Tourist outraged as Italian restaurant charges for the view

There is an unspoken rule about charging tourists more money for locals would enjoy for free. It may not always be intended maliciously, but the fact is that people see an opportunity to take advantage of visitors' ignorance. That is why, for example, you find yourself paying higher taxi fares in a new city. 

It seems a restaurant in St. Mark's Square, Venice may be cashing in on this ignorance with their insistance on charging up to ten times more for bottled water and coffee. 

Chilean tourist Juan Carlos Bustamente ordered drinks at Caffe Lavena and was incredulous when he received the bill. He posted the receipt to social media, saying how ridiculous it was that he was charged €43 for drinks that would normally cost around €5.

Management at Caffe Lavena stand by their pricing methods: "It is clearly stated that customers will be charged more if they want to sit outside as it is part of a 'premium experience' of sitting in St Mark's Square." 

The restaurant says that sitting outside is an optional extra that enhances the dining experience, and it does not come cheap: "If [customers] want to sit outside and enjoy the music of the orchestra, look at the bell tower and the Basilica of St Mark's, then they are paying for an entirely different experience."

Juan Carlos may feel hard done by, and there are many who agree that the restaurant's policy could be communicated more clearly, but in this case he will just have to accept this as a lesson.

When you're dining in foreign cities, keep your wits about you. You never know what they could "secretly" be charging you for.