Do waiters expect tips in Italy? Here's what I found, at least at one restaurant in Rome

The differences, between here and there, are endlessly interesting.

I find it interesting that Americans complain about the cover charge...

dag, are you referring to the 'coperta' or the 'serivzio'?

Yes, the cultural differences are often the most interesting part of traveling, exceeding even the great museums and cathedrals. Or at least coming close. :-)

Ah, a tipping thread...

Yes I love Europe, not only for this (most places) but also because that 30 euro was the total of the items on the check from the menu, over here, there would be tax, sometimes an added tax if in a downrown business area for example, then the tip...I always suspect Europeans visiting the US go crazy.

As for expecting tips in Italy, it does vary though, try a more touristed place, the expectation will be there, I have even been a place or two that the bill very clearly stated (in English of course, but not Italian) "Service not included", even circled with a pen once.

Likewise, even on here you will get some from the US calling you cheap for not leaving 25% on your own.

Myself, in the case you gave, I probably would have found a euro or two, and approached her directly, thanking her for the evening, since she made it something special, and giving it to her directly, I would not have just left a tip on the table, or I may not have tipped at all.

What we have found is there is a service charge on the bill. It will say right on there "service" and then my husband always feels he wants to leave a little more.

The tip was probably included in the bill.
As already mentioned, for good service some travelers give an additional euro or two to the server, or at least round up the bill.

I go ahead and tip in the hand in Italy. For their delicious food. They tell me they appreciate the money. And I tell them I so appreciate their food.

The difference is the 20% tip expected here on such crappy food.

Sandra... the 20% is expected here for crappy service as well.

You don't need to tip (20%) in Italy. Rounding up your bill is fine but there is no need nor expectation that you should tip.

donna

I tend to return year after year to my favorite restaurants. I don't expect to see the same wait staff but I do look for the same owners. I tip - and give it directly to the wait person. And I thank the owner for the specific dish and the staff. I don't expect anything in return, I just want them to know that I appreciate good food and friendly service.

Case in point: a little cafe in front of the Pantheon. The waiter, who I later learned was from mid-America but never spoke English with me, insisted that I order in Italian and converse with him in Italian. He recognized that I was trying and he was so helpful with phrases, tenses and local idioms. What else could I want: I had good food, good wine, good view, and a good learning experience. Can't wait to go back there this year! I've been working on my Italian - hope that waiter is there!!!

And in Venice: the owner recognizes me from a distance (guess I've been there a whole lot over the years) and greets me as a regular and not a tourist. He sometimes seats me near tourists, introduces me; I help them with the menu and let them talk about the great experiences they've had in Venice. Hey, I was travelling alone and didn't mind the company.

And at the hotel in Venice: ever had a staff member call you at home, after you've made your next reservation, just to say 'I'm looking forward to your return'?

Tipping get me that? No. Being nice, complimentary, appreciative and personable - I think that encourages the Italians' natural instinct for hospitality. Different than home? Yes, I guess it is. Maybe that's why I go to Italy every year and go to the same places as often as I can. And yes, I do try a new location and new restaurants every year.

Is it time to pack yet?

Funny, but the only place I ever got told explicitly "Tip is not included" (hint, hint), was at one of Rick's recommended cafes in Venice. An Italian tour guide once "bawled "us out for tipping. "You just pay whats on the bill!", Yet I noticed whenever we did a dutch treat dinner, he always rounded the bill up to a convenient amount, being about 5 % or so.

Kent, if your response about the tip probably being included in the bill was to me, the OP, no, it wasn't. I have the itemized receipt. A bigger surprise is that even though they brought me bread and I ate it, they didn't charge me for that.

Italy is not a cookie cutter for everything. The fact that they did not make it easy for you to tip doesn't mean that they were not expecting some amount of a tip. Over the years we have found that rounding up to a any even number, maybe around the 5% mark, is expected and appreciated. In the US a tip is more than expected - if that is possible. Have recently noticed that often the credit card slip to sign comes with a little note indication that 18% is xxxx.xx and 20% is xx.xx.

I don't go out to eat often, but it has happened to me a few times here in Columbus, Ohio. Most recently, after handing the server cash, I was asked ...with a smile... "Do you want change?" A $20 bill for a $12 breakfast?!? My reply was probably unfit for a family thread. But I did smile too. Contrast that with France, where we were roundly scolded by the waiter because "You Americans tip too much!"

Tip is not expected. In fact if you pay by credit card you don't even have a line where to add the gratuity.
The cover charge per person (Pane e Coperto) is usually 2-3 euro and covers the price of bread and seat occupation. Some localities have prohibited it (including the Lazio Region, where Rome is located).
The service charge is typically 10-12% of the bill and is a separate charge item added to the bill (similarly to a gratuity in America, which is often added to the bill for large parties). The service charge applied to the bill must be noted in the menu by law (therefore nobody can say it's a surprise), however some restaurants are doing away from that practice and don't charge for service charge separately anymore, but rather they include it in the price of dishes, in which case there will be a small print in the menu noting that prices include the service charge (*Servizio Incluso).

I always had issues with this myself. At home, I tend to tip above average (was a waitress in my youth). I normally round out the bill in a place I will never go back to.

On the other hand, when I stay in Vernazza for a few days and frequent the same places, I found that leaving an extra few euros got me preferred seating, extra wine, more food, etc. on further visits during my stay.

Americans have taught waiters in touristy spots that they are clueless and so get dunned for tips -- Europeans are paid a living wage and there is no tipping -- American waiters are not paid living wages and tipping is part of their wage. A little rounding is fine but a large % tip is inappropriate and encourages grasping behavior.

We were dunned for a tip in a cafe by the Pantheon by a waiter who had failed to bring us the grated cheese for our pasta and had grossly padded the bill. After we got the bill straightened out he then announced 'the tip is not included.' My A$$.

The most agregious attempt at getting a tip was from a waitress in Rome. Took cash and never asked if we wanted change, she just never returned to the table at all. Had to get management to track her down and return what would have amounted to something like a 50% tip. As you may expect the whole dining experience with this waitress was pretty awful so ending should not have surprized. us. Typically you can't go wrong with just rounding up but we often leave an extra euro or 2 and we always had the feeling that it is appreciated. Should also add that most servers in Italy have been delightful.

Not defending anyone's bad waiter experience, but it seems to me that the most frequent question I have heard Americans ask a waiter is "..is the tip included?" So it may be a pre-emptive response. Also, I think (correct me if wrong) that handing a server money and saying "thank you" (a common American-ism) can be interpreted as "no change" in many countries.