Italy's 60-year tradition lets some diners take restaurant plates home

Imagine finishing a meal at an Italian restaurant and leaving with the plate on which your food was served. It sounds unusual, but for more than six decades, a group of Italian restaurants has turned this simple piece of tableware into a lasting souvenir. Known as the Piatti del Buon Ricordo, or “Plates of Good Memory”, the tradition began in 1964 with an idea to promote Italy's regional cuisine and encourage diners to discover local specialities. Participating restaurants offer specially designed ceramic plates featuring images linked to their signature dishes, restaurants or surrounding areas. Diners who order the designated speciality can take the commemorative plate home, creating a physical reminder of their meal and journey. More than 60 years after the tradition began, the practice continues across Italy and beyond.How Italy turned restaurant plates into souvenirsThe story began in 1964, when advertising executive and cultural promoter Dino Villani helped establish the Unione Ristoranti del Buon Ricordo. Twelve restaurants came together in Milan in April that year to promote an idea centred on Italy's regional cooking. At the time, traditional regional cuisine was competing ...