11 Ways to Annoy an Italian Server
Are you looking for some tips on how to act in Italian restaurants? Italians are strict when it comes to food, so it is important to learn the etiquette and rules of eating in an Italian restaurant. For example, eating at a plastic table is not acceptable, and you will receive dirty looks and snide comments from your server if you do. Here are 11 ways to annoy an Italian:
Bread is a dietary staple in Italian restaurants
While Americans tend to eat everything on their plate, Italians savor their food and the time spent around the table. Fresh ingredients are used to prepare a dish, and most Italians don’t follow any sort of diet, so bread isn’t an entire side dish. Instead, it’s used to mop up sauces. Italians use freshly cut bread as a utensil for this purpose. “Fare la scarpetta,” literally “make the little shoe,” refers to the practice of wiping one’s plate with bread.
Many Italian restaurants feature a variety of breads. Tuscan bread is especially salt-free, because the coastal region controlled the salt trade and cut off Tuscany. This bread is best enjoyed with olive oil, herbs, and salt. But if you do eat bread with salt, don’t miss it entirely. There are many other types of Italian bread that aren’t as salty. For instance, you can try a nutty Italian bread.
Waiting for someone else to say “Buon appetito!”
In Italian restaurants, you will most likely hear people saying “Buon appetito” before you start eating your meal. The phrase “buon appetito” is very common and is a part of many Italian households. It means “enjoy your meal.” This practice has its roots in waiting for other people to finish eating their food before you do.
Unlike in the United States, dining in Italy is a social event. Italians are known for their generosity, and you should respect that by waiting for someone to say “Buon appetito!” before you say it yourself. Also, Italians must make a toast before drinking alcohol, so be sure to say “Salve!” or “Cin cin!” before you drink.
Avoiding public drunkenness in Italian restaurants
A few things to keep in mind when dining in Italian restaurants include not ordering pitchers of beer or cocktails. Italians generally prefer to drink wine or beer as part of a meal, and public drunkenness is discouraged. You also shouldn’t smoke in an Italian restaurant. Smoking is prohibited in all public establishments in Italy. The main exception to this rule is if you’re visiting Italy as a tourist.
Many Italian bars stay open past midnight, and bar owners use preventative measures to avoid violent episodes. Many Italians view alcohol as a stimulant that channeled excess energy into social activities. Even if you’re a non-smoker, Italians are likely to recognize your efforts to avoid public drunkenness. As a result, they encourage your visit to ensure a positive public image.
Rules for ordering
When visiting an Italian restaurant, there are some rules you must follow. Most Italian restaurants have separate menus for each course. In general, you should order two courses or split one course between two people. For example, a couple would split antipasto before ordering primi and secondo. It is important to know that it is considered improper to order cappuccino after noon. In addition, you should always order a second serving of dessert.
Waiters do not like to take away their customers’ plates after they have finished eating. Italians typically linger at their tables and order a coffee. Using a hand signal is also acceptable when requesting the bill. Italian servers do not itemize their bills; they instead divide it by the number of people at the table. If you are unsure about a particular dish, just ask the waiter for a translation before ordering.