Turkey has introduced sweeping new regulations banning hidden charges in restaurants, cafés, and other dining venues – a move that instantly reignited debate in neighboring Azerbaijan, where undisclosed service fees and unexpected additions to the bill remain common practice.
Under Turkey’s new rules, eateries may charge customers only the prices clearly listed on the menu. Popular add-ons like “service fees,” “table fees,” and similar surcharges are now illegal unless transparently disclosed.
The development has prompted many in Azerbaijan to ask: If Turkey can outlaw hidden payments, why can’t we?
“Service fees up to 15% – and no legal regulation”
According to Eyub Guliyev, chairman of the Free Consumers Union, the problem has sharply intensified in the last six years.
“We see restaurants charging service fees up to 15%,” he said.
“There is no legal framework, no specific regulation, and no prohibition. When consumers complain to state bodies, they are told restaurants may set these fees at their own discretion.”
The lack of clear rules, he added, has created a climate where rates vary widely and consumer rights are routinely violated.
Concert fees added to the bill – without warning
One of the most controversial practices, Guliyev says, is restaurants shifting entertainment costs directly onto customers.
“Some venues invite expensive singers, and then include the performer’s fee in the customers’ bills without telling anyone,” he explained.
Face control, gender restrictions, and “extra charges for sea view tables”
Beyond hidden service fees, other problematic practices persist:
Face control – customers denied entry based on looks
Gender discrimination – men not allowed in without a female companion
Extra fees – up to 20 manats for tables “with a sea view”
None of these practices are regulated by any binding national standard.
Who is responsible for oversight?
In Azerbaijan, enforcement formally lies with the State Service for Antimonopoly Control and Consumer Market Supervision.
If a service fee is not listed in the menu, the agency has grounds to apply sanctions – but the absence of unified standards limits its effectiveness.
Experts call for urgent regulatory reform
Guliyev believes the solution must come from systemic change:
“Given these issues, state agencies need to regulate this sphere and ensure proper consumer protection.”
Until then, hidden fees, inconsistent service charges, and surprise add-ons will likely continue to frustrate diners across the country.
