How four Japanese students ended up paying ₹1 lakh for a meal in Italy
Four Japanese students ended up paying as much as ₹1 lakh for their nominal meal at a restaurant in Italy. The five-year-old incident shows how foreign tourists are duped by local groups and highlights the need to stay aware and alert in such situations
PremiumLiving abroad can be tough due to language and cultural barriers. This makes people, especially students, vulnerable to fraud. In a recent case, four Japanese students ended up paying an exorbitant amount of nearly ₹1 lakh for substandard food at a restaurant during their trip to Venice on a holiday.
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The incident happened in 2018, but it resurfaced again after five years after it was covered in a report by The Guardian. In 2018, four students visited Venice on their trip. During their trip, they were charged ₹99,520 for the dinner at Osteria de Luca restaurant near St Marks Square. The restaurant was located in one of the most popular areas of Venice, reported Daily Star. Students had to pay a hefty amount for a nominal order of one plate of fried fish, four steaks, and water.
After they returned to Bologna, where they were studying Italian cuisine, they reported the incident to local authorities. Another member of the group, who had dinner at a different restaurant, was also charged an exorbitant price of ₹30,882 for three servings of seafood pasta.
the mayor of Bologna, Luigi Brugnaro asserted that the authorities will verify the incident soon. He also informed that the complaint of the incident has been filed. He also said that if the episode is confirmed by the authorities then authorities "will do everything possible to punish those responsible. We are for justice, always!"
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The restaurant, where the incident took place, is reported to be owned by Chinese investors and managed by an Egyptian. The spokesperson of the restaurant said that he did not recall any issues specifically related to Japanese customers. Later, the establishment was found guilty of the incident and fined £12,300.
How to save from paying the exorbitant price for substandard foods at tourist places
There have been multiple incidents reported by different media outlets about demanding large amounts of money for nominal food. This also happens with foreigners in countries like India. Notably, the same can happen with Indian tourists abroad. Hence, it is important to stay alert and be aware of the eateries and hotels in the city where you are planning to spend your holidays.
A quick look at the reviews of previous visitors at authentic websites gives a fair idea about the hotels and restaurants. It is highly advisable to avoid those restaurants and hotels which are flagged off by reviews. It is also better to visit hotels run by state tourist departments, or visit international hotels or restaurant chains (if you find one). It is better to check the bill carefully before making the payment.
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