The Antimonopoly Regulation Service under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic held a round table dedicated to the issues of price formation in the public catering sector among cafes and restaurants in Bishkek. The event was led by Zhen Orozbaev, the head of the service, and gathered representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the HoReCa Club Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs, as well as local entrepreneurs.
During the discussion, changes that came into effect on January 1, 2026, regarding the Government Resolution of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 560 dated September 30, 2014, were considered. The main points of the new requirements include:
- service charges, dish serving fees, and other actions by staff cannot be charged separately from the main cost of the order;
- the total cost of public catering services must be reflected in the menu, price list, or other document available to the customer before placing an order;
- the final price must correspond to the amount stated in the publicly available price list.
It was also noted that the provision of public catering services is carried out according to the menu or assortment list, which indicates prices per unit or portion, as well as the weight of the portion in grams. The formation of prices for dishes remains at the discretion of the entrepreneurs.
At the same time, the Antimonopoly Regulation Service emphasized the inadmissibility of unjustified price increases. In January 2026, a rise in prices for public catering services was recorded, with some establishments increasing prices by more than 15%.
Representatives of cafes and restaurants confirmed that starting from January 1, 2026, the service charge is not listed as a separate line in the bill. They also noted that the review of dish prices was caused by increased expenses, including:
- rise in rent;
- increase in utility tariffs and the cost of fuel and lubricants;
- increase in prices for food products for cooking dishes;
- growth in operating expenses, including the purchase of inventory;
- increase in employee wages and tax burden.
Given the importance of the issue, the round table participants agreed on the following actions:
- optimize prices for public catering services;
- implement discounts of 10% on orders and takeout of ready-made dishes.
“The HoReCa Club Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs will soon provide the Antimonopoly Regulation Service with analytical data, based on which mechanisms for price stabilization will be developed,” the agency emphasized.
In conclusion, the Antimonopoly Regulation Service once again reminded of the necessity of strict compliance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, protection of consumer rights, and fulfillment of the requirements of the Law “On Consumer Rights Protection.”
