Is there a cover charge?
co-PER-to — three syllables, stress on second.
When sitting down at a trattoria, to check if there is a per-person cover charge before ordering.
'Coperto' is a per-person charge for bread, tablecloth, and place settings. In Italy it ranges from €1 to €3 and is perfectly legal. Some regions (Lazio from 2006) banned it. It should appear on the menu — if it is not listed, you should not be charged.
Il coperto comprende anche il pane?
Does the cover charge also include bread?
Clarify what the coperto covers — sometimes bread is extra
Quanto è il coperto a persona?
How much is the cover charge per person?
Ask the amount — should be clearly stated before you are seated
Non volete il pane — paghiamo comunque il coperto?
We do not want bread — do we still pay the cover charge?
Refusing bread does not always remove the coperto — ask clearly
The 'coperto' survived a partial ban and remains standard in many Italian regions. In Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and the south, it is almost universal. In Lazio, it was officially banned in 2006, though some restaurants still try to charge it. The rule: it must be listed on the menu — if not listed, refuse to pay it.