Why Food in Cafes Has Become More Expensive: Restaurateurs Named Two Main Reasons

After the cancellation of the separate service charge in restaurants and cafes in Kyrgyzstan, social media users and experts began to notice an increase in dish prices. In response, the Restaurant Business Association provided clarifications, pointing to two main reasons related to both recent legislative changes and economic factors.

According to association representatives, the first reason is that the previously charged service fee was not considered a tip or an additional charge, but rather covered a significant portion of the establishments' operating costs. With the introduction of the ban on separate charging of this fee, cafes and restaurants were forced to include these expenses in the cost of dishes, which led to price increases.

Additionally, the second important reason is the rise in the cost of operating catering enterprises. The association notes that there is an increase in the prices of food products, rent, logistics, utilities, and an increase in wages for employees, which also affects the final price of dishes for customers.