Rick Steves Shares A Local's Advice That Could Score You Free Food In Italian Restaurants

There are some massive differences between how Italians eat and how Americans eat. While Italians do not immediately write off the culture behind some of America's favorite meals, they are more than ready to point out the differences between American and Italian restaurants, such as how you can score free food in either. Travel expert and public television show host Rick Steves sat down with three Italian locals – Manfredo, Roberto, and Ilaria — to discuss these differences, and he shared their insights on his website. One observation stuck out: "If you go to an American restaurant and say the food is bad, you get a coupon for a free meal. More bad food. If you say the food is bad in a restaurant in Italy, you get kicked out," Robertro said to Steves.

For an American, this seems like a no-brainer for maintaining customer satisfaction in order to keep the business running. For Italians, however, it's an enormous insult. Food is more than business; it's a source of immense pride. "In a real Italian restaurant when you complain, the chef will tell you, 'I cooked this as a boy the way my grandmother cooked this. ... It cannot be wrong,'" Manfredo explained. So, how do the local Italians advise Steves on the best way to potentially score free food? Flatter the chef.

Aside from just being good manners, complimenting the quality of the food in Italy is going to carry a lot more weight than it might in other countries. Food is embedded into the culture in Italy. It is important to Italians to not only make the best food but to make sure other people enjoy it as well. And when tourists vocalize this enjoyment, it could actually lead to them scoring some free food.

According to Rick Steves' friend Roberto, "To get free food here ... you say, 'This is the best beefsteak I've ever eaten.' Chef will then say, 'You must try the dessert.' You say, 'Oh no.' He says, 'Here. Please. Take it for free.'" Note how this is the exact opposite of the American approach. Instead of complaints, it's compliments. A small gesture of kindness goes a long way and could lead to you getting a lot more value out of the local cuisine for less (or no) money.

Complimenting the chef is not something that should be done with the expectation of a free dessert or side dish, however. False praise will be immediately noticeable. Instead, your praise should come from a place of honesty. Otherwise, your chances of scoring free food are minimal.

One thing Rick Steves always recommends is to find restaurants that are sequestered away from the main tourist centers. Speaking in one of his Monday Night Travel videos, Steves said "My favorite restaurants are personality driven. ... The joy of writing my guidebooks is to connect our travelers with small, independent mom-and-pops or family-run restaurants." Places like these are usually run by chefs who are proud of what they do and the food that they serve. 

While using a guidebook or looking a little out of the way for a restaurant is fairly easy, getting to know the chef can be a little intimidating. Fortunately, Steves has a method for this as well. Coming in towards the end of the evening, Steves will "often sit down and let the chef/owner cook me up whatever he wants me to experience. These chefs seem to thoroughly enjoy taking off their apron, washing up, and sitting down to share a glass of wine with their last customer of the day — that's me — eating their favorite dishes." This may be a little out of your comfort zone, but it will be well worth it. One of Steves' bold travel tips is to do something that stretches you and makes the European experience come more alive. And in Italy, there's hardly a better way to do this than to get on a chef's good side.