This might just be the most Italian coffee story you’ll hear this year: a single cup of decaf in Florence sent a customer into an espresso-fueled outrage. Police, fines, and national coffee pride—welcome to a cautionary tale brewed in the heart of Italy, where coffee is no laughing matter… unless you’re telling this story at your next aperitivo.
An Ordinary Coffee Break Takes an Unexpected Turn
May 16, 2022. Florence. Picture a small café, Ditta Artigianale, the kind of place where every bean is cherished. A customer walks in and orders a decaf espresso—a move that in itself might raise an eyebrow among hard-core Italian coffee lovers. He drinks his coffee, ever unaware of the drama that’s about to unfold. When it comes time to pay, he blinks at the price: two euros for his simple cup. For some, it’s just an extra euro. For him, it’s a call to arms.
Seeing red, the customer does what only a true Italian could—he calls the police. The officers respond, not just in person, but with full force: the café manager is handed a crisp, stinging fine of 1,000 euros. If that seems steep for serving coffee, remember—this is Italy, and coffee is sacred.
The café manager, clearly reeling from the ordeal, took to Instagram and recounted his misadventure for all to see. After all, what’s a modern-day crisis without a social media post?
Behind the Bean: Why the Police Intervened
So, why such a dramatic response to an overpriced cup? The law, it turns out, sided with the customer—but not on grounds of coffee passion. The official reason? The price of the espresso was not displayed on the menu, tucked away somewhere behind the counter. Transparency is key, especially when it comes to Italy’s most popular beverage.
And popular it is. Coffee is the beverage in Italy—ubiquitous, beloved, and fiercely defended. The country even applied to have their iconic espresso granted status by UNESCO, as if to declare to the world: we take our coffee culture so seriously, it’s a part of our heritage. Normally, an espresso sells for just about one euro, a price as classic as Roman ruins.
The Cost of Tradition: Why Two Euros Was Too Much
Here’s where things get “a bit too much coffee,” as the locals say. The beverage sold by Ditta Artigianale that day was exactly double the usual going rate. That’s why the customer felt not just mildly irritated, but downright wronged. In Florence, a euro can mean the difference between a ritual and a rip-off.
This incident did not go unnoticed. In fact, a transalpine coffee consumers’ association, quoted by the British newspaper The Guardian, warned that such prices could, unfortunately, become more and more common. What’s driving this fear?
- Skyrocketing inflation, which saw a jump of 6.2% in April
- Supply problems—when beans don’t arrive, neither does a cheap espresso
- Poor coffee harvests, squeezing everyone from grower to grinder
The result? Some estimate the price of a traditional espresso could reach 1.50 euros this year alone.
Can Italians Swallow Higher Coffee Prices?
The manager of Ditta Artigianale has his own perspective—he believes no one should be scandalized by paying two euros or more for an espresso. Yet, with 30 million cups consumed every day in Italy, it’s understandable that a price hike stirs strong feelings. After all, when a daily pleasure is threatened, it turns personal.
Summing up, the saga at Ditta Artigianale is more than one man versus his decaf. It’s a shot across the bow in a larger debate about tradition, inflation, and what happens when cherished rituals face the pressure of changing times. If you ever find yourself in Florence, remember: when it comes to coffee, check the menu prices, hold the drama—and if in doubt, maybe order a regular espresso instead.
John is a curious mind who loves to write about diverse topics. Passionate about sharing his thoughts and perspectives, he enjoys sparking conversations and encouraging discovery. For him, every subject is an invitation to discuss and learn.
