Rosario Monachino
A tourist visiting Lake Como was charged extra at a restaurant for cutting his sandwich in half.
While holidays are often a time of relaxation and exploration – you often find yourself splashing a bit more cash than you are used to.
From flights and accommodations to dining and entertainment, the costs can quickly add up.
However, one traveller recently found out that even the most mundane of activities can come with an unexpected price tag.
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This eyebrow-raising incident unfolded at Bar Pace in Gera Lario, an old-fashioned, but charming town found on the shores of Lake Como, Italy.
The tourist, whose name remains unknown, shared his story on the popular travel platform Tripadvisor, highlighting an unusual fee that left him baffled.
The man and his companion decided to order a simple toasted sandwich to share.
At first glance, the receipt they received seemed standard as they paid €7.50 for the sandwich, €3.50 for a Coca-Cola, €1.50 for water, and €1.20 for an espresso.
All seemed well until they noticed a ‘diviso da meta’ charge that caught their attention. This roughly translates to a ‘cutting in half’ fee – which costs €2.
Confused by the extra fee, the tourist questioned the necessity of this charge, wondering why they were being charged for having their sandwich halved.
The incident gained attention when the man posted a photo of the receipt on Tripadvisor, accompanied by a one-star review for the restaurant.
Accompanied by a photo of the recipient, the review reads: “The toast format is served already cut into two exact halves.
“We were two people and we asked for toast that we would have eaten at the table for two. But do we have to pay because we split the toast in two? Unbelievable but true…”
This review struck a dissonant chord in the sea of four-and-a-half-star ratings based on over a hundred reviews and has since gone viral.
The restaurant’s owner, Cristina Biacchi, has responded to the incident in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica (via Yahoo).
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“Additional requests have a cost,” she explained.
“We had to use two plates instead of one and the time to wash them is doubled, and then two placemats.
“It wasn’t a simple toasted sandwich, there were also French fries inside. It took us time to cut it in two.”
Ms Biacchi did add, however, that the customer didn’t bat an eye at the surcharge until after he had paid it.
She claims she would’ve removed the fee had the man clarified he didn’t want the sandwich to be cut in half.
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