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Waiter dropped a pizza on me and caused a burn and ruined my dress (Joe browns) what is the least you would expect?

327 replies

snoopywife · 11/08/2026 08:51

this happened yesterday. We just arrived in Pisa and went for lunch. The waiter brought the food over and as he was leaning over an entire, burning hot pizza slid off the plate and all down me. He apologised and started crying so went inside. I have a nasty burn on my tummy, plus it ruined my dress, bag and trainers. We were given a bill for the full amount, and we queried it with the manager. What would you expect in this situation?

OP posts:
Dexternight · 11/08/2026 12:21

YoQuieroDormir · 11/08/2026 12:17

So it only classes as ‘harm’ if it’s life changing?
I think you need a dictionary.

“Classes” as a verb should be “classifies.” I think it’s you who needs the dictionary.

Sereine · 11/08/2026 12:22

Other issues apart, this is just such stupid conduct on the part of the restaurant. They could so easily have apologised profusely, waived the bill and given the OP money for cleaning costs etc, and everyone would have left feeling reasonably well disposed towards them.

As it is, they now have a number of people who will, if they have any sense, leave bad reviews and spread the word about their unpleasant experience. Chances are that the other people nearby will do the same. If they depend on tourist trade, it's not the greatest way to advertise.

Sereine · 11/08/2026 12:25

Dexternight · 11/08/2026 12:21

“Classes” as a verb should be “classifies.” I think it’s you who needs the dictionary.

No. "Class" has been used as a verb since the 17th century. That usage is fully accepted and well established.

itsbinmadness · 11/08/2026 12:25

This reply has been deleted

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Sereine · 11/08/2026 12:25

itsbinmadness · 11/08/2026 12:18

I don’t know what type of person you are but I’ve spent a lot of time in Italy and never had the police called on me!

But then, nor has the OP had the police called on her.

SpaceRaccoon · 11/08/2026 12:25

Sereine · 11/08/2026 12:22

Other issues apart, this is just such stupid conduct on the part of the restaurant. They could so easily have apologised profusely, waived the bill and given the OP money for cleaning costs etc, and everyone would have left feeling reasonably well disposed towards them.

As it is, they now have a number of people who will, if they have any sense, leave bad reviews and spread the word about their unpleasant experience. Chances are that the other people nearby will do the same. If they depend on tourist trade, it's not the greatest way to advertise.

I think restaurants in very touristy areas can get away with all sorts tbh - they don't have to rely on return custom, just screw as much from the passing trade as possible.

Sereine · 11/08/2026 12:28

This thread is clearly attracting people who are just making stupid posts to provoke a reaction, I suggest ignoring them.

Whiteshapelz · 11/08/2026 12:31

Have you holiday insurance.
Allowing the police to be called and getting a report would have been very useful for holiday insurance.
An awful thing to happen.
I would imagine painful.
You can still go to the police and report it yourself.

Gooseling · 11/08/2026 12:32

SpaceRaccoon · 11/08/2026 12:25

I think restaurants in very touristy areas can get away with all sorts tbh - they don't have to rely on return custom, just screw as much from the passing trade as possible.

Exactly.

Tourist trap restaurants, who have customers from all over the globe, don’t care about Google/Trip Advisor reviews. They don’t need them. They’ve probably never even looked at them.

What happened was an unfortunate accident. The OP should not have been charged at the very least and should have been seen by a first aider. However, this is Italy and not the UK. Management didn’t give a shit about the OP, all they wanted to do was take payment and get the next hungry tourists in ASAP.

Gooseling · 11/08/2026 12:34

Whiteshapelz · 11/08/2026 12:31

Have you holiday insurance.
Allowing the police to be called and getting a report would have been very useful for holiday insurance.
An awful thing to happen.
I would imagine painful.
You can still go to the police and report it yourself.

Edited

With all due respect, the Italian police would laugh the OP out of the station if she went to report a restaurant for its waiter dropping a pizza on her lap.

ifonly4 · 11/08/2026 12:35

I wasn't injured, but the waiter at our local curry house tripped and spilt red wine over my coat. Immediate apology, manager was in vacinity and came straight over asking me to drop my coat off the next day, so they could get dry cleaned at their expense. In this country a lot of businesses have a first aider, so if you were in a setting here with one, they'd normally ask if you wanted initial assessment and basic treatment by their first aider.

Dumbledora8 · 11/08/2026 12:35

This thread had brought out some utter bellends. Some pp must be really bored

itsbinmadness · 11/08/2026 12:38

OP can you provide a picture of the burn?

Any excess on the holiday insurance is likely to be more than the worth of the dress.

Poshjock · 11/08/2026 12:39

Morepositivemum · 11/08/2026 10:37

CoffeeCantata

your ‘but hey it was an accident’ given you worked in risk assessment- it sounds like you don’t believe in accidents- so basically you will always attribute blame to someone? Is that how all people in ra do their jobs? (Am actually curious!!!) You’ll never ever show empathy to the other person whose life was ruined? When we were growing up we were taught in most cases you shouldn’t be mad if it’s an accident because it could happen to everyone.

