The owner of an Italian bar and cafe has defended her decision to charge customers 2 euros (about $2.20). The charging behaviour at Bar Pace, located near Lake Como, has attracted widespread attention in the past, occurring in 2023. because a customer shared a photo of a receipt.
It’s been a long time coming, but the impact of these types of restaurant fee incidents is huge. We’ve compiled a rundown of what happened for some of you who weren’t aware of the news.
The customer, who was one of two people dining together, posted on TripAdvisor in June 2023 about charging for sandwiches cut in half. The receipt clearly shows a charge of 2 euros listed under the ‘diviso a metà’ service item, which translates to ‘divided in half.’ The commenter expressed surprise, writing, ‘Unbelievable but true.’
By early August, the review had gone viral online, sparking widespread criticism and a flood of negative reviews for Bar Pace on platforms such as Facebook, Google and TripAdvisor. People online were offended by the concept of this paid service.
In response to the surge of reviews, TripAdvisor has temporarily suspended new listing submissions for the cafe. The platform said the reason for the suspension was “Due to a recent event that has attracted media attention and has caused an influx of review submissions that do not describe a first-hand experience.”
Cristina Biacchi, who runs Bar Pace with her husband, spoke about the controversy in an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica. She questioned why customers don’t voice their concerns at the time of payment.
Biacchi explained the reasoning behind the charges, telling La Repubblica: ‘We would have explained to him that each additional service must be paid for’. Detailing the work involved, she said, ‘We had to use two plates instead of one and the time to wash them doubled, and then two placemats’. ‘To cut it in half took us some time, and work must be paid for’, she emphasised.
The shopkeeper believes that rising costs in the industry are a factor in the pricing of these extra services. However, she also told La Repubblica that the fee could have been waived if the customer had objected before paying, saying ‘All of this would not have happened’.
Negative reactions online have reportedly affected the cafe’s reputation. Bar Pace’s star rating on Facebook has dropped to 2.7 out of 5 stars after an onslaught of critical reviews.
Online users are divided on the issue. Some criticized the trend of review bombardment, with one user noting, “It’s strange when someone who writes a negative review has never actually been to this bar,” while others defended the public outrage, arguing that “People are using social media to warn others to avoid this bar, and they’re absolutely right to do so.”
Bar Pace’s incident isn’t the only one of seemingly insignificant extra charges that has garnered attention in Italian restaurants recently. One report said diners were charged 2 euros for an empty plate in order for their daughter to try pasta at another restaurant. Another report mentions a couple being charged 1.50 euros for an extra teaspoon when sharing a dessert.
These examples highlight how small, seemingly insignificant charges can generate a great deal of discussion and online reaction, especially in popular destinations like Italy, which is world-renowned for its food and hospitality. The viral nature of such experiences on social media platforms such as TripAdvisor and Facebook ensures that these pricing decisions are widely publicized beyond the cafe or restaurant’s location.
Related posts:
A café in Italy is going viral for charging a customer $2.20 to cut a sandwich in half — and for defending the decision
Italian restaurant charges INR 182 for cutting a sandwich into half, internet is enraged
Italian diners hit with MORE extra fees as restaurants charge for additional teaspoons and empty plates to cover ‘washing up’ after fury over €2 bill for slicing a sandwich in half
