A "very wealthy Italian" was left incensed after a Saint-Tropez waiter chased him down and reprimanded him for allegedly "only leaving a 500 euro tip" following his meal.

 

A 'very wealthy Italian' man was left furious after he was pursued and admonished by an irate waiter in Saint-Tropez for reportedly leaving only a 500 euro tip following his meal.

The diner, whose identity remains undisclosed, was followed by the waiter to the parking lot of the upscale eatery in the glamorous French Riviera resort, where he was informed that his 500 euro (£429) tip was considered insufficient.

The staff member rebuked the affluent customer, instructing him to return to the restaurant and provide an additional 500 euros to meet the 'minimum' tip requirement of 1,000 euros, as per the local newspaper Nice Matin.

The Italian individual was so deeply offended by the encounter that he purportedly informed his friend that he had no intention of ever returning to Saint Tropez.

This incident highlights a growing frustration among vacationers who travel to Saint-Tropez, a renowned holiday destination favored by royalty and the affluent.

Visitors have shared accounts of certain restaurants in the coastal town enforcing a minimum expenditure of 1,500 euros (£1,288) per person, while in other parts of the French Riviera, patrons are expected to spend no less than 10,000 euros (£8,587).

"During a recent evening, this restaurant that we are familiar with imposed a requirement of a 1,500-euro minimum spend per person," remarked a regular visitor who stated that they are unlikely to revisit Saint-Tropez, as conveyed to Nice Matin.

Additionally, it was reported that at a restaurant in Ramateulle, located just south of Saint-Tropez, a family was informed by the staff that the minimum spending threshold at their table was a staggering 100,000 euros.

Restaurant personnel are reportedly engaging in customer assessments, and if they determine that a patron did not provide a satisfactory tip during a prior visit, they are refusing to accept table reservations from them again, according to Repubblica.

Sylvie Siri, the mayor of Saint-Tropez, has called for a meeting with local restaurant proprietors at the conclusion of the summer season. The purpose of this meeting is to address and rectify their practices, ensuring a more respectful and honorable reception for customers.

Regarding the practice of restaurants exclusively reserving tables for customers who agree to meet a minimum spending requirement, Mayor Sylvie Siri remarked, "It is a practice akin to extortion, a form of racketeering."

This is the latest instance underscoring the exorbitant expenses associated with enjoying bars and restaurants in some of Europe's most exclusive vacation destinations.

Recently, it came to light that surprised patrons were instructed to pay €20 to a restaurant for cutting a birthday cake. This event occurred in Palermo, Sicily, where a family had brought their own cake for a celebration.

Furthermore, last week, diners at another restaurant in Italy were taken aback when waitstaff charged them €2 for an empty plate, intended for their daughter to sample the pasta. This unconventional charge drew ridicule from Italians, with even the regional governor condemning it.

Ida Germano, the owner of Osteria del Cavolo in Finale Ligure, defended the charge by explaining that providing and cleaning additional plates for the mother to let her daughter taste the pasta translated to extra work. She emphasized that the cost was justified due to the increased workload associated with additional plates.

Ever since international travel resumed following the global pandemic, a number of dissatisfied vacationers have taken to the internet to express their astonishment at being presented with exorbitant bills at bars and restaurants in various European holiday destinations.

In another instance of pricing controversies, a couple that requested an extra teaspoon to share a dessert found themselves charged €1.50. They were billed for the use of two teaspoons to enjoy their crema catalana at a pizzeria near Alba in northern Piemonte.

Meanwhile, a bar located at Italy's exclusive Lake Como has sparked outrage after it was revealed that customers are charged an additional €2 solely for the act of having their sandwiches cut in half. A disgruntled patron shared a photo of their receipt online, clearly displaying the €2 charge for having the sandwich divided in two, as indicated by the term "diviso da meta."

In 2019, a Venice restaurant triggered outrage by presenting tourists with a bill of £1,000 for four steaks and a plate of fish. The offended Japanese diners, who were students from the University of Bologna, recounted ordering three steaks and fried fish at Osteria da Luca near St. Mark's Square. With only glasses of water accompanying their modest meal, the group was taken aback by the €1,145 bill they received.