The upcoming ban on separate service charges in restaurants, cafes, and other food establishments will not lead to higher menu prices. Adilet Zhumabekov, senior specialist at the Antimonopoly Policy Department of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan, said on Birinchi Radio.
Zhumabekov reminded that, under the Cabinet of Ministers’ new resolution, all service fees must be included in the listed menu prices.
«Starting January 1, 2026, restaurants, cafes, and other food establishments will be prohibited from charging separately for service, table setting, or any other staff actions beyond the base price of the order. All services must be included in the menu price before the order is placed,» he said.
Previously, many establishments added a 10–20 percent service fee to the total bill.
The official assured that no significant price increases are expected:
«Those 15–20 percent were never fixed by any regulation. Businesses simply added them as a ‘service charge.’ Now this is banned — the costs will be reflected in the listed dish prices, alongside rent, utilities, and staff wages.»
Under the new rules, waitstaff must receive a fixed salary rather than depend on service charges.
Effective January 1, 2026, restaurants, cafes, and other food service establishments in Kyrgyzstan will be prohibited from charging fees for service, serving dishes, table setting, and other staff actions separate from the basic cost of the order. The resolution was adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers.
According to the document, all services must be included in the price indicated on the menu/price list before the order is placed. The final payment must not differ from the amount calculated based on the publicly available price list.
Food service establishments are advised to align their menus, price lists, cash registers, and software solutions and eliminate any service charges by the specified deadline.
