Audrey Patisserie in Oderzo, Italy under fire for charging customer 9p to cut a croissant in half
A fancy coffee shop has been swamped with protests after a fed-up customer revealed how she was charged extra for having her croissant cut in half.
The customer had bought two coffees and a pastry for breakfast at the Audrey Patisserie in Oderzo, northern Italy, on July 27. She asked staff to cut it in two so she could share it with her mother.
She did not notice the extra 10 cents charge until she looked at the bill when she got home.
Furious, the customer, not named in local media, shared it online saying: "It's not about the cost, it's the principle."
Within hours the post spread like wildfire triggering an avalanche of criticism from social media users.
One user called 'gimmy' wrote: "You have to hate your customers to charge them €0.10 to cut a croissant in half. A total lack of elegance, refinement, and empathy. They should bring hotel management students to your restaurant to show them how not to treat your customers. Pathetic."
And 'Valentina Mastronardi' said: "Disgusting cappuccino and they ask 10 cents to cut a croissant in half, never again, how squalid."
Then 'Folletto Vola' added: "EUR 0.10 what a disgrace... just to cut a croissant!!!"
Under siege cafe owner Massimiliano Viotto protested: "We were flooded with one-star reviews from people who have never even visited our shop. Our Google rating dropped from 4.5 to 3.5, but we’re confident it will recover with time and dedication."
He denied that the charge, worth about 9p, was a rip-off, even though the cost does not appear on the menu.
Viotto claimed that the extra money was to cover the use of an extra plate and napkin and for the "skill" needed to cut a pastry in half.
Bafflingly one photo from the eaterie shows a counter worker simply snipping through a pastry with a pair of scissors while she steadies it with a fork.
He said: "It's not a scam. It is a conscious choice that we defend with pride."
Restaurants and cafes in Italy have become notorious for loading on charges for extras, especially in the summer holiday season.
Last year a customer told how she was charged GBP 50 to cut her own birthday cake by a restaurant in Arezzo, Italy.
Story: NewsX