The coperto — often translated as cover charge — is a small fixed amount Italian restaurants add to the bill for each person at the table, regardless of what you order. It usually runs €1.50 to €3 per head and covers the table setting: tablecloth, napkin, cutlery, glassware, bread and the work of laying and clearing the table.
It isn’t a tip and it isn’t a tax — it’s a commercial line item the restaurant chooses to charge. To be legitimate it must be clearly stated on the menu, normally in a footnote. If it appears nowhere, the customer can dispute it.
For international guests the coperto is often a surprise, because it has no direct equivalent in the US or UK, where a percentage service charge or tipping does a similar job. In Italy tipping is modest and optional, so the coperto is the restaurant’s way of pricing the basics of sitting down to eat.
Why it matters on the floor
Seen from the floor, the coperto is a predictable revenue line that’s decoupled from the check. A 60-seat venue running two seatings at €2.50 generates roughly €300 a night from this line alone — money that helps cover the fixed cost of the table setting. The trick is applying it consistently and showing it transparently on the bill.
Some restaurants drop it and fold the cost into dish prices; others keep it for clarity. For its history, regional rules and how to communicate it without friction, see our full guide to the coperto.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the coperto mandatory?
- No, it's the restaurant's choice. But if it's clearly listed on the menu, the customer has to pay it. If it appears nowhere, it can be disputed.
- What's the difference between a coperto and a service charge?
- The coperto is a fixed amount per person for the table setting; a service charge is usually a percentage of the total bill, far more common abroad than in Italy.