The Portuguese Consumer Law Association (APDC) president today said the new ‘couverts’ law is failing.
Restaurants may not charge for couverts that have not been requested by customers. If they do, they risk a minimum fine of €300 and a maximum fine of a stonking €180,000.
Mário Frota , president of APDC, said today that "it is a shame what is happening" in the country and warned of the lack of knowledge of the law by restaurant owners, catering workers and consumers.
"No dish, food or drink, including the 'cover charge', may be charged for if it has not been requested by the client as set out in the law dated March 1st this year," said the consumer law specialist.
Frota considers it "necessary to change habits in the catering industry so that workers ask customers whether they want a couvert and tell them what the price is.”
Otherwise, if they bring ‘couverts’ to the table, the client can eat them without having to pay, said Frota.
If the customer complains, establishments are subject to fines of between €300 and €180,000, depending on the restaurant size and the nature and severity of the infraction.
In addition to the fine, the restaurant can be charged with the crime of speculation, punishable by imprisonment of between six months to three years, if they insist on charging the customer.
"There are two ways the customer can handle the situation. The first is to deduct the value of the 'cover charge' from the final bill and pay only what they have consumed.
“The second is to ask for the complaints book, clearly stating the amount that was charged and as a safeguard photograph the menu," says Frota.
