third time and were having lunch at a restaurant we had been to several time. My husband ordered a bottle of wine and the waiter suggested we would enjoy a different bottle of wine. Without asking the price my husband went along with the waiters recommendation.

Now yes the wine was fantastic..but so was the cost. Something like five times more than the original bottle he had ordered.

We did not consider the waiter was trying to rip us off, we took the attitude he was attempting to have us experience the wonderful wine.

But we sure learned the lesson that we would always ask the price in the future be it food or wine etc., if we did not know.

The same thing happened regarding meat in a Rome restaurant to my daughter and son-in-law last summer. And my son-in-law was born and raised in Rome. It rather ruined their evening to put it midly as they were watching their budget but he too realized he should have asked about the price when the owner of the restaurant suggested a different meat than what my SIL had ordered.

One can't expect an adjustment on their credit card bill because one didn't like the total of their restaurant bill as long as they were charged for what was actually ordered.
Just chalk it up to a learning experience.

why is asking the price of a bottle of wine that is recommended or the price of a special (when the waiter 'forgets' to state it) tacky? why is there such a need to pretend that price does not matter? we all look at the prices on a menu...whether we are rich or poor. so why is it tacky to ask when the price is omitted?

i think people who are more comfortable eating in different kinds of restaurants have no problem just asking the cost if it's not stated. it's those who are a little nervous and self conscious who either won't ask and get upset later or they will ask with fully apparent shame and discomfort.

finally, i think that this is somewhat cultural as well. americans and britons seem most hesitant to look 'cheap' in a restaurant whilst on the continent, there is no shame in making sure you are getting value for your money. the other extreme is seen in many asian cultures where not being seen as being an aware, money/value conscious customer is a sign of weakness.

btw, this has nothing to do with the OP's situation but relates more to posts that came later.

IMO asking the price is not tacky, not asking the price is rather stupid, lol, unless one has an unlimited budget and doesn't care what things cost. But "stuff" happens. The very expensive bottle of wine in Florence was no doubt due to our being very tired on a very hot and humid day.

The very expensive meat for my kids in Rome was due to the restaurant my SIL had gone to all of his life had just been sold. The new owner was a "hustler" evidently unlike the lady who had owned it for decades. And my SIL was exhuasted and mentally distracted as his father was dying and his mother was in a different hospital.

Posts like this are a good reminder to always ask about the price when one doesn't know.

Yes! Don't assume that if you have to ask, you can't afford it. Better to ask and be able to afford than to not ask and be embarassed and angry.

For the record, 2 members of my family eat only fish, and throughout our trip in Italy 2 summers ago, including Venice, we never paid more than 20€ per plate for them. And yes, we did ask!

Hopefully, you're able to afford it ok and consider it one of life's experiences.

"if you have to ask, you can't afford it."

Unfortunately, a lot of servers have this attitude towards their customers and I think it is the reason they don't mention the prices of specials (some do it because the restaurant prefers it but others do it themselves). It is something I never understood as a server (14 years) and I always found the attitude obnoxious. I don't understand how someone can rip people off or try to deceive someone.