Price List Rules for Restaurants and Cafes in Turkey

The Ministry of Trade published the price list rule in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) dated 19 December 2023, issue 32404, and it came into force on 1 January 2024. Before the change, Article 8 of the Price Tag Regulation only required tariffs and price lists to be hung, fixed or placed somewhere in the premises where consumers could easily see and read them.

The new rule made it mandatory that in premises serving food and drink, tariffs and price lists are hung, fixed or placed in front of the entrance door and on top of the tables where service is given, so that consumers can easily see and read them.

In practice, from 1 January 2024 every eatery, restaurant, cafe and patisserie has to put its price list both at the entrance and on the tables. One of the two is not enough: the list has to be in both places.

The change made life easier for guests and was well received on social media the day it was published. At the same time, some people raised concerns about the environmental cost, since it could mean a lot more printed paper.

Where things stand now: what has changed since 2024?

When the rule first came out, nobody was quite sure where QR menus stood or what the penalties would be. Both questions now have answers in official texts. The Price Tag Regulation was amended twice more, in 2025 and in 2026, and you can read the current version on the Legislation Information System.

• 1 January 2024: With Official Gazette issue 32404, the price list had to be in front of the entrance door and on top of the tables.
• 11 October 2025: The amendment published in Official Gazette issue 33044 took effect the same day. If a venue has more than one entrance, each door now needs its own list, the list on the tables can be shown through a QR code, and every product offered for sale has to appear on the list.
• 30 January 2026: The amendment published in Official Gazette issue 33153 banned asking for any extra payment under the name of a service charge, table charge or cover charge. This change also took effect on the day it was published.

Can a QR menu count as the price list?

Yes. Since 11 October 2025, eateries, restaurants, cafes and patisseries can show the table price list to guests through a QR code. If a guest asks for it, though, you still have to hand over the price list separately. The QR option applies to tables only: the rule for a list in front of the entrance stays exactly as it was. The Ministry of Trade announcement of 13 October 2025 describes the same framework.

It is now also an explicit requirement that every product you serve appears on the list. That is why your QR menu has to match the products and prices on your till. Ritapos's free QR menu pulls products and prices from the same system you sell with. When you change a price at the till, the QR menu on the table shows the same amount, so a guest never runs into an old price.

The same amendment also introduced a duty to transfer price list data to an electronic system that will be set up, for eateries, restaurants, cafes and patisseries meeting criteria the Ministry will define. Under the regulation, businesses in scope have three months to transfer their lists to the system once the procedures and principles are announced on the Ministry's official website. We recommend following the Ministry's announcements to see who is covered and how the transfer will work.

Can you charge a service, table or cover fee?

No. Since 30 January 2026, eateries, cafes, restaurants, patisseries and similar venues cannot ask guests for any extra payment called a service charge, table charge, cover charge or anything similar. The regulation reserves the provision in Article 51 of Labor Law No. 4857. According to the Ministry's announcement, such extra charges cannot appear on the menu or the price list, and you cannot charge for cover items brought to the table without being ordered. The only extra a guest pays is a voluntary one, such as a tip.

What is the fine for a venue that does not comply?

According to the Ministry of Trade announcement, failing to meet the price tag and price list obligations in 2026 brings an administrative fine of 3,973 TL for each breach. The number of breaches is counted by the number of products missing from the list or shown wrongly, so forgetting to add even a few items can multiply the fine. The Ministry has also said that price lists in eateries, restaurants, cafes and patisseries are being inspected closely.

Quick checklist

• A price list stands in front of the entrance, and if you have more than one door, each door has its own list.
• Every table has a printed list or a QR code, and a printed list can be handed over straight away if a guest asks.
• Every product you serve is on the list with the correct price.
• There is no service, table or cover charge line on the menu.

Running through these points regularly keeps you out of trouble at inspections and gives guests a reason to trust your prices.

For device integration, see the cash register integrations page.

Related product page: e-adisyon (Turkey's electronic guest check).

Related product page: guest check software.

When the price list is missing from the table, the complaint tends to end up on social media. Our post on handling negative reviews on social media covers this in detail.