What is the tipping protocol for waiters in Italy?
I do not want to be perceived as an “ugly American”. A. In Italy a waiter’s salary is good and the tip is always INCLUDED in the bill. If you really like the caffé or restaurant, it’s food and the service, or if the waiter was particularly friendly you can certainly tip extra a little extra. Normally only about 20 per cent of guests tip extra. If you pay your bill by credit card try to tip in cash or the waiter may never actually receive it. A ten per cent tip would be considered very good, as remember the tip is always included already in your charges. For counter service places such as at a coffee bar or gelaterria (ice cream shop), tipping is not expected but no one will complain if you do leave a few coins on the counter. Q. My family, which includes three children, plan to do a lot of walking in Rome this summer. Are there many public bathrooms and what is the etiquette for using non-public bathrooms? A. One good thing about Rome is that there are many public drinking fountains ev
