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A seaside restaurant in Italy has sparked a heated debate after placing a customer's takeaway coffee in a plastic tray without even asking if they wanted one and then charging an extra 40 cents for it.
The incident happened at a hotel-restaurant in the coastal town of Capo di Leuca, in Lecce province, southern Italy, and was shared on Facebook on 14th August.
The customer said they had ordered two coffees for EUR 2.40 (GBP 2.06) but were surprised to see the bill include an extra charge for the rigid plastic holder provided for takeaway.
They claimed staff did not even ask if they wanted the carrier, sarcastically describing it as a "beautiful collector's tray".
The customer said: "I had never seen takeaway coffee costing more than table service yet."
They also said they had been charged 80 cents for four ice cubes, without specifying where.
They added: "As a local resident, I'm ashamed."
The post quickly gained attention online.
Some users criticised the fee, saying such trays had always been offered for free.
One remarked: "I wonder why they don't discount the sugar for those who order bitter coffee."
Others defended the charge as fair compensation for an optional extra, separate from the coffee cup itself.
Supporters also argued it could help reduce unnecessary plastic waste by discouraging the casual use of single-use carriers that often end up discarded.
The incident comes just days after Olympic swimmer Elena Di Liddo complained about a pizzeria in Bisceglie charging her extra to remove the tomatoes from her pizza.
Elena shared a photo of the receipt and wrote: "Sitting in a pizzeria in Bisceglie and paying EUR 1.50 for something I didn't even eat is truly sad. Bordering on the legal?"
Previously, a man in Bari was charged 50 cents (GBP 0.42) for a sprinkle of pepper on his pizza, and weeks after a cafe in Oderzo billed a woman 10 cents (GBP 0.08) for cutting her croissant in half — both sparking similar online backlash.
(Mike Leidig / newsX)
Byline Journalist: Mike Leidig
Byline Sub editor: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Spotter: Ivica Stojanovski
Byline Commisioning Editor: Mike Leidig
Byline Senior Writer: Mike Leidig
Byline Picture Editor: Zorica Stojkovik
Byline Copychecker: Marija Stojkoska
Byline Illustrator: Marija Stojkoska
Byline News Editor: Simona Kitanovska
Geography: Salento
Subject: Tourism Business, Food / Drink, Food, Restaurants, Real-life, Foolish, Society
T4 Editor Story Rating: 7
T4 Editor Pic/Vid rating: 7
T4 Total rating: 7
