5 Tips for Navigating Local Italian Business Culture at Restaurants
So you’re a student who’s about to spend a semester or year studying abroad in Italy, but you have no idea what to expect when you go out to eat.
Well, I’m here to tell you that, it’s okay! You’re not expected to know everything about the culture before you get there. You live and you learn. But, just so you’re not completely caught off guard, here are a few helpful things to prep you before your trip.
1. The Service Charge
When you go to a restaurant, and view the menu or look at your bill after you finish dining, you’ll notice that there’s an item listing called “Coperto”. Don’t be alarmed! This item is just a cover (or service) charge that is billed per person. You will usually find that it’s about €2.
2. Leaving a Tip
It's simple, just DON’T. In Italy, staff and employees are paid a living wage so it’s not necessary or expected that you leave any physical tip unless the service was truly exceptional. And even so, usually, even if you try, staff will think that you forgot your change there by accident, not on purpose.
3. Chill Waiter
In Italy, your waiter or waitress isn’t going to constantly check up on you to ask you if the food’s to your liking or if you need anything. Outside of bringing you your food and taking your order, you might find that they basically disappear and let you enjoy your food without interruption. And if you need any help or are ready for the check, just make eye contact with them when you see them, gently raise your hand to get their attention, and they’ll be right over to help you.
4. Opening & Closing Times
Here are the usual times that restaurants in Italy are open: Breakfast (7-10 AM), Lunch (12-2 PM), and Dinner (8-10 PM). These times will vary depending on what city/region you’re in but here’s a simple guide for what to expect. If you’re in a bigger city such as Rome or Florence, you will most likely find restaurants open at all times. But if you’re in a smaller city, it is very common for restaurants or stores, in general, to close their doors in the middle of the day. So just in case, always check a restaurant’s hours ahead of time, and if you can make a reservation, do it!
5. Happy Hour
Do you remember those opening and closing hours I just listed above? Did you notice that there’s a pretty decent gap between lunch and dinner? Well, that’s because of this thing called “Aperitivo.” Aperitivo is essentially a happy hour or pre-dinner period where you can commonly find people conversing over a drink (usually an Aperol Spritz!) and some snacks from roughly 5-7 PM.