He’s entitled to refuse service to anyone. I don’t have a problem with his sign. Don’t eat or drink there. It’s his loss in the long run.
When I look at the hand-lettered sign, it strikes me that it’s kind of shaky — like an elderly person’s handwriting. Maybe the person who owns it doesn’t want those tour buses pulling in and filling up his place and placing too much demand on his staff. Maybe he just wants a quiet little pub filled with locals. And maybe his experience with American tourists is that they are loud. I haven’t travelled in so long — I don’t know how people behave on a vacation overseas.
You have good insight. I hadn’t thought about it perhaps being owned by someone who was old and just didn’t want to be overwhelmed.
I have traveled extensively and am mortified at The Ugly American. Yes, they are loud, obnoxious and dress like homeless people. They have no qualms about discussing very loudly what is wrong with the place they are in, how bad the food is and how ‘ya just can’t get a good haaaarrrrd roll’ in Europe. I despise them too and will speak Italian so as not to be painted with the same brush. That being said, I have been at a quaint hotel in Florence where American high school teenagers spent the night. They were served the breakfast paid for with their tour but, decided to raid the continental breakfast laid out for the hotel guests and completely emptied it, leaving nothing for the hotel customers. It was beyond disgusting.