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Gucci vs Gucci: Fashion house orders restaurant to change its name

One's a global fashion house; the other's a family-run bistro in northern Tuscany. But apparently Italy isn't big enough for the two Gucci's.

Published: 11 May 2017 14:26 CEST
Updated: 11 May 2017 16:41 CEST
Gucci vs Gucci: Fashion house orders restaurant to change its name
The front of a Gucci boutique. Photo: Eric Piermont/AFP

The luxury fashion brand reportedly threatened legal action after a Tuscan family of four (Fabio, Barbara, Laura and Martina Gucci) opened the Gucci Bistro.

The Gucci's opened their restaurant in 2016 in Prato, a town about 25km north-west of Florence, where the Gucci fashion house has its roots. Things were going smoothly – until the family received a letter ordering them to change their 'misleading' name.

“At first we thought they hadn't understood, and we replied that we were a family, and that the name of the restaurant was also our surname,” Martina Gucci told The Local. “Also, we're in Prato, not Milan or Rome for example – it's not a particularly well-known area.”

“But they said they weren't interested in our motivations and were concerned about misunderstandings the name could cause,” said Gucci. 

“We were really annoyed, because the name wasn't a random choice! At first, we wanted to take things further, but because of the time, money and stress [of a lawsuit], we begrudgingly decided to give up. They had the manner of someone who is certain of getting what they want.”


The Gucci family, plus family friends Leonardo and Francesca, at their restaurant. Photo: Martina Gucci

Italys' three tiers of justice and lengthy appeals process meant that it could have taken up to 20 years to resolve the Gucci v Gucci case.

So the restaurant acquiesced, changing its name to 'GI' and splitting the cost of new business cards and outdoor signage with the fashion house.

“These expenses were big for a family that has just opened up a restaurant, while for the other Gucci, it barely made a difference,” Martina Gucci pointed out. “But hopefully the damage is resolved now – we have told our clients about the new name, and at least now we are getting publicity!”

After a Facebook post explaining the reason for the bistro's new identity, messages of solidarity quickly rolled in.

“The injustice sends me into a rage! I swear that neither me nor my family with ever buy a Gucci product again!” wrote Sara Ferraloro. “I live in Bolzano, but I'll keep hold of your address and if I go to your area, I'll certainly have lunch there.”

“Go ahead with the lawsuit – don't be afraid to use your own surname,” another supporter said.

In addition to selling luxury and leather goods, the Gucci fashion house runs three cafes of its own in Florence, Milan, and Tokyo, and in 2015 opened a restaurant in Shanghai.

However, reviewers on travel rating site TripAdvisor ranked the Prato bistro above the two cafes, giving the former 4.5 stars out of five, while the Gucci-run eateries were rated four stars apiece.

With reporting by Caterina Zita

READ ALSO: Gucci is funding a makeover for one of Florence's most famous gardensOne of Italy's most famous gardens is getting a Gucci-funded revamp
Photo: Ed Webster/Flickr

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FOOD AND DRINK

What to do (and avoid) when paying a restaurant bill in Italy

If you have plans for dinner out in Italy, here's a look at the etiquette over the bill - from where and how to pay to the culture around tipping.

Published: 12 June 2024 12:11 CEST
What to do (and avoid) when paying a restaurant bill in Italy

If you go out to eat in Italy, then there are a few things you should know about paying the bill afterwards.

This sounds like it should be straightforward, but the etiquette may differ from your home country.

Uncertainty around how it all works in Italy leads some visitors to worry about causing offence, or to wonder if they’ve been overcharged (which is thankfully rare, although it does happen.)

But becoming familiar with a few local norms should make dining out in Italy a stress-free experience.

How to ask for the bill – When you’re ready, try to catch the waiter’s eye and ask for the bill (possiamo avere il conto?). You can always ask for the bill while they clear your plates.

