Ministry prepares regulation: Mandatory service charges in cafes and restaurants are being abolished

Recently, the increase in table charge practices by some cafes and restaurants, particularly in Istanbul, has led to intense complaints from consumers. Following this situation, the Ministry of Trade has taken action to protect consumer rights.

According to a report by Türkiye Gazetesi, the ministry had previously made a regulation change requiring that the prices of services offered at businesses be clearly stated at the entrance of the venue and on the tables. However, the fact that businesses began demanding additional payments such as table or per-person service charges led the ministry to draft a new regulation.

DETAILS OF THE NEW REGULATION

The prepared draft regulation prohibits the collection of additional payments from consumers under the name of service or table charges, excluding tips and cover charges. Thus, it will be ensured that customers only pay for the products they order.

According to the draft, payments outside of orders will be entirely based on a voluntary basis. By abolishing mandatory service charges, the tipping practice will be made voluntary. In this way, the economic interests of consumers will be protected and transparency in service provision will be ensured.

With these regulations, it is aimed to protect consumer rights and create a predictable structure in service provision. The ministry aims to prevent consumer grievances with these steps.

News Source: 12punto