4 Japanese students charged Rs 1 lakh for one meal in Italy; know jaw-dropping reason

Summers are for long getaways from the bustling pace of inland cities. One is always spoilt for choice when deciding on the right destination. It is true that no obstacle can stop someone from visiting their ideal destination. Even so, a warning call from one’s own country should not be ignored. In a recent incident, those planning to visit Italy were informed in advance about the exorbitant restaurant prices in the country.

Paying unusually high rates for average food leaves one disheartened. Imagine doing it while on a fancy vacation. Sadly, this is exactly what fate had in store for some Japanese travellers. A 2018 incident has resurfaced where four Japanese students were charged 970 pounds or Rs 99,520 for dinner at Osteria de Luca, a restaurant near St Mark’s Square. To their shock, the eating joint informed that they were also charged for using the eatery’s internet hotspot. As reported by The Daily Star, the dinner included four steaks, a plate of fried fish, and water.

A series of similar episodes

A report of the exorbitant price was made to the local authorities upon the students’ return to Bologna, where they studied Italian cuisine. Additionally, three servings of seafood pasta were charged £301 or Rs 30,882 to the group’s friends who dined at another restaurant.

A similar complaint was made by an Italian tourist in 2019, when they complained that they had been charged £37 or Rs 3796 for two coffees and two bottles of water at Caffe Lavena near St Mark’s Square. According to a British tourist, he and his elderly parents were also defrauded into paying £463 or Rs 47,502 for lunch. They dined on lobster and oysters at a city-wide restaurant in yet another separate incident.

Authorities’ actions

As soon as the complaints were registered, Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor, promised to investigate the incident closely. On confirming the occurrence of the shameful episode and receiving a copy of the filed complaint, he confided to punish those responsible. He wrote on Twitter:

Nei prossimi giorni verificheremo bene questo episodio, ci faremo inviare la copia della denuncia se è stata effettivamente presentata. Se sarà confermato questo episodio vergognoso, faremo tutto il possibile per punire i responsabili. Noi siamo per la giustizia, sempre! https://t.co/SgDDJWB3VP

— Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) January 21, 2018

The Guardian reported that a spokesperson for the restaurant, which is owned by Chinese investors and managed by an Egyptian, said he was not aware of any specific issues involving Japanese customers. But ultimately, the establishment was found guilty and fined £12,300.

In general, it is important to carefully see the bill before paying anything. Make sure to read restaurant reviews before going to a foreign country. A positive news is that most of these scam restaurants have been rated badly on travel websites by previous customers and warned ‘to be avoided’ in reviews.

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