Is Mark Zuckerberg's Poor Tipping the Reason Italy Hates Jews?
Earlier today, Business Insider's Henry Blodget asked readers a "serious question": Why do people hate Jews? While it may not be the catchall Blodget was looking for, it seems a habit of not tipping is the reason Italy hates at least one Jew: Mark Zuckerberg.
The founder of Facebook was honeymooning with his "now-wife" Priscilla Chan in Rome when the couple stopped by Nonna Betta — a kosher restaurant in Rome's Jewish Ghetto known for its deep-fried artichokes.
Enjoying the meal to satiety — "I asked him 'how was it?' and he said 'very good'," the owner told a reporter — the pair paid for their meal and left. But to the establishment's surprise and chagrin, the Zuckerbergs opted not to part with a single euro's worth beyond what was written at the bottom of their bill.
This was reportedly a repeat of a similar tipping snub that took place the previous night at the historic trattoria Pierluigi.
Italians are said to be quite upset about the two "international incidents." At least one Italian daily, Corriere della Sera, lambasted the billionaire for his lack of gratuity, and threw in a shot at Chan for free, claiming Italian Internet users had dubbed her "Chansaccodesoldi" — or "she's got a sack of cash," per The Guardian.
For what it's worth, the owner isn't mad at Zuck, who, according to him, was simply "in a hurry."
