Italian Olympic swimmer Elena Di Liddo has expressed outrage after being charged an additional €1.50 for having cherry tomatoes removed from her pizza at a restaurant in Bisceglie, a town in the Puglia region. The 31-year-old, who competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, shared her receipt on Instagram, highlighting the charge marked as 'no cherry tomatoes'.
Di Liddo questioned the legality of the charge, writing: 'Sitting in a pizzeria in Bisceglie and paying EUR 1.50 for something I didn't even eat is truly sad. Bordering on the legal?' She noted that this is part of a broader trend, having previously encountered bars in northern Italy that charge for water served with coffee.
The swimmer’s post has garnered significant attention, with many social media users condemning the practice. Some commenters suggested that the charge may be justified if removing ingredients requires extra time or affects preparation, but the majority agreed that customers are increasingly being exploited through such fees.
Di Liddo has won multiple medals in international competitions, including two bronze medals in the relay at the 2020 European Aquatics Championships and medals at the Mediterranean Games and Summer Universiade. Her Instagram following, built through her swimming success, helped amplify her complaint.
