This Italian City Wants to Ban Late-night Eating — What to Know

The new rule is aimed at “protecting the tranquility” of the northern Italian city and “guaranteeing the use, by everyone, of the public space in some areas affected by nightlife,” according to the Municipality of Milan. Under the regulation, all take-away food would be banned after 12 a.m., and outdoor dining would stop after 12:30 a.m. in residential neighborhoods and stop after 1:30 a.m. on weekends and public holidays.

“[The] objective is to find a balance between socialism and entertainment, tranquility and health of residents,” Marco Granelli, the city’s deputy mayor for security, wrote in a Facebook post, adding, “We believe in a lively city, where young and less young people have spaces to stay together.”

Granelli said if the new rules receive final approval, they would go into effect in mid-May. The rule would apply to 12 districts in the city, including popular neighborhoods like Brera, Darsena-Navigli, Isola, and more.

The new rules, however, are not popular with everyone in the city.

“If an Italian family goes out for a pizza and wants to go for a walk after and have a gelato, they will be fined under this ordinance,” Marco Barbieri, the secretary general for the Milan branch of the Italian retailers’ association, Confcommercio, told CNN, adding it goes “against common sense.”

Barbieri added the midnight cut-off is too early since many young people don’t even think about going out for dinner before 10 p.m., especially in the summer.

This is not the first time the city has tried to implement a law like this, CNN reported. In 2013, a similar measure was discarded following significant public backlash and a protest movement (appropriately) called “Occupy Gelato.”