'Service not included" in Sorrento?

It has been my experience that if you ASK if service is included, the answer is usually "no".

If service is included, it will be stated on the check or on the menu. A smaller place with hand-written checks may not always list it.

In my experience, if I ask (which I hardly ever do), I am usually shown the item on the bill or the menu, or told that it is or it isn't.

Echoing the first reply, I'll comment that while we liked Sorrento very much in 2014, it is an extremely heavily touristed city. It might have been useful to know the name, size, or rough location of the restaurant, in trying to make a long-distance opinion of whether deception might be involved. Did you notice if there was a printed notice, in any language, in the menu or on the legally-required printed receipt - like an line specifically for servicio?

Looking at my credit card receipts, I see that I generally wasn't given the itemized food list, so I can't answer that question myself. But I did find an itemized receipt from Gino Sorbillo [Pizza] in Naples which has the computer line "Servizio 10% 1.33[Euros]" before the total. I can't be sure if that was abstracted OUT of the menu prices, or added before the (very cheap) total we paid. The service was so cheerful and good that we must have left a euro or two on the table for the hard-working staff. But I think your question is entirely valid.

I have a nagging feeling that we did go somewhere in Sorrento where we were told that, but if so, it must have been in the menu or on the check too, because I don't have a corresponding memory of getting scammed ...

He could tell you were American and he was trying to get a big tip. He would never have said that to an Italian.

Have been taking regular holidays in Sorrento for over 30 years (in addition to other parts of Italy) and none of our usual restos impose a service charge, a couple charge the traditional "Coperto" of one or two euro. IME this is something that is growing in Italy and when we see a service charge noted on the menu we eat elsewhere. We prefer to choose whether to add anything to the bill. As said above the waiter was touting for a tip.

We had this happen to us more than once in Italy back in 2008. I was confused at the time and didn't know if it was legit or a rip off. We didn't ask, the waiter just "informed" us. I'm used to France, where you're never expected to tip so it threw me.

I think if you are in an area that is well touristed, you can expect to see it mentioned. Don't exactly recall where...Italy...maybe the UK...but I think Italy...not only was it noted on the receipt...but the waiter took the time to circle the preprinted note with his pen. While the reaction may be that these are tourist traps on a main square, I have seen it in restaurants well off the beaten path in Rome as well.

As for things changing, I can recall the "service not included" appearing years ago on checks. My opinion then, and now, is much the same...I will leave a couple euro or round up the check...but in no way interpret it as an expectation, or rather requirement, to leave 10% or God forbid the US 20-25%.

Same thing happened to us in Sorrento in 2011. Only time it has EVER happened to me in Italy. It was the big pizza place on Piazza Tasso. The pizza sucked and the service was ingratiating. I've learned my lesson....

Laurel, that place has been awful for at least 30 years!

Waiters in Sorrento can say what they want to rip off tourists, but in Italy service is always included as they get (or should get ) a fixed monthly salary.
Even if you see on restaurant bills service charges calculated as a % of the total amount, those money go to the Restaurant, not the waiter.
Same for the cover charge, which is a kind of compensation for the fact that no one can ask you to vacate the table and goes to the restaurant.
I worked for many years as a waiter, by tipping "american style" you make things easier for those dishonest employers who try to pay their employees under the table: no taxes, but also no health and social security contributions.
It's a shame they lie to tourists, but any honest Italian will confirm this: service is always included; if you want the table can round up the bill to the nearest Euro, but nothing like what you are used in US.

@Zoe - purtroppo that was only my second trip to Italy and first time to Sorrento. As I said, I have learned....even when it is raining cats and dogs and you are dead tired, keep passing the crappy restaurants.

Laurel, not a criticism, just surprise that nothing has changed - but that's what happens when you have an endless supply of one-time customers.

Love it! "Endless supply of one-time customers!" You'd think in the days of Trip Advisor...

Just to emphasize, "Coperto" has nothing to do with service charges. The bill I mentioned has "Coperto 0.0 Euro" as the first line of the itemized bill, and "Servizio" near the bottom.

There was a brief flurry of charging for bread in New York City this year, but luckily it was snuffed out.

Edit: (After next post) I believe there is an elevator, for one Euro, near this restaurant. But we never took or saw the Marina elevator.

Thanks to all for your replies. Sorrento was indeed a tourist-laden town, and I think that in most restaurants that we went to we heard primarily English. This, in spite of the fact that we had sought out recommendations from foodie blogs and websites. The resto I referred to was Z'Intonio's in Marina Grande. I was typing on my iPhone, so I was brief but here's the rest of the story. We were staying up on Via Capo and walked DOWN to the restaurant--way down. After several glasses of wine (and an okay meal) my girlfriend and I were dreading walking UP to get home. Looking at the map, we thought we saw what might be a shorter (but possibly steeper) way back, and asked the waiter about it. He told us that the restaurant had a FREE service, driving people home. We were incredulous--had never heard of this before. Our husbands wanted to walk back, but we were happy to take advantage of this service, and told the waiter so. He said he'd arrange it. Later, when he brought us our bill, he mentioned "service not included"). This was the context of my original message.

We left about 15%, got the ride back to our hotel and tipped the driver (who was not one of the waiters) a few euro. We never heard the phrase "service not included" anywhere else during our 17 days in Italy.