OK I'll bite.

There is a school of thought with RA / H&S that there is no such thing as an accident. Personally I agree, but in normal language the use of the word "accident" is subjective and arguing over its use is rarely useful.

We also do not like the word "blame" It is for a court to apportion blame and it has no place in investigation. Blame will always hamper any meaningful investigation and prevent access to truth. Looking at outcomes in an emotional sense is also rarely useful.

I also believe that accidents shouldn't happen to anyone. There is ALWAYS a causitive factor and usually there are several. Direct cause, indirect cause and contributory factors and indirect contributory factors. This is often known as the swiss cheese effect.

In this particular case, one could look at the training of the waiter, the equipment he uses, the layout of the area he was working, the temperature of the food when released from the press, his job description and area of responsibility, the restaurant manager qualifications and training, the response to the incident, the legal requirements surrounding response and reporting, etc, etc. Likely you would find inadequate training, supervision, poor equipment and maybe even temperature monitoring inadequacies. In my experience it is rarely the fault of the waiter, and often in my role I have advocated for people like him to prevent "blame" exercises from actually finding and rectifying cause.

H&S is actually about identifying risk and preventing reoccurrences.

If you are truly interested in this look up Human Factors and Root Cause Analysis. There are some fabulous videos from the Aviation industry, who lead the way early on meaning accident investigation.

My personal favourite example is below. A tremendously brave man who has used his own personal tragedy to help prevent others by applying the principles of aviation incident investigation within the NHS.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzlvgtPIof4

principalskinna · 11/08/2026 12:45

Joe Browns dresses are GOPPING. I think the waiter was sending yyou a message

I am unsure how a pizza can land on you for long enough to burn you through fabric

Temporal · 11/08/2026 12:49

Crying? Ffs, where do we get these men?

Ginmonkeyagain · 11/08/2026 12:50

An apology and some or all of the meal for free is the rright response here.

A few years ago we were out with friends to celebrate a birthday and the waitress dropped a tray of drinks behind me and some wine spashed on to my shoes and jacket.

The management apologised, cleaned up and gave all of us all deserts and a drink for free.

catsflorafauna · 11/08/2026 12:52

Take lots of pictures. Request medical advice from GP for healing if you get blisters. Give a couple more days, contact no win no fee solicitor-they need to request cctv for your case before it’s deleted likely a month, you will win they have not followed the legal health and safety procedure. Pretty basic tbh.

they should have filled in accident report form within 24 hours,
sent to RIDDOR,
offered you medical assistance, burn shield etc at the time of incident.

you will get a pay out. Shocking really.

SpaceRaccoon · 11/08/2026 12:54

principalskinna · 11/08/2026 12:45

Joe Browns dresses are GOPPING. I think the waiter was sending yyou a message

I am unsure how a pizza can land on you for long enough to burn you through fabric

Would you say that to someone irl, or is it just fun to be unpleasant online where you're safely anonymous?

SapphireSeptember · 11/08/2026 12:55

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Presumably they were waiting outside the launderette (in their campervan) for their clothes to finish washing/drying? Would it have been any different if they'd been waiting inside the launderette with the campervan parked outside?

Mangelwurzelfortea · 11/08/2026 12:55

Sereine · 11/08/2026 12:28

This thread is clearly attracting people who are just making stupid posts to provoke a reaction, I suggest ignoring them.

School's out for summer, if this thread is anything to go by!

Either that or there are loads of Italian pizzeria owners posting on MN today.

Bridesmaidorexfriend · 11/08/2026 12:56

Youhadrambledonfor18pages · 11/08/2026 11:07

Not nasty. You wouldn’t say White Stuff, Fat Face or Next in the title of a post because it’s not that special - it’s the same thing, mid-range high street.

FWIW I’ve never bought designer clothes (nor do I aspire to) and the majority of my clothes are not expensive either.

Edited

Why wouldn’t you? It gives an indication of cost.

chaosmaker · 11/08/2026 12:57

@snoopywife I'd definitely give them a bad review on as many sites as you can about how they handled this incident.

SpaceRaccoon · 11/08/2026 12:57

This reply has been deleted

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We were parked in the laundrette parking area. We're not fucking idiots.

chaosmaker · 11/08/2026 12:58

catsflorafauna · 11/08/2026 12:52

Take lots of pictures. Request medical advice from GP for healing if you get blisters. Give a couple more days, contact no win no fee solicitor-they need to request cctv for your case before it’s deleted likely a month, you will win they have not followed the legal health and safety procedure. Pretty basic tbh.

they should have filled in accident report form within 24 hours,
sent to RIDDOR,
offered you medical assistance, burn shield etc at the time of incident.

you will get a pay out. Shocking really.

Do they do it that way in Italy?