Caffè sospeso

The tradition began in the working-class cafés of Naples, where someone who had experienced good luck would order a sospeso, paying the price of two coffees but receiving and consuming only one.

[2][6] The idea has been reported in cafés in Bulgaria,[7] Ukraine,[2] Australia,[1] Canada,[8] Romania,[9] Russia,[10] Spain,[11] Argentina,[12] the United States,[13] and Costa Rica.

There are accounts of the practice reviving in southern Italy, and not just for coffee, as a response to economic hardship caused by the 2020 COVID-19 lock-down.

[20] The caffè sospeso has been identified as a symbol of grassroots social solidarity, prompting its revival in response to the 2008 recession and ensuing eurozone crisis.

[22] A collection of Italian arts festivals emphasising social solidarity in 2010 came together under the umbrella "Rete del Caffè Sospeso".

Container in a Naples cafe, where customers can place a receipt for a second unserved coffee, for a later customer to retrieve and claim