Q COSTA RICA — An inspection conducted by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio (MEIC)—Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Commerce—revealed that seven out of every ten restaurants inspected in Costa Rica fail to comply with legal requirements regarding price information—a situation that could expose them to substantial financial penalties.
The operation, carried out between September 7 and September 25, 2026, covered 70 full-service (table-service) restaurants located across 13 cantons and 22 districts within the provinces of San José, Cartago, Heredia, Alajuela, and Limón.
According to the released results, only 19 establishments—equivalent to 27%—complied with all the regulations reviewed, while 51 restaurants—accounting for 73%—exhibited at least one irregularity.
The investigation sought to determine whether businesses clearly disclosed the final price of their products—including taxes and mandatory charges—and whether the advertised prices matched what was ultimately charged to customers.
The 10% service charge: one of the primary irregularities.
One of the most significant findings was that 36 restaurants—representing 51% of the establishments inspected—failed to correctly state the final price of their products on their menus.
Within this group, 33 businesses failed to include the 10% service charge for table service, while three other establishments included neither that charge nor the 13% Impuesto al Valor Agregado (IVA)—Value Added Tax.
Costa Rican legislation stipulates that advertised prices must reflect the total amount the consumer will pay, with no additional mandatory charges that have not already been factored in.
Law No. 9116 regulates the 10% table service charge, while Law No. 7472—the Promoción de la Competencia y Defensa Efectiva del Consumidor—Law for the Promotion of Competition and Effective Consumer Defense—establishes obligations regarding price transparency.
This means that a restaurant cannot advertise a price that subsequently increases due to the addition of mandatory charges that should have been included from the start.
Restaurants also concealed the prices of food and drinks
The inspection revealed that 12 establishments—representing 17%—offered food or drinks without displaying their respective prices.
According to the MEIC, this prevents customers from knowing in advance how much they will have to pay for the items they select.
Furthermore, another 12 restaurants (17%) were found to be in violation of requirements regarding the minimum information that must be included on invoices or receipts. Among the deficiencies detected are the absence of the establishment’s exact address, the merchant’s name, a telephone number, or the corresponding identification number.
The Ministry warned that these omissions could hinder consumers from filing complaints or reports.
Businesses face the risk of substantial fines
In light of these irregularities, the MEIC notified the 51 non-compliant establishments, instructing them to correct the identified shortcomings.
As of October 15, follow-up assessments showed that 20 restaurants had fully rectified the issues, while 13 remained under supervision, and another 18 had failed to provide information regarding the requested corrections.
The MEIC warned that businesses that do not comply with these directives may be reported to the Comisión Nacional del Consumidor (CNC)—National Consumer Commission.
According to Article 57 of Law No. 7472, fines can range from 10 to 40 times the “base salary,” depending on the severity of the infraction.
For 2026, the applicable base salary is ¢462,200; consequently, potential penalties could range from ¢4,622,000 to ¢18,488,000.
These fines have not yet been imposed on the establishments under inspection; rather, they represent the penalties that could be applied following the appropriate administrative procedure.
The MEIC reminded consumers that they have the right to know the total price of food and beverages before making a purchase.
Individuals who identify irregularities may contact the toll-free hotline 800-CONSUMO (800-266-7866) or use the digital assistant “PACO te Asesora,” available via WhatsApp at 6140-9657.
Complaints may also be filed through the “Consumidor CR” platform, accessible on the Ministry’s official website: www.meic.go.cr.