How to politely shorten dinner experience, Rome, Italy??

The simplest way would be to order only one course, even if you have to choose, perhaps, a larger dish than you might otherwise. Another problem is that you may have to politely demand the bill, in a way that does not suggest that you are dissatisfied with the restaurant. I agree that it might look "odd" to do this. Honestly, most waiters in Rome two years ago answered me in English, so I don't think this will be so hard to do. If I got such a waiter, it would be easy to explain at the time of service.

You didn't mention if you hope to visit famous, serious, or ambitious restaurants during the trip. If you focus on pizzerias and (gasp!) international franchise outlets, it won't be hard to do at all.

Will you be going at peak season? Most of the (Rick Steves recommended) restaurants we chose in Rome had outside seating available. If there are at least two of you, it would be easy for you to walk a block away, and back, between courses. Would that help your condition? Most restaurants in Europe (not all ... ) are much smaller than in the US, so it wouldn't be that hard to go out the door (as if to smoke ... ) between courses.

rs,

There's no requirement to sit any longer than you want. The time for dinner may start later, but I usually like to dine about 18:00 or so and it hasn't been difficult to find restaurants open at that time. You may have to allow a bit of extra time, as the "speed of service" tends to vary from one restaurant to another, so it may take awhile for your meal to arrive. They won't bring the bill until you ask, so don't wait for that. Unless you're paying by cash, you may have to go up to the desk to pay as that's where the credit card terminal will be.

Ask for the bill by the time they clear the dish from your last course; after that, it can be very hard to get a waiter's attention. In casual restaurants, you also often have the option to just walk up and pay at the cash register. This is especially easy if your table has a number on it, so you can tell that cashier where you sat.

Thanks to all.

Eat before the rush, so try and find somewhere that will serve you around 6 or 7 PM. You'll have more control over the experience.

Or have a big lunch and just snack for dinner, either with a small takeaway meal or in your room.

Dine and Dash!
Worked for me (and my budget) when I was a teenager

Dine and Dash? Is this literally what you recommend or is this the name of a chain?

^^ I think Roberto was trying to be funny. Or didn't understand that "Dine & Dash" means to leave without paying.

Oh, I'm pretty sure Roberto understood "Dine and Dash". And he is funny!

Dining outdoors if possible is a good choice, so you can move around when you wish.

I was really surprised how long meals went on my recent trip over, often 20-30 minutes between courses. Not a fan personally, I had to simply ask for things to come around the same time. In most cases all across Italy we were able to engage in basic English for the most part with our servers, who were all at least seemingly understanding.

Pizzerias will get you in and out quickly and offer a few more items than pizza. We try to avoid staying in hotels and use apartments both to save money by doing some cooking but also to save time by spending less of it in restaurants. NB: many tourists go to Italy precisely to park their rears in restaurant chairs for hours per day.

My experience in Venice, Rome and Florence is the earlier you eat supper, the faster the meal will be served... It is customary to eat the evening meal in the evening and most restaurants catering to locals may not even open for the evening meal until after 1900. If the restaurant is open and serving earlier, it is a sign that it is a tourist-orientated establishment and is more likely to serve you fast in order to turn the table over again. The drawback to the tourist restaurants (also identified by menus written in several languages) is that the food is of inferior quality but priced higher compared to places catering to locals. These are my general observations and there are exceptions...

If you need to be in and out fast - try a less casual dinning establishment such as a pizzeria, trattoria or pinineria.

If you have other concerns, you may want to rent apartments instead of staying in hotels. I have purchased some very fine take-away for quiet dinning in my room or apartment. I have also found grocery stores in the above cities that carried cheeses and cured meats of exceptional quality along with freshly made pasta and very fine fresh fruits and vegetables.

Thanks very much!

Work2Travel nails it with: "My experience in Venice, Rome and Florence is the earlier you eat supper, the faster the meal will be served."

It's 100% true that they will not bring you the check until you ask for it, but the following tip will save you lots of time: When you're ready to pay in all but the very fanciest restaurants, you can just get up from your table and go to the cash register, regardless of whether you have received the check or whether you're paying with cash or plastic. They will know where you were sitting and will tally up your bill for you and take payment. It's what you'll see the Italians doing. (I was fortunate enough to spend five weeks in Italy last year (my fifth trip), and I don't think I ever waited for the check.)

Have a great time. And remember, the shorter the menu, the better the food.

Thanks again. Good tips. We will be in Rome for three night at the Hotel Suisse, Via Gregoriana, then off to Tuscany.

It is true that it can take a long time for food to come, especially between courses. When I don't want to spend a lot of time, I simply tell the waiter that I have only X amount of time for dinner. If you want to embellish, you can say you have tickets to a performance or something and have to leave by X. The waiter may suggest certain dishes or if you order something that takes a long time, may recommend something else. You can reinforce it by asking, when you order, if you'll have time enough to enjoy the meal before you have to go.

I can understand having a pizza or a single course or eating early once in a while, but for you that would be every day and it might mean missing some great places. By the way, I've found that leisurely dining isn't limited to Rome or even to Italy. It's much the same in France, Spain and Austria from my most recent memories. And for mid-day meals too.

McDonald's is pretty fast in Italy too.