Italian pizzeria owner apologizes for mocking Taiwanese tourists

An Italian restaurant owner has issued a video apology to the Taiwanese community following a wave of negative online reviews sparked by his criticism of a tour group’s dining habits.

Patrizio Pazzini, owner of Pizza Dal Pazzo, posted a video statement on TikTok last Friday declaring that he “loves Taiwan” and respects its people. This apology came days after he uploaded footage of himself complaining that a group of 16 Taiwanese tourists had ordered only five pizzas and three beers to share at his establishment.

Insulting paying customers: In the original video, which Pazzini filmed and narrated, he expressed frustration to a colleague that the large party was occupying a table while ordering a minimal amount of food. When he approached the table and the tourists identified themselves as being from Taiwan, Pazzini was recorded telling them to “go home” and referring to them as “damn Chinese” (“cinesi di merda”). The tourists, seemingly unaware of the insults being spoken in Italian, were filmed smiling and posing with peace signs. Pazzini further mocked the group by sarcastically praising their frugality to his camera while they remained oblivious to his commentary.

A clash of dining customs: The conflict appears to have stemmed from a sharp cultural divide: Italians typically view pizza as an individual entree, whereas Taiwanese dining culture prioritizes sharing multiple dishes among a group. The tourists were likely unaware that occupying sixteen seats while ordering only five pizzas is considered a breach of local etiquette that significantly reduces the restaurant’s revenue per table.

Onslaught of angry reviews: The video gained significant traction within Taiwanese social media circles and news outlets, leading to a concentrated effort by netizens to leave negative ratings on the restaurant’s Google and TripAdvisor pages. Netizens who viewed the owner’s conduct as xenophobic pointed out that Pazzini could have simply explained the restaurant’s minimum order policy or dining etiquette instead of resorting to public shaming and racial slurs.

Attempt at damage control: In response to the backlash, Pazzini deleted the original footage and released a 46-second apology video. In it, he attempted to pivot from his earlier hostility by shouting “I love China, I love Taiwan” and praising the tourists as “wonderful people.” He also used the phrase “China fighting, Taiwan fighting” (“jiayou”), a common expression of encouragement in Mandarin.

Despite the gesture, online reactions remain skeptical, with many commenters noting the apology appeared motivated by the threat to his business rather than genuine remorse. The mayor of Montecatini Terme, Claudio Del Rosso, has since distanced the city from Pazzini’s remarks, announcing plans to meet with Taiwanese representatives to repair the destination’s image.