13 Apr 2023
Pros - The beauty of the lunch ticket is that you can come AT YOUR LEISURE, any hour you like. If your lunch slot is 2 PM, you can enter the museum when it opens. This is incredible flexibility for those who are coming straight from a flight or train and you are not quite certain when you may set foot in the Vatican. We purchased this only because regular tickets were sold out, but with the free lunch and flexible entrance, this is well worth it.
Cons - The cafeteria is impossible to find and no staff members know where it is, or rather they think they know where it is and you end up on a wild goose chase up and down the stairs for almost half an hour. There are multiple eateries, the only staff that really knows where it are the employees at the restaurant in the center of the courtyard. The directions to find the cafeteria where you redeem your voucher is: Enter the museum, go up the spiral steps or escalator. Walk up towards the windows, you will pass the bookstore will be to your right. To your left is the entrance to the museum and the courtyard with the pinecone. To your right, go down a set of new stairs towards the cafeteria or the exit and bathrooms. The cafeteria is a food court set up, you can only redeem your voucher at one of the cashiers. There will be signs to the cashier where you redeem your voucher.
The process was incredibly confusing on what items you were entitled to. Get the pasta and vegetarian rice dish, water bottles chips and fruit. It's edible.