How not to get ripped off at a restaurant in Italy

WOW. Kinda makes me scared to go back to Italy!

Don't let this scare you off Italy! We've been to Italy three times, had dozens of meals in restaurants and only had problems a handful of times. This article is just to make you a better informed traveler. It never occurred to me at the time of the "tablecloth incident" to insist on a detailed receipt. Now I know. Happy travels.

Good information but please read the comments. Some of what is said in the blog stretches or misleads a little. And a bill written on the paper tablecloth isn't necessarily bad or a rip off. They should still give you a legal receipt with your change/credit card or if you ask before paying. Just curious, Michael, was your experience bad because the bill was written on the tablecover or because they tried to overcharge you?

The article sounds a little contrived and farfetched to me. It makes restaurant experiences sound like a huge confrontation.

I think the article describes things the " could" happen, especially in very touristy areas, but do not actually happen very often. I will say that after some 30+ nights of dining in Italy the past few years, we have never encountered anything the least bit irregular. The bill always conforms in every way to the prices on the menu. And on the one occasion where there was no written menu, only a waiter telling us in Italian what ther choices were for each course, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that the total cost for our 4 course wonderful meal, including wine, was 39 euros. So we will continue to pay attention, but not be paranoid.

The bill written on a table cloth never bothered me. I just took the table cloth with me in lieu of a proper receipt. Now, back at home, I have a whole drawer full of them. Thinking maybe a quilt.

What a travel nightmare! Not getting a restaurant receipt! There is a law in Italy that you must be given an official (paper) receipt (cuts down on replacing the tablecloths). This has to do with the restaurant paying taxes. Of course, sometimes someone will try to dodge doing this, but after many years of traveling/living in Italy, I've only not gotten a receipt a few times, and then I've asked for one.

WOW! I lived in Italy for 2 years and have visited a few other times, and I don't think I've EVER gotten a legal receipt as shown in this article. And I've been ripped off too, or it's been attempted ;) I must be eating in cheaper places than some of you ( I know, I do!). Good to know all this as I'm gong to Venice soon!

I just go back from my first time in Rome and did not know of this practice until our last night when we met a friend for dinner who has been living there for years. When we got our bill, he immediately asked for the "official bill" and told us this practice is to evade taxes. Looking back at the bills from our meals I realized we never recieved a real bill.

IMHO, Lola hits the perfect note: "So we will continue to pay attention, but not be paranoid."

Tax evasion is the national sport of Italy...