Zuckerberg stiffs Rome waiter on honeymoon
Facebook’s $20 billion dollar man probably didn’t get rich by being overly generous.
Now, Mark Zuckerberg’s penurious ways are attracting the attention of at least one Rome waiter, who received no tip from the Facebook founder.
Zuckerberg is in Italy on his honeymoon. He married longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan in his back yard the day after the social media giant’s company went public, making him and many of his employees some of the richest people on Earth.
London Telegraph reporter Nick Squires reports Zuckerberg and Chan really like artichokes. While honeymooning Monday, they dined on deep-fried artichokes, fried pumpkin flowers and ravioli stuffed with sea bass and more artichokes. The total bill – about $40. The tip? Zero.
Waiters at the “service included” restaurant Nonna Betta were “amazed” they didn’t at least get a Like, a Poke or even a friend request from Chan’s dog Beast.
Word is the happy couple also didn’t tip the night before after eating pizza.
This kind of news could make Italian waiters as depressed as Facebook’s stock.
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158 comments Add your comment
Johnny the Economist
May 29th, 2012
3:15 pm
Waiter hourly wages in the US are going lower and lower BECAUSE customers are leaving such big tips and the employer is using that fact to negotiate below minimum wage salaries.
Market rate of waiter hourly wages will only go up when customers stop tipping.. simple economics
Gianni
May 29th, 2012
3:20 pm
This from Rick Steve’s web site:
Source: Matteo Pasini, Hotel Villa Steno, Monterosso
In Italy you tip if you really like the place, the food and the service; if the waiter was very friendly for example. In US a waiter has a small salary, but just because he will have a lot of tips: tipping is necessary; in Italy no, the salary is good and the tip is something exceptional, so a guest can tip or not and normally only the 10/20 percent of guests tip. Giving a tip to the waiter or leaving it on the table it is up to you. Leaving it on the table is the standard. If you pay your bill by credit card remember to tip by cash, this will be very appreciated. A ten per cent tip in a restaurant is what you can consider a good tip.
Vince Doodley
May 29th, 2012
3:26 pm
http://www.fodors.com/news/story_1892.html
Tipping 101 in Europe. Easy reading.
Keon
May 29th, 2012
3:27 pm
I’m with some of the other guys… I thought it wasn’t expected in Europe….
Fred
May 29th, 2012
3:29 pm
I’ve been to that restaurant before. SERVICE SUCKS.
The Most Interesting Man in the World
May 29th, 2012
3:30 pm
FB stock is down 20%. Zuckerberg can’t afford the tip. Besides, he didn’t get rich giving money away~!
Chris
May 29th, 2012
3:31 pm
Ummm, Jacob, I was just in Italy in march 2012 in Florence and Rome and there are restaurants that I ate at where on the check it said “servicio incluso”. From all the guidebooks I read and Rick Steve’s it said you don’t have to tip and some places view it badly when you do. Also some Italians are mad at Americans for tipping when they go over because waiters are starting to “expect” it now. Like in the U.S. when it says “service included” that means the tip is included so that’s what they get instead of seeing if I tipped more or not.
Susan
May 29th, 2012
3:35 pm
That’s a shame that they are so darn tight with their money…the waiters should have spit in their food. In the future if any waiter/waitress wait on them they just might get a little humaniosity along with their food…if you catch my drift..hahahahahahahaha! That would serve this boring looking couple right.
It irritate the skin off my back when people like this is so darn cheap! They could have at least tipped their waiters 25%..give me a break! Cheap scapes!
I wait
May 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
Susan, I’m a struggling student who waits tables….will you come in and leave me 25% of your tab? average meal for two where i work is 75-100, without alcohol…..what, you can’t, you’re running short….why, it’s different when it’s your money…
Adolph
May 29th, 2012
3:43 pm
You expect a Jew to tip? You will see a gay-friendly night club in Iran before a jew pays one penny more than what is on the check.