Submitted by Hunter Prasch on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Finance and the Department of English…
During my time abroad in Italy, there were some things Italian culture does differently than American culture. From Italian fashion to common courtesy, there are a variety of everyday occurrences that would confuse an average American. The one I want to focus on is Italian sit-down restaurant culture. In America, we tip our servers and always expect the server to come back and refill drinks, or come back with our check when we’re finished eating. In Italy, it’s the complete opposite. The first time I ate at a restaurant, it was hard trying to get the check after we finished eating since the server left us alone. We eventually flagged him down after about 15 minutes and finally got the check. Flagging a server down in America is considered rude, but in Italy, it’s part of the culture and a different change from standard American lifestyle.