First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Amangeldiev stated that catering establishments are not allowed to include a 15% service charge in the cost of their dishes. He announced this information at a parliamentary meeting.
According to Amangeldiev, legislation requires that service fees be voluntary. "The cancellation of the 15% charge was part of measures to protect consumer rights. We conducted the necessary calculations and are working with the service sector. Including this amount in the bill is a violation of consumer rights. As is known, the catering sector has shown significant price increases recently," he noted.
Earlier, the Ministry of Economy reported that cafes and restaurants should optimize their prices and introduce a 10% discount on orders, as well as for takeout meals.
The Antimonopoly Service held a roundtable with participants from the catering market in Bishkek, where issues of pricing for services were discussed. The event was led by Zhenaly Orozbaev, the head of the agency, with the participation of employees from the Ministry of Economy, the HoReCa Club Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs, as well as entrepreneurs.
At the meeting, participants discussed changes that took effect on January 1, according to which:
it is prohibited to charge separately for service, dish presentation, table setting, and other actions by the staff from the total order cost;
all elements of catering services must be included in the price indicated in the menu or price list;
the final payment amount must not differ from the amount calculated according to the publicly presented price list.
It is important to note that the sale of dishes and services must correspond to the menu, where the price per portion and weight in grams are indicated. At the same time, prices for dishes are set by the entrepreneurs themselves.
The Antimonopoly Service emphasized the inadmissibility of unjustified price increases. In January, a price increase for dishes was recorded, with some establishments raising prices by more than 15 percent.
Representatives of the restaurant business noted that starting January 1, the service charge is not collected separately. According to them, the price review was prompted by the following factors:
increased rent;
rising utility tariffs and the cost of fuel and lubricants;
increased prices for products used in the cooking process;
increased operating expenses, including the purchase of inventory (dishes, napkins, sanitary and hygiene supplies, etc.);
increased wages for cafe and restaurant workers, as well as tax burdens.
Participants of the roundtable agreed on the necessity of price optimization.
The HoReCa Club Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs will prepare analytical information in the coming days to submit to the Antimonopoly Service for the joint development of price stabilization mechanisms.
