At Harry’s, it pays to be American

Harry’s Bar, Ernest Hemingway’s old haunt in Rome, is offering U.S. tourists a 20% discount on menu items. The offer doesn’t apply to drinks.

The classy, pricey restaurant near St. Mark’s Square now sports a sign citing Americans’ economic woes linked to the subprime loan crisis. But proprietor Arrigo Cipriani said the weak dollar is mainly what caused a sharp drop in the number of American diners, who normally make up about 40% of the clientele.

No need to show a passport, Cipriani said in a phone interview: “All we need to hear is their accent.”