Saturday 9 February 2013

Caffè sospeso

I came across this idea via @SturdyAlex on twitter:

A tradition in the cafés of Naples is to order a caffè sospeso – literally, a coffee "in suspense" (aka. caffè pagato, or "paid coffee") – as a sign of your good fortune. When a sospeso is ordered, the customer pays for two coffees, but only receives one. That way, when a person who is homeless or otherwise down on their luck walks into the café, the person can ask if there are any coffees held in suspense, and can have one as a courtesy of the first customer. Though the custom has been a part of Neapolitan society for many years, it is somewhat less common today.

I think this is a wonderful idea as someone who can't get by without coffee and a great way to give someone who needs it, a lift. Can we introduce this in the UK?

5 comments:

Twenty_Rothmans said...

I think that I already do.

I work twice as hard as I need to to feed the untermenschen, who resent me for my relatively-highly paid job and my ability to use the correct cutlery.

It is unlike you to laud something that rewards someone for doing the square root of FA. Who are you, and what have you done with OTC?

Anonymous said...

Nice one! As it happens I frequent a cafe-restaurant owned by Napoliani. I will try that next time (buy one, not ask for one).

Obnoxio The Clown said...

Twenty_Rothmans: ANYONE can be down on their luck and voluntary charity is infinitely preferable to coercive wealth redistribution.

gladiolys said...

Would you trust Starbuck's to pass on a free coffee?

Obnoxio The Clown said...

Yes, I think they would. Awesome PR for them.