People may not have the money for a tip and are embarrassed at leaving a small tip. They think you'll think they “forgot” rather than they were cheap.
People Also Ask
The short answer is: There are no set rules for tipping in Italy. As a tourist, leaving a tip is a courteous gesture to reward the person who is serving you. It shows that you're satisfied with their help. Tipping is entirely up to you, and it isn't expected in many cases — but there are some exceptions.
Just like in cafes and coffee shops, tipping in bars is not expected in Italy, but leaving change for your server is not uncommon. Many locals tend to simply round off the bill, and leave the remainder for wait staff if they are satisfied with the service provided.
Restaurant tips are more modest in Europe than in America. At restaurants, check the menu to see if service is included; if it isn't, a tip of 5–10 percent is normal. In most places, 10 percent is a big tip. If your bucks talk at home, muzzle them on your travels.
Restaurants. Loathed as a master-serf custom of the caste-bound Old World that went back to the Middle Ages, tipping was blamed for encouraging servility and degrading America's democratic, puritanical, and anti-aristocratic ethic.