Unless you’re in a very busy or touristy place the bill is not usually presented until you ask for it – this is deliberate, as Italian waiters normally don’t like to hurry their customers and once you’ve finished dinner it’s perfectly OK to linger and chat over the dregs of the wine.

If you’re in a place that runs two service periods at night (usually one at around 7.30pm and one at 9pm) then you may be asked to clear your table by a certain time, but this should be made clear to you when you book or when you arrive. 

If it’s getting late and the place is emptying out the waiter may bring over the bill and ask you to pay so they can close up the till – but they’re not necessarily saying that you have to leave. If they start stacking up chairs, however, then that’s your cue to go home.

What to expect on the bill – On top of the cost of your food and drink, in many places you can expect to see an extra fee for coperto, or a cover/table charge, on your Italian restaurant bill.

Coperto is a a fixed fee which is charged by restaurants in Italy on a per-person basis, in addition to the price of food and drinks, to cover expenses for washing or replacing cutlery, plates, napkins and tablecloths used by customers.

The coperto charge only applies to seated customers (both children and adults), meaning that you won’t have it tacked onto a takeaway order – and should definitely complain if you do.

READ ALSO: ‘A rip-off’: Should you really get mad about Italy’s table charge?

It’s usually around €2-€4 per person, but can rise as high as €10 or even €15 per person at major tourist sites such as Venice’s Piazza San Marco or right next to Milan’s Duomo cathedral.

Coperto has been banned by regional law throughout Lazio since 2006, so you shouldn’t see it listed on your bill in a Rome restaurant, though it may be snuck in in the form of an extra charge for bread (pane) or service (servizio).

There’s nothing illegal about charging these fees, and a restaurant could in theory add all three to your bill – but they must be clearly listed on the menu or price board, and you can refuse bread when it’s brought to your table so you don’t have to pay an extra charge for pane.

Where to pay the bill – One major difference between Italy and other countries is that many restaurants – usually more casual ones – will expect you to walk up to the cash register to pay the bill.

This means that once you feel ready to go you can just walk up and pay at the counter, rather than waiting for the bill.

You can always double check with the server by asking paghiamo qui o alla cassa? (do we pay here or at the counter?)

In many cases, the answer will be ‘either’ so it’s really up to you – but be prepared to wait a while for both your bill and your change if you want to pay at the table.

Tourists sit in the shade of umbrellas at an open-air restaurant on a street in central Rome, on July 19 2022. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP.

How to split the bill – If you dined with a friend or friends, then you may want to split the bill. Some Italian restaurants use smart tablets that allow servers to click each of the items you ordered and then inform you of exactly how much you owe individually, while others will expect you to do the maths yourself. 

The waiter will likely ask how you want to pay (come volete pagare?). In response, you and your friend can tell the waiter vogliamo dividere il conto (we want to split the bill) once they come out with the card reader.

READ ALSO: How to spot the Italian restaurants to avoid

If you want to split it, you can say possiamo dividerlo in three/cinque? (can we split it three ways/divide it by five?). If there’s two of you can also say paghiamo metà a testa.

If you don’t want to do an equal split – let’s say your friend had the bistecca alla fiorentina and was drinking wine while you had a salad and a water – you can just do the maths yourself and then tell the server exactly how much you want to put on each card when they come out with the card machine.

How to leave a tip – Italian wait staff aren’t reliant on tips to get by like they are in many parts of the US. As is the case elsewhere in Europe, they are paid a standard wage and tips are viewed as an added, and optional, extra.

Italians may tell you they rarely leave a tip, or only do so if service was exceptional.

While tipping is always appreciated, then, it’s entirely at the customer’s discretion (beyond ‘servizio’ charges on the bill).

READ ALSO: When and how much should I tip in Italy?

If you don’t see servizio listed on the bill, you might want to leave one or two extra euros per person, and if there’s a group of you paying the bill together, you’d want to round up to at least the nearest five.

If you’re paying by card, bear in mind that not many places will be able to add a tip to the card payment – so you might want to carry some change or small notes so you are able to leave something behind.

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