It is an almost-understandable shock when you get to Italy and they charge you for bottled water without even offering you free tap water, and you order a soda and they give you, like, a dollhouse bottle of coke and no refills.
Lots of Americans, who have been girding themselves for their big Europe trip with perimeter defences to ward off thieves, and who are nearly peeing themselves at the thought of possibly having to bargain down prices (because most Americans are like me, and would rather pay 10% more to get out of having to actually talk to someone at the store), find such beverage-related practices to be unfair.
So here is a little reminder, to help quell that sense of burning injustice that you were made to pay two euros extra for your drinks:
The food is twice as good at half the cost.
Neapolitan Pizza in New York City? $27 with all the free tap water and ice cubes you want. Neapolitan Pizza in Milan? 6€ but noooooo freebies.
So, you know, bottoms up.