Hospitality prices: why a QR code alone is not enough
Digital menus have become familiar in restaurants and cafés in recent years. A small square to scan sometimes replaces the menu on the table. It is convenient for changing an offering quickly, but one question keeps returning: can an establishment require customers to use their phones to find out the prices?
Guidelines published on 17 July 2026 by the FPS Economy provide a clear answer. They do not create a new law: they explain in practical terms how existing rules should be applied in hospitality. A QR code may supplement the information, but cannot be the only way to access it.
Prices are freely set; displaying them is not optional
A café, restaurant or hotel remains free to set its prices. The authorities impose neither a minimum nor a maximum amount for a dish or drink. However, consumers must be able to know the price before ordering.
The information must be written, legible, visible and unambiguous. The amount shown must be the total payable, including VAT, taxes and any compulsory charges. An unavoidable supplement cannot therefore appear only when the bill is paid.
What must be visible before entering
For establishments where customers eat or drink on the premises, prices must be available to consult before entering the dining area. They may be displayed on the façade, behind a window or along a route every customer must take. What matters is not the chosen medium, but a genuine opportunity to check before sitting down.
For meals and dishes, the offering and prices must be presented. For drinks, the outside display may be limited to the most representative items in each category. Inside, customers must have access to the complete list of meals, dishes and drinks actually offered.
Why a QR code alone is not enough
The FPS Economy stresses that the business must actively provide information. It cannot require a particular effort from customers, such as taking out a phone, having a connection, scanning a code and navigating a webpage to discover prices.
A digital menu is still perfectly possible, but it must complement something directly accessible: a printed menu, board, display stand or screen provided by the establishment. This rule particularly protects people without smartphones and those who find digital tools difficult.
What if the customer sits on the terrace?
The terrace forms part of the establishment, even if temporary or on the other side of a street or square. If the required price display is clearly visible at the main entrance, it need not be repeated at every terrace access point.
However, someone sitting outside must be able to consult the full price list, just like a customer in the dining room. A promotional sign on the terrace therefore does not replace the complete menu.
‘Market price’ is not enough
Some fresh products, whose cost varies with deliveries, are sometimes listed at market price. That phrase does not relieve the restaurateur of the duty to show an exact amount. Consumers must know the actual price applying at that moment without having to ask a waiter.
For operators, that means updating the display whenever the price changes. For customers, it means a dish should not remain listed solely as ‘market price’ without an accessible amount before ordering.
A useful clarification for everyone
For an independent operator, the simplest approach is to check four points regularly: the display before entry, the complete menu in every area where customers eat or drink, an option other than a QR code and immediate updates to variable prices.
For consumers, these rules guarantee the opportunity to make an informed choice. A clear menu avoids misunderstandings, makes comparison easier and builds trust. What may look like an administrative obligation becomes a genuine act of welcome.
The key message
The FPS Economy's guidelines do not overturn restaurateurs' commercial freedom. They do, however, remind us that digital information must never exclude part of the clientele. In hospitality, transparency starts before customers even open the door.
These guidelines evolve and explain the administrative position at the time of publication. Professionals facing a particular situation should therefore consult the FPS Economy's most recent version.
