What is The Coperto in Italy? — ALONG DUSTY ROADS

So, What is the Coperto?

The coperto is essentially a flat, fixed cover charge.

It is charged by most restaurants in Italy on a per person basis in addition to the cost of your food and drink – and it is always written down somewhere. However, if it’s your first time in Italy then you understandably won’t be looking for it and factoring it into prices before you sit down to eat.

Ostensibly, the coperto (literally meaning ‘covered’) is a charge for the table linen, tableware, and bread (though there somtimes won’t even be bread). And, since such accoutrements are quite integral to a dining experience, that makes it mandatory for all diners. Locals and tourists alike are paying it. In our experience, it’s usually about €2.00 a head, so it doesn’t break the bank, but if you’ve had a €20.00 lunch for two, then the unexpected increase of €4 / 20% will stick out on the bill.

It should however be expected and factored into the total cost of your meals out, and it’s your responsibility to do that.

Here are some tips:

// Legally, the coperto must be printed on the menu. This will usually be the printed one you are handed, but it may also be on the one displayed at the front of the restaurant, or both. It may just be a small footnote or placed in a very non-obvious position, but once you know to look or ask for it, you’ll find it.

// If you’re travelling on a budget, or don’t want unexpected costs, then you should factor in the coperto when walking around various restaurants to find lunch or dinner.

// Therefore, always check the menu before being seated.

// It’s usually in the range €1-2 per person. Places catering to tourists, fancy restaurants, or those situated in prime areas may charge more; the highest we’ve seen was €5, but technically they can charge what they want – as is evidenced in Venice, with stories of tourists being charged €20+ to sit down in St Mark’s Square.

// Children also get charged the coperto.

// You may read online that it’s no longer charged, but that is absolutely not the case. We’ve traveled to Italy repeatedly in the last few years and have encountered it in each and every town, village and region (and we don’t just go to touristy restaurants). It is however banned in the Lazio region, which includes Rome, but is often simply substituted by a charge for the bread (which you can refuse if you don’t accept the bread at the beginning).

The coperto also makes sense, in some ways, if you think about it. A restaurant has limited…