restaurant culture in Italy

I was talking to somebody recently who told me they found the service in some restaurants in Italy a little unfriendly at times. I know what he meant but understanding the culture of Italy helps a lot.
A waiters job is seen as a profession and wages are reasonable and fixed much of the time, Italians are not so big on tipping and food is always expected to be of a certain standard, the hours are often very long so sometimes waiters can seem to be a little laconic and lackadaisical but, hey don’t worry, its nothing personal.
Restaurants are for eating a meal and ordering only a plate of pasta is like going for dinner in the U.K and ordering only a plate of chips, the waiter may serve a child with it but think an adult should go to a snack bar if they just wanted a snack, unfortunately that’s what waiters think in some places in Italy.
Ordering Spag Bol is like ordering a steak with a banana on top. Sure we could serve it but they don’t go together very well. Try some mushrooms or chips with your steak, try some pappardelle or tagliatelle alla Bolognese.
Trust the waiter, it’s his job to feed you and leave you satisfied. ‘Che cosa mangiamo stasera?’ i.e ‘What are we eating tonight?’ is a good one, and it’s nearly always good value for money. However, I’m not sure if this works in the over touristy areas any more
By the way, English is NOT the most common language on Planet Earth.

So…the next time you fancy a spag Bol for lunch in a sunny beach side restaurant on the Adriatic Coast and the surly waiter huffs at you, drops his shoulder and raises his eyebrow, ignore the cranky git and order what you want anyway. At least you know what’s bugging him, its just the culture, he can’t help it.