"Pane e coperto" charge in Italy
 

Upon returning from 2 wonderful weeks in Tuscany & Umbria I found the following on the "Time Out" web site:

http://www.timeout.com/rome/rest/

"Restaurants are no longer allowed to add pane e coperto (bread and cover) to the bill. Some restaurants ignore the ban; others get round it by charging just for the bread."

We were charged many times "Pane e coperto." Anyone know anything specific about the law (especially if you are Italian)? For those of you frequent and/or recent traveler's to Italy, did you notice whether or not you were charged this additional fee? As I recall it was usually 1.5-3 euros a head.

We returned from Tuscany and Venice 2 weeks ago and were charged cover at most meals.
j.

ditto

We were charged 1 to 6 euro per person in June. If anyone knows how to get around this let us know.

My husband & I discussed it tonight and we recall last year (when I remembered about the panne e coperto not being legal) we refused the bread immediately at the beginning of the meal, and that seemed to work most of the time. If you let them keep it there , even if you don't touch it, they charge you. We are going to go back to Rome this Christmas and will try this stradegy (I'll let you know how it worked out). We decided we won't fight it if they insist (don't want to start an international incident), but we won't feel badly about not tipping (places that charge us a coperto). Besides, Italians generally don't tip or don't tip much; they just have come to expect it from us high-tipping foreigners! On a similar note, I think I remember that by law if you order a drink (such as a cafe) at a bar they have to give you a glass of regular water if requested (vs. bottled)......however I'm not sure if I'm confusing this law with one in France. Anyway, in Sienna in a cafe where we ordered drinks I specifically asked for regular tap water and the waiter brang us bottled water anyway. When I was a poor college student and asked for tap water it wasn't a problem anywhere, but these days the restaurants seem to really push these extra charges, assuming that we won't fight it (we rarely do because we don't like unpleasant experiences on our vacation). It's too bad though, because I feel like its a little bit of dishonesty on their part. I love so much about the culture that I'm willing to tolerate this small annoyance!

Dante, in the Divine Comedy, noted:

"Laws exist, but who enforces them?"
(very rough translation).

Are we witnessing a modern example of this ancient truth?

There is an old proverb which starts "when in Rome ...". Why not just do what Italians do. I love Italian bread and can't imagine a meal without bread.

I remember reading about the ban on the coperto on this forum before our recent trip to Italy. I was therefore surprised to see that "coperto" was added to our bill at least 80% of the time. Even though I was curious, I never did ask why they still charge a cover even though they aren't supposed to.

My husband (a native Italian) have come to expect the pane/coperto charge when eating out in Italy. However we recently returned from a trip there and we were very surprised to see that a number of restaurants have now also added a service charge of 10-20% in addition to a "pane" charge! If we ended up eating in such a restaurant we never left any extra tip after paying all the other charges.

Why do people, especially Americans, get into such a tizzy about this?
(1) it's only a few euros (although I agree that 6 per person is a bit steep).
(2)you're not expected to tip as much as you do in the States, so do as the Italians do - pay the coperto and tip a few cent.
(3)if you find it such an expense, skip the starter, or the dessert, or make a picnic and avoid restaurants altogether.

This is a cultural matter. It's different to what you would expect at home, because you're not at home, you're in Italy. If you find it so annoying then holiday somewhere else.

The main issue is TOTAL cost for a meal - if it's in the ballpark for Italy, who cares how the costs break down?

From a business point of view, it's far more logical to have a cover charge to cover (no pun intended) your fixed costs (i.e. rents, utilities, staff etc.) and a variable cost for the food and beverages. After all, a guest who only has a drink and snacks at a cafe "consumes" as much of the overhead as someone who enjoys a full meal.

Just my 2 cents.

Andre

I too don't get the big issue about a slight charge for such things. I often don't eat the bread, but I never think of sending it back so I won't have to pay for it -- so what if it's a dollar or two? Compared to the addition of 6 to 9 percent tax added on to the bottom of every check in the US, plus another 15 or 20% tip, it all seems like a better system to me. I figure if they didn't charge you that way, they'd raise all the other costs, so what's the difference how they add it up?

Don't get me wrong, I don't think anyone's in a "Tizzy" here. Just and observation and a discusiion. Isn't this one of the reasons this forum exists? Obviously, we think Italy's worth it and no one here seems like they're going to boycott Italy over it! I just think its interesting how in some foreign countries Americans (I don't know if its other foreigners get this treatment as well) are expected to pay more vs. the locals. It was interesting in Egypt they are very honest and up front with it: its often in the menues and printed hotel rates:"Residents price" and "Non-residents price." That didn't bother us at all considering the income of the avg. resident.

Usually when I've been charged Pane e coperto, it is printed right on the menu. I don't think this is a tourist vs. locals thing at all. It's a normal part of how restaurants work in Italy.

If that last comment referred to me, I wasn't suggesting this was putting anybody in a Tizzy. But when people are trying to figure out how to refuse the bread to save a buck or two or complain and get the charge removed from the bill, then yes, I'd call it making "an issue".

It's just like I actually prefer tap to bottled water and it's easy to get in France, but in Italy I've learned bottled water is simply the custom. I don't think it's worth making an issue about demanding or trying to get tap water, when bottled is simply what they do.

Kybourbon,

>We were charged 1 to 6 euro per person in June. If anyone knows how to get around this let us know.<<

I know a way...don't eat out...or don't travel...

Every restaurant in Italy they would charge for wine a price equal to the local markets. But here at home I know I will pay 3-4 times as much plus 7.75% and them I add 15-20% and it still doesn't taste as good as in Montalcino.

lyb - the original post was about restaurants not being allowed to charge this anymore, but clearly are still trying to get it on the check. The time we were charged 6 euro per person in Florence my sister was picking up the check so it was not my place to say anything if she didn't mind the charge. 18 euro for bread for 3 petite women (5'1" to 5'3" - 100 -110 lbs.)is a lot of dough!!

My question is; why did the Italian government make it a law in the first place? Especially if no one abides by it. What was the reason for the law?

As one Italian told me several years ago "in Italy traffic laws are mere suggestions". Maybe it's the same thing with other laws. Another great saying "In Italy no problems - only solutions".

Italy is not the only country where this occurs. In Turkey they do much the same but place olives, celery, etc on the table instead. I agree with Patrick, it is not worth getting worked up about it and it probably will not change. You just need to be careful and READ the menu-it is usually written there. I tend to eat a few blocks off the main drag at places frequented by the locals. You can also easily get charged $10. for a Coke if you are not prudent and sit down at the wrong place.