September 2, 2024, 4:16 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
A restaurant in Italy recently caused a stir when a woman received an unexpected bill after her birthday dinner there.
On birthdays, it’s not about counting pennies, it’s about enjoying the moment. It’s usually the birthday person who foots the bill for the festivities. However, one woman’s celebration in an Arezzo restaurant took a pricey turn when she was hit with an exorbitant cake-cutting fee, sending her bill soaring beyond expectations. TRAVELBOOK shares the details.
An Italian restaurant slaps a customer with a 58.50 euro charge for cake-cutting
For the birthday girl, slicing into her cake at a restaurant came with an unexpectedly hefty price tag. According to the daily newspaper “La Nazione“, the incident took place in Arezzo, Italy. The cake had previously been ordered by relatives from the family’s favorite pastry shop for 45 euros (50 dollars). It was later to be enjoyed as a dessert in a nearby restaurant after the meal. According to the report, the family had previously asked the restaurant if they could bring a cake from the pâtisserie. The restaurant had replied, saying that this would not be a problem.
However, an additional, unexpected amount then appeared on the restaurant’s bill: the woman was asked to pay 58.50 euros (64.90 dollars) for the serving of the cake, a total of 4.50 euros (5.00 dollars) per guest. This meant that the total cost of the birthday cake was not just 45 euros (50 dollars). It ended up being a whopping 103.50 euros (114.80 dollars).
‘Some of my colleagues are thieves by nature’
Annoyed by the total bill of 659.10 euros (731.29 dollars), which was partly due to the additional price, the granddaughter of the woman in question vented her displeasure in a Facebook group. She shared a photo of the receipt there, as reported by the newspaper “Il Messagero“. Jessica Geca explained her reaction to the bill to “La Nazione”: “I think this amount is disproportionate for the service provided, and therefore I wanted to show the receipt in a Facebook group. I accompanied my grandmother to the checkout, and she insisted on paying. The person who gave me the bill explained to me that it was customary in the restaurant to charge a fee for serving dessert. In my opinion, this is excessive.”
The post swiftly captured viral attention, sparking a spectrum of reactions. One man commented on the incident on Instagram, saying, “I run a restaurant where we often host parties. I never charge for cutting the cake […] Some of my colleagues are thieves by nature.” Another, however, believes that it is the restaurant’s right to charge for the service: “Why don’t you go […] to the mechanic and tell him to change the oil in the car? Then you’ll see what he charges you for the work. That will teach you not to take the cake from the restaurant.”
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The Italian restaurant owner defends the controversial cake-cutting charge
The owner of the restaurant, who wishes to remain anonymous, admits that the rule could perhaps have been applied less strictly in this case to avoid the controversy that has arisen. “I would like to emphasize that we do not charge a fee when food from our own production is served. However, the restaurant has to pay for the waiter and the dishwasher, and these costs must be covered”, “La Nazione” quotes the man as saying.
He also notes that the 58 euros (64 dollars) taken ultimately were to the detriment of the restaurant. “The golden rule for any restaurant is to ensure guests depart happy and eager to return. It’s better to take 50 euros (55 dollars) less than risk a misunderstanding that harms us.” Concluded the restaurateur from Arezzo in his statement.