Tourist-trap menus, mystery fish prices, and the €15 coperto nobody warned you about.
Plan your Italy trip →Unlisted prices for "special" fish: "Today we have a beautiful fresh fish..." without mentioning the €70/kg price. Always ask "Quanto costa?" (how much?) before ordering anything not on the menu. Inflated coperto: Normal coperto: €1-3/person. Scam coperto: €5-10. Check the menu — it must be listed. Forced side dishes: Contorni (vegetables) are ordered and charged separately. If a side appears that you didn't order, don't pay for it. Service charge surprises: A "servizio" of 10-15% added to the bill, on top of coperto. Legal if listed on the menu; a scam if not.
Eat where Italians eat (not at restaurants immediately next to major monuments). Check Google/TripAdvisor reviews. Look at the menu BEFORE sitting down — if there are no prices, leave. If a waiter pushes "the special" without stating the price, ask directly. Check the bill against what you ordered. If something is wrong, calmly point it out — most mistakes are correctable.
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