Covered. It is one of the most annoying things, especially for tourists: not by chance, it exists only in Italy. But what is it?
It is the cost of provisioning. It is the space with all the objects that are prepared for a single diner: it includes crockery, cutlery, glasses, tablecloth, napkin and, in the case of formal equipment, many other pieces. Also add the necessary cost for the subsequent cleaning and the bread, in order to give a greater justification to the additional cost required. It also includes the qualitative type of service provided, meaning the peculiarity of the restaurant itself, the professionalism of the staff and the additional services not quantified in the account.
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The origins of this “tax” date back to the Middle Ages, when it was intended to contribute to the owner of the inn those guests who consumed food brought from home using tables, chairs and cutlery from the restaurant. If, on the other hand, foods prepared by the innkeeper were consumed, the “cover” was already included in the final bill.
Do not confuse, in any case, the cover with the service, which varies from 15 to 20% of the total and originates from the past when there were no work contracts and the staff was paid as a percentage of the orders of customers and tables that served. At the time, the service was, in fact, the salary of the waiters: it is paradoxical that this item has remained even today, despite the waiters being regularly paid.
Covered at the restaurant: is it legal?
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The dilemma that has been affecting consumers for years is: is the cover legal?
The problem is that, although it is a charge that may seem pretentious, no rule prohibits it, as long as it is specified in the price list.
The question must be regularized at the local level, by the Regions or by the municipal administrations: some have dealt with them, others have not. Any examples?
A subsequent regional law of 2006 still prohibits the so-called “bread and cover”, but allows the “service” item: if the delivery service is performed at the table, the price list must be made available to customers before ordering and must indicate the possible component of the service in such a way as to make the price clearly and easily understandable to the public, prohibiting the application of additional costs for the cover.
At a national level, the rule is that exhibitors must display their license, authorization and price list in a room that is visible to the public .
Until then, the cover must be paid, it being understood that, if there is a suspicion of wrongdoing by restaurateurs, the possible report must be presented to the traffic police.
How much do you ship to the restaurant?
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How much do you spend at the restaurant? And if we could automate the cost of a delicious meal to make it rise only whenever there is a new menu, or because of inflation.
I’m not saying that this will happen soon, but imagine that you can order your food from anywhere without needing human interaction!
Want to go out for dinner but don’t know where? Well, there are many places in town that have great food. One way is to check online reviews and see what kind of ratings they get from users like you! If everything else does not work, just ask someone who has already been there, who will be able to tell you which restaurants always keep their word (and even more).
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Eating in the restaurant is not only delicious but also convenient. You can take your time to enjoy a good meal without having to worry about cooking or cleaning afterwards, because it is already made for you!
As mentioned at the beginning of our article the covered only exists in Italy, but despite this magiare at the restaurant remains super convenient.
Read also: What is the electronic receipt?