DO AS THE ITALIANS DO: Customer Culture

One of the best parts about traveling to a new country, in my opinion, is exploring the culture of the region or city in which you are staying. On our tours, we incorporate some free time for travelers to do whatever they please, whether that’s shopping, getting a bite to eat, or discovering the hidden gems of the city. Every culture has its own unique unwritten rules when it comes to being a customer (at a restaurant, in a taxi, etc.). In America, for example, it is customary and expected to tip after your meal. Italy has its own set of “rules” in these environments.

Tipping:

Restaurants: While tipping is not nearly as expected from the customer in Italy, as of recently it has become more common to leave a few euros (never more than 10% of the bill) for your server. This must be done in cash, since there will not be an option to add a tip to your card. If you are deciding whether to tip or not, a common rule of thumb is to leave a small tip if you received exceptional service.

Taxi drivers: Round up the charge by a couple of euros and then you can tell the driver to keep the change.

Housekeeping: In most Italian hotels, housekeeping comes in each day to make the bed and exchange your towels. A euro a day left at the end of your stay is customary.

Sitting vs Standing:

While at most dining locations in America, typically you enter and wait to be seated, this is not always the case in Italy. For example, at bars (in Italy “bar” refers a place where you can find a wide selection of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), coffee, pastries such as cornetti, or small savory bites like sandwiches and pizzas) oftentimes you can seat yourself and the server will come to you. For a more in-depth guide on coffee culture, feel free to check out our other blog post here: Ordering a Coffee in Italy. It is polite to ask the server for a table, but not always required! At trattorie or osterie however, it is customary to speak directly to a worker in order to get a table. 

The bill:

In America, a lot of dining culture is focused around getting in and out so that the workers can “flip” the table and prepare it for the next guests. This is not the case in Italy as they take culinary experiences more seriously than the US; instead of the bill being brought to you without asking, you typically have to inquire for it from the server once you are ready to pay and leave. Because of this, you can expect to have a much more authentic and high quality dining experience. You can spend more time in restaurants eating, drinking, and chatting than you typically would in the U.S. At bars, they often serve you your coffee, tea, or cocktail without making you pay directly. Before leaving, you will enter, remind them what you ordered, and leave. While this is the case in most locations, sometimes you will run into a bar that has you pay right when you get your drink or coffee. This is not to rush you… it is just to finish the transaction immediately. 

Next time you find yourself in Italy, you will be able to navigate certain situations by understanding the unwritten rules of customer culture by “doing as the Italians do”!