Italy Creates Restaurant Day to Honor a Growing Industry

Italy’s restaurant sector, which has grown even as neighborhood retail has shrunk sharply over the past decade, is getting formal recognition from the state. The Senate has given final approval to a law establishing the “Giornata della Ristorazione,” or Restaurant Day, on May 16, giving the industry an official place in Italy’s civic calendar and acknowledging its economic and cultural role.

The measure comes at a time when local commerce has been under pressure. According to Nomisma’s first Observatory on Reciprocity and Local Commerce, more than 86,000 neighborhood shops disappeared between 2015 and 2025. Over the same period, restaurants posted revenue growth of 54.6%, ahead of bars at 51.2% and food and beverage stores at 44.4%. The sector also expanded structurally, with local units up 26.2%, or more than 55,000 additional businesses, and employment up 69.4%.

For Italy’s wine and food industries, the restaurant trade remains a key outlet for sales and a central link between producers and consumers. It is also a social presence in towns and cities, supporting local economies while helping preserve regional food traditions.

Lino Enrico Stoppani, president of Fipe-Confcommercio, said Parliament deserved credit for approving a law that adds a day dedicated to restaurants to the national calendar. He singled out Luca Squeri, the Forza Italia deputy who first introduced the bill in the Chamber of Deputies, and praised lawmakers across party lines for backing the initiative. Stoppani said the approval recognizes the sector’s economic, social and cultural value and expressed hope that it will lead to a broader strategy to address the industry’s daily challenges.

The law gives new weight to this year’s edition of Restaurant Day, now in its fourth year. The event will be held on May 16 in Italy and abroad, with its program expected to be announced in the coming days.