Day two of our AI built itinerary of Rome today took us in the other direction down Via del Corso to the Piazza del Popolo, up into the Villa Borghese and back to the Spanish Steps. We’d learned from yesterday’s walk that the suggested route wasn’t going to fill a whole day so we added on an extension that took us into the Vatican City.
As we were entering the Piazza del Popolo a man stopped me and asked if I was in Rome for the rugby, apparently England are playing Italy in the six nations on Saturday. This will explain, perhaps, why it is so busy here. Anyway, we got chatting and it became clear that he was a chugger for some addiction charity. He was, or so he said, a recovering alcoholic and was seven years without a drink – he even showed me his AA coin. He then asked me if I would sign his petition and I said that I would. It was only when I was completing my details that I noticed the last column – “donation”. Bugger. He was very good and had me hook, line and sinker.
You want me to pay to sit down?
To be honest that’s not the only time I’ve been mugged in Rome – I feel that every single time I sit in a restaurant and see the “coperto” or “cover charge” as we might call it. This is a small per-person charge (about €1–€3) just for sitting at the table, or as I might call it, doing their bloody job!
Traditionally the cover charge pays for:
- Bread (whether you eat it or not)
- Table setting (cloth, napkins, cutlery)
- Cleaning and service basics
It’s a flat charge per person, not optional, and not linked to how much you order. It’s also the most egregious restaurant charge I can think of and I’ve eaten in America!