What weighs on the bill is the increase that is sometimes found at the bottom of the receipt, when the cover charge and bread items are charged.

But are these rumors legitimate?

The bread and cover item concerns the cost relating not only to the food basket but also to the table setting, therefore tablecloth, cutlery, napkins, equipment and washing.

These charges are not illegal given that no law prevents their application: therefore it is up to the discretion of those who administer food and drinks to charge them or not.

However, having said that for the cover charge, as provided for by art. 18 of royal decree n. 635/1940, the relevant entry it must be specifically indicated in the menu or in the price list displayed in the restaurant, a separate chapter must be made for bread.

So the cover charge doesn't also include bread?

It is often thought that the cost of bread is included in the cover charge but this is not the case.

If the bread basket is free, no problem. Otherwise it must have a separate cost which, if present, must be indicated on the menu and applied if the customer requests it.

Therefore you cannot include the item "bread" on the bill without this being written on the menu.

What if when the customer sits down he already finds it on the table?

The customer must be asked whether he wants to keep it or not.

If, however, the restaurateur, on his own initiative, serves bread without the customer having specifically asked for it, can he charge for it?

Only if the guest is interested in eating it.

We said that the cost of bread must be indicated on the menu. So, if he is not interested in consuming it, the customer can ask to take it away and, if charged, he can legitimately contest it and have it removed from the bill!

Author: Alessandro Klun

(@acenacondiritto)