I was in a restaurant in Rome and after I got the bill I saw that beside the regular 8€ for spaghetti I ordered there was an additional position that said:
una persona 1.5€
When I asked the waiter about it he explained me that this is for the bread (indeed the menu listed it for 1.5€, but I did not order it), for the table (which sounded less convincing) and everything (that really raised my concerns). If it was for a starter, the bill should list a starter and not something that cryptic in my opinion.
Maybe I am not an expert but I have been in a few restaurants before and have always paid only for what I have ordered from the menu. After my complaints he tried to persuade me that this is a common practice which was again not convincing. The day before I had been in another restaurant and have paid only for what I have ordered.
So it is a legal practice or a pure rip-off and how to deal with it? If it is a legal practice I would like to know it in advance whether I am going to be charged additionally. Does leaving the started untouched changes anything? Or ordering a drink?
The same thing happened to me in Milan a few days later. I was charged 2€ but got no starter.