Turkiye’s Trade Ministry is preparing to ban so-called “cover charges” in restaurants and cafes, aiming to ensure that diners pay only for what they actually eat and drink, with no surprise additions to the bill.

Axar.az informs, citing Turkiye Today, under a planned amendment to the Price Label Regulation, consumers will be charged solely for menu-listed food and beverages at the lowest price publicly announced at the venue entrance, on the website, or on the menu itself.

According to the proposal, restaurants will no longer be allowed to add extra line items to the final bill, known locally as the adisyon (the printed check), such as service fees, cover charges, table fees, or mandatory gratuities.

A cover charge (known in Turkiye as "kuver") typically refers to a fixed fee added per person for items like bread, water, or table settings, regardless of what is ordered. A service fee or mandatory gratuity is an automatic percentage added to the bill, separate from voluntary tipping.