Fresh Meat for Florentine Restaurants

As I mentioned today, I ate dinner in the Piazza Republica. The restaurant had a great deal. Any dish on the menu and any drink of your choice (including wine or beer) for 10 euro. That sounds like a good buy for me.. considering a glass of wine usually costs at least 4 euro.

One of the waiters told me about the deal and I said I'd come back. So a few hours of shopping later, I returned ready to eat. As I walked through the square I wasn't sure where the entrance was. I walked up to one enclosed patio attached to a restaurant (I'm amazed that Italians actually still put out the outdoor seating in the winter when it's about 40 degrees outside. Even more amazed when I see groups of people eating there!) and my waiter friend came out from an enclosed patio adjacent to the one I was headed toward.

As I redirected my path. A waiter (from the first restaurant I approached) in a red jacket (even the wait staff is well dressed here. If you go into a pasticceria - a pastry shop that sells croissants and gelato and sandwiches, they're sometimes fully clad in suits!) ran toward me where he started waving me in and called, "Come into my restaurant, it's better!" in English.

I felt bad having to turn him down but the wallet dictates the meals.