Rome restaurant slammed for outrageous bill

A restaurant in Rome has been slammed for charging tourists $132 for a couple of burgers and coffee — and the outrage was so huge, TripAdvisor stepped in.

A restaurant in Rome has been slammed after reportedly charging diners $132 for two burgers and three coffees.

A photo of the receipt showed the meal for two came to a hefty €81.40 ($132) and shocked social media users when it was shared online, The Sun reports.

The hamburgers alone cost €25 ($40.54) each, coming to €50 ($81.07).

They were also charged €8 ($12.97) for one Americano coffee and €8 ($12.97) each for two double cappuccinos, plus a service charge of €7.40 ($12).

The restaurant, called Caffe Vaticano, is situated opposite the Vatican, a popular tourist area.

It has over 1800 reviews on TripAdvisor with a rating of just 1.5 stars out of five.

The hefty bill has attracted outrage on social media.

However, TripAdvisor has since “temporarily suspended publishing new reviews” due to an influx of submissions following the outrage.

Many warned the restaurant did not have prices on their menu, which often resulted in tourists being charged extortionate fees.

The photo of the receipt was shared on social media, with many expressing their shock at the cost.

Two tourists in Rome say they were charged $132 for two burgers and three coffees at Caffe Vaticano in Rome. Picture: Google Earth

Facebook user Carlos said: “Wow such a rip off!! thanks for the heads up!”

One wrote: “Absurd! How are they allowed? This receipt is the most scandalous, abominable and inconceivable that I could ever see!”

However, not everyone was on the diners’ side.

One person wrote on a different Facebook page: “If, in 2019, you go to a place that has an average of 1.5 out of almost 2000 TripAdvisor reviews, you deserve it a little.”

Others were stunned to find them ordering hamburgers before 11am with coffee.

Another user joked: “The right punishment for those who eat burgers and a cappuccino together.”

The outrage was so strong, TripAdvisor suspended new reviews. Picture: TripAdvisor

Diners were unhappy with the restaurant. Picture: TripAdvisor

It isn’t the first time tourists have been charged astronomical bills when in Italy.

In 2017, two British tourists were charged $795 for lunch in Venice after waiters brought over food they hadn’t ordered.

Last year, a group of tourists were also ripped off in Venice and were charged $1803 for three steaks, some fish and mineral water.

Another man said he was also ripped off in Venice in 2018, charged $67 for a couple of small coffees and two bottles of water at a cafe in iconic St Mark’s Square.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission